Faqs Everest Base Camp Trek with Helicopter Fly Out 10 Days

The emperor of trekking trips in Nepal is Everest Base Camp. Everyone wishes to step at Everest Base Camp (5364m) and make a history of adventure in their life.

Everyone wishes to witness Mt. Everest (8848.86m) from closest point of views, Everest Base Camp and Kalapatthar( 5545m) and celebrate the moments.

Everyone wishes to follow the trekking trail used by two legendary climbers: Tenging Norgay Sherpa and Edmund Hillary while scaling Mt. Everest in 1953.

Everyone prefers to walk through Sagaramtha National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Sites and the national park located at the highest elevation of the world.

Everyone wants to ascend up to Everest View Hotel, the hotel located at the highest elevation of the world witness Mt. Everest.

These are the reasons why people choose to do Everest Base Camp Trek. 

Actually, Everest Base Camp is graded as moderately challenging but it is challenging for the trekkers as the trekkers ascending above 5000m. But, there are no such technical trails on the way to Everest Base Camp and even no threats of avalanches. The trail is wide and there are no risks of weather extremes as well. This trek is graded as challenging only because the trekkers have to ascend above 5000m and the highest elevation you get during your Everest Base Camp Trek is 5545m that is Kalapatthar and the second highest is 5364m that is Everest Base Camp.

The threats that make Everest Base Camp challenging and strenuous is only because of high elevation above 5000m and the common threat or risk is high altitude sickness and other related problems. Even, some of the trekkers have to give up their Everest Base Camp Trek due high altitude sickness on the way to Everest Base Camp and they need rescue.

So, Everest Base Camp Trek is challenging and you require preparing accordingly. 

You are tired of walking 6-7 hours a day at highest elevation while ascending to Everest Base Camp and Kalapatthar and you know all the things while ascending. Once you reach Kalapatthar and Everest Base Camp, your mission is accomplished and it’s worthless to walk down all the way back to Lukla following the same tiring trail. And now in order to escape this tiring walk following the same way and to experience the helicopter flight from Kalapatthar of Everest Base Camp above Mt. Everest, helicopter fly out from Everest Base Camp is a must do thing during your Everest Base Camp Trek while returning back to Lukla or Kathmandu.

Actually, instead of wasting all the time like 4-5 days walking down same trail, you can taste this exciting helicopter flight from Everest Base Camp or Kalapatthar to Lukla hovering above the top of the world, Mt. Everest and other towering mountain peaks in Khumbu region. This can save your money, time and will offer you another marvelous experience of flying above the top of the world. 

Yes, definitely, you can do Everest Base Camp Trek in 10 days but you have to fly back to Lukla with helicopter or you can fly back to Kathmandu. Actually, it takes minimum 6-7 days to go Everest Base Camp and 4 more days to come back to Lukla and take a flight to Kathmandu. So, if you have only 10 days to spend in the mountain to see Everest in Nepal, it will be enough but need to ask your travel partner to arrange helicopter flight from Kalapattahr/ Everest Base Camp or Lobuche.

This 10 days Everest Base Camp Trek Itinerary with heli fly out from Kalapattahr or Lobuche also consists all required acclimatization days while ascending to Everest Base Camp: one at Namche and other at Dingboche. You needn’t worry about the acclimatization, foods , accommodation and pacing with working hours a day but you need to think about helicopter fly out from Kalapatthar or Lobuche while returning from Everest Base Camp and you can do your Everest Base Camp Trek in 10 days. 

You also may have the question that should we take helicopter flight from Kalapattahr/ Everest Base Camp or Lobuche? Or you may have the question like is it good to take helicopter from Kalapattahr/ Everest Base Camp or Lobuche while returning from the trek? The answer is big ‘YES’. It is yes because you are very exhausted and have already spend more than a week in trekking to Everest Base Camp and normally the trekkers want to avoid that same trail walk down to Lukla spending more 4-5 days and most importantly, people who have been to Everest Base Camp want to experience helicopter fly from Kalapatthar\Everest Base camp or Lobuche just above Mt. Everest, the top of the world and make a beautiful memory too. That’s why, this helicopter fly from Kalapatthar/Everest Base Camp or Lobuche to Lukla or back to Kathmandu is a must do activity during your Everest Base Camp Trek. 

Yes, you can fly back from Everest Base Camp. Actually, it is a fly back from Kalapatthar(5545m) because the comfortable helicopter is possible at the top of Kalapatthar. Actually, there is a reliable helipad at Kalapatthar and you can fly back to either Lukla or directly Kathmandu.

After ending your Everest Base CampTrek, you are exhausted and you want to escape all the same trail walk down to Lukla via Periche, Tengboche and Namche and can take a fly back from Everest Base Camp. It’s your choice to fly directly to Kathmandu by helicopter or only up to Lukla. If you have got limited time frame and really want to avoid the same monotonous trekking trail back, you can directly fly back to Kathmandu, otherwise, you can only fly back to Lukla and regular flight back to Kathmandu. 

