Overview
Kathmandu to Everest base camp helicopter tour is one of the most incredible experiences in the Nepal Himalayas that finishes in one day. The tour is considered a time saver and an incredible experience. The tour lands at renowned viewpoints and offers thrilling views of mount Everest and other surrounding mountains. The Helicopter tour to Everest base camp offers incredible views of mountains and mountain landscapes, human settlements, rivers, waterfalls, and other natural heavenly sceneries.
The Mount Everest helicopter tour is considered a dream tour for many travelers. Thousands of travelers make the tour every year, and each of them has cherished the moment. Travelers get to see mount Everest face to face. Sail around the Khumbu region, Khumbu glacier, and Everest base camp, and land at Kalapatthar. Besides, the most luxurious moment will be enjoying the rich breakfast at Hotel Everest view while sitting on a sunny courtyard facing towards mount Everest.
The Everest helicopter tour starts at Kathmandu airport. The flight heads towards Lukla, stops there for refueling, heads towards the base camp, and flies back to hotel Everest view for breakfast, then flies back to Kathmandu. Before the helicopter flies back to Kathmandu, it will make a short stop at Lukla airport for refueling.
Kathmandu to Everest base camp helicopter tour cost
Kathmandu to Everest base camp helicopter tour costs USD 900 Per Person on a shared helicopter tour. The helicopter has a total of 5 seats. A private Everest helicopter tour costs USD 3300 (up to USD 3800), depending on the number of persons traveling.
Everest base camp helicopter tour with landing
Everest base camp helicopter tour with landing means the helicopter lands at Kalapatthar. The helicopter flies over the Everest base camp, Khumbu glacier, and lands at Kalapatthar. The views of Everest are far better from Kalapatthar than from the Everest base camp. From the base camp, only the tip of the top is seen. Travelers prefer to avoid the views from the base camp. Besides, landing at Everest base camp has been prohibited for tour purposes.
Everest helicopter tour itinerary
Kathmandu to Lukla
Flight time: 50 Mins
Ground time: 15 mins (Refueling)
Lukla to Everest base camp to Kalapatthar
Flight time: 45 mins
Ground time: 10 mins (excursion)
Kalapatthar to Hotel Everest View
Flight time: 20 mins
Ground time: 45 mins (Breakfast and excursion)
Hotel Everest view to Lukla
Flight time: 15 Mins
Ground time: 15 mins (Refueling)
Lukla to Kathmandu
Flight time: 50 Mins
Tour completion
Kathmandu to Everest base camp helicopter tour Detail itinerary
Phase 1: Kathmandu to Lukla
You will be picked up at the hotel at 6.00 AM. The trip starts at Kathmandu airport at the east helipad, where the helicopter takes off. After the security check and flight check-in at the domestic terminal, a jeep will take you to the helicopter.
Before you arrive at the helipad, the aeronautical engineers and ground inspection team will inspect the aircraft and prepare it for the flight. The pilot will be ready and give you a brief about the flight. If you have any special requests, please do not hesitate to ask the pilot. Remember that no pressure should be created on the pilot during the flight.
The flight takes off from the helipad at 06.30 AM. The flight takes the east route towards Lukla, following the eastern hills. The views of Kathmandu while flying over towards the outward city is just amazing. In nice weather, the city reflects the vivid color of dense settlements. It will take 50 minutes to reach Lukla. You can experience the most mesmerizing views of civilizations, hills, rivers, valleys, and out-of-the-world landscapes during the flight.
Phase 2: Lukla to Everest base camp to Kalapatthar
You will witness the most amazing heavenly ride of your life during this 45-minute ride. This part is the main part of the Everest helicopter tour. The ride starts at Lukla following the dudhkoshi river, and takes the northern route towards the Everest base camp. The flight covers the popular trekking camps: Namche, Tengboche, pangboche, Pheriche, Lobuche, Gorakshep, etc. The most exciting moment starts when the helicopter crosses the syangboche hill towards Mount Everest, opening the comprehensive and clear view of Mt Amadablam, Mt Everest, Mt Nuptse, Mt Pumori, Mt Khumjung, Mt Lobuche, etc. The more the helicopter reaches the mountains, the more influence the mountain energy pulls the soul of anybody, uprising peace of mind.
