The Everest Base Camp Trek with Helicopter returm, for obvious reasons, is now becoming one of the most popular trekking packages in Nepal as it allows visitors to enjoy the entire trekking trail up till the Everest Base Camp and fly back easily on a helicopter. This easy trekking package in Nepal takes trekkers into the cultural depths and nature’s fascination engrossed in the Khumbu region. Rambling through the territories of the ethnic Sherpa people, the quaint villages and the natural exquisiteness of the countryside, this spectacular trip begins with a sensational flight from Kathmandu to Lukla, the inevitable site to kick off an extravagant journey to the base camp of Everest. Travelers who are running short of time yet wish to trek to their dream-destination and experience the beauty of nature are bound to get the most out of this easy trekking package in Nepal.
The initial trail of the Everest Base Camp Helicopter Trek leads through several eye-catching suspension bridges that are festooned with colorful prayer flags. Traversing through dense rhododendron forests, pictorial Sherpa villages, voluble streams, precipitous valley ridges, splendid glaciers, and glacial moraines, the marvelous hike culminates in the base of the world’s highest mountain, the Everest. Stupefying views of the Himalayan giants such as Lhotse, Everest, Ama Dablam, Lobuche, Pumori and many others are the rewards for your eyes while resting during the trek. Other peculiar highlights of this trip would be a visit to the Tengboche monastery and a morning stroll up to the black rock Kala Patthar that offers the most vivid and graceful views of the colossal Everest.
Experience the spectacular journey of your lifetime if you are physically fit and possess a sound health condition. Join Royal Holidays on this easy trekking in Nepal, where the only challenging factor could be the altitude. We will make your holiday in Nepal a memorable one by helping you gather huge experiences in the secluded hill-top villages of the ethnic Sherpa people.
Join Our Small Group Departures
View Available DatesDuration: 30 minutes Drive from airport
Altitude: 1300 M
On arrival at Kathmandu airport and fulfilling immigration formalities, you will be met by one of our representatives near the exit gate of the airport with a placard for precise identification. You will then be transferred to your pre-assigned hotel room where you may stretch your legs and relax. If you arrive in Kathmandu during the daytime, you will meet your trip leader, other fellow members and be briefed about the trip before you return to your hotel room. In case of late arrival, you will be briefed about the trip by the representative who will meet you at the airport. Overnight in Kathmandu.
Duration: 30 Min flight and 4 hours walk
Altitude: 2610 M
After an early breakfast, you will be transferred to the domestic airport for one of the most enthralling flights of your lifetime, which takes you to Lukla. After landing at the Tenzing-Hillary airport in Lukla, you will meet other crew members and start trekking through stone-paved descending trails to Cheplung village. With gradual descent accompanied by lush forests and stunning landscape, you will reach Phakding crossing numerous prayer walls. Overnight in Phakding.
Duration: 4-5 hours
Altitude: 3440 M
Your day begins by hiking the route through pine forests till Benkar valley. Crossing and re-crossing quite a lot of suspension bridges including the famous Hillary suspension bridge over the Dudh Koshi River, you will keep moving ahead passing the villages of Chumoa and Monjo. Rewarded with glistening glimpses of Mt. Thamserku and Nuptse, you will again cross another suspension bridge passing by Jorsale village. A steep ascent from here brings you to Namche Bazaar, a real paradise for mountaineers, the gateway to the Everest region of Khumbu, and the prime heartland of Sherpa village. Overnight in Namche Bazaar.
Duration: 2-3 hour
Altitude: 3440 M
Staying active even during the rest day, also known as acclimatization is highly recommended this day. Walking, climbing and hiking throughout the day and sleeping low is the best way to get properly acclimatized. You may hike up to Syangboche airport and the Everest View Hotel, one of the highest placed hotels in the world. You have other options to hike up to Khumjung, Thame or Khunde villages or explore Namche Bazaar itself. Here you may observe the traditional Sherpa life, visit the Khumjung Hillary School, visit the mountaineering museum and spend some time interacting with the fun-loving Sherpas or simply enjoy the flora and fauna of the neighborhood at an altitude as high as this. Overnight in Namche Bazaar.
Duration: 5-6 hours
Altitude: 3868 M
Today’s hike starts with a downhill walk to the Dudh Koshi River and continuing along the hastening glacial waters. You will be greeted by awe-inspiring views of Mt. Everest, Ama Dablam, Nuptse, Kongde, and Thamserku. Crossing the Dudh Koshi near Phunki Tenga you will now enter the Imja Khola Valley, from where it is another 2 hours uphill walk till the hilltop village of Tengboche. Here you will visit the renowned Tengboche monastery which is the largest monastery in the Khumbu region. Inside the antique monastery, you will witness incredibly ornate wall hangings, a 20-foot sculpture of Buddha and the traditional musical instruments and the attire of the local monks. Overnight in Tengboche.
