Everest Base Camp Helicopter Tour with Landing Cost Overview

"There is no better experience than having breakfast in front of the highest mountain in the world, Mt. Everest".

The 1-Day Everest Base Camp Helicopter Tour with Breakfast is a special tour designed for those adventurers who don’t have much time to trek to Everest Base Camp. The approximately 4-hour program can be adjusted with your Nepal tour in one of the mornings. 

This 1-Day Everest Base Camp Helicopter Tour starts early from Tribhuvan Airport, Kathmandu taking you to Syangboche of the Everest region in about two hours taking a couple of stops, where breakfast is served in front of Mount Everest.

The Everest base camp Helicopter day tour itself is a great experience as you can witness some of the highest mountains on earth in a matter of an hour. The aerial landscape from Helicopter is exquisite as you will get a wonderful opportunity to witness the change in the landscape from vibrant lush green hills, terraced fields, and blossoming wild forests to coniferous forests, and rocky mountains accompanied by the backdrop of majestic blue sky.  

The chartered helicopter flies over the historical cities, beautiful valleys, picturesque villages, Georges, terraced fields, and dramatic landscape to the infamous Lukla airport, and land for re-fueling before heading up to Everest Base Camp via Pheriche. Lukla Airport is one of the most thrilling airports in the world, recognized as the world's most dangerous airport by Forbes Magazine. What makes it the most dangerous airport is that it lies on the slope of the mountains and has an incredibly short runaway. It will be an amazingly thrilling experience flying to Lukla. 

We will stop at Lukla for about 10-15 minutes where we can enjoy the magnificent scenery standing in front of us. After taking the first taste of mountain air in Lukla, we will fly towards Pheriche for the shuttle. If the travelers are flying in a pack 5 then we will have to be divided into two groups to fly further because of the thin air pressure in the high altitudes of the Himalayas. 

From Pheriche, we will fly towards Kalapatthar. Kalapatthar translates to black rock. This mountain is decorated with a sublime panoramic view of the highest mountains in the world including the almighty Mt. Everest. 20 different mountains surrounding the beautiful valley of Namche in a bowl shape can be seen from here. Some of the mountains sitting up close to Kalapatthar are Mt. Everest, Mt. Kangtega, Mt. Kusum, Mt. Lhotse, Mt. Ama Dablam, Mt. Thamserku, Mt. Kangaru, Mt. Pumori, Mt. Nuptse, Mt. Mera Peak, Mt. Island Peak, Mt. Cho Oyu, Mt. Tawache, and others. 

We will stop for 10-15 minutes in Kalapatthar and then return to Pheriche. Because the group of travelers is divided, the group that flew to Kalapatthar first can fly back to Pheriche first and the second group that flew, later on, can fly second from Kalapatthar so that both the groups get equal time to adore the mesmerizing beauty of both places. 

After this, we will fly towards Syangboche enjoying the unique landscape, and an aerial view of the Himalayas, monasteries, and Sherpa villages. Everest View Hotel is located at Syangboche where we will enjoy delicious breakfast in the courtyard of the hotel and in front of us lies the shining Himalayas. This experience is truly majestic and the view of the Himalayas is so captivating too good to be true. We will look around the area and the travelers might get an opportunity to interact with the local Sherpa community. We will stop by at Syangboche for 45 minutes to an hour depending on weather conditions and other issues. 

Another alternative to Syangboche is flying to Kongde. Kongde is just as beautiful offering an up-close view of several 8 thousands. Yeti Mountain Home is located in Kongde where we can enjoy breakfast and roam around for a bit. But this alternative is a more luxurious option.  

After relishing in the tranquility of nature, we will have a short transit in Lukla and after refueling the helicopter, we will fly back to Kathmandu with incredible experiences filled with adrenaline. 

This approximately 4-hour journey is one of the best ways to get closer to Everest as it requires less time and effort for the best breakfast you will ever have in your life!

Note: If unfortunately, travelers face difficulties in breathing or show symptoms of altitude sickness then an oxygen cylinder with the mask is available at an additional cost in Everest View Hotel, Syangboche, Yeti Mountain Home, Kongde, and in the Helicopter, you are flying in as well. Additional costs won't be required in the Helicopter. 

