Everest Base Camp Helicopter Tour - A Luxury Way to See Everest

Imagine flying above the world's highest point, Mount Everest, and landing at its base camp. It's an amazing experience surrounded by towering mountains. This Everest Base Camp helicopter tour is an exciting journey just an hour away from Kathmandu.

You'll land at various stunning viewpoints during the tour, including Kala Patthar, offering magnificent panoramas. There's also a stop at Everest View Hotel, where you can enjoy a luxurious breakfast while wandering at Everest from 5,455 meters above sea level.

While the hotels near Everest Base Camp might not be the most luxurious, taking a helicopter tour to see Everest is a truly luxurious experience. The helicopters used for these tours are often new and well-maintained, ensuring a safe and comfortable journey. The wonderful views of the Himalayas from the helicopter add to the sense of luxury, making it a memorable and exciting adventure.

Everest Base Camp Heli Tour operation

This unique helicopter tour to the Mount Everest base camp starts early in the morning from Kathmandu. Our team will pick you up at your hotel and take you to the airport in a private vehicle. There will be some paperwork to complete with our guidance. Then, we fly to Lukla.

In under 30 minutes, we reach Lukla airport. While the helicopter refuels and the crew prepares, you can explore nearby places in Lukla. Then, we fly over the Phakding, Namche, Tengboche, and Gorakshep villages. As trekkers do, you can enjoy views of the entire Everest Base Camp route from your hotel room.

Depending on your group size, we may need to land at Pheriche to adjust. Then, we continue flying towards the Everest Base Camp. The World Everest Base Camp is very steep, so we do not land there. Instead, we land at a nearby viewpoint called Kala Patthar. After capturing amazing photos at Kala Patthar, we flew for 10–12 minutes and landed at the helipad of Hotel Everest View. After breakfast, we returned to the helicopter and passed for another 30 minutes back to Kathmandu, sometimes landing at Lukla for refuelling.

Upon landing in Kathmandu, a team member drives you back to the hotel in a luxury car. Then, you can continue to your next destination.

Update on Heli Tour

The Everest Base Camp helicopter tour with landings was closed by the National Aviation Council in late 2023 due to safety concerns after a plane crashed in Lobuche. The tour reopened in January 2024 with new policies and stricter rules for airlines flying to Lukla. Previously, helicopters frequently landed at Everest Base Camp and Kalapatthar, disturbing travellers and climbers. Only private helicopters with fewer than two people can land at these spots, and sharing helicopters can only fly over them without landing.

Where Can You Start the Everest Base Camp Helicopter Tour?

You can start the Everest Base Camp Helicopter Tour from various points:

Kathmandu: This is the most popular option, offering a scenic route over Nagarkot, Jiri village, Ganesh Himal, Langtang Range, and Gaurishankar before reaching Lukla. From Lukla, you fly over the Solukhumbu Highlands, landing at Kala Patthar and Everest View Hotel before returning to Kathmandu.
Lukla: A cheaper option, you can fly to Lukla by domestic plane and then continue to Everest Base Camp. The cost is lower due to the shorter distance.
Gokyo-Ri: For a unique adventure, consider flying to Gokyo-Ri, a hidden Sherpa village with stunning views of five pristine lakes and dozens of peaks. The flight moves north from Everest Base Camp to Gokyo Valley and then to Gokyo-Ri before returning to Lukla and Kathmandu.
Namche: If you find trekking challenging or experience altitude sickness, you can fly back to Kathmandu from Namche. Alternatively, you can be picked up from Namche and fly to Everest Base Camp, Kala Patthar, and Everest View Hotel before returning to Kathmandu.
Gorakshep: For a direct return to Kathmandu, you can be picked up from Gorakshep and flown to Kala Patthar for the Everest Panorama view before returning to Kathmandu.
Dingboche: Private helicopter flights are available from Dingboche to Lukla, taking about 15-20 minutes.
Tengboche: If you end your trek in Tengboche, arrangements can be made for a flight to either Lukla or Kathmandu.