Duration: 5-6 hour
Altitude: 4410 M
Pursuing the scenic trail through birch, conifer and rhododendron forests, the day’s hike is a short descent to a scattered stone village Deboche. Crossing the Imja Khola through a suspension bridge, the trail ascends to Pangboche amongst thousands of Mani stones and a closer view of the towering Ama Dablam. Moving towards the Imja valley and Lobuche River, the trail continues to the quaint traditional Sherpa settlement Dingboche with its exquisite views of Lhotse, Island Peak, and Ama Dablam. Overnight in Dingboche.
Duration: 4-5 hours
Altitude: 4410 M
Yet another scheduled rest day kept aside for acclimatization with higher altitudes, today you can either take short distance hikes to Nagarjuna Hill or the Chhukung Valley, which offers astonishing views of Makalu, Cholatse, Tawache, Lhotse, and Ama Dablam. Another option would be a few hours hike up to Nangkartshang peak just above Dingboche. This peak is an excellent viewpoint, which provides incredible views of Ama Dablam from its summit to its base in the floor valley. Overnight in Dingboche.
Duration: 5-6 hour
Altitude: 5353 M
Making an early start after breakfast, you will begin ascending to a ridge through yak pastures through a wooden bridge to reach Dughla at the end of the terminal moraine of the Khumbu Glacier. Passing by a large group of stone-piled memorials with prayer flags, belonging to Scott Fischer, an American mountaineer and Babu Chhiri Sherpa, a Nepali mountain guide who climbed Everest 10 times, and other mountaineers who perished on nearby summits, you will rise steeply up to Chupki Lhara. Following the valley upstream and the trail easing off, you will reach Lobuche in the late afternoon. Overnight in Lobuche.
Duration: 6-7 hour
Altitude: 5140 M
Today is the big rewarding day yet one of the most difficult days requiring extra attention due to the thin air at high altitudes. Following the rocky path along the barren Khumbu moraine, you will arrive at the last village of Gorak Shep, from where it is a straight walk across the Indian army mountaineers’ memorials passing through rocky dunes, moraines, and streams finally leading you to the Everest Base Camp. The view of the dreaded Khumbu Icefall, the most dangerous section of an Everest ascent, from the base camp is spectacular. You will return to Gorak Shep after spending some moments capturing photographs at the base camp. Overnight in Gorak Shep.
Duration: 1 hour 15 min flight
Altitude: 1300 M
Today is another challenging yet a rewarding day of the trek where you will make a pre-dawn departure amidst cold temperatures to savor the most beautiful sunrise views of the Himalayan chain from Kala Patthar, the black rock. Though the ascent is demanding, you will experience one of the best moments of your life with 360 degree up-close and tantalizing views of Mt. Everest. After spending some stunning moments at this historic locality, you will make a quick downhill descent to
Gorak Shep, where you will have a sumptuous breakfast. After breakfast, you will board on a helicopter to return to Kathmandu amidst stunning Himalayan vistas over the picturesque Sherpa villages. On your exciting chopper ride, you can savor the collective view of the colossal Himalayan peaks from the skyline. During the ride, you will fly over the unruffled turquoise Gokyo Lakes and the lining views of the trekking trails that you had rambled earlier. On arrival at Kathmandu, you will be guided to your hotel room where you may relax for a few hours or simply freshen up and wander around Thamel for some souvenir shopping. Overnight in Kathmandu.
Duration: 30 min from your hotel
You will be dropped off at the airport well ahead of your scheduled flight time by one of our representatives. If you have an evening flight, you may wish to visit certain heritage sites of Kathmandu on your own. However, if you wish to extend your holidays in Nepal, then Royal Holidays are ever ready to create another wonderful trip in the Himalayas.
This is a standard itinerary designed with a view to allow sufficient acclimatization period for trekkers. However, if you are not satisfied with this itinerary or wish to modify it according to your needs, we will happily do it for you. You are free to choose your own hotels, guides or porters if you wish to. We are always there to customize or tailor-make your trips as per your plans and convenience.
Royal Holidays offer flights as per the needs of the clients ranging from adventure flights, pilgrimage tours, heli-ski tours, VIP flights, aerial survey tours, filming & photography tours, charter flights and long line missions for rescue and evacuation, to name a few.
For all heli tours that we operate, we use choppers belonging to companies like Air dynasty, Heli Everest, Summit Helicopters, Mountain Helicopters, and Manang Air. The fleet of aircraft is mostly manufactured by a worldwide leader in civil and military helicopter production, Eurocopter of France. These Airbus helicopters from the Ecureuli family namely AS-350 B2, AS-350 B3E (H125), AS-350 B3+, EC-130 B4, and a Jet Ranger series Bell 206BB III are supported by Turbomeca 2D1 engines designed especially for high altitude performance – they are certified to fly up to 23000 ft.
