Flying Over The Roof Of The World
There are numerous reasons why you should visit Bhutan. And one of them is because of the spectacular glimpses of the world’s tallest mountain peaks that you can witness during your flight in and out of the country. The flights to and from Paro International airport offer guests’ the opportunity to view some of the tallest mountains in the world. The skies are most clear from March to October thus revealing the magnificent Himalayan peaks in all their grandeur. The aircraft along the mountain ranges cruise at an altitude of 26,000 ft to 39,000 ft allowing you to take in the breathtaking vistas of the Tibetan Plateau – the roof of the world.
In just a few minutes after take-off from Paro, you will first see Mt. Jumolhari (7,326m), the second highest mountain in Bhutan. And as the aircraft enters Indian airspace over the neighboring state of Sikkim, the majestic Mt. Kanchenjunga (8,586m) appears from the clouds.
En route to Kathmandu, Nepal, you will see a cluster of mountains on the right side of the aeroplane. And the captain will tell you that the pyramid shaped peak in the middle of them all is Mt. Everest (8,848m) the tallest mountain on the planet. Two peaks in front of Mt. Everest – Lhotse (8,516m) and Nuptse (7,861m) – seem magnificent as they guard over Everest. Lhotse is the fourth highest mountain in the world. Towards the right of Mt. Everest, standing tall is the fifth highest mountain Mt.Makalu at 8,475m. And as the aircraft descends toward the city of Kathmandu, Mt. Gaurishankar (7,134m) comes into full view. The name of the mountain is derived from Sanskrit – Gauri meaning goddess and Shankar her consort. In Tibet and Nepal, where the locals revere the mountain, it is called Jomo Tseringma.
If you fly from Kathmandu, Nepal, to New Delhi in India, you will cross paths with three other major mountain peaks. The first one being Mt. Manaslu (8,163m) – the eight highest mountain in the world – it is also known as the mountain of spirits. Manasa, the Sanskrit word from where the name of the mountain is derived means soul. Further away, you will fly past Mt. Annapurna (8,000m) – the tenth highest peak in the world, followed by Mt. Dhaulagiri (8,167m) – the seventh highest mountain in the Himalayan range.