Nothing captures trekker interest more than the beauty of Everest, its gorgeous landscapes, and high cliffs. The trek makes them feel thrilled and nostalgic at same time, spilling picturesque views, sacred sites, and remote villages. For that, we have 9 days Everest Base Camp Trek with Helicopter return package.
Everest Base Camp, amidst all hikes, is immensely popular for its adrenaline rush tracks and breathtaking scenery. The walk might be a bit stressful but comes with a big reward. It unrolls a picture-postcard charm and a heart-rending view that can’t be found anywhere else.
The classic trail of Everest Base Camp boasts luscious pastures and green hills which is kind of a treat to watch. The walk offers magnificent hillside views, chances of watching the full-blossom rhododendron forest, and gushing rivers.
The 9 Days Everest Base Camp Trek with Helicopter return kick starts with a 40-minutes flight from Kathmandu to Lukla Airport. From, there, we’ll take a gentle climb up the mountainside on the left side of Dudh Koshi River. With a lovely view of rolling rivers, we’ll walk upward to reach Phakding.
From the village, we’ll follow a well-defined trail that runs along Rhododendron forest towards Namche. Our next stop is Tengboche which demands to ascend a steep hill and a couple of ups and downs.
Before traversing Gorakshep, we’ll take a toll of two beautiful villages Dingboche and Lobuche passing the old monastery and chortens. On the second last day of 9 Days Everest Base Camp Trek with Helicopter, our trail ascends uphill on a rough stony route.
After hiking for nearly 2-3 hours, we’ll arrive at the base camp from where the view is astonishing. It’s the closest you can get to Mt Everest before scrambling Khumbu glaciers to reach the summit.
Highlights of 9 Days Everest Base Camp Trek with Helicopter Return
- Scenic tour of Lukla and its wilderness from the flight
- Well-preserved religious sites and century-old monasteries including Tengboche
- Quaint villages with genial locals who treat guest as god
- Strings of mountain view such as Mt. Everest, Nuptse, and Lhotse
- Witness sweeping landscapes and glaciers from Kala Patthar
- Exploring wild animals and birds inside Sagarmatha National Park
Best Time for 9 Days Everest Base Camp Trek with Helicopter Return
Everest Base Camp is an astounding destination year-round, however, the nicest weather only exists during spring and autumn. They have a warm and pleasant climate with breezy nights and sunny days. Autumn falls right after Monsoon and therefore has a clearer sky with no dust in the air.
Except for the last days of November, the temperature throughout the season ranges from 6 to 22 Degree Celsius. The same goes for spring whose maximum temperature soars up to 7 Degrees Celsius in daylight. Meanwhile, its nights and mornings are crisp with the temperature dropping up to -12 Degree Celsius or less at a higher elevation.
Highlights of the season have to be the spectacular view above hills, green foliage, and aromatic flowers that dazzle the whole forest. For obvious reasons, winter doesn’t have subtle weather but the crowd is way lesser and the trials, empty. But it does allow the hiker to traverse through the streets of Namche and steep hills without any interruption.
Food and Accommodation
Food and Accommodation in Nepal are up to standard, ranging anywhere from sophisticated five-star hotels to homestays. High-end cities like Kathmandu and Chitwan come with varied options including non-pricey guest houses. They’re available for a cost of as little as US$5 and a maximum of $35USD per night.
After Lukla, hotels shall not be as grand as that in the town with limited facilities. Due to the altitude and inconvenience of travel, services are slightly expensive. Tea houses are more common and used by most trekkers walking the trail.
They count on it for food as well as night stays, given affordable rooms and quality service. They’ve basic amenities with choices between single and double bedrooms. Don’t keep the hopes too high and be glad to get a bed to sleep on, a pillow to support the neck and a bedsheet.
Foods are really good on the trek and even in Kathmandu. They’re usually prepared off the fresh-produce vegetable from the farm and thus healthy. Can’t say the same about the street food in the city but they’re certainly delicious. Hence your 9 Days Everest Base Camp Trek with Helicopter is going to be a lot of fun with the blend of great food and travel.
Itinerary
Maximum Altitude: 2,610 meters
Flight Distance: 138 km
Trek Distance: 9.4 km
Flight Duration: 40 minutes
Trek Duration: 3 hrs
It’s the first day of our 9 Days Everest Base Camp Trek with Helicopter Return and also a special one. So, unlike any casual day, we need to rise up early this day and get a short drive to Tribhuvan International Airport. In a short while, we’ll hop aboard an aircraft flying to Lukla.
