Everest Base Camp Heli Trek
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Trip Information
Trip Duration
10 Nights 11 Days
Difficulty Level
Moderate
Destination
Nepal
Maximum Height
5545 m
Guiding Method
Trekking
Best Season
Spring & Autumn
Highlights
- Best view of the landscapes and scene during the flight from Kathmandu to Lukla.
- Observation of unique and culturally rich Sherpa lifestyle.
- Exceptional view of Mount Everest, Ama Dablam, Lhotse, Pumori and many other peaks.
- Mesmerizing 360 views of the mountain range from Kala Patthar.
- Facility to fly directly from Gorak Shep to Kathmandu by a helicopter enjoying the wide view of Gokyo Lakes and majestic peaks around.
Nepal Ascent Treks has designed a special trekking package especially for those trekkers who wish to travel to Everest Base Camp (EBC) but have limited vacation time. The 11 days short but power-packed trekking package is sure to fit into your time and budget. You will be reaching the base camp like every other trekker, but the benefit you will get in choosing this package is that you will not have to trek all the way back to Lukla. Instead, you will get to enjoy the facility of directly flying back to Kathmandu from Gorak Shep through the charted helicopter. This will save a lot of your time and energy.
Like every other EBC trek, you will be walking through the Sagarmatha National Park, stay a day at Namche Bazaar and observe the Sherpa Lifestyle around. You will get to enjoy the breathtaking view of Mount Everest, Mount Ama Dablam, Mount Lhotse, Thamserku, Pumori and many others along the journey. The best view of mountains can be observed from the top of Kala Patthar from where 360 views of the mountain range can be seen. We will get a helicopter ready for you at Gorak Shep and then you will fly to Kathmandu enjoying the best wide view of Gokyo Lakes, number of peaks and stunning landscape. This short yet exciting trek to EBC will surely give you a sense of accomplishment and lots of memories that last a lifetime.
Route Map
Altitude Graph
Itinerary
Nepal Ascent Treks gives utmost priority to the comfort and safety of its guests. After your arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu, we pick you up from the airport and manage your stay at the most comfortable hotel in the city. You will then get time to freshen up and later meet the team of trekkers. Together we share and prepare for the trek. At the evening we offer you lavish welcome dinner with authentic Nepali Cuisine.
Accommodation
3 Star Hotel
Meal
Dinner
Transportation
Private car
The day begins with the flight from Kathmandu to Lukla. The scenic flight offers you the chance to enjoy the beauty of green hills with a background of snowy mountain peaks. The trek starts from Lukla and we head towards Phakding passing through Cheplung village enjoying the sight of Mount Khumbila. This is a great start for the coming day’s trek. We will then head down to Phakding and stay there for the night.
Accommodation
Comfortable Teahouse
Meal
Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner
Transportation
Flight / Walking
We begin our day with the walk along the trail passing through pine forest and crossing Dudh Koshi River. After that, we will pass through few villages and then in a short while reach the entrance to Everest National Park. Entering the park, we enjoy the walk with the astounding view of natural beauty around. We will then reach Namche Bazaar, the famous Sherpa village. From Namche Bazaar we can have great sight of Mount Everest and Mount Lhotse. We will spend our night at Namche Bazaar.
Accommodation
Comfortable Teahouse
Meal
Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner
Transportation
Walking
We will stay for a day at Namche Bazaar to adjust or body to the changed environmental condition, increased altitude, and to prevent any possible Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS). Namche Bazaar is the main market area of the region with small local tea houses, restaurants, shops and trading areas around. We will explore the areas observing the traditional and cultural Sherpa life. We can also choose to hike to Sagarmatha National Park from where the beautiful sight of Mount Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Ama Dablam and others can be visible. Rare species of flora and fauna can be spotted along the way. We end the day thus and get a good night’s sleep in hotel at Namche Bazaar.
Accommodation
Comfortable Teahouse
Meal
Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner
Transportation
Walking
The trek for the day begins with the walk down to Dudh koshi river and then again up through along lush rhododendron forest. Heading ahead to Tengboche, the beautiful view of Mount Everest, Mount Lhotse, Mount Nuptse and Mount Ama Dablam greet you along the way. On reaching Tengboche, we get to visit the most famous and largest monastery in the Everest region called Tengboche monastery. The soaring peaks in the background make the whole picture simply amazing to look at. We will conclude the day’s trek at Tengboche and stay there overnight.
