Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Istanbul to Kathmandu. While the right side wins at takeoff for Istanbul's waterways, the left side delivers the superior overall experience. It captures the Anatolian plateau, the Zagros Mountains of Iran in the middle of the flight, and most critically the Himalayan approach into Kathmandu, which is one of the most spectacular landing sequences in commercial aviation.

During takeoff from Ataturk (IST), sit on the Right side for the best views. IST typically departs eastward on runway 06, so the right side faces north toward the Bosphorus strait, the Golden Horn, and the historic peninsula of old Istanbul. You get a clear view of the city's skyline and the waterway separating Europe from Asia. Notable sights include: Bosphorus Strait, Golden Horn inlet, historic Istanbul peninsula (Sultanahmet area), Sea of Marmara to the south.

When landing at Tribhuvan International (KTM), sit on the Left side for the best views. Tribhuvan International typically lands on runway 02, approaching from the south heading north. The left side faces west toward the Himalayan front range and offers the most dramatic views of the high peaks including Langtang and the Ganesh Himal as you descend into the Kathmandu Valley. Notable sights include: Langtang Himal range, Ganesh Himal massif, Kathmandu Valley floor, Bagmati River valley.

The flight from Ataturk (IST) to Tribhuvan International (KTM) takes Approximately 5 hours 30 minutes to 6 hours.

The route crosses central Turkey and the Anatolian plateau, then the Zagros mountain range of western Iran (visible as a corrugated series of parallel ridges), the Iranian plateau, southern Afghanistan or northern Pakistan depending on routing, and finally the Indo-Gangetic Plain of northern India before the dramatic climb of the Himalayan front range appears on the horizon approaching Nepal.