• placeholder
    Nepal
  • mountain
    Moderate
  • trekking
    Lodge to Lodge Trek
  • car
    Private Transport+Helicopter
  • cutlery
    Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner
  • tent-handmade-outlined-symbol
    Tourist Standard Hotel
  • group
    Group Size: 2-5 Pax Pax
  • altitude
    5,550m

About Everest Base Camp Helicopter Return Trek

The Everest Base Camp Helicopter Return is the shortest Trek in the Khumbu Region, which takes you to the foot of the world’s highest mountain and vantage viewpoint (Kala Patthar). It provides a different experience than other Himalayas base camps or adventure treks.

This Trek begins with a regularly scheduled flight on a small plane to Lukla airport and ends with a scenic Helicopter Return flight to Kathmandu after you visit the base camp and Kala Patthar. Following the significant itinerary of the Everest Base Camp Trek after landing at Tenzing-Hilary Airport, the Trek goes to Phakding on the first day. After one night stay in Phakding, you Trek to Namche Bazaar on the second day, take one extra day for acclimatization and hike to Hotel Everest View.

On the fourth day, you Trek to Tengboche toward the Khumbu Valley. After Tengboche:

  • Trek to Dingboche.
  • Take the second altitude practice rest day during the Helicopter Return Trek in the Everest Region.
  • Hike to Nangkartshang Hill.

Now, you Go ahead to Lobuche on the 7th and Gorakshep on the 8th day and then Hike to the Everest Base camp from Gorakshep. The 9th day is the last day of the Heli Return EBC Trek, so you hike to Kala Patthar (5550m) from Gorakshep and then fly out to Kathmandu direct after breakfast.

Everest Base Camp Trek with Helicopter Return Recommendation


Helicopter flying above mountains on Everest Base Camp Helicopter Return Trek.

The Everest Base Camp Trek with Helicopter Return is recommended to those who are time-bounded travelers with not enough days to complete the regular 12-day trip or do not want to hike back the same way after visiting the base camp. It is the best combination of a walking and scenic flight experience above the high mountains in the Everest Region, Nepal.

The 'Everest Base Camp Heli Return Trek' provides you with two different experiences an adventure of walking in the high elevation and a thrilling Helicopter Tour as a luxury scenic Heli Ride back to Kathmandu direct from the mountain.

You will have a fantastic experience of mountain adventure while Trekking to the Everest Base Camp in Nepal. It offers breathtaking views of magnificent snow-capped mountains, beautiful valleys, captivating landscapes, and more natural, with cultural attractions along the way. The warm hospitality of the locals in the region gives you extra emotional feelings and attachments, which you may never forget in your life.

Experiencing an adventurous walk on the classical Everest Base Camp trail from Lukla and Helicopter Return direct down to Kathmandu from the mountain gives you both Adventure and luxury experiences from this trip in Nepal. The regular Trek to the foot of the world’s highest mountain takes eight days from Kathmandu, including two acclimatization rest days in Namche and Dingboche, and then returns to Lukla in three long days of walk. It means the traditional Base Camp trekking itinerary is 12 days round trip. If you do not want to use the same way back to Lukla or are not interested in walking those three long treks around, flying out on a Helicopter from Everest is the best trekking package for you.

The time-bound trekker may need help to complete the usual trekking itinerary. That is why we present a quick trekking package to explore this mountain region well by walking to the bottom of Everest and flying out on a Helicopter down. You may drop off either in Lukla or Kathmandu after taking off from Gorakshep on a Helicopter, according to your time and interest.

Trekking to Everest Base Camp and flying back by Helicopter offers an exceptional experience for the regular EBC trekkers because the trekkers, following a usual trekking itinerary, never get an opportunity of experiencing the luxury Helicopter Ride in the Himalayas.

Why Everest Base Camp Return by Helicopter Trek

The Everest Base Camp Return by Helicopter Trek is the quickest mountain journey in Khumbu, by which you can explore this great Himalayan Region in a few days. It is the best trekking package to reach the foot of the world’s tallest mountain and see it from the nearest distance in a short holiday in Nepal.

