Helicopter Rescue in Nepal

Every season, helicopters fly trekkers out of the mountains, most often because of altitude sickness, injuries or stomach illness. We arrange evacuation flights with licensed operators from Kathmandu and Lukla, both for our own trekkers and for anyone else who contacts us.

If you need a rescue now

Call or message us on the number on our contact page, and tell us:

• the patient's name, age, nationality and passport number;
• exactly where you are: the village and lodge name, or GPS coordinates;
• what is wrong, and how quickly it is getting worse;
• the patient's travel insurance company and policy number;
• a phone number at the location (your guide's or the lodge's).

Stay where you are if it's safe to do so, or go down if you can. Descending even 300 to 500 metres often helps altitude sickness quickly.

How payment works

A rescue flight costs the same as a charter of the same length. Most travel insurance policies that cover trekking will pay for evacuation, but the insurer usually has to agree before the helicopter flies. We contact your insurer directly. If your insurer can't be reached or won't confirm, the flight has to be paid for by card before take-off.

**Before you trek:** check that your policy covers both trekking to the height you're going to and helicopter evacuation, and keep the insurer's 24-hour emergency number in your phone and with your guide.

Signs of altitude sickness

• **Mild:** headache, poor appetite, nausea, poor sleep. Rest, drink water, and don't go any higher.
• **Serious:** confusion, stumbling, extreme tiredness, breathlessness at rest, a wet cough. Go down immediately and get help. These are signs of swelling on the brain or lungs, which can be fatal.

Avoiding a rescue

• Above 3,000 m, don't sleep more than 300 to 500 metres higher each night.
• Take the rest days built into your itinerary.
• Drink plenty of water, and avoid alcohol at altitude.
• Tell your guide early if you feel unwell, even if it seems minor.