Annapurna Base Camp Trek with Helicopter Return: Cost and When It Makes Sense

Last updated 12 October 2026.

Short answer: The Annapurna Base Camp trek with a helicopter return means you walk up for four days, sleep at 3,174 m and 4,130 m, and fly from base camp to Pokhara on the fifth morning instead of walking down. It does not skip the altitude. It only replaces the descent. Our Annapurna Base Camp Trek with Helicopter Return, 5 days costs USD 2,250 (Budget), USD 2,580 (Standard) or USD 3,285 (Luxury) per person for 2 guests, and the price per person falls as more guests share the helicopters. The best months are mid October to mid November, then March and April.

People ask me about this trip for one reason: they want Annapurna Base Camp but they do not want the six-hour descent to Bamboo and the long walk out. I understand that. It is a hard day on the knees, and for some travellers it eats the last of their time. A helicopter fixes that, and it also costs a great deal more than walking. This page tells you what you get, what it costs, what can go wrong, and when I would tell you not to bother.

Annapurna Base Camp with helicopter return at a glance

How do the five days run?

The first two days are gentle. Ghandruk is one of the loveliest villages in the region, with slate-roofed stone houses and Machhapuchhre and Annapurna South filling the sky. My guides to Ghandruk and Chomrong cover both. Day 3 is the hardest: the Chomrong staircase of about 2,500 stone steps down into the Modi Khola gorge and up the other side, then forest, bamboo and a long climb to Deurali, a flat shelf above the tree line. Take it slowly. Day 4 is short but thin-aired, and the Sanctuary opens in front of you with Annapurna I (8,091 m) filling the northern horizon. On day 5 you wake for sunrise, when the first light turns the whole amphitheatre gold from the top down, and after breakfast your private helicopter collects you from base camp.

Your guide and porter walk down and bring your larger luggage with them. Keep what you need for the flight in your day pack.

What does it cost?

Prices are per person and are the same whether you travel privately or in a group of the same size. The reason the price moves so much is simple: the helicopter is chartered for your group, and it carries up to four guests. A solo guest pays the whole charter. Four guests share it. From five guests you need a second helicopter, so the price per person goes up again, then falls as the group grows. A child pays the same as an adult.

The price includes the licensed guide, the Annapurna Conservation Area permit and TIMS card, the vehicle from Pokhara to Nayapul, airport tax for the flight, the transfer from Pokhara airport to your hotel, and the helicopter. Budget has shared rooms, no porter and meals paid at the lodges. Standard has private twin rooms, all meals on the trek, and one porter for every two trekkers; a solo Standard guest has no porter and the guide carries up to 10 kg. Luxury has deluxe rooms, all meals with fruit and nuts and soft drinks, and a dedicated porter for every trekker. An extra porter is USD 25 a day plus 13 per cent VAT and the 3.5 per cent bank charge. Kathmandu hotel nights and the Pokhara night after the flight are not included.

Is the helicopter return worth the extra money?

My honest view is this. If you have only five days free, or one of you has a bad knee, the helicopter makes sense, and it is a memorable flight. If you have seven days and a sound pair of legs, the walking trip is far cheaper, and the way down passes Bamboo and Jhinu Danda. I wrote a comparison of the days in Annapurna Base Camp in 5, 7 or 9 days, and a cost guide in Annapurna Base Camp trek cost. If you only want the view from the air and no walking, look at our one-day Pokhara to Annapurna Base Camp helicopter tour and my guide to helicopter day tours compared.

What can go wrong with the helicopter?

Three things, and I would rather tell you now. First, the helicopter flies in clear conditions only, and the operator makes the final call on the morning. If it cannot fly, we wait one day. If it still cannot fly, we walk down with you in two days. Any extra cost is quoted to you before you decide, and you pay it. Second, the flight does not replace acclimatisation. You still sleep at 3,174 m and 4,130 m, and our own guideline is not to raise your sleeping height by more than 300 to 500 m a day above 3,000 m. Two days go beyond it: Chomrong to Deurali (1,004 m) and Deurali to base camp (956 m), with no acclimatisation night. Walk slowly, drink plenty of water and tell your guide at once about a headache or nausea. Third, a helicopter flight home is not a rescue plan. If you have a heart, lung or blood-pressure condition, speak to your doctor before you book, and tell us. My article on helicopter evacuation explains the difference, and my altitude sickness guide goes into the signs. There is emergency oxygen on the helicopter.

Buy travel insurance at home that covers trekking to 5,000 m and helicopter evacuation. See my insurance guide. We do not recommend insurance bought in Nepal.

When is the best time to go?

The figures come from the Pokhara weather table on our Annapurna pages, 1991 to 2020 averages, and they are not forecasts. See my Annapurna Base Camp best time guide for the nights at each lodge. For 2027, I would book the weeks from mid October to mid November early, because Dashain fills the buses, and helicopters are in demand too.

The Pokhara to Baglung road lost about 150 m at Sahasradhara on 27 September 2026, and repairs began on 29 September (position as at 7 October 2026). Our Pokhara trailheads are on that road. I do not promise a date. We check 48 hours before departure, and if the road is not open we move your dates free.

Questions people ask

Can you take a helicopter back from Annapurna Base Camp? Yes, on our private charter. It flies from base camp to Pokhara in clear conditions, with up to four guests in each helicopter, and the operator makes the final call on the day.

How much does Annapurna Base Camp with a helicopter return cost? USD 2,250, USD 2,580 or USD 3,285 per person for 2 guests on Budget, Standard or Luxury. A solo guest pays USD 4,390 to USD 6,020, and four guests pay USD 1,235 to USD 2,275.

Does a helicopter return skip the altitude? No. You still walk up for four days and sleep at 3,174 m and 4,130 m. The helicopter only replaces the descent.

What if the helicopter cannot fly? We wait one day. If it still cannot fly, we walk down with you in two days. Any extra cost is quoted before you decide, and you pay it.

How hard is the walk up? It is moderate. Day 3 is the long one, about 7 hours with the Chomrong staircase. Read my difficulty guide.

Do I need a permit? You need the Annapurna Conservation Area permit (NPR 3,000) and the TIMS card (NPR 2,000). We arrange both and they are in the price. See my guide to ABC permits.

What is the best time of year? Mid October to mid November, then March and April. Winter is clear but very cold at base camp.

Is it cheaper to go in a group? Yes, once you are four or more sharing a helicopter, and again from nine guests. A child pays the same as an adult, and we never add strangers to your booking.

How are the terms for this trip?

Group size is 1 to 20, with up to four guests in each helicopter, and you can trek solo. The deposit is 10 per cent and it is non-refundable, with no refund if you cancel. You can reschedule free of charge with at least 72 hours notice to any date within one year. The balance is paid on arrival in Kathmandu in USD or EUR, cash or by card. Card carries 3.5 per cent and cash in Kathmandu carries none. We do not take Nepali rupees from foreign clients.

How do you plan this with us?

Message me on WhatsApp on +977 9810351300 with your dates, how many of you there are and whether anyone has a knee, heart or breathing problem. I will tell you whether I would choose the helicopter or the walk, which tier, and send you the exact quote.

Written by Shreejan Simkhada, CEO of The Everest Holiday, from a family of three generations of family guides. TAAN Member #1586. WhatsApp +977 9810351300.