The Hele Return Trek from Everest Base Camp also saves time, and you can explore the other beautiful historical places in the country. If you save days doing this fly-back EBC trek, you can go on a jungle safari, do a day tour in Kathmandu, and visit the beautiful lake city Pokhara.

This Heli Return Trek is specially designed for those who love to experience Adventure and thrilling flight experiences in the Nepalese Himalayas. You feel the different experience of flying above the high mountains, which you see amazingly standing on the way of walking towards the Base Camp. So, the views you see from land and Helicopter provide a different experience from this Helicopter Return Trekking.

Book Everest Base Camp Trek Return by Helicopter with Frolic Adventure

Frolic Adventure is operating the Everest Base Camp Trek Return by Helicopter. Our main goal is customer satisfaction by offering the best cost and service. We arrange experienced, informative guides and friendly helpers for the tour. We have a special offer for this EBC Heli Return Trek for group trekkers. You can easily book this fly-back trek online payment link or contact us if you book the trip in a group with additional services than the package.

Highlights of Everest Base Camp Helicopter Return Trek

  • Stunning eye captivating mountain views from plane, helicopter and land
  • Adventurous scenic flight to Lukla
  • Experience in trekking, scenic mountain flight on aviation and helicopter
  • Picturesque landscape
  • Walk inside the UNESCO world heritage site
  • Traditional and charming Sherpa towns like Namche Bazaar, Dingboche, Pangboche and more
  • Historic ancient Buddhist monasteries, monuments and shrines
  • Vantage viewpoints such as Everest view hotel, Tengboche hill, Nangkar-Tsang hill and Kala Patthar
  • The famous Khumbu glacier
  • The base camp of the world’s highest mountain

Itinerary

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We will be greeted and picked up by an airport representative of Frolic Adventure upon our arrival at the Kathmandu airport. The airport representative will take us to our hotel on private transport and meet a manager from the company to talk about the trip; then we will be free today.

  • Meals: None
  • Accommodation: Hotel
  • Place: Kathmandu
  • Altitude: 1,350m
  • Mode of Transportation: Private Car/Van/Bus
  • Departure Time: According to the Arrival time

It is our free day today. We can tour a full-day Kathmandu heritage site or hang out in the city. We will pay extra for the day tour if we decide on a sightseeing trip. Our tour guide will take us to four world heritage sites: Kathmandu Durbar square, Syambhunath, Pashupatinath, and Bouddhanath. Then we drive back to the hotel and pack trekking equipment.

  • Meals: Breakfast
  • Accommodation: Hotel
  • Place: Kathmandu
  • Altitude: 1,350m
  • Mode of Transportation: Private Car/Van/Bus
  • Departure Time: 9:00 am

Our mountain trip begins today with an early morning flight to Lukla from Kathmandu airport on a small aircraft. It is a half an hour adventurous flight and offers stunning mountain views such as Langtang, Ganesh Himal, Gauri Shankar, and more massif.

Right after landing at Lukla airport, we start walking toward Phakding. We will issue Khumbu Pasang Lhamu rural municipality entry ticket at the end of Lukla, paying 200 NPR per person. It is our first day trekking through descending trails, and we won’t travel long. We only walk around 3-hrs to reach Phakding. We will pass Chheplung, Thadokosi, and Ghat villages before reaching Phakding town.

  • Meals: Breakfast+Lunch+Dinner
  • Accommodation: Guest house
  • Place: Phakding
  • Altitude: 2,610m
  • Mode of Transportation: Private Transport + Domestic flight
  • Departure Time: 6:30 - 9:00 am

We trek to Namche Bazaar today after breakfast. Today, we will be crossing five suspension bridges over the Dudhkoshi river. The Sagarmatha national park starts from today’s trek. We will issue a National Park entry permit in Monjo after walking around 3 hours from Phakding. It costs 3000 NPR for this trekking permit, but for Indian and trekkers from south Asia, trekkers are only 1500 NPR.