It takes around 40 minutes to reach the town, until then, you can relish the splendid vista. The flight over Kathmandu city offers a magnificent view of hillsides, flowing streams, and dense urban settings.
It shifts the background after, providing a riverside scene, a range of towering mountains, and waterfalls. Upon landing at Lukla, we’ll take a moment to feel the fresh air, have breakfast, and start trekking to Phakding.
Taking easy steps, we’ll climb up the hills on the left bank of Dudh Koshi River and keep walking it. After scrambling up to Ghat, we’ll further ascend the steep trail up to Phakding. With that, we’ll put an end to our trek for the day and spend the night at a lodge
Maximum Altitude: 3,445 meters
Trek Distance: 7.4 km
Trek Duration: 6-7 hrs
Getting off to a good start, we need to keep things going well the same way. Therefore, after having breakfast, we’ll leave for the trail immediately. Depending on the pace and fitness level, it’ll take us between 6 to 7 hours to reach Namche.
Our trek initially starts easy walking below Dudh Koshi River Valley and then above. Walking the trail is tiring but equally delightful with scenic rhododendron forest. Passing several villages like Monjo along the way, we’ll enter Sagarmatha National Park.
There we’ll have to verify our passport, fill out the form, and drop a passport size photograph. Coming inside the park, there are several suspension bridges that are to be crossed in order to reach the town.
After passing Jorah, the trek gets too difficult with steep climbs upward with no descent. This section will alone take us more than 3 hours and a continuous break. After walking that long, we’ll arrive at Namche Bazaar.
Going up 400m elevation to Tengboche from Namche Bazaar usually leaves people with altitude sickness. It’s, therefore, we’ve scheduled the day to take rest and prepare our body for the change in weather.
After breakfast, we’ll take a stroll through the village and climb up to Syangboche airstrip from where the view is lovely. It’s about an hour trek through precipitous uphill and rocks to Kunde Village. The view en route is impressive with lustrous forest, stunning villages, and landscapes.
From the top, we’ll take a closer picture of Mt. Everest and enjoy breakfast at Hotel Everest View. Sometimes later, we’ll descend Syangboche and follow the trail back to Namche Bazaar. After everything, if we’re still left with a spare-time then Sherpa Museum is our last gate away.
It’s an ethnographic and cultural institution located just a few miles away from Namche. The museum is filled with a collection of ancient art and historical objects that tells a lot about Sherpa civilization.
Maximum Altitude: 3860 meters
Trek Distance: 9.2 km
Trek Duration: 4-5 hrs
Trek to Syangboce was exhausting but well spent and with that same spirit, we’ll be hiking to Tengboche today. After a warm meal and glorious view to relish from the lodge, we’ll leave Namche behind and make our way through a stone staircase and zigzagged routes.
The journey from uptown to Tengboche shall take us between 4 to 5 hours walking at the same speed. The trails are overdrawn but easy to helm with exciting views of Lhotse and Ama Dablam resting at the back of Tengboche Monastery.
Taking a stroll on flat land, we’ll reach the section where the route splits between Gokyo and Everest Base Camp. Climbing down alongside Dudh Koshi River, the trail meets Pungi Thenga where we’ll stop for lunch.
With a full tummy, we’ll proceed towards Tengboche on a dusty trail. After scrambling the rugged walkway for about 2 hours, we’ll arrive at Tengboche village. Every evening, the monastery hosts visitors for a complete tour of pilgrimage and we too will be part of it. Overnight stay at a teahouse.
Maximum Altitude: 4410 meters
Trek Distance: 9 km
Trek Duration: 5-6 hrs
With a wonderful sunrise from the hilltop at Tengboche, we’ll get up and have our meal prepared by a teahouse cook. Without any further ado, we’ll start out the expedition and gently climb a steep trail.
With forested descent, the trail then crosses several suspension bridges and moves towards the remote settlement of Tengboche. As we proceed, it passes Pangboche village, home of a 16th-century monastery and above the valley to the right of Imja Tse.
Finally, after hiking for nearly 6 hours, we’ll arrive at gorgeous Dingboche which also happens to be our stop point. Upon reaching the village, we’ll do a little sightseeing and get back to the lodge for a night stay.
