Helicopter tour to Everest Base Camp

Helicopter tour to Everest Base Camp

One of the exciting activities to see the roof of the world in an easiest and time convenient way is to do helicopter tour to Everest Base Camp. The trip is ideal for any age group but people with different underlying medical condition may need advice from a medical professional as the helicopter lands at an elevation above 5,000 meters in fair weather. The crucial factor to do the flight is weather in different area like Kathmandu, the route and base camp and surroundings. This article explains about the trip in detail and fruitful for people who like to go to Everest area in helicopter and come back the same day to Kathmandu.

The trip commences in Kathmandu airport and end in Kathmandu airport. The time for round trip will be at least four hours and might be more depending with weather and your will to spend time in Hotel Everest View which is a five-star small hotel under Japanese management located at an elevation of 3,800 meter above sea level.

For the latest price, safety measures, weather condition, videos, availability and details regarding this trip please click here.

The time of the day they operate helicopter tour to Everest Base Camp

Normally the trip starts early in the morning from Kathmandu but we have record that in some day the helicopter can go to Everest base camp even at afternoons if the weather is good. The flight gets delayed for weather reasons in Kathmandu specially in winter time due to a dense fog which develop in Kathmandu airport. The helicopter follows the river valleys and some time those valleys are also covered with heavy and dense cloud as well as moving fog which results in poor visibility and delay the flight departure from Kathmandu. If the weather in Everest area is not good and poor visibility of the mountains it is not worthy flying and it is always a good idea to wait for next clear day to do the flight.

Does helicopter land at Everest Base Camp?

They have temporary Helipad made every year at Everest Base Camp specially in climbing season for rescue and supply of the logistics for climbing people. They don’t issue permit for commercial or sightseeing flights to land at Everest Base Camp so there is a very less chance that your helicopter of Everest Tour land at Everest Base Camp. Besides Everest Base camp is located in very active glacier and it is not suitable to land there. The helicopter normally lands at the flank of Kalapathhar which is much safer than Everest Base camp and has better view of Everest than from base camp. Where helicopter lands you don’t see any signs that says Everest Base Camp. The landing is totally depending with the weather condition as you reach there. Not all landing tours lands even at Kalapathhar for safety of the helicopter, captain and passengers. The landing is totally depending with wind speed and amount and condition of snow on the ground where normally helicopter lands.

How many passengers a helicopter carry while going for Everest Base Camp helicopter tour?

More than number of passengers, the weight of the passengers is very important while they are flying at higher elevation. For landing above 5,000 meters the permitted passenger weight is 250 kg and for landing below 4,500 meter the permitted passenger weight is below 480 kgs. Besides the helicopter are furnished with limited seating capacity there are different rules imposed by civil aviation departments for safety of everyone. Normally the shared trips do shuttles from lower elevation to Base camp and kalapathhar. Most of the helicopter tours do shuttle either from Pheriche or Everest view while there are more passengers. The shuttles can be avoided by booking the private trip.

Do people get guaranteed window while going to Everest Base Camp Helicopter tour?

Not for the whole journey except a private tour but for the sightseeing part all passenger gets guaranteed window as they are doing shuttle from Pheriche onwards. The passengers can keep rotating so everybody can enjoy the window. If you wish to have window for a whole journey you must take a private trip even it does cost more than shared trips. The seat rotation is done for different sectors as the helicopter keep landing in different points for fueling and defueling as well as most of the trip land at Everest View for breakfast or tea coffee.

How much does it cost to go to Everest Base camp on helicopter?

The cost is reduced now due to less job received by helicopters. The average shared trips cost you $1,300 per person and the private trips can be organized for $6000 for right now as I am preparing the article and it is revised quite often so for the latest price, please write to us and confirm before you book the trip.

Does this price is all inclusive price or anything extra on top of this?

The price does not include Everest National Park entry fee, currently around $25 per person and breakfast at Hotel Everest View cost around $30 per person and Everest view people do not entertain a la carta breakfast menu for people reaching there with helicopter. Pasang Lhamu rural municipality charge Rs. 2000 per person at Lukla as well as the airport tax of Rs.1000 per person is payable directly by client at the airport in Kathmandu.