The second part of the flight is flying over Everest base camp and Khumbu icefall. The flying is very smooth and celestial. Even camp I and Camp II can be observed very closely. During the Climbing season, you can see many climbers on the way to the peak. They seem like ant climbing, but they are not marvel Antman. They are the climbers trying their best physique to reach the summit of Mt Everest.
After the brief tour of Mt Everest, the helicopter lands at Kalapatthar. The pilot will allow you 10 minutes to explore the ground, enjoy the view and take photographs. Staying for more than 10 mins is risky due to the altitude threat. In an emergency, talk to the pilot; the helicopter has an emergency oxygen cylinder.
Phase 3: Kalapatthar to Hotel Everest view
Kalapatthar to Hotel Everest view is a short route and the same way back. But the moment at Hotel Everest view will be unforgettable. The Hotel Everest view lies at the edge of Syangboche hill and has a view of Everest and the surrounding mountains. You can enjoy breakfast and Tea/Coffee with the view from the sunny courtyard of the hotel Everest view. The peaceful courtyard is very famous among the clients of hotel Everest view to enjoy the mountains with the sun. You will be allowed 45 minutes to 1 hour to spend there. That time will be another beautiful time of your life that you will remember forever.
Phase 4: Hotel Everest view to Lukla
The helicopter will take you to Lukla before it heads south toward Kathmandu. At Lukla, the helicopter will do refueling and short aircraft inspection. When ready, the helicopter will continue its flight to Kathmandu.
Phase 4: Lukla to Kathmandu
The flight takes off to Kathmandu. After 50 minutes, the flight reaches Kathmandu airport. You will be transferred to the arrival hall upon arrival, and your driver will drop you at your hotel.
Everest base camp helicopter tour with landing – Locations
- Lukla
- Kalapatthar
- Syangboche (Hotel Everest View)
Mount Everest helicopter tour clothing
We recommend bringing warm clothes with you. The wind is freezing in the upper valley, including the hotel Everest view, where you will stay for about one hour. We recommend wearing a down jacket, warm cap, warm shoes, socks, and gloves. Wear sunglass to prevent the excess light coming from the snowy mountains. The mountains are primarily sunny and can be too bright. Wear suncream to prevent skin burns. The direct sun ray at the altitude could be harmful to the skin. Wear inner thermals to keep you warm. Especially during the Winter, wear more clothes. Even if it is warm in Kathmandu, bring a small backpack with extra clothes to keep you warm in the mountains.
Other helicopter flight options
Lukla to Everest base camp helicopter tour
Lukla to Everest base camp helicopter tour is available from Lukla airport. This tour is ideal for those who have already been to Lukla or nearer places or for those who want to fly by plane to Lukla. Travelers can stay at Lukla to experience local culture and see the village. And take the helicopter to Everest base camp and fly back to Kathmandu by plane. This tour is available daily too. To read more about the tour and book, click here.
Everest base camp to Lukla helicopter flight
You can book the helicopter flight from Everest base camp to Lukla. During the flight, the helicopter will briefly tour the base camp and Khumbu icefall. Again, it is an exciting way to finish the Everest base camp trek.
Gorakshep to Lukla helicopter flight
Gorakshep to Lukla helicopter flight is available to transfer the trekkers from the last village in the Everest base camp trek. Trekkers finish their trek at Gorakshep and can take the helicopter back to Lukla. The helicopter flight is famous because it can shorten the trek by 4 days and gives an incredible Himalayan helicopter ride.
Tengboche to Everest base camp helicopter tour
Tengboche is a popular destination with Tengboche monastery. Traveler trek to Tengboche, which takes them 4 days, and take a helicopter from Tengboche to Everest base camp with a brief helicopter tour and back to Lukla airport. From Lukla airport, there are plenty of flights to Kathmandu.