We stop in Jorsalle for lunch and trek another three hours to Phakding after Jorsalle. After crossing the highest suspension bridge, the trail ascends about two or two hours to reach Namche Bazaar. Namche Bazaar is the most beautiful Sherpa town in the Everest region. Many lodges, grocery, trekking equipment shops, bakeries, coffee shops, and bars exist. We can hang around after refreshments and rest for a while.

  • Meals: Breakfast+Lunch+Dinner
  • Accommodation: Guest house
  • Place: Namche Bazaar
  • Altitude: 3,440m
  • Mode of Transportation: Walk
  • Departure Time: 8:00 am

It is our first altitude practice rest day here in Namche. It is not a complete rest day because we hike a few hours to the Everest view hotel. We will pass the highest airport, Syangboche, before reaching Everest view hotel. Syangboche airport is a rough airport, and it does not have regular flights.

We see a great view of Mt. Thamserku, Kusum Kangaroo, Khangteka, Amadablam, Lhotse, Nuptse, Lhotse, and Kongde, including Everest. After enjoying panoramic Himalayan views from the Everest view hotel, we will hike back to Namche.

  • Meals: Breakfast+Lunch+Dinner
  • Accommodation: Guest house
  • Place: Namche Bazaar
  • Altitude: 3,440m
  • Mode of Transportation: Walk
  • Departure Time: 8:00 am

There is an excellent and clear trekking trail for about two and a half hours after Namche Bazaar until Kyangjuma. It is like a mountain highway maintained by an older man. He is collecting some donations from the trekkers and hiring laborers.

The trail divides after Kyangjuma to Gokyo valley trek to the left and descent towards river-side Phungki-Tenga for the Everest base camp trekking route. Here in Phungki-Tenga, we stop for lunch and climb for two more hours to reach Tengboche.

After resting, we will visit a historical ancient Buddhist monastery in Tengboche. There is a daily offering by the monks after 3 pm and in the morning. We can join offerings and meditate with the monks.

  • Meals: Breakfast+Lunch+Dinner
  • Accommodation: Guest house
  • Place: Tengboche
  • Altitude: 3,860m
  • Mode of Transportation: Walk
  • Departure Time: 8:00 am

Tengboche is the best hill station to see the great view of Mt. Amadablam. It is the most beautiful mountain in the Everest Himalayan range. After enjoying lovely mountain views in the morning, we have breakfast and trek further to Dingboche village.

We descend about 20 minutes to Deboche through pine and rhododendron forests and walk on a flat part for about 45 minutes. After that, we cross a bridge over the Khumbu river and ascend to Pangboche village. We reach Somare after an hour's walk from Pangboche and have lunch. We again trek another an hour and a half to two hours to Dingboche after lunch. We will be walking above the tree line from this place.

  • Meals: Breakfast+Lunch+Dinner
  • Accommodation: Guest house
  • Place: Dingboche
  • Altitude: 4,410m
  • Mode of Transportation: Walk
  • Departure Time: 8:00 am

It is our second-day acclimatization rest day. We will hike up to Nangkar-Tsang hill after breakfast for the altitude practice. Nangkar-Tsang hill is only the hill from where we can see Mt. Makalu. It is the 4th highest mountain in the country and 5th globally. 

  • Meals: Breakfast+Lunch+Dinner
  • Accommodation: Guest house
  • Place: Dingboche
  • Altitude: 4,410m
  • Mode of Transportation: Walk
  • Departure Time: 8:00 am

We trek through a ridge on a flat part for a few hours, keeping Pheriche valley on our left. After walking for three to three and a half hours, we reach Thukla crossing a small river from the Khumbu glacier. We have lunch and ascend for about an hour until Thukla tops. We can see many memorials of dead climbers on the top of the Thukla pass. The rest of the trail for today until Lobuche from Thukla pass is pretty straightforward, but we can feel the altitude.

  • Meals: Breakfast+Lunch+Dinner
  • Accommodation: Guest house
  • Place: Lobuche
  • Altitude: 4,910m
  • Mode of Transportation: Walk
  • Departure Time: 8:00 am

Today is our most important day. We will be hiking to our goal destination, the base camp of the world’s highest mountain. We start trekking early morning, around 6-7 am, from Lobuche today. After walking for around three hours, we reach Gorakshep, the last place to stay. We leave our luggage here in the lodge and hike up to the base camp after having quick lunch.