Itinerary

The Everest Base Camp helicopter tour starts early in the morning, around 6:00 am when a representative and a driver pick you up from your hotel. Then, at 6:30 am, you'll reach the airport, where you'll do some paperwork and get ready for the flight. The helicopter takes off at 7:00 am and flies towards Lukla, where it lands for refuelling and a quick exploration of the market. From there, it's off to Everest Base Camp, with a stop at Kala Patthar for stunning mountain views. After breakfast at Everest View Hotel, you'll fly back to Lukla and then to Kathmandu, arriving around 11:00 am. It's a short trip, but the memories will stay with you forever.

Included in the Trip Cost:

Private car for airport transportation.
Helicopter ride to Everest Base Camp with a minimum of five people, including a flyover of Kalapatthar, Everest Base Camp, Khumbu Icefall, and Khumbu Glacier. Breakfast at Everest View Hotel for one hour. Note: The helicopter will not land at Everest Base Camp.
Life insurance according to aviation guidelines.
Airport tax, local government taxes, and company service charges.
National park permits.
Oxygen cylinder and other emergency medical supplies.
Certificate of successful completion upon landing at 5550 meters.
All necessary local and national park permits.

Excluded in the Trip Cost:

Breakfast at Everest View Hotel.
Personal expenses.
Down jacket.
Visa fees or boarding pass fees.
Personal health insurance.
Any expenses in Kathmandu other than airport transportation.

Landing of the Everest Camp Helicopter tour

The Everest Base Camp Helicopter Tour is more than just flying over mountains; it includes several stops where you can experience the beauty of the Khumbu region and take stunning photos. Here are the main landing points during the tour:

Lukla – First Landing: We start from Kathmandu and land at Lukla at 2680 meters. Landing at Lukla is safe and exciting despite being one of the most dangerous airpaths. We stop here for about 20 minutes to refuel, allowing you to see the town of Khumbu and visit a Sherpa settlement.
Pheriche – Second Landing: Our next stop is at 4371 meters above sea level. If there are more than three passengers, we adjust the number here to balance the weight and cool the engine. You can also explore the typical Sherpa village and enjoy the clear mountain views.
Kala Patthar – Third Landing: After a 15-minute flight from Pheriche, we reach Kala Patthar, which means "Black Rock" in Nepali. It offers the most breathtaking views of Everest, Nuptse, Cho Oyo, and other peaks. This is the best place to capture the beauty of the snow-capped mountains.
Hotel Everest View – Fourth Landing: The final landing is at the Everest View Hotel at 3800 meters. This is the world's highest-altitude luxurious hotel. We spend about 35 minutes here, enjoying the view of Mount Everest while having breakfast and capturing memorable photos and videos.

After the Everest Base Camp landing, we flew back to Kathmandu and returned to the hotel.

Types of Everest Base Camp Helicopter Tours

There are two types of Everest Base Camp Helicopter Tours that you can choose from:

Group Joining: This option is recommended if travelling alone or with someone else. You'll join a group of up to five people, and the cost of renting the helicopter is shared equally among all members. It's a more affordable choice, but you'll fly with others you may not know.
Private Everest Base Camp Helicopter Tour: This deluxe option allows you to book the entire helicopter for yourself and your friends or family. It's more expensive but offers a personalised experience. You can customise your itinerary, spend more time at each landing point, and even add extra stops.

Why a private Helicopter tour?

The Everest Private Helicopter Tour offers a luxurious experience for larger groups of friends and family. It takes the already luxurious journey to Everest Base Camp to a whole new level by allowing you to travel exclusively with your circle of loved ones. This private tour is perfect for special occasions such as marriage anniversaries or birthdays, offering a unique and memorable way to celebrate.

Special offers are available for couples on Valentine's Day, Christmas, and New Year, making it an ideal plan for creating unforgettable memories. Whether you're celebrating a special occasion or simply looking to surprise your friends and family, the Everest Private Helicopter Tour offers a luxurious and memorable experience.