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Mardi Himal Helicopter Day Tour from Pokhara: How It Works and What It Costs (2027)

Mardi Himal Helicopter Day Tour from Pokhara: How It Works and What It Costs (2027)

Updated on 16 October 2026Third-generation Himalayan guide · CEO, The Everest Holiday · TAAN Member #1586

The Mardi Himal ridge by private helicopter from Pokhara: how the morning runs, the landing, permits, altitude, best months and the cost per person.

Last updated 16 October 2026.

Short answer: Our Mardi Himal Helicopter Day Tour from Pokhara flies your group in a private helicopter from Pokhara up to the Mardi Himal Base Camp area at about 4,500 m, with Machhapuchhre beside you, a landing of up to about 30 minutes and the flight back the same day. On Budget it costs USD 940 per person for four guests, USD 1,235 for three, USD 1,820 for two and USD 3,565 for one. It suits people in Pokhara who want the ridge and the mountains without the five days on foot.

I am Shreejan. Mardi Himal is a five-day ridge walk, and not everyone has the knees or the days for it. This is the way to see the ridge from close up in a morning. Here is how it works and what it costs.

How does the day run?

Step	What happens
Morning	Pick-up from your Pokhara hotel and transfer to the helicopter base
Flight	Up towards the Mardi Himal ridge, with Machhapuchhre beside you
On the ground	A landing with up to about 30 minutes, depending on the weather
Return	Flight back to Pokhara and the transfer to your hotel

On the trail, High Camp is at 3,580 m and Mardi Himal Base Camp at 4,500 m. The pilot makes the final call on the day, and if the weather stops a landing we tell you before you fly. To see what the ridge is like on foot, read our Mardi Himal Base Camp guide.

What does it cost?

Guests	Budget	Standard	Luxury
1	USD 3,565	USD 3,625	USD 3,685
2	USD 1,820 each	USD 1,850 each	USD 1,900 each
3	USD 1,235 each	USD 1,255 each	USD 1,305 each
4	USD 940 each	USD 955 each	USD 1,005 each

Prices are per person, read from our booking system on 16 October 2026. The full price list is on the trip page.

Budget gives you the helicopter, the landing, the hotel transfers by vehicle, the permits and the taxes. Standard adds a private vehicle for the transfers and an English-speaking escort guide for the day. The guide looks after your transfers, permits and briefing, and stays on the ground while you fly. Luxury adds an SUV-class vehicle and lunch. The helicopter itself is the same on every option: it is chartered for your group alone, up to four guests, so you never share with strangers.

Included on every option: the private helicopter, the landing, hotel transfers in Pokhara, the Annapurna Conservation Area permit and TIMS card, airport tax and government taxes. Not included: your Pokhara hotel and getting to Pokhara, meals except Luxury lunch, insurance, the visa, tips, and any extra landing time or change to the flight plan.

Which permits are in the price?

Permit	Foreign visitor	SAARC visitor
Annapurna Conservation Area permit	NPR 3,000	NPR 1,000
TIMS card	NPR 2,000	NPR 1,000

Both are in the price on every option.

When is the best time to fly?

Months	What to expect
October and November	The clearest skies of the year
March to May	Good flying; rhododendrons on the lower ridge in spring, more haze by May
December to February	Cold and often clear, outside our best-time window
June to September	Monsoon cloud over the ridge; we do not plan this tour then

Our best-time window for Mardi Himal is March to May and October to November. For the full picture, read Mardi Himal month by month.

Is the altitude a problem?

You go from Pokhara at about 820 m to about 4,500 m in one flight, with no time to acclimatise. The time on the ground is short, but walk slowly and tell us about any heart, lung or blood-pressure condition before you book. Wear warm layers, a windproof jacket, sunglasses and sun cream.

What insurance do you need?

Your policy should cover helicopter flights and altitude up to 4,500 m. Buy it at home before you travel. We do not recommend insurance bought in Nepal.

Questions people ask

How much is a Mardi Himal helicopter tour? On Budget, USD 940 per person for four guests, rising to USD 3,565 for one.

Do we share the helicopter? No. It is chartered for your group alone, up to four guests.

How long is the landing? Up to about 30 minutes, depending on the weather.

What if the flight cannot go? We move you to another day at no charge.

Would the trek be better? If you have the days, yes. Our 5-day Mardi Himal trek from Pokhara walks the whole ridge. Read the complete Mardi Himal guide.

Is there a helicopter day to Annapurna Base Camp? Yes. Compare them in our helicopter day tours guide.

What are the booking terms?

Group size is 1 to 4, and solo travellers are welcome; a solo price covers the whole cost for one person, so it is higher per person. The deposit is 10 per cent. It is non-refundable and there is no refund if you cancel, but you can move your trip free of charge to any date within one year with at least 72 hours notice. If we cannot run the trip ourselves, we refund what you paid, less taxes, bank or card charges and any money already spent, such as permits and flights. The balance is paid when you arrive, in US dollars or euros, cash or card. Card carries a 3.5 per cent bank charge and cash carries none. We do not take Nepali rupees from foreign guests.

How do you plan this with us?

Message me on WhatsApp on +977 9810351300 with your dates and how many of you there are. I will check the dates 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.