Everest Helicopter Tour – 3 Hours

Best Period for Everest Helicopter Tour

The autumn season beginning from the early days of September to the latter days of November represents the most beautiful time period for our Everest helicopter tour. With the sun illuminating the landscape, there is a pleasant mix of clear weather and striking views of the mountains.

Spring from the beginning of March to the end of May is also an enchanting time for this tour because all of nature blooms again and new colors take over the landscape.

In winter from the early days of December to the latter days of February, the morning can be foggy but the days are shinier than any other season can offer. Lots of snow, cold, and low temperatures are ideal conditions for those who want to see this spectacular place up close. The prices of air tickets, accommodation, and even food are reduced due to it being low season.

The summer blending with the monsoon heavy rain from June to the latter days of August however is not ideal at all for the helicopter flights in Everest.

Everest Helicopter Tour Difficulty

If you search online for the easiest way to experience Everest, the Everest helicopter tour will undoubtedly appear. This is for good reason: our tour’s highest point, Kala Patthar, at 5,644 meters, can be reached just three hours after flying from Kathmandu. And, we will only spend ten minutes at this altitude, thus reducing the probability of altitude sickness to a great length.

Second, there are no lengthy hiking days or the need to stay in basic accommodations. Thus, without sacrificing comfort or overexerting yourself, you can see Everest at your arm’s length.

This makes our Everest helicopter tour suitable for any age range between 5 to 80. Do not let your physical limitations, health concerns, and time constraints stop you from fulfilling your dream.

However, we advise pregnant women and those suffering from respiratory and heart illness to seek consultation from doctors before taking this tour.

Safety during the Everest helicopter tour

Your safety is our top priority, not just during this tour but for all excursions we organize as a reputable and registered travel agency in Nepal. For the Everest helicopter tour, we have implemented all measures to ensure your safety throughout the journey.

Our pilots are highly skilled and well-trained; they are also licensed experienced pilots who have accumulated hundreds of hours flying over Lukla and Everest.

The chopper we will use is also engineered to endure high winds and adverse weather conditions. Also before taking off, officials at Tribhuvan International Airport will conduct a thorough inspection of the helicopter. They will grant permission to fly only after the review of the chopper and the climatic conditions.

During the stop at Kala Patthar, the helicopter’s engine will remain running, so an immediate oxygen supply can be given to passengers in case of discomfort or the first signs of altitude sickness.

Altitude Sickness

Altitude sickness is not a disease but the discomfort that people who live in cities closer to sea level feel when they are at high altitudes. And yes, this can effect you even when you are flying in a helicopter for many hours.

The higher the elevation, the lower the air pressure, and the worse we feel. It causes several symptoms such as migraines, stomach pains, bad breath, nausea, dizziness, arrhythmia, numbness in the hands, tingling, and shortness of breath.

Symptoms vary from person to person. In our previous excursions, there were people of different ages and different physical conditions and they experienced altitude sickness in different ways.

Some felt quite nauseous, others just found it a little harder to breathe. Interestingly, the most unfit person didn’t feel the worst, and the oldest person didn’t have any more severe symptoms than the others.

The good news is that the symptoms of altitude sickness can be reduced and even disappear, making the flight much easier. Resting is the most important rule, because the less you move, the less oxygen you need, and you will feel better.

Another important rule is to hydrate yourself before and during the trip. Before starting the trip, you should also stay away from fatty or difficult-to-digest foods. Eat light, healthy foods as this will help you avoid constipation and nausea. If the sickness persists, try to stay in the mid part of the helicopter for a while, as this is the most constant area.

Always carry mouthwash, saline solution, and eye drops with you to avoid discomfort in the eyes and mouth. And, move your feet and legs to improve circulation in your lower limbs and thus avoid localized swelling.

What is the price of the Everest Helicopter tour?

The Everest Helicopter tour is an affordable trip that costs USD 1300 per person. The journey is worth every penny, seeing the tall rocky mountains kissed by the snow from above is an exciting experience. Even more so for those who don’t have time to visit the most celebrated region of Nepal.

How do I sit in front of the helicopter?

Balancing weights is an important factor for your safety during a helicopter flight. This is precisely the reason why we make sure to weigh you and your each baggage before the flight and select seats to keep the helicopter balanced. We may not offer you a seat next to the pilot in the front but we will do our best to make each of our guests satisfied.

Private Heli tour or Group Heli Tour

A private tour means privacy and flexibility. The private Everest Helicopter tour means you can determine your flight itinerary. You are free to enjoy the views at your leisure, you can select your preferred seats and capture as many photos and videos as you desire from different angles. This experience is designed specifically for you.

