Part II: Helicopters, a Lifeline, and an Adventure

Nepal, a country with a very rigid terrain has been blessed with a growing Helicopter industry which helps get around. There are around 40 private Helicopters operated by 12 Helicopter Companies in Nepal.

Two of the major Helicopter destinations are Everest and Limi Lapcha. 

Helicopter Tours to Everest Base Camp cost around $4500 for the whole chopper to yourself. 

The short landing allows people not to suffer the altitude and enjoy the scenic view. 

Another lesser-known location by Western tourists is Limi-Lapcha which is popular with Indian tourists for its connection to Hinduism and Lord Shiva. 

In 2023 alone, 50,000 Indians booked the Mansarovar trip from Nepal. The popular itinerary is to take a flight from Nepalgunj to Simikot Humla and a helicopter ride from Simikot to Hilsa.  

There are also some popular destinations such as Gosaikunda, Muktinath, Rara Lake, Lumbini, and Upper Mustang conducted through heli tours. 

The government has allocated significant funds to construct more helipads and transform the industry. 

As for adventures- Helicopters are also used for sky-diving. The first skydiving program in Everest took place in May 2008 by four skydivers- Ben Ian Wood, Andy Montriou, Nigel Gifford, and David Ian Wood. 

They jumped from a height of 16,000 ft at Syangboche from a helicopter belonging to Fishtail Air making it the “Highest Skydive in the World.” The event was covered by 500 international and national media. 

There are also skydiving opportunities in Pokhara. Nepal is growing more as a destination for Paragliding which we will discuss in our next post.