Breathtaking sightseeing and going to Everest Base Camp. Who wouldn't want that, right? Most of us hold back just because we cannot trek. The same is the story of Mrs Mishu Shrestha. However, she chose the Helicopter tour and made it to Everest Base Camp.

A visit to Everest Base Camp was always my dream destination, but I was unsure if I could walk through the entire trekking route. Hence, I decided on an alternative idea, "EBC Helicopter". EBC Helicopter Tour landing at Kalapathar was one of the best alternatives that took me to the lap of the Himalayas within a short period.

 

Process of Booking Helicopter tour: 

We chartered our tour through Mountain Helicopter a few days in advance. You can reserve if you have a group of 5 people or join with other groups to make five people. The sharing basis is quite an affordable price per person.

Chartered helicopter tour cost USD 3800 per trip 

Sharing or group joining costs USD 900 per person

 

Route: 

We started our trip early morning from Kathmandu TIA to Lukla, Tenzing Hillary airport. Our first flight duration was 50min, stopped at Lukla airport (2846m) for 5 min, the world's most dangerous airport. Then, we took a second stretch from Lukla to Pheriche (4371m) to drop some of our group, as the Heli can't fly to Kalapthar with a total capacity. However, this second landing opportunity in Pheriche took about 15 minutes, perfect for enjoying the Himalayan views very closely, snapping some photos, and having a couple of moments to acclimatize. The third stretch flies from Pheriche to the Kalapathar (5600m). We can't find any other place on earth to watch the view we saw throughout the flight and from the top of Kalapatthar. We had about 10-15 minutes to feel the fresh Himalayan breeze and take some photos next to Everest. Then we flew back to Pheriche, picked up the group, and continued our fourth stretch to the Everest View Hotel (3880m), where we stopped for 45 min. We had a delicious breakfast with the stunning view of Ama Dablam and Mt. Everest; the perfect way to end this incredible tour. Then flew back to Lukla for refuelling and back to Kathmandu. It was a wonderful experience.

 

Feeling:

When we landed at Kalapathar, my tears rolled down my face – this is truly Heaven on earth. This trip is once in a lifetime experience being in the highest place, witnessing the 360-degree stunning panorama views of the glorious mountains of Mt. Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Pumori, and other several peaks. It was a rewarding journey with plenty of unforgettable experiences. Just being there made me speechless and made my dreams come true. Words can't describe my beautiful moments. We were so blessed with beautiful weather. I enjoyed every moment, had some great experiences, and an adventure in a style that remains in my memories to cherish for a lifetime. 

 

Hotel Hospitality:

We only had breakfast at Everest View Hotel (3880m). It was super delicious. The hotel is fantastic, and I promised to go back and stay overnight and experience sunrise and sunsets, which is now on my bucket list.

 

Health issues:

No one in the group had health issues. The captain warned us not to scream when we landed at Kalapathar. It would cause severe headaches. Everything went well.

 

If I could go back in time:

We can't change or do differently if you still go back to the time, as the time duration is limited. Except we wish to spend more time in Kalapathar to capture amazing pictures. However, it was not possible. I will be doing that next time!

 

Suggestion:

Everest Base Camp helicopter tour is perfect for people who do not have enough time or cannot walk for more hours but still can explore the tallest mountains on earth. A helicopter tour is the best option to experience spectacular birds-eye views of glorious mountains and scenery from the beginning to the ending of the trip. Not to forget to wear warm clothes as it is too windy and ask the tour operator depending on the season. Most importantly, don't forget your camera and its battery pack.