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Heli trek · Lukla – Namche – Everest Base Camp – Kala Patthar

Everest Base Camp Trek with Helicopter Return

Walk up to Everest Base Camp the classic way, with time to acclimatise, then skip the four-day walk back down. After sunrise on Kala Patthar, a helicopter flies you from Gorak Shep straight to Kathmandu.

Highest point
5,545 m
Length
11 days
Group
Up to 10
Price
US$2,450 per person
Everest Base Camp Trek with Helicopter Return

The walk up the Khumbu valley is the whole point of the Everest trek: Sherpa villages, Tengboche monastery, and mountains that grow bigger every day. The walk back down the same trail is the part most people would happily skip. So this heli trek keeps the first half and swaps the second for a helicopter.

After the flight to Lukla, the trail climbs to Phakding, then Namche Bazaar, Tengboche, Dingboche and finally Lobuche, and two rest days give your body time to acclimatise. Gorak Shep is your base for the walk out to Everest Base Camp; early the following morning, it's up Kala Patthar (5,545 m) to see sunrise hit Everest. Then a helicopter picks you up at Gorak Shep and flies you down the whole valley to Kathmandu in about an hour.

The return flight saves you four days, spares your knees the steep descent, and shows you the valley you've just walked, this time from the air.

Facts

Duration
11 days, Kathmandu to Kathmandu
Walking
8 days, 4 to 7 hours a day
Highest point
Kala Patthar, 5,545 m
Grade
Challenging: high altitude, no climbing
Sleeping
Hotel in Kathmandu, lodges on the trek
Best months
October to November, March to May

Highlights

  • The full walk up to Everest Base Camp, 5,364 m
  • Sunrise from Kala Patthar, 5,545 m
  • A helicopter from Gorak Shep to Kathmandu
  • Two acclimatisation days, at Namche and Dingboche

Route and altitude, day by day

Highest point 5,545 m

  1. 1Kathmandu 1,338 mDomestic terminal, Tribhuvan Airport
  2. 2Lukla 2,860 mDay 2, flight
  3. 3Namche Bazaar 3,440 mDays 3–4
  4. 4Tengboche 3,860 mDay 5
  5. 5Dingboche 4,410 mDays 6–7
  6. 6Lobuche 4,940 mDay 8
  7. 7Gorak Shep 5,164 mDay 9, Base Camp
  8. 8Kala Patthar 5,545 mDay 10, sunrise
  9. 9Kathmandu 1,338 mDay 10, by helicopter

Day by day

  1. Day 1: Arrive in Kathmandu

    • We'll meet you at Tribhuvan airport and take you to your hotel. In the evening, your guide will check your kit and talk you through the trek.

  2. Day 2: Fly to Lukla (2,860 m), walk to Phakding (2,610 m)

    • An early flight to Lukla. In the busy season, this flight leaves from Ramechhap, a 4-hour drive from Kathmandu.
    • Then about 3 hours' easy walking down to Phakding.

  3. Day 3: Namche Bazaar (3,440 m)

    • Enter Sagarmatha National Park at Monjo, cross the high suspension bridges and tackle the long climb up to Namche. On a clear day, you'll get your first views of Everest. About 6 hours.

  4. Day 4: Rest day in Namche

    • A morning walk up to the Everest View viewpoint or Khumjung village, then a rest. Climbing high and sleeping low helps you acclimatise.

  5. Day 5: Tengboche (3,860 m)

    • Along the valley wall with Ama Dablam ahead, down to the river and then up to Tengboche monastery. About 5 hours.

  6. Day 6: Dingboche (4,410 m)

    • Through Pangboche to Dingboche and its stone-walled fields. About 5 hours.

  7. Day 7: Rest day in Dingboche

    • A short climb towards Nangkartshang for views of Makalu and Lhotse, then a rest.

  8. Day 8: Lobuche (4,940 m)

    • Up past the climbers' memorials at Thukla, then on to Lobuche. About 5 hours.

  9. Day 9: Gorak Shep (5,164 m) and Everest Base Camp (5,364 m)

    • A morning walk to Gorak Shep, then along the glacier to Everest Base Camp and back. About 7 hours in all.

  10. Day 10: Kala Patthar (5,545 m) and helicopter to Kathmandu

    • A pre-dawn climb up Kala Patthar to watch the sun rise on Everest.
    • Breakfast at Gorak Shep, then the helicopter back to Kathmandu, which takes about an hour.

  11. Day 11: Departure

    • Transfer to the airport, or stay on and see more of Nepal.
  • The Everest range from the air
    The Everest range from the air
  • Helicopter waiting at a high helipad
    Helicopter waiting at a high helipad

What's included

  • Airport transfers and 2 nights' hotel in Kathmandu, with breakfast
  • Your flight to Lukla
  • A shared helicopter from Gorak Shep to Kathmandu
  • A licensed, English-speaking trekking guide, plus one porter for every two trekkers
  • Lodge rooms and three meals a day on the trek
  • Sagarmatha National Park and local area entry fees

Not included

  • International flights and your Nepal visa
  • Travel insurance that covers trekking to 5,600 m and helicopter evacuation (required)
  • Drinks, hot showers, charging and wifi on the trek
  • Tips for your guide and porter

Good to know

Pickup
At Kathmandu airport, on Day 1.
Before you fly
  • The price is per person, for a private trek with your own guide. If you're trekking solo, the price is higher: just ask us.
  • It's wise to keep a day in hand in Kathmandu once the trek is over, as weather can hold up a flight.
  • If anyone shows signs of altitude sickness, the guide will take them down, and the helicopter can fly them out early.
Weather and cancellation
If you cancel more than 30 days before the start, we keep only the deposit. From 10 to 30 days before, you'll get a 50% refund. Within 10 days, or once the trek has started, there's no refund. If the weather stops the helicopter, you can wait for the next clear morning or walk out with your guide, and we'll refund the unused flight. Booking terms

New to mountain flights? Read about altitude and safety and the best months to fly.

Questions

How fit do I need to be?

You'll need to be able to walk uphill for 5 to 7 hours a day, several days in a row. There's no climbing involved, but the altitude makes everything harder. Training walks with a daypack in the months beforehand help a lot.

Can I fly back from Base Camp itself?

The helicopter picks you up at Gorak Shep, the last lodge village, which is a 2-hour walk from Base Camp.

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