Everest Base Camp Trek Helicopter Return Overview
The Everest Base Camp Trek with helicopter return is a perfect way to experience the world's most iconic trekking route with more comfort, luxury, and efficiency. It is best choice for adventurers who have limited time. This 11-day adventure takes you deep into the Khumbu region, where some of the world's most legendary mountaineers are born, with mesmerizing views of the Himalayas, which change daily as you hike up. And in the end of the trek you will have a breathtaking scenic helicopter flight back to Lukla and to Kathmandu.
If you are looking for a longer Everest trekking experience without a helicopter return, check out our Classic Everest Base Camp trek.
Unlike a standard/traditional trek, which requires 3 whole days of walking to return to Lukla from Everest base camp on the same trail as you hiked up, this package saves you those three days by replacing the descent with a luxury helicopter ride. This means you get to enjoy the full Everest Base Camp Trek experience, including various famous stops of Everest like Namche Bazaar, Dingboche, Lobuche, Tengboche Monastery, and Gorakshep while skipping the walk back.
Arrival in Kathmandu and Trek Preparation for Everest Base Camp Heli Trek :
It all starts with a wonderful trip to Kathmandu, Nepal’s capital city. Before heading out to Everest Base Camp, Beyond the Limits and Expedition will give a briefing and gear check in detail. Our Trek leader will suggest to you if you need to buy or rent any Gear in Kathmandu for the Everest base camp trek. For the remaining days, you can do a sightseeing tour in the Kathmandu valley. Visiting some of its most popular and ancient landmarks, the trip just gets better and better! Holding also a detailed trek preparation and briefing session, Beyond the Limits makes sure you are ready to head out into the Himalayas. After having checked your trekking gear, having gone over the itinerary, and having talked about safety during the trek
Lukla and the trek to EBC:
On the 3rd day of the Everest Base Camp trek, it’s time to depart for Lukla, the starting and ending point of the trek. There are various ways to how to get to Lukla, both airways and roadways; we will take a mountain airplane to Lukla, which will me around 40-45 minutes. Transferring in the morning after breakfast to the domestic airport is crucial, as depending on the weather, flights can get delayed mostly during monsoon season. Making sure we catch our flight, we head to the world’s 38th-highest airport in the world, the name is Tenzing-Hillary Airport, Lukla. The flight is quite scenic, and the landing is thrilling if not adventurous. Having safely landed at Lukla, it’s time to meet up with our porter team. The supermen of the Himalayas will be carrying most of the luggage during the trek to Everest Base Camp. After a final check and enjoying some of the spectacular first views, we head out to Phakding village. In the first part, we’ll be mostly descending towards an elevated trail leading alongside the Dudh Khosi River. The way is quite easy and a great way to get accustomed to the terrain. A good few hours of trekking take us straight to the village waiting for us at the end of a long suspension bridge.
The next day, we make our way to Namche Bazaar (3,440m/11,286ft). Also known as the Sherpa capital of the region, it takes a while to reach here. Mostly descending, we make our way to Monjo, a small village at the gate of the Sagarmatha (Everest) National Park. After a permit check, we continue and head further u,p passing by Jorsalle and ultimately reaching Namche Bazaar. Acclimatization is an important part of the trek as we are aiming to head up to a max elevation of 5,545m/18,192ft during this trek! Namche Bazaar makes for the perfect spot for our first acclimatization day, and we’ll spend the day exploring around town and taking a hike up to the famous Everest View Hotel, from where you’ll get your first nice views of Mt Everest and its neighboring peaks. We can also hike down to the Khumjung Valley and explore around Khumjung village for a more authentic experience.
The trek to Everest Base Camp continues the next day as we trek to the biggest monastery in the region at Tengboche. Surrounded by snowcapped Himalayas, this monastery is truly a piece of art and harmony. Continuing on our next stop is also our second acclimatization rest place. We head for Dingboche at 4,450m/14,5910ft. Located in the Imja Khola Valley, this day of trekking is truly incredible.
