Explore the Himalayas with Everest Base Camp Helicopter Tour

Everest Base Camp Helicopter Tour is a dream come true for every travel-loving individual out there. Imagine the feeling of the breeze from the Himalayas clearing the sublime views of the mountains all around you. Now that feel is closer than ever with this helicopter tour taking you to the very base of Mount Everest. The moments at the top of the world is something to remember forever. With the mountains before you and the breathtaking views all around, enjoy being close to Shangri La now. 

Helicopter tours in Nepal are all about highlighting the major delights of the destinations. The Everest base camp helicopter tour does just that precisely. Staring at the highest peak of the world and sharing the ground of the base camp with other mountaineers is special for anyone. From the hills and greenery taking off from the Kathmandu Valley to the rocky terrain of strips in Lukla, both landscape changes and delights come fast here. Next is a period for you to connect with Khumbu and Everest itself. The tour will come to end eventually, but the fantastic memories and moments of magic make the Everest Base Camp helicopter tour incredible. 

Everest Base Camp Heli Tour: Major Attractions 

• Close views of the mighty Mount Everest (8848 m, the highest peak in the world.)
• Flying over the actual Everest Base Camp (5364 m), overlooking the Khumbu Glacier.  
• Other Mountains of the Mahalangur Range namely Kwangde, Kusum Kanguru, Lhotse, Nuptse, and Ama Dablam. 
• Landing at Kala Patthar (5545 m), one of the best natural viewpoints in the Himalayas to behold Everest. 
• The route to Lukla showcasing the diverse geography of Nepal. 
•  Breakfast at the beautiful Hotel Everest View Hotel with the whole extent of a snow-covered mountain range in the background. 
• Picturesque landscape and natural sceneries throughout the tour.  
• Adventure packed landing at the Lukla airport for the first glance of the Lower Himalayas. 

Trekking vs. Helicopter Tour of Everest Base Camp

For several years Everest Base Camp has been one of the best trekking destinations in the world. The trail here attracts thousands of adventure trekkers out there. There was no other choice to be near Everest other than the long trek for a long time. But that changed with the introduction of the Everest Helicopter tour. So what are the key differences here?

Well, for starters it is best for those who have limited time in hand. Many people can’t just spare a couple of weeks to complete the Everest Base Camp Trek. Secondly, the fitness required here is quite much. Walking several days over 4000 meters is not as simple as it sounds. It doesn’t matter how great it is if you can’t do the trek. Helicopter Tour has now given the freedom to travelers to reach Everest within a day and make some mesmerizing memories. 

 Heli Tour with Trekking: Everest Base Camp Helicopter Trek 

So, what if you are a trekking-lover and want to choose the tour as well here. We’ve got your back here. You can do the trek as it is meant to cover the main trail of the Everest Base Camp. From Lukla to Kathmandu and vice-versa is the segment you can do with Helicopter with other major delights that domestic flights might miss. 

Helicopter tour – Best time

The most interesting component about the Everest base camp Heli tour is that you can do it throughout the year given the weather is fine. For travelers, the best time will be autumn and spring but the other period will also do just fine. In these months, the views are clearer and the mountain flowers will make the journey more amazing. You will be doing the tour starting in the early morning. In the mountains generally, the weather is very much favorable from morning till noon too. So, grab your tickets and enjoy the thrilling ride to Everest throughout the year. 

Mountains and major natural landmarks visible 

The Mount Everest Base Camp helicopter tour has so much more going on apart from the obvious sites and mountains. Here is a list of major mountains and attractions to look forward to for your trip. 

Also Read: Annapurna Base Camp Helicopter Tour

Top Sights in Mount Everest

Mount Everest (8848 m): The highest peak of the world and the main focus of this helicopter tour. You can enjoy this peak from different angles and faces throughout the tour.

Mount Lhotse (8516 m): Jointly visible to the right of Everest is Mount Lhotse, the fourth highest peak of the world. It is the clearest of the three peaks near Everest too. 

Mount Nuptse (7861 m): It is the peak directly to the west of Lhotse and Everest. With seven summits each with a different name, this broad mountain is fantastic to look at. 

Pumori (7161 m): It is also known as the ‘Daughter Mountain’ and is slight to the west of Nuptse in the Nepal-Tibet Border. For the most part of the year, Mount Pumori is completely covered in Snow. 

Ama Dablam (6812 m): This beautiful peak is one of the most picturesque mountains of the Khumbu region. Ama Dablam looks like a mother’s arm embracing her children. 

Similarly, you can also enjoy the distant view of Langtang Lirung, Cho Oyu, Shishapangma, and Gaurisankar Mountains here. Other major landmarks apart from mountains are: – 

Everest South Base Camp: You will fly over the southern base camp of Everest in this tour. This was the very same camp that legendary mountaineers like Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Sherpa used during the first successful summit of Everest. 

Kalapatthar Ri: Kalapatthar is the highest point of the Everest Base camp Trek and you will land near the top here during the tour. It is time and again given the title of one of the best viewpoints in the world to glance at Mount Everest. 

Gokyo Lakes: Gokyo Lakes is a complex of five beautiful glacial lakes alongside hundreds of smaller ones near the Everest Base Camp. These lakes are a very closely visible and fantastic attraction of your helicopter tour. 

