A seat on the morning Everest helicopter flight from Kathmandu
From US$2,185 per person
Duration
1 day
Grade
Easy
Highest point
5,645 m / 18,520 ft
Group size
1 to 8
Starts and ends
Kathmandu
Best time
Feb, Mar, April, May, June, Sep, Oct, Nov & Dec
Govt RegdTAAN #1586300+ ★ reviews
Three generations of family guides in the Himalayas, independent since 2016
Government-licensed Nepal trekking company (Reg 147653)
TAAN Member #1586
300+ reviews
Secure payment via Himalayan Bank
Four-time TripAdvisor award winner (Travellers' Choice 2020, 2023, 2024 and Certificate of Excellence 2019)
Overview
From US$2,185Updated Oct 3, 2026
Fly from Kathmandu up the Khumbu valley to the foot of Everest in one morning, on a single seat of the helicopter flight rather than a whole charter. You are collected from your hotel, flown to the Everest region and back in Kathmandu by late morning.
This is a shared-seat tour: you fly with other travellers on the operator's helicopter, not on a helicopter booked for your group alone. If you want the whole helicopter to yourselves, see our private Everest Base Camp helicopter tour.
The Standard and Luxury options include a landing at Kala Patthar, the viewpoint above Everest Base Camp, with breakfast, where the weather and the operator allow. The Budget option is a flight over the Khumbu without a landing.
Why book with The Everest Holiday
Three generations of family guidesFamily-run since 2016 with three generations of guiding heritage. Not an agency — the family that runs the company leads your trek personally.
Private group, no strangersEvery trek we run is private. Your group only. We never combine bookings or add strangers to your party. If you book solo, you walk with a guide; if you book as four friends, your group stays four.
Nagarjun Learning Center givebackA fixed share of every booking funds the Nagarjun Learning Center — 70 children, 7 community centres, 3 full-time teachers, 600+ medical interventions, 275+ women supported. You can visit the centre before or after your trip; we arrange the visit separately.
Government registered, TAAN memberGovt Regd. No. 147653/072/073. Trekking Agency Licence 2090/072, Travel Agency Licence 2838/072. TAAN Member #1586. Over 300 reviews on TripAdvisor, Google and Trustpilot. We are a real, audited Nepal company — not a booking-platform middleman.
Day by day
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The Everest Base Camp Helicopter Tour - Shared Seat with The Everest Holiday costs $2,185 (Budget), $2,840 (Standard), or $2,860 (Luxury) per person for the 1-day trip. Book with a 10% deposit; the balance is payable in Kathmandu.
Budget price by group size
Travellers in your group
Price per person
1
US$2,200
2 to 4
US$2,185
5 to 8
US$2,165
9 to 12
US$2,085
13 to 20
US$2,085
Discounts are determined exclusively by the size of your group. We do not add additional members to your group.
Kathmandu hotel to the domestic airport and back: early-morning pick-up and drop-off by SUV-class vehicle
Helicopter flight
Shared seat on the morning helicopter flight from Kathmandu up the Khumbu valley and back
Landing at Kala Patthar where the weather and the operator allow
Food
Breakfast
Permits and taxes
Sagarmatha National Park entry permit and TIMS card
Khumbu Pasang Lhamu rural municipality entry fee
Government taxes and our service charge
Not included
Not included
Hotel in Kathmandu
Meals other than those listed
Travel insurance (buy at home and check it covers helicopter flights and altitude)
Nepal visa
Tips for the pilot and driver
Personal expenses
Extra landing time or any change to the flight plan on the day
Wifi, hot showers, charging, heated blankets and anything else outside the room price, paid by you directly to the teahouse or hotel.
Dates
Your trek, your choice, your price. Choose the style that suits you. Book a private departure on any date with just your party, or join a fixed group departure and trek with fellow adventurers from around the world. Same routes, same guides, same quality — 3 comfort tiers on both options. Per-person price follows our group-discount tiers based on YOUR party size (a couple pays less per pax than a solo trekker, 5+ pays less again) — the same tiers apply on both booking types.
Private departure
Any date you choose
Just your party + dedicated guide
3 comfort tiers (Budget, Standard, Luxury)
Per-pax price tier set by YOUR party size
Fixed group departure
Scheduled dates (see below)
Join other trekkers from around the world
3 comfort tiers (Budget, Standard, Luxury)
Per-pax price tier set by YOUR party size (same tier as Private)
Prefer email? Send a question and we will reply within a few hours.
