Useful Info
Best Time for Everest Base Camp Trek with Helicopter Return
The 9-day Everest Base Camp Trek with Helicopter Return can be done in autumn and spring. These are the main trekking seasons in Nepal, making them the best times to trek the Nepalese Himalayas.
September to November and March to May are the best times for the EBC Heli Return Trek. However, there might be some rainy days until mid-September in the autumn and late May in the spring. So, from the midpoint of September to the end of November, and from March until the second week of May, this 9-day Trek is recommended for many trekkers.
December offers the best view and clear weather, but it is also the start of the winter season. It would be best to have excellent warm Trekking equipment for a winter 'Flight Back EBC Trekking.' But don’t try to trek during the summer months. The summer season has many rainy days—from June to August, and even into mid-September, the rainy season persists. We can say that mid-September to December and March to mid-May are the best times for the trip.
Trekking Gear for Helicopter Return Everest Base Camp Trek
You are jumping into a 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 out the essential packing list for a fly-back Trek with a Helicopter Return.
On a fly-back by Helicopter Tour, you will visit the same places and heights as on 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 out the packing list for the trek here.
Helicopter Return EBC Trek Cost
The Everest Base Camp Trek with Helicopter Return is more expensive than the standard Trekking package because of the Flight Cost from Gorakshep. The Helicopter charges 6000 USD for the Gorakshep-to-Kathmandu flight, and only five people can fly in the morning. If it gets late, there will be wind, and it will be difficult for the Helicopter to carry full loads of passengers. The listed cost is 1950 USD per person for a group of 5-10, for group sharing. But the Cost will be much cheaper if you are in a group. For a customized price for the Heli Everest Trek, please get in touch with us and let us know the number of visitors.
Four trekkers and a guide can fly from Gorakshep, and porters will return to Lukla. We only take bookings for groups of 2–5 trekkers, so the price varies by group size. Please note the price of a helicopter. Return from Everest before booking the trip. Check the trip cost according to the group size here:
Everest Base Camp Trek Return by Helicopter is a beautiful mountain journey, a lifetime walking experience, 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 out now:
Altitude Sickness
Altitude Sickness is the dominant difficulty of the Everest Base Camp Trek Return by Helicopter. It occurs because of the Himalayan lands' high oxygen levels and atmospheric pressure. Trekkers from sea level go directly to high mountain lands, which can cause mountain sickness because it takes time for their bodies to adjust to the rapidly changing altitude.
Flying to Lukla (2,840 m) is already high enough for sea-level people from Kathmandu (1,350m). There should not be any problems up to 4,000 m, but some trekkers may feel the effects of altitude after Namche Bazaar (3,440m). Altitude sickness symptoms, such as extreme headaches, dizziness, nausea, tingling fingers, loss of appetite, difficulty breathing while resting, feeling like a drunk, chest pain, and others, are typical for acute mountain illnesses.
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 taking Diamox because it can cause dehydration.
Note: Don’t take any sleeping medication up in the mountains if you can’t sleep.
Changing Weather Can Affect the Trip Itinerary.
The weather in the Everest Region can change very quickly. There are four seasons in a day. A light shower or snowfall should not affect the Helicopter flight much if the visibility is clear enough. However, brief cloud cover and strong winds may occur even on a sunny day.
Even with a slight wind, the helicopter can’t take off from Gorakshep with many passengers. If this happens, the Helicopter might send two shuttles to the lower area and then fly together to Kathmandu later.
Flights flying towards Lukla should sometimes be canceled due to bad weather. If it happens, you must wait until the next day to fly. Also, it can affect return flights by Helicopter after the Base Camp. So, having extra days on the Everest Base Camp Trek with a Helicopter Return itinerary is a good idea.
Helicopter Return Trek Accommodation, Food, and Drink
Many hotels, guesthouses, and lodges along the Everest Base Camp Trekking Trail. 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 accommodations at every stop. You can also expect attached bathroom accommodations in some places. Places like Tengboche, Lobuche, and Gorakshep have a limited number of 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 eat local food during the 'Helicopter Return Everest Base Camp Trek.' You will have a food menu in every lodge. But you cannot expect food like in the city. The cooks are usually trained, and the food can taste different in different places, even for the same items.
Mineral water bottles are sold in guesthouses and grocery shops. Bottled water is expensive in higher-elevation areas because of transportation costs. You can minimize your budget by not buying bottled water or tap water. However, remember to use purification tablets or sterilizers before drinking tap water.
Lukla Flight Leads Everest Base Camp Trek with Helicopter Return
The Everest Base Camp Trek with a Helicopter Fly-back starts with a plane ride into Lukla and ends with a Helicopter ride from Gorakshep. Lukla Airport is the only airport serving the Everest Region by plane. It is a gateway to the world's highest mountain.
There are regular flights from Kathmandu on clear days. The flights operate only in the morning because there will be strong winds during the day, making it difficult for the plane. Sometimes there may be flight delays or cancellations if visibility is poor due to clouds. So, it is better to have extra days as part of a Trekking itinerary in this case.
An important thing to know about the EBC Trek Return by Helicopter is the weight limitation on the flight. You can only take 15kg of weight, including your hand luggage. According to the airline, you can be charged 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 the plane has enough load capacity. The next scheduled flight might not fly to Lukla if there is a sudden change in weather. We recommend packing only the needed Trek equipment and buying it for daily use along the Trek.
Hot Showers and Toilets During the Flyback Everest Base Camp Trip
Most places have proper hot showers, 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. However, hot showers are inaccessible on the Everest Base Camp Trekking Route. The lodges charge 350 NPR to 600 NPR.
You may have seen photographs of the Tibetan wooden toilets along the Everest Base Camp Trekking Route shared by your friends who have already visited. Yes, these types of toilets exist, but they are not for you. They are mainly for the locals, not paying customers, along the walking trail.
There are sitting toilets in the lower areas but not in the higher ones. The temperature is freezing above 4000 meters on elevated terrain, and toilets freeze. Sometimes, the toilets keep stinking in higher areas. You don’t need to leave the building where you stay to use the bathroom. They are indoors and attached to accommodations in some places.
Internet, Communication, and Battery Charging on the Heli Return EBC Trek
There is a reliable internet connection for communication on the Heli Return EBC Trek. Cell phone signals are everywhere, even at 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.
The best option for the trek is to use a SIM card for a cell phone. You can also call from anywhere and use the internet with data at Everest Base Camp. NTC and NCELL are two major cell phone service providers in Nepal. NCELL has better internet signals on the Everest Base Camp Trekking route.
There is electricity up to Tengboche and solar energy in the rest of the country. 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 in the high Himalayan Region is not always safe. The most important thing you must be careful of is altitude sickness. People could develop altitude sickness due to low oxygen levels and high atmospheric pressure. What are the symptoms of the altitude effect, and what should you do to prevent it? Check out details about altitude sickness here.
The Trekking trails to Everest Base Camp traverse narrow paths, cliffs, and slippery terrain. You need to walk carefully on those parts. You will meet porters and animal transporters to supply food during the Trek. Please stay safe if you meet them in a narrow area closer to the cliff. Mistakenly, the load might push and cause an accident. If you meet other people or animals while crossing suspension bridges, you must wait until others have crossed or passed first, depending on the situation. And be careful while taking pictures of wild animals and animal transportation.
