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Introduction: Everest Helicopter Tour 2024-2025
The Everest helicopter tour is a package that involves flying a mountain flight of the whole Everest region, where our main target is seeing Mount Everest. In this package, we don’t talk and make bluffs about landing the helicopter in Kalapatthar or Everest Base Camp. We only land our helicopter at Namche in Hotel Everest View for breakfast, and that’s it. No confusion for anyone about anything.
At holiday tours in Nepal, we target making things more flexible and less complex, and we focus on the Everest region circuit through the helicopter rather than the landing, which is complicated and often brings a lot of issues.
For years, we have been conducting an Everest helicopter tour with a breakfast option at Namche, and luckily, we have not had any issues that speak to our reputation and safety.
How does the Everest helicopter tour begin and end?
The Everest helicopter tour is a one-day tour of the Everest region in a helicopter. The helicopter tour begins in Kathmandu, where our representative will take you to the domestic airport in Kathmandu. After getting inside the airport, our representatives will help you get the boarding pass, and soon you will board the helicopter. After boarding the helicopter, clients fly from Kathmandu to Lukla, which takes about 51 minutes in total.
Once the helicopter lands in Lukla, it will stop there for refueling for some minutes, and soon after that, it will take off. So after takeoff, we fly towards our primary target, which is the Everest. On the way, we will see more than 50 peaks and mountains and cross and fly over major settlements of Everest like Namche, Phakding, Lobuche, Gorakshep, and Tengboche.
Once the mountain flight is complete, travelers will be taken to the Everest View Hotel at Namche above the Syangboche airport, where the helicopter will land. Soon after landing, travelers will come out of the helicopter and go toward the Everest View Hotel, where they can enjoy breakfast with the awe-inspiring view of Everest (8,848.86 m/29,032 ft), Lhotse (8,516 m/27,940 ft), Ama Dablam (6,812 m/22,349 ft), Peak 38 (7,590 m/24,905 ft), Nuptse (7,861 m/25,791 ft), Thamserku (6,608 m/21,680 ft), Kangtega (6,782 m/22,251 ft), and other neighboring peaks.
After completing the breakfast, travelers will board the helicopter and fly back to Kathmandu via the same route as Lukla.
Is the Everest helicopter tour safe?
The Everest helicopter tour is safe, and the best thing is that it's not complicated as we have removed the landing. Even the civil aviation of Nepal has banned and created very complicated rules regarding the landing. The other thing is that the helicopter doesn’t land at Everest Base Camp as advertised; instead, it lands at Kalapatthar.
So, when we take the landing out and select the best helicopter agencies like Air Dynasty and Mountain Helicopter Services, we get the best of the services from them as they have experienced pilots, which helps to maintain better safety and helps our clients to know that they are assured in good hands and can enjoy the trip comfortably.
How long does the helicopter tour last, and how many people are there?
It takes at least 45–51 minutes for the helicopter to reach Lukla from Kathmandu. The fly-over of the mountains takes approximately 20 minutes. After the flyover is complete, there will be a landing at the Everest View Hotel for around an hour. And flying back to Kathmandu via Lukla will take around 51 minutes, so the whole trip is going to be around 3–4 hours in total, and considering the price, it's worth it.
There are a maximum of 5 passengers in a helicopter while taking a helicopter tour of Everest on a sharing basis. If there are only two passengers, then the landing can be conducted at Kalapatthar as well.
What is the truth about landing the helicopter on an Everest helicopter tour?
The truth about landing the helicopter at Kalapatthar during the helicopter tour is very complicated. If there are two passengers, then the landing can be considered. For that, the cost must be covered by sharing by either two passengers or the helicopter must be privately booked by two passengers.
If there are more than two passengers, the landing cannot be conducted; there must be either a single passenger or at least two passengers.
If there are five passengers, and two of them want to conduct the landing and Kalapatthar, then they have to pay extra for the landing, which can be arranged on request as well.
What are the documents and permits required for a helicopter tour of Everest?
There are some documents and permits required for the Everest helicopter tour; some of those are:
- Passport with a valid visa
- 500 rupees must be paid as airport tax.
- Sagarmatha National Park permit must be obtained.
- Khumbu rural municipality permit must be obtained.
- All the documents and permits are arranged by Holiday Tours Nepal in Kathmandu, except for the airport tax, which must be paid by the traveler at the airport.
What are the options for landing the helicopter at Kalapatthar?
The option for landing the helicopter at Kalapatthar is simple: there must be only 2 passengers, and the whole cost must be shared by the 2 passengers, or the 2 passengers must book a private helicopter for landing at Kalapatthar.
If there are 5 passengers and the landing wants to be conducted, then those 2 people must pay extra for the landing, and the landing can then be conducted at Kalapatthar.
In all cases, whether sharing or private helicopter, the landing at Namche Everest View Hotel or Sherpa Panorama Hotel is included for all of the passengers, which is not charged extra and is included in the Everest helicopter tour package.
What is the best time for an Everest helicopter tour?
Everest helicopter tours can be conducted throughout the year. However, there are some times when the mountains come alive with the view of snow-capped peaks. The best time for conducting the helicopter tour is in the spring, from March to May. The other best time for conducting the trip is in the autumn, during September, October, and November.
- Spring season: during the spring season of March to May, the skies are clear. Guess what? This is also the climbing season, due to which at the base camp just below the Khumbu glaciers, tents are all set up. Climbers are preparing for the climb of Everest, which is a very beautiful time of the year. The forest blooms, the mountains are vibrant, the skies are clear, and the wind is less.
- Autumn season: September to November is the popular season for trekking, during which trekkers from all around the world can be seen in the Everest region. The weather during this season is generally clear, and the visibility is excellent during this period.
Can travelers get altitude sickness during the Everest helicopter tour?
A sudden rise in elevation can cause a headache in the front of the head, which is normal. However, gaining altitude sickness during a helicopter ride is very rare, as the ride lasts for 4-5 hours max., but we always have an oxygen cylinder inside the helicopter, which will make it easy in case things go sideways.
What can we carry and the safest precautions for the Everest helicopter tour?
Certain things must be avoided, like sharp objects and lighters, which cannot be carried. Be aware of the loose items, as they may fly and collide in the rotor. Keep an eye on things like sunglasses, jewelry, and hats, especially during boarding. These items fly due to the wind that the rotor causes while boarding and landing.
Remember to follow the orders of the pilot and keep your seat belts and headphones on that are provided during the helicopter tour.
What are things that should not be done during the Everest helicopter tour?
There are certain things that, in any circumstance, must not be done.
- Don’t disturb the pilot, and don’t speak on the headphones, as the microphones are connected and can disturb the pilot.
- Don’t play with or touch the buttons that are placed in the helicopters.
- Don’t open the door without the pilot's permission.
- Don’t smoke or drink inside the helicopter.
- Don’t use the camera for filming outside the window.
- Don’t exit the helicopter unless the pilot gives the order.
- Don’t use cellular networks, and please don’t shoot a live video for posting on social media.
- Don’t ask unnecessary questions of the pilot; let him concentrate on his work.
How do I dress for the Everest helicopter tour?
During the helicopter tour, it doesn’t feel that cold inside the helicopter, but once we land at Namche, that’s when the temperature hits and we feel cold. So, dressing appropriately by wearing warm layers like trousers with fur inside, sweaters, t-shirts, base layers, warm shoes, merino wool socks, caps, gloves, sunglasses, and a down jacket or puffy jacket is recommended and required.
