Everest, landing at Kala Patthar.
Kathmandu to Kala Patthar and back in a morning: a fuel stop at Lukla, breakfast at Hotel Everest View and a landing at the 5,545 m viewpoint that looks straight at Everest. No helicopter lands at Everest Base Camp. Kala Patthar is the landing.
- Published base
- Kathmandu · KTM
- Time
- ≈ 4 h
- Landing
- 5,545 m
- Max altitude
- 18,192 ft
Five stops, one morning.
The published morning, from Kathmandu. The order is fixed; only the take-off time moves with the light.
Kathmandu, 1,338 m
Take-off at first light from Tribhuvan International (VNKT). Every passenger is weighed at check-in, because weight decides the high landing.
Lukla, 2,845 m · fuel stop
Seven to fifteen minutes on the ground at Tenzing-Hillary Airport while the aircraft refuels for the climb.
Hotel Everest View, 3,880 m · breakfast
Breakfast at Syangboche, with Everest, Lhotse and Ama Dablam across the valley.
Kala Patthar, 5,545 m · the landing
Ten to fifteen minutes on the ground, facing the Everest south face. Above 5,000 m the group goes up in two shuttles, so the aircraft is never carrying a heavy lift.
Back to Kathmandu
Down the Khumbu valley past Ama Dablam, Lhotse and Nuptse. About four hours after take-off, you are back in Kathmandu by lunch.
© Green Society Adventure · CC BY-SA 4.0No helicopter lands at Everest Base Camp. No operator in Nepal lands there. Kala Patthar, a ridge at 5,545 m about 3 km from Base Camp, is the landing: it is the highest place nearby with ground firm and level enough to take an aircraft, and it looks straight at the Everest south face.
A guide fare, then your quote.
These are the lowest fares the airlines publish for this route, from Kathmandu. The quote you accept is the final figure. Flying from Pokhara instead? Choose it when you ask, and the quote covers the extra flying.
- Shared seat, from
- US$499per person, on a flight others are filling
- Whole aircraft, from
- US$3,800up to 5 people, your departure time
- On the ground
- 40 mintypical, across the morning
- Best season
- Mar–May, Sep–Decmornings are clearest
What decides your price
- Weight at altitude. A helicopter lifts less the higher it lands, so we ask for each traveller's weight. At 5,545 m it decides how many fly together, and whether the group goes up in two shuttles.
- Season and date. October, November, March and April are the busiest weeks. Book two to four weeks ahead for a shared seat then, and longer for the whole helicopter on a set date.
- Your group. One or two people usually share. A larger group, or a set departure time, books the whole aircraft.
We compare every licensed operator that flies this route and book you the cheapest. The airline's price and our fee are separate lines on the quote, and nothing is payable until you accept it.
Before you fly.
Something else? The desk answers day and night on +977 98 6104 4994.
Does the helicopter land at Everest Base Camp?
No, and no operator in Nepal does. Helicopters land at Kala Patthar, a ridge at 5,545 m about 3 km from Base Camp, because it is the highest place in the area with ground firm and level enough to take an aircraft. Kala Patthar is also the better view: it looks straight at the Everest south face, which Base Camp itself does not.
How long does the Everest tour take?
About four hours from take-off in Kathmandu to landing back there, of which under two hours is flying. Kathmandu at first light, a fuel stop at Lukla of seven to fifteen minutes, breakfast at Hotel Everest View, then ten to fifteen minutes on the ground at Kala Patthar at 5,545 m before the flight home.
Will I get altitude sickness?
It is uncommon but possible, and the reason landings are kept short. You go from 1,338 m in Kathmandu to 5,545 m at Kala Patthar with no time to acclimatise. Ten to fifteen minutes on the ground is the limit operators work to, and the aircraft carries oxygen. Move slowly at the viewpoint and tell the pilot at once if you feel unwell.
Do I need a permit?
Not for a scenic flight. The operator holds the flight permissions and you need your passport. The Sagarmatha National Park fee applies on Everest flights; your quote says whether it is included or collected separately.
Does my weight matter?
It matters more than almost anything else. A helicopter can lift much less as it climbs higher, so every operator sets a weight limit for each passenger. It is usually 75 kg including your day bag, and you will be weighed at check-in. If your group weighs more than you told us, the operator may fly you up in two trips or turn the flight down.
What if the weather closes in?
You are not charged for a flight that does not happen. The operator will offer you the next time that works, or give all your money back if you cannot wait.
How do I get a price, and when do I pay?
Send one enquiry: your date, your base, how many people and their weights. We compare every licensed operator that flies it and book you the cheapest, aiming to reply within four hours. You pay only once you accept a quote.
Three more landings.
Each one leaves at first light and is back the same morning, from Kathmandu or Pokhara.
© Sgroey · CC BY-SA 4.0Annapurna Base Camp
Lands at 4,130 m. Pokhara to the Annapurna Sanctuary and back in two hours, landing inside the amphitheatre of peaks.
From US$399 a seat
© Ironicfreak · CC BY-SA 4.0Muktinath Temple
Lands at 3,710 m. Pokhara to the Muktinath temple with an hour on the ground for darshan, avoiding two days of road travel.
From US$350 a seat
© Santosh Yonjan · CC BY-SA 4.0Langtang Valley
Lands at 3,870 m. The closest high valley to Kathmandu, landing at Kyanjin Gompa beneath Langtang Lirung.
From US$575 a seat
Name the morning. We do the comparing.
Send the tour, your base, your date and who is flying. We ask every licensed operator that flies it and come back with the cheapest, aiming within four hours.