You can do Everest Base Camp Trek, the quickest, in 10 days with helicopter fly out from Everest Base Camp or Kalapatthar. It takes minimum 7 -8 days to walk up to Everest Base Camp and Kalapatthar and one day for return flight with helicopter and another two days for arrival and departure. So, one can do Everest Base Camp Trek in either 10 or 11 days if you are well set with all required preparations including trekking equipment checklist.

But, if you choose to walk all the way up and down in your ebc trek, then, it takes at least 12 days to complete Everest Base Camp Trek. So, make up your mind whether to take helicopter flight back from Everest Base Camp or trek all the way back to Lukla without it and then go for the Ebc trek itinerary. 

Yes, it is possible to do Everest Base Camp Trek in 10 days but possible with helicopter fly back from Everest Base Camp. Otherwise, it takes at least 12 days to accomplish your ebc trek. If you have got 10 days to spend Nepal and willing to do EBC trek and you are all set up, you can follow this itinerary with helicopter fly out from Kalapatthar/EBC. 

Everest Base Camp Trek 10 days with helicopter 

Day1: Arrival in Kathmandu 1,320 m and transfer to hotel.

Day2: Day 3 Fly to Lukla/2840m, Trek to Phakding 2,610m/30 minutes flight 3 - 4 Hours trek

Day3: Trek to Namche Bazaar 3,440 m / 11, 350 feet - 06 hrs.

Day4: At Namche for acclimatization and short scenic hike up to Everest View Hotel ( 3880m)

Day5: Trek to Tengboche Monastery( 3,867 m) - 05 hrs.

Day6: Trek to Dingboche 4,410 m / 14,470 feet -05 hrs.

Day7: At Dingboche, rest day for acclimatization.

Day8: Trek to Lobuche 4,960 m - 05 hrs.

Day9: Trek to Everest Base Camp 5,364 m and Back to GorakShep - 07 hrs.

Day10: Climb Kalapatthar 5,545 m, and fly to Lukla on a Heli and Fly to Kathmandu with regular flight - 04 hrs.

Everest Base Camp Trek Cost ranges between USD 1100-1500. If you choose to do half- board Everest Base Camp Trek Package with basic accommodation in Kathmandu and on the trekking trail, you can do it at USD 1100. Here, half-board package means only bed and breakfast with other includes like permits, transportation and guide and porter. But, unlike that, if you want a full-board package with luxury accommodation in Kathmandu and all round the trekking trail, the cost will be USD 1500 including all required things for the Everest Base Camp Trek. 

USD 1100-1500 will be the trip cost and you require taking other money for extras. The extras like: the money for drinks ( alcoholic and non-alcoholic), the money to get souvenirs, the money to get trekking equipment and personas gears, some little donations if you like and tipping to your guide and porter. 

The guidelines for drinks: you can spend USD 10 maximum for your drinks a day in the mountain, USD 100 to get souvenirs during the trip if you really love something to pick up, USD 100-200 extra to get some spare trekking equipment and personal gears, USD 10-20 for little donations and USD 10 for your guide and porter per day. So, if you carry/take USD 500 extra money with you excluding the real trip cost, your Everest Base Camp Trek will be more fascinating and memorable. You and all the crew members will be satisfied and happy during the trip. 

In case , you get altitude sickness and requires treatments and rescue, your travel insurance will cover them. For this, please prepare and take a very reliable, authentic and comprehensive travel insurance with you during your Everest Base Camp Trek. 

You use local lodges and teahouses to sleep and stay overnight on Everest Base Camp Trek. A decade ago, there would be camping trekking trips and the trekkers and the trekking operators had to manage tents for overnight stay. But, nowadays, trekkers can get lodges and teahouse easily on the trail for overnight stay. They also get all the meals they want during their Everest Base Camp trek on the menu prepared by the local teahouse owners. They prepare all required meals for your including all kinds of drinks like tea, coffee, alcoholics and other cold drinks too at local lodges. 

 Your trekking leader or your trekking company will arrange accommodation for overnight stay and you have to go with it. The local lodges will offer you an ordinary and common twin sharing bedrooms with no toilet attached. You have to go outside of bedroom for the toilet and shower. The toilet and shower you are using will be common and sharing to all other people who are staying at the lodge. If you want to know more about facilities of toilet in Everest region, you can click: Toilets Facilities in Everest Base Camp Trek. 

The beds will be comfortable enough to spend a single or a couple of night at the local lodge on Everest Base Camp Trek. You also can get luxury and attached accommodations during the trek from Lukla to Dingboche, but from Lobuche to Gorekhshep is not possible. If you want a luxury accommodation from Lukla to Dingboche, you can ask your trekking company to provide you Luxury Everest Base Camp Trek and you should be ready to pay little more for it. 

The best way to go Everest Base Camp (5364m) is Everest Base Camp Helicopter Tour. Although there are other two ways: Everest Base Camp Trek and Everest Mountain Flight, Everest Heli Tour is the best option to go and land at Everest Base Camp/Kalapatthar (5545m). 