It’s time for another acclimatization of our 9 Days Everest Base Camp Trek with Helicopter. Usually, the weather above Dingboche is severe and can cause an obstruction on the trek so our body has to adapt to the changing weather. Thus, after eating our morning meal, we’ll follow a roundabout route for the part of a short hike.
We’ll take about 3-4 hours of trek to Chukkung Village alongside the snowy mountain top and bright green forest. People with different ethnicities and religions reside here so more odds of having cultural exchange and interaction.
Another great destination to hike while at Dingboche is Nangkartshang Peak. The trail to this viewpoint is relatively strenuous but worth walking with superb scenes. Trekkers usually come here to watch the smiling snow peaks and gorges.
Whichever we decide to go with, the trek will keep our feet busy and eyes wide-open. After sightseeing, we’ll get back to the village and take rest in the same lodge.
Maximum Altitude: 4,930 meters
Trek Distance: 10.6 km
Trek Duration: 5-6 hrs
After the most prolific day of 9 Days Everest Base Camp Trek with Helicopter return, we’ll once again move towards the trail. Spanning 6.6 miles from Dingboche, the hike starts with a continuous ascent through Thokla Pass.
On the way, we’ll run into a few tombstones made on the memory of climbers who lost their lives at Mount Everest. The walk gets a bit tough when the trail crosses the moraine wall of Khumbu Glacier. After rolling out from there, our trail starts to level out and the trek becomes easy.
After walking an uneven route for around 5-6 hours, we’ll eventually reach Lobuche. It’s a small village with locals from different religious backgrounds especially Sherpa. Overnight stay at a lodge in Lobuche.
Maximum Altitude: 5545 meters
Trek Distance: 15 km
Trek Duration: 7-8 hrs
Just two days remained before our 9 Days Everest Base Camp Trek with helicopter return will officially come to an end. But don’t be sad as the best is yet to come. After breakfast, we’ll flee the village and trek on a rugged trail with stones.
We’ll start easy on a flat trail and gradually pick up the pace as it climbs uphill. The walk to Gorak Shep is exhausting and continue upward over boulders. After reaching the settlement, we’ll take some time off and have lunch.
Next, we’ll walk almost 3 miles up to Gorak Shep through glacial moraines and rocks. We’ll arrive at the base camp nearly 2 to 3 hours after scrambling the trail. During the stop at the campsite, you can have a heart-warming glimpse of Mt. Everest, and Lhotse.
The landscapes are amazing from base camp so take a few minutes to appreciate the beauty. Check out the astounding Khumbu Glacier and we’ll retrace our steps back to Gorak Shep. We’ll spend the night at one of the lodges in the village.
Maximum Altitude: 5645 meters
Flight Distance: 138 km
Trek Distance:
Flight Duration: 40 minutes
Trek Duration: 1-2 hrs
After breakfast, we’ll slowly ramble the jagged trail and head up towards Kala Patthar. The trail is slightly difficult but with nice weather and stunning views, we can easily get over it. The trail takes anywhere from 1-2 hours depending on the fitness and speed of the hiker.
Upon taking down the bumpy route, we’ll spend some time at the ridge of Kala Patthar. Until we don’t board the flight, you can enjoy a phenomenal view of Everest as well as the landforms.
The flight from Kala Patthar to Kathmandu lasts 40 minutes throughout which we get a picturesque view of the luscious forest, gushing rivers, and landscapes. After landing at Tribhuvan airport, we’ll drop you at the hotel to let you get some rest.
Difficulties of 9 Days Everest Base Camp Trek with Helicopter Return
Everest Base Camp Trek is moderate trekking with not too many technical climbs. But it too gets difficult based on the time traveled and elevation. Weather usually comes underway when trekking Everest Base Camp. Winters live through heavy snowfall and cause the trail to be slippery with multiple flights called-off.
The same applies for Monsoon which floods the trek routes with a constant downpour and makes it muddy. Another difficulty of 9 Days Everest Base Camp with Helicopter Return is altitude sickness which generally occurs starting from Namche.
As the trail gains elevation, the effects of acute sickness become fatal and lead to medical emergencies. Thus, it has to be treated on time or primarily prevented by not climbing more than 300m to 500m a day. Drinking too many liters of water and proper acclimatization before every climb at high altitude also prevents acute mountain sickness.