Additionally, a private tour means fewer passengers which makes the chopper lighter so it can soar above to increasing heights granting more rush and adventure.

You will have the best place to enjoy the scenery without waiting for anyone else. Normally, the private Everest Helicopter tour is priced anywhere between USD 5000 to USD 6500 per trip.

This is where the group helicopter tour has its benefit: its cost efficiency. As the total expense of the tour will be shared among all the passengers, the group tour becomes cheaper costing you only USD 1000 per person.

Sharing the expense means also sharing the experience. You will have to keep on rotating the seat with other passengers for an equal view and equal experience.

However, you may not know this but the increase in the number of members in a group results in a heavier load for the helicopter which means an increase in trip price.

It is because the helicopter can carry only up to 500 kg weight up to Lukla and above 4000 m, only 250 kg. In such circumstances, the group will be split into two: 2 in one and 3 in the other.

So the helicopter will have to come back and forth to fly each group member to a designated landing spot which results in an increase in fuel cost, and other expenses. Although the expenses will be distributed equally, it still results in increased pricing of the trip.

Therefore, the best traveling option is to journey with your own group. This means inviting your family or friends to join you, which will also give you privacy, flexibility, and affordable pricing at the same time.

Which one is the best: the Everest Helicopter Tour or the traditional Everest Base Camp Trek?

Nepal is synonymous to Everest and this the main reason why many tourists come to Nepal. However, the lengthy trekking days and difficult trails may have been stopping you until now.

The Everest Helicopter Tour comes as a solution where you can skip the demanding 5 to 7 hours of hiking each day. In just 4 to 5 hours, you will be in front of the towering walls of Everest and its brother and sister mountains.

Additionally, this tour is designed as a comfort tour so you do not have to compromise on basic settings or endure the discomfort of high-altitude villages.

And, the sensations you will experience are just as phenomenal as those felt by trekkers on their two-week trek to the Everest Base Camp. If you find yourself short on time with just one day left in Kathmandu, there is no better way to spend it than on this remarkable tour.

On the other hand, the iconic Everest Base Camp trek means experiencing the real essence of Nepal. Finding yourself in the vastness of a crimson forest of rhododendrons, and magnolias is something out of the ordinary.

Walking clockwise around the stupas and chortens allows you to witness the rich spirituality that the remarkable Sherpa people experience in their daily lives.

The opportunity to feel the cool waters of the flowing waterfalls and wide rivers, and to relax under a starry sky often hidden by city lights, is an experience that you need to have for yourself.

Moreover, the happiness you bring to the faces of innocent people, along with the rewarding feeling of helping these courageous souls, is truly extraordinary. These experiences are all part of the Everest Base Camp hiking journey.

Additionally, the Everest Base Camp trek enables you to fully engage with the genuine natural world, taking in the scenery that we often use as wallpaper on our smartphones and laptops.

Do we need permits for the Everest Helicopter tour?

Yes, while we may be soaring through the skies, we will still be landing at Kala Patthar and Everest View Hotel in Syangboche situated in the Everest National Park of Khumbu municipality.

So, we will still have to pay for the entry into the Municipality and National Park. The National Park fee will be paid at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) and the municipality fee will be paid in Syangboche.

Please remember that our Everest Helicopter tour package does not include the permit fees, but they are quite reasonable. The municipality fee is around $18 per person and the National Park permit price is $30 per person.

What are the best experiences of the Everest Helicopter tour?

The Everest region in Nepal stands out as one of the most shining jewels on the globe that unfolds a splendid setting where majestic mountains rise in a harmonious symphony with the sky. It is the region where the vibrant Buddhist culture permeates every corner of the trail with its pulsating and passionate energy.

Among the countless ways to explore this unique landmark, our Everest helicopter tour stands out as a true epic. From privileged heights, you have the opportunity to contemplate a panoramic view that seems to be taken from a surrealist painting.

Each curve of the route reveals one mountain after another, from Thamserku to Kangde Ri, from Taboche to Ama Dablam, from Lhotse, Nuptse to Everest.

One of the brightest jewels of the Everest Helicopter tour is flying over the Everest base camp. This flight promises a breathtaking panoramic view of icons such as Khumbu Icefall, the base camp itself, and Khumbutse Himal.

The next satisfying desire for the adventure is the opportunity to walk around Kala Patthar and dine in the planet’s tallest hotel.

During the flight, you may also have the privilege of witnessing the wildlife in their natural habitat, seeing everything from agile snow leopards to vivid musk deer and blue sheep.

Therefore, every moment in this tour is an invitation to lose yourself in the emotions of the moment and let yourself be carried away by the magical atmosphere that permeates the air.