Everest Base Camp Trek required at least 2 weeks for walking to EBC through Lukla, Namche, Tengboche and Lobuche. Some people find it very tiring and they want to go with either Everest Heli ride or Everest Mountain flight to see Mt. Everest(8848.86). You can step at Everest Base Camp and make a history in your life while doing Everest Base Camp Trek. 

If you choose Everest Mountain Flight, you can see Mt. Everest but you cannot land at Everest Base Camp/Kalapatthar. But, if you go with Helicopter Tour to Everest Base Camp, you can land at Kalapatthar and witness Mt. Everest from the closest viewpoint. Not only Mt. Everest, you can see Pumori, Loa Tse, Nupse, Makalu and many other snow-fed peaks in Everest region. At the same time, one can witness Khumbu Glacier and all surrounding of Sagarmatha National Park. You can do all these things within 4 hours. 

While landing at Kalapatthar during your Everest Base Camp Helicopter Tour, you will have maximum 30 minutes to explore and capture the mountain views all round you. 

The Lukla weather is always unpredictable and uncertain. It keeps changing in every 10 minutes. Due to the problem in weather with poor visibility, the Lukla flights are frequently cancelled or postponed. The cancellation and postponement of the Lukla flights are natural and not to be blamed to anyone. So, you require check the weather condition of Everest region including Lukla for Everest Base Camp Trek. While you are returning from Everest Base Camp, you again need to check the weather condition of Lukla for your flight for Manthali or directly to Kathmandu. 

If the Lukla flights are cancelled or postponed, you can have alternative ways to get back to Manthali or Kathmandu are: Helicopter Fly Out from Lukla to Manthali or Kathmandu or Jeep Ride from Paiya back to Kathmandu through Salleri. 

Even if the weather gets worse, the helicopter fly out from Lukla to Kathmandu or Manthali is not possible and you finally have to go with walk to Paiya via Lukla or take a jeep ride to Salleri and finally to Kathmandu. 

After you pay your trip cost, one should take at least USD 500. This will be the extra personal expenses for you during your trekking days to EBC. You may like to have some extra drinks like coffee, alcohol and tea on the trail. Also, you may like to collect some favorite souvenirs for your and for you special ones. You may damage your personal trekking gears and any other equipment on the trail and you may have to get them immediately. You may want to tip the guide and porter or the working people in local lodges along the trail. You may like to buy some light snacks in case you go hungry. For these reasons, you need to carry at lest USD 500 with you and this is very basic and you can exceed to USD 1000.  

Everest Base Camp Trek cost ranges between USD 1155-1555 depending on the services you want. If you go with normal and basic accommodation and meals, you can do the trek to EBC at 1155 and if you demand higher and better quality accommodation and other services, you need to pay like USD 1555. And, there may be bargaining in between USD 1155-1555 according to the law of demand and supply. 

If you want to include one way helicopter while returning back to Lukla or Manthali or directly Kathmandu, you need to pay at least USD 2200. The helicopter return from Everest Base Camp to Lukla or Manthali or Kathmandu is an optional and people do it to escape all the way tiring walk back to Lukla and it the weather is bad and people have some emergency cases. 

Yes, one can trek to Everest Base Camp without a guide but it is not recommended as it is not safe and exciting. Actually, very few people like out of 100 people, only 8-10 people go to Everest Base Camp without guide. If you trek to Everest Base Camp without a professional mountain guide, your trip may not be safer and exciting as the trip to EBC is moderately challenging and one required to know every important thing for the trek. The one who is doing Everest Trek needs to know altitude sickness, trekking equipment list, personal gears, foods and accommodation, itinerary details, communication access and possible challenges on EBC trek. These things are very well known by the local mountain guide. Moreover, the local guide makes your Everest Base Camp Hike more exciting by sharing about authentic local cultures and civilization, taking you to the side trips, letting you taste the local cuisines and local flora and fauna. Therefore, hiring guide is highly recommended for one’s Everest Trekking. 

Oh, no! One cannot hike to Everest Base Camp for free. The ones who are hiking to Everest Base Camp require collecting three different trekking permits. These trekking permits are: TIMS Card, Local Khumbu Area Entry Permit and Sagarmatha National Park Entry Permit. Both TIMS Card and Khumbu Area Entry Permit cost Rs 2000 per permit and Sagarmatha National Park costs Rs 3000 per permit. These Everest Base Camp Trek Permits are mandatory documents to obtain beforehand the trek begins formally. You can collect them easily in Kathmandu through the trekking company you are using for your Everest Hike. 

Or optionally , you can get it on the Everest Base Camp Trekking Trail at Lukla or at Monjo where Sagarmatha National Park Office and Khumbu Local Area Entry Office are located. You’d  better to obtain all these three permits for EBC Trek in Kathmandu to avoid the hassle on the trail.