Accommodation
Comfortable Teahouse
Meal
Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner
Transportation
Walking
We start the trek walking through evergreen forests with pines and conifers. The area is also rich with colorful rhododendron bushes. We then take the trail to Pangboche, crossing Imja river. The trail takes us to famous Pangboche monastery. We again walk ahead and reach Imja valley and from there towards Dingboche from where we get to see the field of various kind of crops like barley, buckwheat, and potatoes, carefully protected from cold winds and animals. We spend the night at Dingboche.
Accommodation
Basic Teahouse / Lodge
Meal
Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner
Transportation
Walking
We will take a break of one more day for the purpose of acclimatization. The gradual increase in the altitude might create some health issues and to prevent that we will stay for the day at Dingboche and just explore around. Dingboche is a beautiful village with variety of mountain vegetation and domestic animals. We might as well hike to Nagarjun hill or Chukkhung valley from where we get to see breathtaking views of snowy mountain peaks. In the evening we will get back to our lodge at Dingboche and send the night.
Accommodation
Comfortable Teahouse
Meal
Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner
Transportation
Walking
We will continue the trek climbing uphill towards Duglha first and from there further up till Chupki Lhara. The area is decorated with prayers flags as memorials for departed souls. We move ahead towards Khumbu glacier from where the great peaks like Pumori and MahaLangur himal can be seen up close. We will then follow the trail until we reach Lobuche. We will spend the night in Lobuche.
Accommodation
Comfortable Teahouse
Meal
Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner
Transportation
Walking
The trail to Everest Base Camp passes through Gorak Shep Lake. The walk ahead takes us to Indian army mountaineers’ memorial. Walking through rocky terrain in such high altitude can wear out the tired body. But upon reaching the Everest Base Camp, the spellbinding view of mountain peaks and colorful tents contrasted against the snowy beauty makes you forget the arduous journey. The gigantic peaks like Pumori, Nuptse and Khumbutse will surely leave you feeling mesmerize for a long time. We will then get back to Gorak Shep for the night.
Accommodation
Comfortable Teahouse
Meal
Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner
Transportation
Walking
We will start our hike early in the morning. After walking some hours we reach the top of Kala Patthar (meaning black rock in local language), which is the sunrise viewing point. From the top we get to enjoy 360° view of mountains around with the closest view of Mount Everest. Down below we can see the deep and dangerous Khumbu glacier. Also, we can see gigantic view of Mount Pumori from the top of Kala Patthar. Mount Nuptse, Ama Dablam, Thamserkhu and many other mountains can be viewed up close from the top. We will then get back to Gorak Shep and take a helicopter flight to Kathmandu. The majestic beauty of Gokyo Lakes, number of surrounding peaks and stunning beauty of landscape can be enjoyed from the flight. Night at the hotel in Kathmandu.
Accommodation
3 Star Hotel
Meal
Breakfast | Dinner
Transportation
Walking / Sharing Helicopter
Nepal Ascent Treks will make all the necessary arrangements for you on the departure day. We offer you the facility to drop at the Tribhuvan International Airport. We exchange final greetings and wishes and hope to see each other next time as well. We wish pleasant journey and bid the final goodbye. If you like you can also continue your stay in Nepal and choose the next trip.
Meal
Breakfast
Transportation
Private car
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What's Included
Meal
- Fresh seasonal fruits after the dinner (while on the trek).
- Breakfast,Lunch and dinner during the trek.
Accomodation
- Lodge expenses during the trek.
- Stay in the city at finest hotel (Can upgrade of the accommodations to luxury hotels / lodge is possible at extra cost).
Staffs & Crew
- A porter and his entire expenses.
- Insurance of guide and porter.
- Licensed, experienced and English speaking trekking guide.
Transportation
- Airport pickup and drop facility.
- Kathmandu-Lukla flight tickets.
- Sharing helicopter from Gorakshep to Kathmandu.
Permits & Paperworks
- Airport tax
- All necessary paperwork and trekking permits (National Park Permit, TIMS)
Other
- Down jackets and sleeping bags (provided upon request).
- Nepal Ascent Treks duffel bag, t-shirt, and trekking map.
- First aid medical kit
Complimentary Extras
- Welcome and farewell dinner at one of the finest Nepalese Restaurant with traditional ethnic music and dance.
- Local sim card
- 1 hour trekkers massage / Yoga after the trip completion.
What's Not Included
- Cost for additional trips.
- Nepal arrival visa.
- Tipping to staffs (as an appreciation).
- Travel insurance which covers emergency rescue and evacuation.
- Meals in the city except for breakfast and other mentioned special dinner.
- Personal expenses (phone calls, laundry, bar bills, battery recharge, extra porters, bottle or boiled water, shower, etc.)