We only take snacks, water, and, of course, a camera to the base camp. It can be the windy and cold temperature on the base camp trail. We need to wear warm and windproof gear for the base camp hike. After visiting the base camp, we will hike back to Gorakshep and stay overnight.

  • Meals: Breakfast+Lunch+Dinner
  • Accommodation: Guest house
  • Place: Gorakshep
  • Altitude: 5,180m
  • Mode of Transportation: Walk
  • Departure Time: 6:30 - 7:00 am

It is a special day for the Everest base camp trek with a helicopter return. We hike up to Kala Patthar hill, which offers a 360⁰ mountain view of the Everest massif and the closest view of Everest. We hike in the early morning, and reaching the top takes around two hours.

Climbing Kala Patthar in the morning will be freezing, so we wear warm, windproof clothes with thermal layers. After enjoying the view, we hike back to our lodge, have breakfast, and be ready to fly out with packing stuff.

After arriving in Kathmandu, we check-in the hotel, were fresh, and walked around if we wanted. We will have a farewell dinner with company managers invited by Frolic Adventure this evening.

  • Meals: Breakfast
  • Accommodation: Hotel
  • Place: Kathmandu
  • Altitude: 1,350m
  • Mode of Transportation: Helicopter + Private transport
  • Departure Time: 10:00 am

Frolic Adventure provides private transport for our final departure to the international airport. We return to our home with a beautiful memory of the Everest base camp trek with a helicopter return and say goodbye to Nepal until our next visit.

  • Meals: Breakfast
  • Mode of Transportation: Private Car/Van/Bus
  • Departure Time: 3 hours earlier from departure flight time

Cost Details

  • Airport picks up and drops by private car/van/bus.
  • 3 nights accommodation in a tourist standard hotel including breakfast as per the above itinerary twin sharing basis.
  • Private car/van/bus for the cultural tour
  • Sharing Helicopter flight from Gorakshep to Kathmandu
  • All the ground and domestic air transportation during the trip.
  • Your standard meal BLD during the trek with a cup of hot tea/coffee for breakfast
  • Fresh fruit after every dinner in the mountain
  • All necessary papers works, national park entry permits, Pasang Lhamu fees, and monument entrance fees
  • All accommodations in lodges/tea houses during the treks.
  • An experienced, helpful, and friendly guide, porters (1 porter for 2 people).
  • Salary, food, drinks, accommodation, transportation, and insurance for the guide and porter.
  • Farewell dinner at last night in Kathmandu
  • An arrangement of an emergency helicopter service will be paid for by your travel insurance company.
  • Sleeping bag, down jackets, and duffle bags if you don't have
  • Certificate of achievement 
  • All government taxes (Gst) and Stationery expenses.
  • Nepal entry visa fee (you may easily issue the visa upon your arrival at Tribhuwan international airport  (Kathmandu). Y
  • Your travel insurance (compulsory).
  • Lunch and dinner while you are in Kathmandu.
  • All entry fees for heritage sites.
  • Your personal expenses.
  • All the alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
  • Sweet things like dessert/chocolate.
  • Hot shower/batteries charge/heater during the trek.
  • International airfare.
  • Tips for the guide, porter & driver. 
  • Any others expenses which are not mentioned in including section.

Useful Info

Best Time for Everest Base Camp Trek with Helicopter Return

The 9-day Everest Base Camp Trek with Helicopter Return can make in autumn and spring. These are the main trekking seasons in Nepal, so these are the best time to trek all over the Nepalese Himalayas.

September to November and March to May are the best time for EBC Heli Return Trek. Although, until mid-September in autumn and late May in spring might have some rainy days. So, from the mid of September to the end of November and from March until the second week of May, we have many trekkers who have been recommended for this 9-day trek.

December offers the best view and clear weather, but it is the starter month of the winter season. You must have excellent warm trekking equipment for a winter Flight Back EBC Trekking. But don’t try to trek during the months of the summer season. The summer season has many rainy days—June to August or even until mid-September rainy season remains. We can say that mid-September to December and March to Mid-May is the best times for the trip.