With more Himalayan mountains coming into view and incredible scenery appearing, we make our way slowly but steadily toward the village. For our 2nd acclimatization hike, we head up the famous Nagarsang Peak. This will help us acclimate for the next few days as well as offer you some amazing views. From Dingboche, it takes another day to reach Lobuche, a famous crossroad village for trekkers heading towards the Gokyo Valley trek as well as the EBC trek. It’s just a few hours of trekking to reach Gorakshep (5,170m/16,962ft) from Lobuche. This is the last stop before reaching Everest Base Camp! Following a part of the Khumbu Glacier and heading higher and higher, we reach Gorakshep and check into our lodge/ tea house. Dropping all the heavy bags, it’s time for the final push to Everest Base Camp. Traversing rocky and barren terrain, it’s a short trek to reach the world’s most popular base camp, and soon the many tents filling the base camp appear as well as a famous rock with red letters displaying Everest Base Camp. Congrats, you have made it! Everest Base Camp in all its glory. We enjoyed the views and our great sense of self-accomplishment before making our way back to Gorakshep. While we plan for an early sunrise view from Kala Patthar, Beyond the Limits also offers you to hike up to Kala Patthar for an even more stunning sunset view over the Himalayas.
For more challenging routes, check out our Everest Three Pass trek, and EBC Trek with Gokyo and Cho La.
For a alternate and more scenic route, explore our Gokyo Lake Trek.
Helicopter Return Experience:
Heli return after reaching Everest Base Camp could be one of the best experiences throughout the journey. After reaching Everest Base Camp and spending one night in Gorakshep, you will climb Kalapatthar the next morning for a beautiful sunrise view of Mount Everest. This marks the completion of the trek, and a helicopter will be available in Gorakshep to pick you up and fly you down to Lukla.
The flight could be one of the most thrilling experiences in this whole journey, as you will see panoramic views of the Khumbu region and flying above trekkers who are trekking to Everest Base Camp. Flying back the same way you have trekked your brain will do its magic and you will remember the trail you have walked as you fly back. Seeing the Himalayas and the entire region from a bird’s eye view is spectacular you will see a reason to love the Everest Base Camp Trek.
Back at Lukla, we take our time to rest and do some last exploration of the town, as the next day we fly back to Kathmandu to conclude the Everest Base Camp trek with a helicopter flight back.
Why choose a Helicopter return?
This itinerary takes you through all the key highlights of the Everest Base Camp Trekking route, like Tengboche Monastery, Namche Bazaar, Sherpa Culture, with breathtaking Himalayan views of Lhotse, Nuptse, Mt Everest, and Ama Dablam while eliminating the repetitive downhill walk to Lukla. For anyone who wants to ride a helicopter, this could be a very good chance as well, to combine the trip with Helicopter ride for minimal cost.
- Save 3 trekking days with a comfortable helicopter return.
- Avoid the strain of descending long trails.
- Enjoy once-in-a-lifetime aerial views of Everest and the Khumbu Valley.
- Perfect for travelers on a tighter schedule.
Why Book with Beyond the Limits Treks and Expedition?
We are a local company with over 25 years of Himalayan experience, and we are committed to providing a safe, professional, and unforgettable experience. Our team of expert Sherpa guides in the Everest region, strong porters, and our dedicated support staff ensures that your Everest journey is not just a trek, but a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
- Certified by Trekking Agency Association of Nepal (TAAN) & Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA)
- Thousands of satisfied international trekkers
- Flexible dates & customized itineraries available
- Guaranteed Departures: Once booked, your trip is 100% confirmed, no cancellations due to group size
- High success rate with over 96% success rate
- No hidden fees
- Customizable private/group options
- 24/7 Support
- Satellite Call in large groups (more than 10) for treks.
- First Aid Kit and an oximeter to check your pulse and oxygen level during the trek in high altitudes
- Easy booking and reservation System
