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Best Time for a Helicopter Tour in Nepal

Which months bring the clearest mountain flights, what to expect in winter and during the monsoon, and how to plan around the weather.

Best Time for a Helicopter Tour in Nepal

Helicopters in the Himalaya fly by sight, so the weather decides everything. The good news? Nepal has two long seasons when most mornings are clear, and flights run all year round whenever the pilot can see the way.

Month by month

  • **October and November:** the clearest skies of the year, once the monsoon has washed the air clean. It's busy, so book shared flights early.
  • **December to February:** often crystal clear and very cold, with short days and snow at the high landings. There are fewer travellers about, too.
  • **March to May:** warm, with rhododendrons flowering on the lower hills. Mornings are usually clear, but haze and afternoon cloud build towards May.
  • **June to September:** the monsoon. Many flights still run in early-morning gaps, but more days are lost to cloud and the views are often partial. Upper Mustang is the exception: it sits in the rain shadow and flies well all summer.

Why tours leave at dawn

Mountain air is at its stillest and clearest in the first hours after sunrise. By late morning, clouds usually rise from the valleys and the wind picks up on the ridges. That's why every one of our tours aims to be on the ground at the high landing by about 8:00. It's an early alarm, we know, but the view makes up for it.

Plan a spare day

Even in the best months, a morning can be lost to cloud. Keep at least one free day in Kathmandu or Pokhara after your planned flight. If we can't fly, you simply pick another day or take a full refund.

Questions

Can I fly to Everest in the monsoon?

Yes, on clear mornings, and they do happen. Just expect more delays, and keep two or three spare days.

Is it too cold to fly in winter?

Not in the helicopter cabin, which is fine. The landings are another story: Kala Patthar can be −15 °C or colder on a winter morning. Bring a down jacket, hat and gloves, even if Kathmandu feels mild.

Flights to book

  • About 4 to 5 hours▲ 5,545 m

    Kathmandu – Lukla – Kala Patthar – Syangboche

    Everest Base Camp Helicopter Tour with Kala Patthar Landing

    A private helicopter all to yourselves, from Kathmandu to the foot of Everest. You'll land on Kala Patthar facing the summit, fly over Base Camp and the Khumbu Icefall, then sit down to breakfast at Hotel Everest View. And you're back in Kathmandu before lunch.

    from US$4,800per helicopter

  • Most of a day▲ 3,840 m

    Kathmandu – Pokhara – Jomsom – Lo Manthang

    Upper Mustang Helicopter Tour to Lo Manthang

    Fly up the Kali Gandaki gorge, with Dhaulagiri on one side and Annapurna on the other, to the high desert of Lo, once a kingdom of its own. You'll land at the walled city of Lo Manthang (3,840 m), home to monasteries from the 15th century.

    Price on request

  • About 1½ to 2 hours▲ 4,130 m

    Pokhara – Annapurna Base Camp

    Annapurna Base Camp Helicopter Tour from Pokhara

    Just twenty minutes from Pokhara's lakeside to the heart of the Annapurna Sanctuary. Annapurna I, Annapurna South and Machhapuchhre stand all around the landing at Annapurna Base Camp (4,130 m), and breakfast is waiting when you get back.

    from US$2,400per helicopter