Nepal » Kathmandu

Kathmandu: Everest Helicopter Tour with Kalapatthar Landing

★★★★★★★★★★ 5.00 (18 reviews)

Free cancellationExcellent quality

1/15

Duration4h

GroupUp to 10

PickupAt your hotel

Forty-five minutes in the air above Everest, breakfast at 3,880 meters

You fly from Kathmandu over Mount Everest's peaks, glaciers and villages in 45 minutes, refuel in Lukla, then land at Everest View Hotel for breakfast at 3,880 meters. Optional Kalapatthar landing available for 1–2 passengers at extra cost. Hotel pickup and guides included; book with your passport details ready.

Step-by-step itinerary

Board helicopter in Kathmandu
Fly over mountain peaks and forests
Stop in Lukla for refueling
Fly to Everest Base Camp area
Land at Everest View Hotel
Have breakfast at Everest View Hotel

The Experience

"Is that really Everest?" The question comes the moment the helicopter lifts off from Kathmandu's domestic airport. Yes. The mountain sits there at 8,848 meters, and you're climbing toward it in a way most trekkers never will. The flight takes about 45 minutes total — you'll pass over dense forests, glaciers, lakes and rivers, and traditional villages that look like they're drawn on the landscape. Around halfway through, the helicopter touches down in Lukla for 10 to 15 minutes to refuel. It's quick, and then you're back in the air heading toward the high peaks.

The helicopter lands at Everest View Hotel, where everyone stops for breakfast and an hour to sit with the view. If you're traveling as a single passenger or as a pair, you can arrange a separate landing at Kalapatthar — that's the higher vantage point, and it costs extra because the helicopter has to make a second stop. In a shared helicopter with five passengers, Kalapatthar doesn't happen; the group lands only at Everest View. The cost can be split between two people if you both want the Kalapatthar landing, which brings the per-person price down a bit. Either way, the main experience — the flight itself, the breakfast, the time at altitude — is the same for everyone.

Hotel pickup is included, so you don't arrange your own transport to the airport. The company provides guides on the helicopter, medical insurance, meals during the stop, and a comprehensive medical kit in case anything goes wrong. You'll need your passport details when you book — name, number, expiry date and country — because this is a domestic flight from Kathmandu. The tour operates in all weather, so dress for cold and wind at altitude. Children must be with an adult, infants can sit on a lap, and the whole setup is accessible for travelers with mobility needs.

What’s included

Hotel pickup and return transport to Kathmandu domestic airport, helicopter flight with guide service, breakfast at Everest View Hotel, medical insurance, comprehensive medical kit, and all meals during the stop. Kalapatthar landing is optional and available for 1–2 passengers at additional cost.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Trekking Planner Nepal

Is this one for you?Right for travelers short on time who want to see Everest without a week-long trek. The 45-minute flight gets you to altitude and back in a morning, though expect cold wind and the helicopter's motion — it's not a gentle ride, and that's what makes the views possible.