Peak season (Sep–Nov) — our guides book up fast. Get in touch 6–8 weeks ahead to secure your preferred dates.
Other dates
Need a different date? Other dates are available on request.Contact us or message Shreejan on WhatsApp.
Fixed departures are dates we have already committed to run. Your party still treks as its own private group with its own guide; we never merge bookings or add strangers, and solo trekkers are welcome on any date. Private departures on any other date you choose are also available. On both, the per-person price is set by the size of your own party.
Shreejan and Shamjhana plan every trek personally
Your hosts since 2016. Ask us anything; we reply within hours.
You fly on a seat of the operator's helicopter alongside other travellers, rather than on a helicopter chartered for your group alone. We do not merge separate private bookings on the ground. If you want a private helicopter, choose our private Everest Base Camp helicopter tour.
Will the helicopter land at Kala Patthar?
On the Standard and Luxury options a landing is planned, but only where the weather and the operator allow. Mountain weather changes fast and the final decision is made on the day. The Budget option is a flight over the Everest region without a landing.
What happens if the weather stops the flight?
If we cannot run your flight because of weather or the operator, we refund what you have paid, less taxes, bank or card charges and any money already spent on your behalf, or move you to another date. If your plans change, you can reschedule free to any date within one year with at least 72 hours' notice. The deposit itself is not refunded if you cancel.
How is this different from your private Everest Base Camp helicopter tour?
The private tour uses a helicopter for your group alone, so the cost is shared only among your own travellers. This tour sells you a single seat on a shared flight, which costs less per person for small groups.
Will I feel the altitude?
A landing at about 5,500 m after a flight from Kathmandu gives your body no time to adjust, so some people feel light-headed or short of breath. Stay close to the pilot's instructions, move slowly, and tell us about any heart, lung or blood-pressure condition before you book.
Do I need travel insurance?
Yes. Buy travel insurance at home, before you travel, and check that it covers helicopter flights and the altitude of this tour. We do not recommend insurance bought in Nepal.
What time does the Everest helicopter tour leave and when am I back in Kathmandu?
We collect you from your Kathmandu hotel early in the morning and take you to the domestic airport and the helicopter base. The helicopter flies only in clear conditions, which is why the flight leaves early. You fly up the Khumbu valley and are back in Kathmandu by late morning, and we take you to your hotel. The operator makes the final call on the day.
What is the difference between the Budget and Standard Everest helicopter tour?
Budget is a shared seat on a flight over the Everest region without a landing, and breakfast and the Kala Patthar landing are not included. Standard and Luxury include a landing at Kala Patthar, the viewpoint above Everest Base Camp, where the weather and the operator allow, with breakfast, and they add the TIMS card. For 2 to 4 people it is from USD 2,185 per person on Budget, USD 2,840 on Standard and USD 2,860 on Luxury. Luxury differs from Standard mainly in the SUV class transfer in Kathmandu.
Do we land at Everest Base Camp itself on the helicopter tour?
The landing planned on Standard and Luxury is at Kala Patthar, the viewpoint above Everest Base Camp, where the weather and the operator allow. We do not promise a landing at base camp or anywhere else. On Budget there is no landing at all, only the flight over the Khumbu. The pilot and the operator decide on the day.
What altitude should my travel insurance cover for the Everest helicopter tour?
Kala Patthar is the highest point at 5,645 m, so ask your insurer to cover helicopter flights and altitude up to 6,000 m, and check it in writing. Buy it at home, because we do not recommend insurance bought in Nepal. A landing at that height gives you no time to acclimatise, so tell us about any heart, lung or blood pressure condition before you book.
What is not included in the Everest helicopter tour?
A Kathmandu hotel is not included, and neither are insurance, the Nepal visa, tips for the pilot and driver and personal expenses. On Budget breakfast is not included. Extra landing time or any change to the flight plan on the day also costs extra. The Sagarmatha National Park permit and the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu rural municipality fee are included on every option.
How much does the Everest Base Camp shared-seat helicopter tour cost?
It is USD 2,185 per person on Budget, USD 2,840 on Standard and USD 2,860 on Luxury for 2 to 4 people. On your own it is USD 2,200, 2,860 or 2,900. Every price is on this page.
Secure payment by Himalayan Bank.