Pheriche to Everest base camp helicopter flight
Pheriche to Everest base camp helicopter flight is a leisurely helicopter tour. But the helicopter gives an insight into the valley and the mountains from the sky. It is a popular flight for travelers who trek to other places like the island base camp, Lobuche peak, etc., rather than the classic Everest base camp trek.
Gokyo to Everest base camp helicopter tour
Gokyo to Everest base camp helicopter tour starts at Gokyo lakes and goes through the Chola pass to Everest base camp. The route is one of the best routes on the Everest base camp trail rather than the classic one. The Chola pass is a view that is called extraordinary. Our team at Lukla helicopter like the route very much.
Everest base camp to Kathmandu helicopter flight
You can book a seat or a flight from Everest base camp to Kathmandu. The helicopter will pick you up at Everest base camp and flies you to Kathmandu. The flying route will show several views from mountains, gorges, rivers, sherpa settlements, cultivated lands, mountain roads, etc. The flight is the shortest way to transfer from Gorakshep to Kathmandu.
Kathmandu to Lukla helicopter flight
You can book Kathmandu to Lukla helicopter on a shared or private helicopter. The helicopter has a maximum of 5 seats, and daily flights are available from Kathmandu to Lukla. The helicopter is considered the safest to fly to the world’s most dangerous airport: Lukla airport. The 50-minute flight starts at Kathmandu airport – Domestic terminal. Every day, there is numerous flight departing to Lukla. During the peak season, the seats are pre-reserved. Make sure to contact us ahead of time to make sure of your seat.
Gorakshep to Kathmandu helicopter flight
Flying from Gorakshep to Kathmandu save you trekking days of 4 days. Many travelers believe that it’s a win-win flight. You save the time and budget that you can use to buy the seat, complete the trek and experience the helicopter flight. The flight takes 1.30 hours to reach Kathmandu. A short stop at Lukla is for refueling and detailed inspection.
Reasons to take the Everest helicopter tour
There are many reasons to take the Everest helicopter tour. Some of them are below:
- Worlds best scenic Helicopter tour
There are hundreds of helicopter tours available in the world. Most are very short and offer commercial transfers rather than a scenic tour. But the Everest helicopter tour is the most fantastic tour you can take. It offers a wide range of landscapes from lowlands to highlands in the Himalayas region. The Himalayas are beautiful, but the lowlands are even more enjoyable with human civilization, rivers, mountain roads, and cultivated fields.
- The shortest way to reach Everest base camp
A helicopter to Everest base camp is the only way to reach the base camp in a few hours. There are no other ways. The only other way is to trek or take the helicopter from a different location.
- Suitable for all age groups
The tour is suitable for all age groups. From kids to senior citizens, everybody can take the tour. The good part is that everyone will enjoy it equally. Who doesn’t like the mountains? Everybody does. At least once in their lifetime.
- Touch the feet at the world’s highest mountain.
Remember, the most exciting part of the tour is touching your feet at the feet of the world’s highest mountain, mount Everest. It hits differently with you to have accomplished the trip.
About Lukla Airport
Lukla airport, also known as Tenzing Hillary airport, is the world’s most dangerous airport. The runway is very short for takeoff and landing and is situated at the mountain’s edge. One small mistake can trigger a significant incident at the airport. The airport was built in 1964 AD with the help of Sir Edmund Hilary. The airport has a paved runway. The security at the airport has advanced in recent days with the internet and connections.
Only STOL flights can operate flights at Lukla airport. The civil aviation authority of Nepal sets strict measures for flight operations to ensure the safety of the passengers. Due to the strict rules, a slight change in weather or operation difficulties can cancel the flights, so the flights to Lukla are often canceled in huge numbers throughout the year.
Everest helicopter tour – Mountains you can see from Everest base camp
Mount Everest
You can discover mount Everest very closely during the tour. The sight of Everest starts after you cross Namche bazaar and continues until the base camp. Mount Everest is 8848 meters high, and the base camp is 5364 Meters. The top of Mount Everest is a pyramid-type shape you can recognize easily.