Trekking Gear for Helicopter Return Everest Base Camp Trek

You are jumping into the cold region, so you must have warm Trekking Gear for the 'Helicopter Return Everest Base Camp Trek.' You can never think of making the Everest base camp trek with a helicopter flight back without an excellent trekking kit, so check the essential packing list for a fly-back trek with a Helicopter Return.

In a flyback by Helicopter Tour, you will visit the same places and heights as a 12-Day Base Camp Trek. It needs proper trekking equipment, as trekkers need a 12-day EBC Trek. What source of trekking gear is essential, then? Check the packing list for the trek here.

Helicopter Return EBC Trek Cost

The Everest Base Camp Trek with Helicopter Return is an expensive trip compared to the standard trekking package because of the flight cost from Gorakshep. The helicopter charges 4000 USD from Gorakshep to Kathmandu, and only five people can fly if it is morning time. If it becomes late, there will be wind, and it will be difficult for the helicopter full of passengers. The listed cost is 1900 USD per person for a group of 2 people and is a group sharing. But the cost will be much cheaper if you are in a group. For the customized price of the Heli Everest Trek, please get in touch with us and mention the number of visitors.

Four trekkers and a guide can fly from Gorakshep, and porters will return to Lukla. We only take a booking from 2-5 trekkers in one group, so the price differs depending on the group size. Please know the price of a Helicopter Return from Everest before booking the trip. Check the trip cost according to the group size here:

Please check well what includes and excludes the listed price for the trip.

Everest Base Camp Trek Return by Helicopter is a beautiful mountain journey, a lifetime experience of walking, and a luxury flight above the high mountains. It is, of course, a delightful mountain trip, but there are some difficulties that trekkers will face. What are the problems with the trip? Check them now:

Altitude Sickness

Altitude Sickness is the dominant difficulty of the Everest Base Camp Trek Return by Helicopter. It has caused by low oxygen in the air and high atmospheric pressure in high Himalayan lands. Trekkers are coming from sea level and going to high mountain lands directly, which can bring the problem of mountain sickness because it takes time to adjust the body of the trekkers with rapidly changing altitude.

Flying to Lukla (2,840m) is already high enough from Kathmandu (1,350m) to people from zero levels. There should not be problems up to 4000m usually, but some trekkers may feel the altitude effects after Namche Bazaar (3,440m). Altitude sickness symptoms like extreme headache, dizziness, nausea, tingling fingers, loss of appetite, difficulty breathing while resting, feeling like a drunk, chest pain, and others are typical for acute mountain illness.

You can prevent altitude sickness by drinking plenty of fluid, sleeping well, eating well, keeping warm, strolling, and having enough acclimatization rest days. You can also take your guide’s advice and locally available health assistance from the region. Altitude medication like Diamox can prevent AMS but drink more water than usual after having Diamox because it can dehydrate.

Note: Don’t take any sleeping medication up in the mountain if you can’t sleep.

Changing Weather Can Affect the Trip Itinerary

The weather in the Everest region can change very quickly. It is like four seasons in a day. A light shower or snowfall should not affect much for the Helicopter flight if the visibility is clear enough. Sometimes, there might be cloudy suddenly and big wind even on a sunny day.

The Helicopter can’t take off full of passengers from Gorakshep even with a slight wind sometimes. If this happens, a helicopter might do two different shuttles to the lower area and fly together later to Kathmandu.

Flying towards Lukla should cancel the flights sometimes due to bad weather. If it happens, you need to wait the next day to fly. Also, it can affect return flights by helicopter after the base camp. So, having extra days for the Everest Base Camp Trek with a Helicopter Return itinerary is good.

Helicopter Return Trek Accommodation, Food & Drink

Many hotels, guest houses, and lodges along the Everest Base Camp Trekking trail exist. Some luxurious lodges are also available during the trek but are costly. Other regular accommodations are comfortable enough to stay in. You can get private Accommodation at every stop. You can also expect attached bathroom Accommodation in some places. Places like Tengboche, Lobuche, and Gorakshep have limited lodges. You need to book your space in advance in those places if you are visiting during the high trekking season.