Breakfast at Hotel Everest View

Helicopter Breakfast Set $31

A choice of one of the following:

Pancake, Toast, French Toast, Porridge, Cornflakes or Muesli

A choice of Omelet

Plain Omelet or Mushroom Omelet or Cheese omelet or Omelet Lyonnaise or Masala Omelet or Farmers’ Omelet or Boiled Eggs or Eggs sunny side up or Scrambled eggs along with chicken sausage/bacon

Juice

Mango, Orange, Pineapple or Apple

Hot Drinks

Tea or coffee with freshly baked butter cookies

The breakfast offered is not that great but the view offered at breakfast table is incredible and you can frequently see some crows next to the wall looking after left over piece of breads on breakfast table. One can have their own champagne by paying corkage on the table.

What happened if I just want to have a coffee at Everest View Hotel?

As per now you buy the whole breakfast with coffee or pay the price of the breakfast even if you just wish to have a coffee. You can share breakfast if you wish. The Everest view people do not entertain trespassers who do not consume something there but they are kind enough to let you in for toilets which are made outside the main entrance of the hotel. This is a private property so they keep changing and modifying as per their wish.

Does Everest helicopter flight delay frequently?

No, except for the weather reason the flights are operating in time. If the weather is bad in Kathmandu, enroute or mountains they might delay or cancel the flights and rescheduled for another day so be flexible for this flight.

How long the flight to Everest gets cancelled and rescheduled?

Until the next good weather.

The best months to do the Everest Base Camp Helicopter tour

There are no certain months which has better view than other but specially in winter there is much snow in the mountain than other months of the year. The article writer prefers to do the flights after the rainy season is over like in September and October as the lower part seems more greener and all the dust in the air came down with the rain. The higher part gets less affected with climates and has more or less same view throughout the year except the amount of snow in the area. The flight has possibility of delay in winter time as Kathmandu airport get fogs in the mornings. The mountain weather in the winter is very enjoyable except cold.

Are helicopters being safe to go to Everest Base Camp tour?

Most of the company uses an airbus helicopter to operate the flights and they are totally safe to fly. As the flights are operated in good weather only, that also assures safety standards.

Is oxygen provided during the flight to Everest Base Camp Helicopter tour?

Oxygen is compulsory for captains flying in high elevation but it is not necessary for passengers. The helicopter has oxygen canisters with regulators in case of emergencies.

Besides the helicopter tour the other ways to see the Everest is doing a Everest Experience flight by fixed wings planes or trek to Everest Base Camp. Normally the fixed wings planes show Everest from distance than the helicopter.

Any queries regarding how to book the flights are handled by our expert team and we really appreciate you for sharing the information to interested individuals. You can check the video below to see the highlight of the trip to Everest on helicopter as well as check our you tube channel for other tours we do.

New helicopter tour norms for Everest Base Camp which was recently opened 

It is crystal clear that we got a tragic incident due to unfortunate client, captain and bad weather (all has cumulative effect) doing the flight to Everest Base Camp. All the mountain flights as well as ceiling flights are suspended after this tragedy which happened below Surke on the way to Kathmandu on July 11, 2023, around 10:15 AM. All five passengers who were originally from Mexico and experienced captain CB Gurung died in an incident. Civil aviation authority of Nepal has amended the norms for helicopter commercial flight to Everest Base Camp as they had resumed  the flights after few months.

After few months of study and research all suspended commercial helicopter flights to Everest Base Camp is already opened and people are enjoying the views and scenery as well as landscape of Everest area. Now a days Kalapathhar landing is possible only for private flights with maximum of two passengers. There will be extra charge for landing at Kalapathhar you can write to us for latest information if you want to land at Kalapathhar.

2024 Updated price for helicopter to Everest Base Camp and Kalapathhar

Although the helicopter is not allowed to land neither at Kalapathhar nor at Everest Base Camp except for the private trips with maximum of two passengers. We can still offer a group discount on the helicopter tour price. If you are travelling with family or friends and can have a folk of five, we will have some discounts. Beware of hidden price as well as what is included and what is not included before booking the trip.

2024 Spring Helicopter to Everest tour price

The above price does not include breakfast at Everest View Hotel which is $31 per person and local taxes which will be Rs. 6000 per person and payable in local currencies also or pay by card before the tour begins.