The pilots who will be flying helicopters during the heli tours possess extensive flying hours and vast experience in the high mountain regions. They will provide our guests with the best touring moments by their excellent narration skills and deep knowledge of the flying locations. These pilots receive regular proficiency training that is in conformity to the requirements and standards of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN). Professional instructors from abroad are annually invited to evaluate and train the Nepali pilots with the latest techniques and procedures of operation.
Heli-trekking means an adventure trip which comprises of both trekking as well as helicopter ride simultaneously. These heli treks are gaining rapid popularity among travelers who have lesser time but are ready to spend extra bucks to complete their tour in a shorter period of time. Heli treks could mean initially trekking to a certain point of place and then traveling back on a helicopter. It could also mean flying to a certain point, then trekking to another point of a place, and then flying back. On the other hand, heli-tour is a complete aerial sightseeing tour to discover the scenic brilliance of mountainous Nepal; it does not include walking at all. These tours are perfect for those who have no time to trek in the exotic destinations in remote areas and would require many days to reach through land transportation. The heli tours to any destination in Nepal are normally completed within a single day.
Helicopters in Nepal can accommodate 5 to 6 passengers excluding the pilot, depending on the destination of the flight. For example, a flight from Kathmandu to Lukla accommodates 6 persons at one go, but if you were to fly from Syangboche airstrip to Everest Base Camp or Kala Patthar, then pilots refuse to carry more than 5 persons. For more than 5 persons, the pilot would suggest making two trips rather than taking risk against any untoward incidents. The weight and balance of the chopper demand an appropriate seating arrangement. Generally, there is one seat adjacent to the pilot’s seat, and 4 to 5 seats directly behind him. Each of the passenger seats provides excellent aerial views.
With more than decades of experience leading visitors from various nationalities and explaining the marvels of the Himalayan region, all our guides including the pilots are connoisseurs in their jobs. They are highly knowledgeable about the local tradition and culture, indigenous flora and fauna, responsible and sustainable tourism practices, and the traditional village lifestyles. Additionally, the guides are proficiently trained with medical awareness so that they can cope with any emergencies or critical situations that may arise during the tour.
Yes, it is possible for you to charter a private helicopter tour to any of the several wonderful destinations in Nepal. However, it is not possible to spend time as long as you wish at some places situated at higher altitudes where the air is thin and one could be hit by Acute Mountain Sickness. So, at higher altitudes, our team will allocate a limited time period for you to spend. Make sure not to stay longer than the assigned time as even the healthiest person could be a victim of AMS.
Unless you charter a flight, this heli tour is normally a group-joining trip for all solo travelers. We will be happy to arrange your heli tour with another group of travelers on your preferred flight date and your preferred location provided that you book your tour with us well ahead of time.
Yes, we do organize pilgrimage tours for our clients to various destinations in Nepal as per their requirement. Some of our popular helicopter pilgrimage tours include Gosaikunda Helicopter Tour, Muktinath Helicopter Tour, Pathivara Helicopter Tour, Halesi Mahadev Helicopter Tour, Damodar Kunda Helicopter Tour, and Lumbini Helicopter Tour. Besides, we also organize heli-trek to Mansarovar & Mt. Kailash across the Tibetan border.
The main tourist season in Nepal falls during the months of March through May, and from mid-September to November. These are the months when the sky is blue and visitors get clear views of the mountains and the neighborhood environment. Although we operate heli tours during all months except the rainy seasons, the peak season would probably be during the months when the inflow of tourists in Nepal is in maximum.
No, there are no age restrictions for touring in helicopters, unless specified by a qualified medical practitioner. Since the Everest Base Camp Helicopter Tour is a high altitude trip, we recommend not taking children below the age of 10 years along with you. For other tours that do not require the chopper to land at higher altitudes, children of all ages may accompany you. Children above 2 years old will be charged full price and they need to sit in their own seat. Those below 2 years of age will not be charged and must sit on the lap of an adult.
The booking process for the Everest Base Camp Heli Tour is easy and can be booked from anywhere in the world. Online booking through our website is the best way to book your heli tour in the Himalayas. Tours can also be booked through phone calls, email inquiries or via our social platforms. We will require the trip name, the exact date for the trip, a photocopy of your passport (with expiry date), and 25% charge as an advance trip payment. Only on receiving your passport copy, trip details and the advance payment will your trip be confirmed.
You can make your payment through the basic payment methods such as bank transfers, online payment or credit cards. We accept Visa/Master Card or any other widely used credit cards with an extra 4% bank surcharge. If partial payment was made during the booking process, the remaining amount must be paid before the actual tour in our office either in cash or through credit card.