You don’t need to stay with local food during the Helicopter Return to Everest Base Camp Trek. You will have a food menu in every lodge. But you cannot expect food like in the city. The cooks usually are trained, and the food taste could slide differently in different places, even for the same food items.

They sell mineral water bottles in guesthouses and grocery shops. Bottled water is expensive in higher places because of the cost of transportation. If you would like to minimize your budget by not buying bottled water and drinking tap water, you can. But don’t forget to use purification tablets or sterilizers before drinking tap water.

Lukla Flight Leads Everest Base Camp Trek with Helicopter Return

Lukla airport

The Everest Base Camp trekking with Helicopter Fly-back starts flying into Lukla on a plane and ends with flying on a helicopter from Gorakshep. Lukla Airport is the only airport to get to the Everest region by plane. It is a gateway to the world's highest mountain.

There are regular flights every day from Kathmandu on a clear day. The flights operate in the morning only because there will be big wind during the day, making it difficult for the plane. Sometimes, there might be flight delays or cancellations if the visibility is not good with clouds. So, it is better to have extra spare days with a trekking itinerary for this case.

An important matter to know about the EBC Trek Return by Helicopter is the weight limitation on the flight. You only can take 15kg of weight, including your hand luggage. As per the airline company, you can charge an extra amount per kilo, about 100-200 NPR. But, due to overload, the luggage might not reach Lukla with you. The airline can put your bag on the next flight if your plane has enough load. The next scheduled flight might not fly to Lukla if there will a sudden change in weather. We recommend packing only needed trek equipment and buying daily usage along the trek.

Hot Shower and Toilet During Flyback Everest Base Camp Trip

There are proper hot showers n most places except for a few days in higher elevated areas and places lacking water. You can get buckets of hot water in these places for hot showers. But hot showers are not accessible on the Everest base camp trekking route. The lodges charge 350 NPR to 600 NPR.

You probably have seen some photographs of the Tibetan wooden toilets from the Everest base camp trekking route shared by your friends who have already visited. Yes, there are these types of toilets, but not for you. These are mainly for the locals and not paying customers along the walking trail.

There are sitting toilets in the lower areas but not the higher ones. The temperature is freezing above 4000 meters on elevated lands, and toilets get frozen. Sometimes, the toilets keep stinky in higher areas. You don’t need to leave the building where you stay for the bathroom. They are indoors and attached to accommodation in some places.

Internet, Communication, and Battery Charging on Heli Return EBC Trek

There is a good connection between the internet and communication on the Heli Return EBC Trek. Cell phone signals are everywhere, even at the Everest base camp. You can buy top-up Wi-Fi cards in the lodges and shops at every stop as an MB pack. To use this, you need to be closer to the router.

Using a cell phone SIM card is the best for the trek. You can also call from anywhere and use the internet with data at the Everest base camp. NTC and NCELL are two major cell phone service providers in Nepal. NCELL has better signals for the internet on the Everest base camp trekking route.

There is electricity up to Tengboche and solar energy in the rest of the places. But you can charge your camera and other gadgets in your lodge. But battery charging is not free. Taking a spare camera battery and a high-volume power bank is better.

Stay Safe

Trekking to the high Himalayan region is not always safe. The most important thing you must be careful of is altitude sickness. Cause of less oxygen in the air and high atmospheric pressure, people could have altitude illness. What are the symptoms of the altitude effect, and what should you do to prevent it? Check detail about altitude sickness here.

The trekking trails to the Everest base camp follow narrow surfaces, cliffs, and slippery fields. You need to walk carefully on those parts. You will meet porters and animal transport to supply food and other kinds of stuff during the trek. Please stay safe if you meet them in a narrow area and closer to the cliff. Mistakenly, the load might push and bring an accident. If you meet other people and animals while crossing suspension bridges, you must wait until others cross or pass first, according to the situation. And be careful while taking pictures of wild animals and animal transportation.

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