Mount Pumori
Mount Pumori lies 8 km west of Mount Everest. Yet, it is standing right by the side due to its giant figure. Mt Pumori is also recognized as the daughter of Mt Everest locally. The mountain adds beauty to Everest and its range.
Mount Nuptse
Mount Nuptse lies two km West South West of Mt Everest. Nuptse means ‘West Peak’ in the Tibetan language. While Nuptse is an impressive mountain, it towers 7861 meters.
Mount Lhotse
Mount Lhotse lies north of mount Everest and is the fourth-highest mountain in the world. It stands 8342 Meters above sea level. While on tour, you will see this mountain on the right side of Mount Everest and behind Nuptse. Lhotse is also considered an extremely difficult mountain to climb.
Mount Amadablam
Mt Amadablam stands tall and giant before you reach the Everest base camp. It is the most beautiful mountain in the Everest region. Amadablam means ‘Mother’s necklace.’ The peak is 6812 Meters high from the sea level. Due to its stunning beauty, Travelers enjoy Mt Amadablam more than Mt Everest.
Other mountains
Mt Khumjung, Lobuche peak, and Changtse peak are other mountains you can discover during the tour.
Kathmandu to Everest Base Camp helicopter tour – season/months/days
December/January/February
These months are winter months in Nepal. The mountains are cold but beautiful. For those who love snow and bright sky, these 3 months are good options. However, cold, bad weather can disturb the tour very often. Be sure to have extra days to reschedule your tour to other possible days. During December, the temperature starts to decrease to extreme levels. It can be cold but at the same time sunny and bright. During January, most days are bad weather with snow and mists in the mountains.
Even in Kathmandu, the weather is foggy, disturbing the flight dispatch procedure. The highest number of flight cancellations occur during the month of January. February is considered one of the finest months to do the tour. The snow is still in the mountains, and the weather is mostly better and clear. The Everest region looks like a winter wonderland during the month. Many couples choose this month as the month of love and choose the tour as a romantic trip with their partner.
March/April/May
March is the month when the summer starts its day. The days start getting hotter, and the snow disappears from the mountains and valleys. But still, the mountains are mountains, and they never leave their beauty zone. The temperature is moderate and warm, and the sun is brighter. The wind can be cold. The weather is mostly clear and sunny.
April is the finest weather of all year. The best of the best. April is also the month to start the Mt Everest climbing expedition. You will discover hundreds of camps set up by expedition companies at the base camp. This month, the base camp looks like a human settlement and a market.
May is hotter and summer. The warm days in the mountains. The weather is relatively nice and sunny. The mountains are still beautiful, and occasionally clouds hover over the sky, making the mountains even more beautiful.
June/July/August
All these there months are monsoon and summer. We do not recommend traveling or doing the tour during these months. More than 70% of the flights are canceled due to bad weather and rain. Clouds, rain, mist, and fog are everywhere throughout the country. The weather can change within a minute. Some days can be good, but the mountain views are still covered in clouds and mists.
September/October/November
September starts the month of Winter. September welcomes nice weather and moderate temperature. The highest number of trekking are operated during these three months. The bad weather can be disturbed in the first two weeks of September, depending on the climate alteration. However, this month is still considered one of the best months to do the tour.
October is considered one of the best of the best month to operate the tour. The weather is fantastic, and the views are absolutely encouraging.
November starts the fall in the temperate and can show some change in weather trends. The month is cold, but the mountains look happy to welcome the snow.
Everest helicopter tour on sharing basis
The Everest helicopter tour is operated on a daily sharing basis. If you are a solo or two travelers, joining the trip on a sharing basis is the best option. The tour departs from Kathmandu with 5 seats. You can book a seat among them. The option is cost-saving and offers the same tour at a lower price. We collect travelers every day and depart the tour regularly.
On the sharing option, the Kathmandu to Everest base camp helicopter tour from Kathmandu costs USD 950 Per person. The tour goes for 4 hours and finishes at Kathmandu. We offer the tour with maximum satisfaction and excellent and well-experienced pilot for the trip to make it even more enjoyable.
