Everest Base Camp Heli Trek – 8 Days

Manthali to Lukla Flight (March, April, May, October, and November)
During peak seasons, such as March, April, May, October, and November, the flight to Lukla will be operated from Ramechhap/Manthali due to air traffic expansion. The Manthali/Ramechhap airport is about a 5 to 6 hours drive away from Kathmandu. On this day we wake up at 1:30 to 2:30 am and take an escorted shuttle to Manthali airport on a shared tourist vehicle and board a 20-minute flight to Lukla.

Kathmandu to Lukla Flight (January, February, June, July, August, September, and December)
The flight to Lukla is typically operated from Kathmandu during nonpeak seasons, which include January, February, June, July, August, September, and December. Please be aware that the decision regarding the operation of flights solely depends on the airline and is influenced by the volume of travelers during a specific month. On this day we wake up at 5 to 6 am. Our staff will escort you to the domestic airport terminal in Kathmandu and board a 35-minute flight to Lukla.

Prepare your luggage for the trek the day before the flight. You will be arriving at the Tenzing Hillary Airport early in the morning. Breakfast in Lukla. Porters will meet the group in Lukla and are assigned to carry luggage. For every two clients, one porter is assigned.

Today we trek to Phakding. The trail is straightforward. We head out of Lukla and follow the Dudh Koshi River downhill. The route connects to the Namche Bazaar trail, just above Chaurikharka (2,713 m). Continuing, we come across the small village of Ghat. After a brisk hike, we arrive at Phakding.

After breakfast, we follow the trail alongside the Dudh Koshi River while crossing suspension bridges along the way. After hiking for a while, we come upon Sagarmatha National Park and go through entry permit verification in the Everest region.

As the trek advances, we ascend a steep climb with astonishing perspectives of majestic Himalayas, splashing glacial rivers, multi-colored prayer flags, and sacred mani stones. We arrive in the charming Sherpa town of Namche Bazaar in the early evening.

Trekkers and climbers who have arrived in Khumbu region spend time in Namche Bazaar to acclimatize to thinning air of the mountains. It’s exciting to be in this Sherpa town, which is a center of both commercial and cultural activities.

During the first half of the day, your guide will take you for a hike around the Bazaar. Visit Sherpa Culture Museum and hike up to Syangboche Airstrip.

In your walk, if weather is clear, you will be rewarded with magnificent views of mountains such as Kongde, Thamserku, Ama Dablam, Lhotse and Everest.

We have one more day of acclimatization before we fly to Everest Base Camp. Today we will take a day hike to a small traditional village called Thame which is located off the main trail to Everest.

It will take us 5 to 6 hours to get there and return back to Namche. Thame was the childhood home of Tenzing Norgay, one of the first climbers of Everest, and was part of the ancient salt trading route between Tibet, Nepal and India.

It is the most exciting day of this entire trip. From Namche, we will take a helicopter. You will go for a ride over the majestic Khumbu Valley. The heli sightseeing takes you and flies over Everest Base Camp, Khumbu Glacier and Kalapatthar.

You will see the Himalayan giants such as Everest, Ama Dablam, Thamserku, Lhotse, Nuptse and many others. The tour will stop at Lukla. The helicopter ride from Namche to Everest to Lukla takes about 30 to 45 minutes depending on the weather and the number of passengers.

The helicopter ride is on a sharing basis. It only flies over Everest Base Camp and Khumbu Glacier and doesn’t land at EBC or anywhere near it. But, if you want a private charter flight and want it to land near EBC, which is usually at Gorakshep (5,180 m), please contact us to find out the additional cost. Private charter with landing is a great option as you can get out of the helicopter, enjoy the Himalayan scenery and capture some amazing photographs.

(Please be aware that helicopters cannot land and take off with more than three passengers at altitudes above 4,500 meters. So, in addition to this, if you’re a group of 5, we’ll shuttle the flight in Pheriche into groups of 3 and 2. After that, each group will fly towards Everest Base Camp and land at Kala Patthar one by one.)

Lukla to Manthali Flight (March, April, May, October, and November)
The flight from Lukla to Manthali is a 20-minute flight. After that, it is about a 5 to 6 hour drive to Kathmandu. Please note that the driving hours may vary according to the highway traffic condition. You’ll be transferred to the hotel in Kathmandu on a shared tourist vehicle.

Lukla to Kathmandu Flight (January, February, June, July, August, September, and December)
The flight from Lukla takes about 35 minutes. After arriving at the airport, you will be transferred to the hotel in Kathmandu via a shared tourist vehicle.  Please be aware that the decision regarding the operation of flights solely depends on the airline and is influenced by the volume of travelers during a specific month.

If you would like to spend more time in Nepal, we offer trips to the popular destinations in Nepal. Pokhara tour, Chitwan National Park, Kathmandu Cultural Heritage Tours, etc., are some of our popular Nepal trips. In addition, we also provide outbound tours to Tibet, India, or Bhutan.

You will be served a farewell dinner in a fine restaurant.

Our thrilling Everest base camp Heli trek has come to an end. You will be escorted to the international airport by one of our airport representatives in preparation for your return trip. We wish you luck in your future travels and hope to see you again in Nepal soon.