Most treks to Everest Base Camp (and Gokyo Lakes) commence with a flight from Kathmandu to Tenzing-Hillary Airport in Lukla, renowned as one of the world's scariest and most dangerous airports. This 30-minute short hop takes you straight into the heart of the mountains, where you'll land on a tiny runway perched on the edge of a cliff. One end of the runway drops off 600 meters (2,000 feet), while the other ends abuts a solid rock wall. There's little room for error.

Is it as perilous as people imagine? No, perhaps not. But is it daunting and nerve-wracking? Absolutely.

The small size of the planes (14 seats) doesn't inspire confidence, and Nepal's safety record isn't stellar. They even lack sidewalks—have you seen how they drive?

Despite this, the airport is relatively well-managed, keeping the accident rate relatively low over the years.

Planes parked at Lukla Airport during treks to Everest Base Camp in Nepal

Mountain flights are inherently more risky than ordinary travel, but remember, this airport operates 20-50 flights daily, depending on the season.

That means, if you do the math, they've had tens of thousands of safe flights over the past decade. It's not all that bad.

I believe the risk level is acceptable, though I must admit, I was extremely tense during takeoff and landing.

If the idea of flying into Lukla still doesn't appeal to you, you can always trek there from Jiri, saving on airfare. The downside is a long bus ride and about five extra days of hiking.

Planes parked at Lukla Airport on the Everest Base Camp trek route in Nepal

I opted to fly into Lukla rather than trek, partly to save time and partly because my inner adventurer wanted to experience the thrill of this epic flight.

It didn't disappoint in the slightest. The views were incredible. Speaking of which, when flying to Lukla, you'll want to sit on the left side of the plane for a better view of the mountains.

After hearing horror stories about the boarding process and reliability of Lukla flights (they only take off when visibility is clear), I was surprised that my flight encountered no issues.

My flight to Lukla took off on time, and everything went smoothly from start to finish. Your experience may vary, especially during different trekking seasons. Always book the first flight of the day, as it's most likely to take off.

Once you land in Lukla, the adventure has just begun!