- International airfare to and from Kathmandu
- Extra night accommodation in Kathmandu in case of early arrival, late departure, and early return from the mountain(due to any reason) than the scheduled itinerary
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Essential Info
Physical Fitness
Many people have questions as to what level of physical fitness is required for visiting Nepal, and that is extremely reliant on what activity the visitor is engaging in. With that said, for a standard trek of moderate grading (Everest Base Camp Trek is an example of moderate) the daily activity will be 7-8 hours, and elevation will generally not exceed 5,500 meters. The day’s trekking is sustained and will involve both long steep climbs, and descents with a variety of terrain underfoot from well-trodden paths, to rocks covered with ice or snow. A typical day would include a number of climbs or descents of 500 meters or more, starting after breakfast, resting at lunch, then continuous trekking until arriving at the teahouse.
In preparation for the trek, it is important to begin a training requirement at least 4 months before departing for Nepal. Three to four hours of aerobic exercise like running, walking, swimming, cycling & some gym work per week is the minimum and most will find it beneficial to add some basic strength training to their physical fitness routine. One of the best ways to prepare is to take practice hikes with a daypack roughly the same weight as what you will be taking on the trek. Do this only after a baseline of fitness has been reached. Moving fast is not the end goal, rather endurance is the focus, and will provide a more enjoyable and safe adventure.
Trekking Seasons in Nepal
There are two main seasons in which Nepal sees the most amount of visitors. Fall (September through November) being the most popular, and spring (March to May) coming in close behind. The summer months of June, July and August are the monsoon season and as such the trails are mostly washed out, and roads can sometimes be impassible due to landslide activates. Not to mention the view is non-existent. Still, there are a few places that lie in rain shadow areas and see significantly less rain if any at all, and summer can be a good time to visit these places. Winter is dry, but extremely cold and high passes become inaccessible due to ice and snow conditions. The temperature doesn’t usually fluctuate to a greater degree and the daytime temperature is around 20-25 degrees. However, the temperature starts to decrease as you gain altitude. The temperature can drop to around 0 to -10 degrees at night when staying at tented camps in Himalayan regions. However, it does not change as much in lower hilly regions and the nights are slightly colder than days.
Fall is the most popular because it’s after the monsoons, and the air is dry, the days are sunny, and everything is green in the lower valleys from the excessive rains. Spring is a popular choice because some rain returns, but the weather is generally warm and dry, and flowers are in bloom in the lower elevations.
Trekking Day
A typical trekking day begins with a cup of tea at around 6 in the morning. It is advised to pack your trekking gears in a duffle bag and essential supplies in your day pack in these early hours. After having breakfast, we begin the trek and head along the trail at around 8 am. The morning walk is designed to be longer as we begin with refreshed bodies and enthusiasm. Following a good morning’s walk, we make stop for lunch at around 11.30 am. The lunch involves group meals enjoying the vicinity around the stop. You can explore the surrounding or use the time according to your own consent. After resting for about an hour or two, we resume our trek to reach teahouse or camp by 3-4 pm. The afternoon walk is relatively shorter and can involve games and side trips as organized by the trekking guides. You also can enjoy breaks during the trek to relax, read or stroll around the area. You can converse with the local people and observe their lifestyle. Dinner is served around 7 in the evening to round off the day.
Meals and Accommodations
During the length of the trek, the accommodation style is commonly referred to as teahouse. These are family-run basic lodges that fill the role of the restaurant, meeting place, and boarding house for tourists. Electricity can be found in the rooms, which means one light bulb, and one or two outlets for charging electronics. The common areas are also lit by electricity. Teahouses may use solar, hydroelectric, or have electrical lines running into the village, so the commonality and availability of electricity may vary.
Most teahouses have private rooms, though if the trek is in a more remote or high altitude place dormitories are the norm. Each room has 1 or 2 single beds with basic bedding, and the bathroom is shared. Expect a mix of western and squat style toilets in the bathrooms.
Breakfast and dinner are taken at the teahouse and these lodges have large family style dining rooms centered on a stove to provide heat. The menu will have Nepali style western foods such as pasta, pizza, pancakes, burgers, and fries. Also on the menu is the traditional Dal Bhat meal. This is a lentil soup with rice and vegetable or meat curry. Most menus will also offer a smattering of local cuisine.