Breakfast with Everest Helicopter Tour Highlights 

• Exciting and thrilling helicopter flight from Kathmandu to the Everest region.
• Sightseeing in the world’s highest national park, Sagarmatha National Park. 
• Enjoy breakfast overlooking the highest mountains in the world. 
• Enjoy a bird’s eye view of the mesmerizing valleys, beautiful villages, landscapes, icefalls, glaciers, snow-capped peaks, rivers, and lakes. 
• Experiencing the view from Kalapatthar, the highest viewpoint in the world standing at 5,545 m above sea level.
• Panoramic and aerial views of snowy giants including Mt. Everest, Mt. Kangtega, Mt. Kusum, Mt. Lhotse, Mt. Ama Dablam, Mt. Thamserku, Mt. Kangaru, Mt. Pumori, Mt. Nuptse, Mt. Mera Peak, Mt. Island Peak, Mt. Cho Oyu, Mt. Tawache, and others.

Major Attractions About Everest Base Camp Helicopter Trip

1. Everest Base Camp Overfly 

One of the major highlights of this tour is flying over the almighty Mt. Everest. Mt. Everest is the tallest mountain in the world located at 8,848 meters above sea level and it is the dream of any traveler to encounter this peak at least once in a lifetime. Everest Helicopter Tour allows travelers to not only encounter this peak but also to adore its stunning aerial view including several others 8 thousanders. 

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2. Kalapatthar 

Kalapatthar is a famous climbing mountain that presents a splendid 360 degrees and up-close view of Mt. Everest and twenty other mountains. It is also the highest viewpoint in the world standing at an elevation of 5,545 meters above sea level. Kalapatthar is the highest elevation one can reach without a climbing permit. It is also an alternative to the Everest Base Camp Trek. Kalapatthar provides the best view of Mt. Everest and one of the most spectacular views in the world. 

3. Breakfast at Kongde/Syangboche 

Having breakfast in front of the world's highest mountain Mt. Everest and several other Himalayas is one of the major highlights of this trip. We will either have breakfast at Everest View Hotel in Synagboche or Yeti Mountain Home in Kongde as per the travelers' choice. 

Everest View Hotel was awarded as the highest-placed hotel at an altitude of 13000 ft by the Guinness Book of World Records in 2004. Both of these hotels are located in beautiful locations that offer picturesque vistas. But Yeti Mountain Home is a much more luxurious alternative for travelers who wish to experience luxury in the mountains.  

4. Khumbu Glacier

Khumbu Glacier is the highest glacier in the world standing at an elevation of 4,900 meters above sea level. It also is the largest glacier in Nepal. It lies between Mt. Everest and the Lhotse-Nuptse ridge. It also consists of a large icefall known as Khumbu Icefall. Khumbu Glacier is the riskiest and most challenging part of Mt. Everest summit and the final trail to the base camp. However, the helicopter tour to Everest allows us to relish the aerial view of this thrilling glacier without having to experience any risks or challenges. 

Things to know before doing Everest Base Camp Helicopter Day Tour

1. Packing list 

 - Full-sleeve shirt   - Pair of warm trousers   -Windproof down jacket  -First aid kit

 - UV protection sunglasses Sunscreen, moisturizer, and lip balm 

 - Scarf/Muffler  -Sun hat/Woolen Cap  -Toiletries  -Chocolate or energy bars 

 - Valuable items like Passport, wallet, camera, mobile phone, casual cash  -Bottle of water 

2. Best Time for Everest Helicopter Tour 

Since the Everest Helicopter Tour only takes a few hours, it can be done any time of the year. But Everest region is located at a high altitude and the mountain weather is unpredictable limiting the possibility of flying at any time. Although it depends on the weather and no season is bad for the helicopter tour, spring and autumn would be the best seasons if we had to choose. Below we have presented the experience of the Everest Helicopter Tour in different seasons. 

Spring - In Nepal, spring lies from March to May and it is one of the best seasons for Helicopter Tours in the Everest region. It offers pleasant weather, an awesomazing view of clear blue sky, lush green forests, blooming rhododendrons, and several other wildflowers, and a crystal clear view of the soaring Himalayas. The temperature in the Everest region is moderate during spring ranging from 15 to 20 degrees Celsius. 