Private Everest base camp helicopter tour
You can reserve the private helicopter for yourself only. The helicopter has 5 seats. You can travel with 5 travelers together. This option is ideal for a family, couple, or friends traveling together. Please remember that the helicopter has a weight limit due to flying at high altitudes. Once you tell us the number of passengers traveling, we will guide you about the weight limit and the procedure. The Private Everest base camp helicopter tour costs USD 3500 – USD 4000, depending on the number of passengers traveling.
Everest base camp helicopter tour Booking procedure
To book the Kathmandu to Everest base camp helicopter tour, contact us via email, WhatsApp, or contact form. We will send you all the details and required information. 25% of the total amount should be sent via wire transfer or online banking to ensure the reservation.
A passport copy is required to confirm the reservation. Please make sure of the date you want to travel. Also, let us know about your flexible dates. In case of bad weather, we can reschedule your tour for other dates.
We accept all cards and online payments. However, there can be additional charges depending upon the platform you use.
The remaining payment can be made at the airport before you take the tour at the airport.
For the cancellation policy: Click here.
Kathmandu to Everest base camp helicopter tour safety
Everest base camp helicopter tour safety starts with yourself. Please follow the safety regulations below:
- Do not carry prohibited items like inflammable objects, knives, lighters, etc.
- Do not talk to the pilot without permission
- Do not touch any buttons in the cockpit.
- Get off the helicopter only after the pilot says to do so. Do not immediately get off after landing.
- Do not touch door handles.
- If you feel a headache or feel tough to breathe, talk to your pilot
- Always approach the helicopter from the cockpit area. Keep your head low while approaching the helicopter.
- Wait for a pilot command before getting on or getting off.
Everest base camp helicopter tour Pilot
Our pilots are highly experienced and well-trained to fly in the high Himalayas and surrounding locations. Our pilots make Flights to Everest every day. They know the best about the route and the skills to fly in the region. Our ground crew are well informed and have good communication skills. The pilot and ground crew are regularly in touch to update each other about weather conditions and flying updates. Pilots enjoy their rides at the same time the travelers are doing. The positive vibes shared between the pilot and ground crew share the same energy as the travelers. The pilots have been doing emergency evacuations, mountain flights, Everest flights, pick-up flights, and many more. Pilots knows what the client likes and what should he offer. Besides, our pilots will always be happy to see you on board!
Preparing for the helicopter to Everest Base Camp
You don’t need special preparation for the helicopter to the Everest base camp. Anybody can take the helicopter to Everest base camp. If you have special medical conditions, talk to your doctor about going to the high altitude before taking the tour. Ensure you have all the arrangements for the clothes and gadgets as recommended. Do not drink the night before you are going to take the flight. Alcohol is bad for high altitude and breathing. Drink enough water instead. Water makes your body hydrated and makes it easy to deal with low oxygen and cold. Prepare to wake up early in the morning. Make sure you sleep enough. Sleeping not enough can lead to sleepiness during the tour and might give you a headache. It is going to be bright up in the mountains. Sunglass is very important to see the mountains with the snow appropriately.
Besides, there are a few preparations that the helicopter company will need to make. The operation team talks to the pilot and ensure the pilot is fit to fly. The aircraft engineers will inspect the helicopter to ensure that the helicopter is in condition to make the flight. The ground crews will thoroughly check the helicopter every morning before the flight. The ground crews will also fill the fuel tank with enough flight. The operation will prepare the manifest, calculate the weight and approve the detailed flight plan with the pilot and air traffic controller. A brief about the flight is made to all the passengers before the flight, and they will be given short guidance about the safety on board.
Kathmandu to Everest base camp helicopter tour highlights
- Heavenly ride over the Himalayas
- The only way to be at Everest base camp in one day
- Sensational helicopter adventure ride
- A short trip to peace of mind and the world’s highest mountains
- Luxurious tour with breakfast at a luxury hotel
- Cinematic, photographic locations