Internal Flight Delays
Nepal is an incredible country of mountains and valleys, rivers and green rolling hills. With this incredible diversity of landscapes, road travel can be extremely time consuming and flights within Nepal to reach popular trekking destinations is a must. Along with this mountainous terrain also comes the possibility of in climate weather. Not to mention the incredibly high number of visitors during peak seasons makes internal flight delays a very real possibility. To manage this possibility, it may be helpful to have a few extras days on either end of your tour. If any cancellations or flight delays do occur (high chances of flight delays from around Kathmandu to Lukla, Everest region), we also provide services to arrange helicopter to help you to be on your schedule on the premises of Civil Aviation Rules in Nepal which state that helicopters can fly if the visibility is 1500m. The cost ranges from USD350 to USD650 according to the number of passengers. The payment can be made either to the helicopter company or to us directly and can be made either by cash or using a credit card. It will also be helpful to purchase and review your insurance as some of the alternative measures for travel may be covered. Flight insurance too may cover changing your international flight if necessary.
Travel Insurance
Many expeditions and tours require that travel insurance is purchased prior to arriving in Nepal, but other treks and tours may not. However, travel insurance is definitely an important consideration. There are a number of reasons to consider insurance. Firstly, it may be required, so check to see what is being asked for by the company. Second, Nepal is a landlocked country, and there are few direct flights. Travel in and out can encounter some disruptions and if purchasing insurance, make sure flight delays and cancellations are included. The next reason to choose insurance is that, though every safeguard is in place during your tour, there are always extenuating circumstances that may result in an accident. Read the fine print of insurance policies to ensure trekking or any other activity you are engaging in is covered, as some policies have stopped covering trekking in certain places. It is impossible to have a relaxing trip without the comfort of good insurance, so do the research and choose carefully.
Nepal Visa Entry Procedure
For entry into Nepal, there are visa requirements everyone (except Indian nationals) must complete before being allowed to pass through immigration. This is for air travel as well as overland transportation. Most visitors may obtain a visa to enter Nepal, however, there are exceptions. There are a number of entry points where you can obtain the visa upon arriving by land, but Tribhuvan International Airport is the only one for air transport.
Visa on Arrival Tourist Visa
Three options are available for entry
15-day single entry: US $30
30-day single entry: US $50
90-day multiple entries: US $125
Please have a passport valid for at least 6 months from the time of entry, and have cash ready, preferably in US dollars, though there are other currencies Nepal Immigration accepts. If you are entering via overland, you must have US cash and 3 passport photos. For arrival by air, the kiosks at the airport take your picture for you.
For the most up to date list of exceptions for visa on arrival or to obtain the most current visa information, visit the Nepal Department of Immigration website.
Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS)
Acute Mountain Sickness is usually seen in un-acclimatized people shortly after ascent to high altitudes. The condition occurs due to the thinning of air as the altitude increases. The condition, if not taken seriously and treated immediately, can be life-threatening and its symptoms can be seen generally above 3000 meters. Some of the symptoms of AMS are nausea, vomiting, tiredness, shortness of breath and cerebral pain. The treks are designed to properly acclimatize you to the change in high altitude climate and sufficient precautionary measures too are taken to take utmost caution. We also equip our staffs with cell phones and satellite phones in occurrence of any emergency cases. We are greatly driven to keep the safety and security of our clients as our foremost concern.
Drinking Water
Water is essential for life, and clean water is imperative while on holiday. When choosing to visit less developed countries it is a concern that all travelers should consider. A few options are available when trekking or traveling in Nepal that will mitigate any chances of drinking contaminated water which could cause disruption of an otherwise fun adventure. The first consideration to take into account is that tap water should not be ingested. That even means when brushing your teeth. Most will choose to buy bottled water and if doing so make sure the cap has not been opened previously. Plastic bottle refuse is a problem, and with that being said there are other options on the market to assist in making water drinkable. Your local outdoor store can help with choosing what option might be best to use in conjunction with a reusable bottle. Your guide can also steer you to water that has been filtered and purified so ask him or her what is available.
Arrival Instruction
Upon your arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport, our company representatives are stationed to welcome you to the country. We request you to carefully look for your name being held by our representatives following the events upon landing. The representatives are responsible to escort you to your hotel in Kathmandu. You will see men offering you to carry luggage and take you to your destination as you exit the airport. We request you to pay no attention to these people and follow the designated representatives and follow their instructions. You will also need to keep an eye on your luggage and belongings to avoid any complicacies.
Amazing Experience with a Wonderful Company
Nicole Jopek
GBMost Memorable Trip - Annapurna Circuit
Joselle Flores
AUAn Amazing Experience with Nepal Ascent Treks
Gina Poncini
ITPikey peak trek - Off the beaten Path trek in Nepal
Frances Cudiamat
AFAbsolute best Experience!
Kristyn Fanstone
CAPrice per person