Summer - In Nepal, summer lies from June to September. We have a summer monsoon so it often rains during this time of the year. The temperature is warm and moderate but the weather is very unpredictable. If it rains during the night then the mornings are bright with crystal-clear skies but during this time of the year, one must be very patient for the perfect day with nice weather as we do not take any risks during bad weather. 

Autumn - In Nepal, autumn falls from October to December making it another best season for Everest Heli Tour. Since autumn comes after summer which is also monsoon, the weather is fabulous with moderate temperature, lush green landscapes, clear skies, beautiful scenery, and breathtaking views of the Himalayas.  The temperature usually ranges from 15-18 degrees Celsius during the daytime. Although it is relatively colder after Christmas, the view still is spectacular making it worth your time, money, and energy. 

Winter - In Nepal, winter falls during January and February. While the view is still amazing and you might also get to experience snowfall, it is a comparatively less-suggested season for Helicopter Tour because of unpredictable weather and chances of postponing the trip. But if the weather conditions are in favor, you can perform a Heli Tour with a stunning aerial view of the snowfall over the mountains. 

3. Travel Insurance

Travel Insurance is not mandatory for Everest Helicopter Tour but we recommend all travelers purchase a nice travel insurance policy for a secure trip. It is always better to have a travel insurance policy as it safeguards against any unforeseen contingencies. While purchasing a travel insurance policy, one has to make sure that it covers medical emergencies, medical evacuation, trip cancellation, delays and interruption, loss, and theft of personal belongings or baggage. 

4. Health and Physical Fitness 

Since the Helicopter Tour doesn’t require trekking or hiking, it is not required for travelers to be in great health and shape. But physical and mental fitness is still very important for this trip. Since we will be traveling to a high altitude, we do not suggest people with Asthma, Bronchitis, Heart, and other breathing problems perform helicopter tours without consulting their doctor.

Similarly, we also highly suggest people with acrophobia and aerophobia consult their doctor before the trip.    

5. Private flight vs. sharing flight 

A helicopter includes 5 commercial/passenger seats. While sharing the flight with other people is more cost-friendly, a private flight is more spacious and comfortable. The sharing basis is done by different individuals who wish to witness Mt. Everest, and we gather these individuals resulting in a group of individuals with the same purpose and dream. Hence, the helicopter flight departs in a certain timeframe and cannot be customized, whereas, a private flight, can be customized anytime if the weather is pleasant and clear. 

On a private flight, the travelers can choose to stop between a couple of scheduled locations like Syangboche or Kongde for breakfast, but on the shared flight, one must follow the mentioned schedule. Besides this, if the travelers are interested in stopping at other spots besides the mentioned location, they shall present us with their purpose and inform us in advance so that we can make it happen. However, these locations should be chosen following the national park rules and regulations. Stopping at other places except the scheduled location is not possible on a sharing basis and it will also require additional time and cost. 

6. Weight capacity and maximum number of people 

4/5 people can fly in a helicopter with a total weight limit of 450 kg excluding the pilot. The maximum weight capacity of a helicopter is 450 kg excluding the pilot while taking off from Kathmandu. However, the maximum weight capacity while landing varies from place to place owing to the differing altitude and air pressure of different places. 

The maximum weight capacity for landing at Syangboche is 450 kg and landing at Pheriche is 420 kg. As for Kalapatthar, the maximum passenger weight capacity is 220 kg. Hence, although 4/5 people could take off in a Helicopter from Kathmandu, only 2/3 passengers can fly in a Helicopter to Kalapatthar. So, an extra shuttle flight from Pheriche to Kalapatthar should be done. 

7. Safety Measures 

• The safety of our clients is our utmost priority. Below are some safety measures to follow for a fruitful and successful trip:
• Please pay attention during the briefing session by the captain. 
• Make sure to properly fasten your seatbelt before taking off. 
• Only enter the helicopter after the pilot has signaled and only leave your appointed seat after receiving the signal from the pilot. 
• Do not approach the helicopter from behind. 
• Smoking inside the aircraft is not allowed. 
• Take proper care of your belongings. 
• Carry a snack: chocolate/energy bar with you so that you can consume it if you start feeling dizzy. Always carry a bottle of water with you. 
• Please inform our crew members or pilots if you feel unwell.
• Please acknowledge all the instructions for a safe flight.