Everest Base Camp Helicopter Trek

All domestic flights, permits, all meals (B/L/D), tea-house lodging, airport transfers, guides and porters are included in the package.

You should have good stamina and some hiking experience. Regular cardio training and practice hikes with a loaded pack are recommended for this moderate-high altitude trek.

The helicopter trek uses choppers to reach Lukla and depart from Gorakshep, so you skip the long return trek. You still hike to Base Camp on foot but avoid two extra days of high-altitude walking.

Weather can delay flights. If the Kathmandu–Lukla or Gorakshep–Kathmandu flight is canceled, we’ll reschedule the helicopter once conditions allow. You may stay an extra night at our cost (meals covered) before flying the next morning.

The best seasons are spring (March–May) and autumn (Sept–Nov), with stable weather and clear skies. Avoid monsoon (June–Aug) and the coldest winter months.

Arrive at Kathmandu airport and apply for a visa at immigration. A 30-day visa costs around USD 30 (cash) for most nationalities. MET staff can help you with the process.

We arrange all permits. You require Sagarmatha National Park Permit and KhumbuPasangLhamu Rural Municipality Permit (most of the times free of charge when guided).

Warm clothing layers, waterproof jacket, good hiking boots, hat/gloves, sunglasses, sunscreen, and a reusable water bottle. We provide a packing list. A sleeping bag liner is recommended.

Yes. The trek is led by an expert English speaking Sherpa guide and most of the group luggage carried by porters (up to 15kg per person).

All breakfasts, lunches and dinners are included. Meals are mostly Nepali and some international (rice, noodles, dal bhat, soups). Vegetarian options are available.

We stay in basic mountain lodges (tea houses) with twin-share rooms. Rooms are unheated but have warm blankets. Toilets are shared (some squat-style). Hot showers are available at some stops (extra fee).

Guides monitor altitude sickness and carry first-aid kits and oxygen. Medical facilities are available in Namche Bazaar and Pheriche. In a serious emergency, a helicopter evacuation is possible (with insurance).

Coverage is very limited. You may get phone signal in Lukla, Namche, and Dingboche. Most lodges have paid Wi-Fi but speeds are slow. At Base Camp and Kalapathar, there is no service.

Carry Nepalese rupees (NPR) for all trail expenses. Kathmandu hotels accept credit cards, but on trek you’ll need cash for extras. ATMs only exist in Lukla and Namche (might be unreliable), so withdraw cash in Kathmandu first.

MET organizes group treks of typically 2–10 people. If you book alone, you’ll share guide and porters with other travelers to reach minimum group size. Private departures are also possible.

This trek requires moderate fitness and acclimatization. Healthy travelers from about age 12 to 70 can often do it, depending on experience. Our guides will assess each participant; those in frail health or very young children are not recommended.

Tips are customary in Nepal. Plan to tip guides and porters at the end (roughly 10–15% of trip cost total, split among the staff). Tipping lodge staff is optional.

Helis fly when weather permits. If your flight to Lukla from Kathmandu is delayed, you’ll stay an extra night in Kathmandu (MET will arrange it) and fly the next clear morning. The trek itinerary can compress or shift to catch up.

The itinerary is full, but you do get downtime in the evenings. On acclimatization days (Namche, Dingboche), you can explore nearby villages, monasteries, or viewpoints. In Kathmandu before/after, you may tour Durbar Square or Thamel.

Lodges provide thick blankets. A sleeping bag liner or warm sleeping bag (rated to –10°C) is recommended for added comfort on cold nights, especially in Tingboche or Gorakshep.

Helicopters have strict weight limits. You carry only a small daypack. Full duffels go with porters. For flights, each person can bring a small bag (max 5 kg) into the chopper cabin; heavier duffels fly separately or on mules.

Yes. Beyond prepaid items, you’ll need cash for water bottles, snacks, hot showers and Wi-Fi on trek ($5–$10/day). Also tip in cash. There are no ATMs above Namche, so carry sufficient NPR/US$ from Kathmandu.

Nighttime temperatures range from about 0°C in Lukla and Namche (summer) down to –10°C or lower in Dingboche and Lobuche. Expect very cold nights (well below freezing) at Gorakshep and Kala Patthar (winter can reach –20°C). Bring proper cold-weather gear.

The helicopter offers amazing aerial views. You’ll see Everest’s north face, the vast Khumbu Glacier, Nuptse, Lhotse, AmaDablam and the entire panorama of the upper Khumbu. It’s like a private flight through Everest National Park with window seats.

Routine travel vaccines (tetanus, hepatitis A, typhoid) are recommended. No mandatory shots are required for trekking (yellow fever if coming from an infected area). A general health check-up before travel is advised.

The highest point is Kala Patthar at 5,545 m on Day 9. You also sleep at 5,180 m (Gorakshep). Everest Base Camp itself is 5,364 m. This 9-day Everest heli trek ascends higher than most other treks in Nepal.

Yes. If you’re traveling alone, you can join a scheduled group trek. Private treks (only your party) are also possible but may have a single-person supplement. We can usually find a group or arrange a private departure if requested.

Yes. Both helicopter flights (Kathmandu–Lukla and Gorakshep–Kathmandu) are included. You do not need to arrange or pay for any flights beyond your international flight to Kathmandu.

MET offers the airport pickup and drop-off service from the Tribhuvan airport in Kathmandu. A representative will greet you when you arrive and help with any last minute arrangements.

Our cancellation policy will depend on how close to departure you cancel. Generally, cancellations a long time ahead have low fees, but cancellations occurring within a few weeks may lose a deposit. We suggest you buy trip cancellation insurance to safeguard your payment should you be forced to make a cancellation.