It is recommended that you carry a few bottles of safe drinking water during your heli tour. If you require more water during the trip, then it can be purchased at the place where the chopper lands either for breakfast or lunch.
The maximum baggage allowance during your helicopter tour in the Himalayas is 10 kg per person. Since the heli tour will comprise of a single day, it is highly advised to carry just the necessary items sufficient for the day.
Emergency medical evacuation, also known as medivac, is the timely needed resourceful operation to provide medical attention. Evacuation is done by transferring an injured or critically sick traveler requiring urgent care from the remote areas to the rural hospital equipped with prerequisite facilities using helicopters. In our case, we lift the injured clients to one of the best hospitals in the country like Norvic hospital, Grande hospital, Swacon hospital or the Vayodha hospital that are well furnished to endow with the best medical consideration to our clients.
Weather conditions obviously will affect your helicopter tour. All helicopter flights in Nepal function in VFR conditions i.e. Visual Flying Rules and it is required to have good weather with clear visibility before the chopper soars up in the sky. During the monsoon season, the weather is not clear owing to the heavy fog and misty atmosphere. In such cases, the tours may not take place at the scheduled time. However, early morning mountain flights still may be possible that offers great views of the snow-clad Himalayan peaks. If there is light rain that does not affect visibility, there are chances to be able to fly and complete the tour. But in case of heavy showers or thick fog, the flights may have to be canceled; the weather in the mountains is unpredictable and change quickly.
In case your trip is canceled due to deteriorating weather conditions, we will try to reschedule it for a later time the same day or the next morning. However, if you can’t make it on the next day due to your flight back home, we will refund your flight cost in accordance with the booking term and conditions.
Each of Royal Holidays heli tour draws attention to particular areas of interest. It is our dedicated effort to make each trip the best experience for our clients. Some of our repeat clients choose different trip each time they book with us to feel the difference at various destinations. As such, we cannot mark a particular heli tour as the best amongst all as it totally depends on the experience of the clients that make the trip worthwhile and memorable.
Normally, we do not have a fixed schedule as tours are established based on the request from the clients for a particular destination. Normally morning time is the best time for any helicopter tour in Nepal provided the weather and operational conditions are favorable; however, we do fly at any time on the request of our guests.
Depending on the weather conditions, the helicopter will land at Everest Base Camp. Sometimes, it is not possible to land at the base camp due to the high wind speed or due to landslides sweeping away the landing spots. But normally, we also stop at the magnificent viewpoint of Kala Patthar for 15 minutes which offers astounding 360-degree views of the Mt. Everest and other Himalayan ranges.
We suggest you wear something comfortable and casual especially dark colored shirts or tops for superb photography sessions. Bright colored clothes, on the other hand, are not encouraged as they reflect back an intense dazzling glare on the windows which may refract in the photos. Depending on the season, you are also advised to wear clothes that help you keep warm enough at the mountain heights.
Our tour description is written with precise information from our guides and the pilots. We will make sure to cover every site mentioned on the tour overview on our dossier or as per your customized itinerary. Sometimes the pilots need to adjust their flight paths for gusty wind and the bad weather due to which you may not be able to see certain parts of the area. But you need to understand that your safety and comfort are our prime concern during your heli tour in Nepal.
Yes, it is possible to reschedule your heli tour provided that you inform us at least 72 hours before the flight time. However, if you wish to reschedule your tour 6 hours before, then we will charge you with a nominal fee to reschedule your flight; flights cannot be rescheduled within six hours of the actual flight time. If you need to cancel your heli tour, you need to email us at least 72 hours in advance; canceling your tour within 24 hours is non-refundable.
Yes, of course, we will be glad to communicate with your insurance company back home and arrange rescue and evacuation or air ambulance and charter services from any mountainous region of Nepal.
Clients’ safety is our prime concern. We are cautious at all times regarding your well being and health. The helicopters used during our tours are in fact, very powerful and the pilots are highly skilled and professional with ample flying hours in their collars. One thing to consider while landing at Kala Patthar, the highest point on this tour, is altitude sickness. If you feel dizzy or an ache in your head or any sorts of uneasiness, you are advised to inform it to the guide immediately. It is very obvious that you can’t stay for a long time at Kala Patthar, so we will not stop for more than 15 minutes here.
There are no constraints for pregnant women from embarking on a remarkable heli tour as such, but it is advisable to undergo a thorough check-up for any issues of complications a few days before the actual tour. It is always wise to consult with your gynecologist before undertaking any activities that involve rather harsh conditions.
Registered with the company registration office under Nepal Government
Member of Trekking Agency Association of Nepal (TAAN)
Licensed by Nepal Tourism Board & Department of Tourism
Member of Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA)