Khumbu Glacier: Khumbu Glacier is a large mass of glacier between the Lhotse-Nuptse ridge and Mount Everest. It is officially the world’s highest glacier at elevations ranging from 4900 to 7600 meters. 

Lukla Airport: One of the most thrilling air airports around the world. It is also known as the gateway to Mount Everest and is the trailhead of the Everest Base Camp Trek. You’ll make a quick refueling stop here. 

Everest Helicopter Tour: Safety Precautions 

Safety precautions for the Helicopter tour Everest base Camp mostly constitute the weather factors. You have less to worry about here as the flights are not allowed until the weather is completely favorable. For most days the forecasts are spot on and you can smoothly do the tour. However, in some cases, you can have major delays and postpone the lights due to bad weather. Always talk about their factors with your tour operators as the airport wouldn’t take any chances for your safety. 

As for once you have started the tour there are a few other precautions. If you are landing during snowy conditions, the surface might get slippery in different locations. It is in the best interest of all not to wander far apart from the dedicated sites. Similarly, it is very rare to get altitude sickness in the short time you have been there but in case of symptoms evacuating is the best decision. 

Everest Heli Tour: Dressing Advice 

Wearing warm clothes is necessary as it is better to be safe than sorry. We suggest you carry or wear a fleece jacket with a wind cover. Woolen caps and scarfs might be needed in winter times. Boots are more favorable but you can break into your comfortable shoes with good grip. Also, having a cap and sunglasses will make your tour more comfortable. Get your cameras and an extra battery with you. It will be a pity if you can’t capture every bit of the moments here. Last but not the least, warm gloves are great to play a while in the snow if you fancy yourself doing so. 

Mount Everest Helicopter Tour: Things To Do

Enjoy the Sceneries 

Just lose yourself in nature and everything that comes with it during the Everest Base Camp Heli tour. From small hills to riverbeds, and rocky-mountains to snow-covered peaks, you can enjoy them all here.  

Peek at the local culture and lifestyle 

In the small intervals while you are near locals take a look at the lifestyle, art, traditional attire, as well as cultural diversity here. You wouldn’t have the time like in the Everest Base Camp trek but one can spot the changes and challenges of surviving in the high Himalayas. 

Take some pictures before the Mount Everest 

If you are a photography lover, you are in for a treat. The tour will offer you some of the best settings to get absolutely majestic pictures. One of the best places is before the South face of Mount Everest from Kalapatthar. 

Name your favorite peak of the tour

You will be looking at over a hundred amazing small and big mountain peaks on this tour. Ask your guide about them and rename a peak for yourself. It will be a wonderful experience and you will forever remember that mountain on this tour. 

Enjoy the Himalayan breakfast at Hotel Everest View

With everything done and dusted enjoy the luxury of having a good breakfast in the Himalayas. Once named as the highest hotel in the world this breakfast will have bonus panoramic views of the Mountains to enjoy too.  

Everest Base Camp Helicopter Tour: FAQs

What to do in case of bad weather? 

In case of bad weather, there might be delays and even no flights. In this case you will get full refund. or you can postpone your tour. 

Should one be concerned about altitude sickness during this Helicopter tour?

Altitude sickness must be the least of your concerns for the tour. You will spend less than half an hour at the extreme altitude of over 5000 meters. Apart from that, you will have a couple of stops in reasonably good elevation.

What is the maximum number of people to share the Helicopter?

In a single helicopter provided here, you can travel five people at a time. 

Can I be assured of the experience of Pilots and guides for the tour? 

Yes, for flying to Everest the pilots must have years of experience and advance license too. As for the guides, they are well-informed about all the components of your tour and are likely to have done it over a dozen times before.

Is the Mount Everest Everest Heli tour worth the money spent? 

100% yes here. Not only you will be completing the tour much cheaper than the Everest Base Camp trek, but also you can save a lot of time. These kinds of opportunities are rare to get and the helicopter tour here just makes your time in the Himalayas special.

What can I do instead for a group or a long family tour? 

You can either take separate consequent tours here or take a mountain flight instead to Everest. These will comfortably hold almost a dozen travelers at once.

Advantages of joining a group vs. chartering a helicopter to Everest Base Camp 

If you join a group the cost will be less and you can share the guide available too. For private charter the cost is high but you will have the whole helicopter and guide for yourself here.

Should I have additional permits/clearance for this tour? 

The only permit here will be the one to enter the Everest National Park. It is 30 $ per person and is most likely included in your initial tour cost.

What other helicopter tours can I combine to do with the Everest Base Camp tour?

You can add other different helicopter tours to the Everest one. It is not in a single day but you can do it successively. The Annapurna Heli Tour and Gosainkunda Heli Tours are our top recommendations.

How many stops will we get on this whole tour? 

There will be three stops between the take-off and landing back at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA). First for a quick refuel at Lukla, second approximately half an hour in Kalapatthar, and the last one the breakfast in Hotel Everest View.  

Everest base camp helicopter tour is worthy of being on your bucket list. In this once in a lifetime adventure, enjoy every moment and soak in the beauty of the Himalayas.