Helipads by altitude

Place	Region	Altitude	Flight time	Trips
Kala Patthar	Everest region	5,545 m18,192 ft	Via Lukla on the Everest Base Camp helicopter tour	5
Everest Base Camp	Everest region	5,364 m17,598 ft	Seen from the air on the Everest Base Camp helicopter tour	4
Gorakshep	Everest region	5,164 m16,942 ft	About 25 min to Lukla, about 1 h 30 min to Kathmandu	4
Kanchenjunga Base Camp (Pangpema)	Eastern Nepal	5,143 m16,873 ft	Via Suketar, Taplejung, with a fuel stop	2
Khare (Mera Peak)	Everest region	5,045 m16,552 ft	—	2
Lobuche	Everest region	4,940 m16,207 ft	About 20 min to Lukla	2
Tilicho Lake	Annapurna & Mustang	4,919 m16,138 ft	About 3 h tour	1
Damodar Kunda	Annapurna & Mustang	4,890 m16,043 ft	—	1
Makalu Base Camp	Eastern Nepal	4,870 m15,978 ft	Via Tumlingtar with a fuel stop	2
Gokyo Lakes	Everest region	4,790 m15,715 ft	About 20 min to Lukla	5
Chhukung	Everest region	4,730 m15,518 ft	About 15 min to Lukla	1
Mardi Himal Base Camp	Annapurna & Mustang	4,500 m14,764 ft	About 20 min from Pokhara	1
Dingboche	Everest region	4,410 m14,469 ft	About 30 min to Lukla	2
Gosaikunda	Langtang & Gosaikunda	4,380 m14,370 ft	About 30 min from Kathmandu	1
Pheriche	Everest region	4,371 m14,341 ft	About 15 min to Lukla, about 80 min to Kathmandu	2
Annapurna Base Camp	Annapurna & Mustang	4,130 m13,550 ft	About 20 min from Pokhara	3
Langtang (Kyanjin Gompa)	Langtang & Gosaikunda	3,870 m12,697 ft	About 30 min from Kathmandu	3
Tengboche	Everest region	3,867 m12,687 ft	About 55 min from Kathmandu	1
Upper Mustang (Lo Manthang)	Annapurna & Mustang	3,840 m12,598 ft	About 5 h tour	2
Pathibhara Devi Temple	Eastern Nepal	3,794 m12,448 ft	About 3 h tour from Kathmandu	1
Syangboche & Hotel Everest View	Everest region	3,780 m12,402 ft	About 15 min from Lukla	9
Muktinath	Annapurna & Mustang	3,710 m12,172 ft	About 35 min from Pokhara	3
Shey Phoksundo Lake	Dolpo	3,611 m11,847 ft	From Nepalgunj	2
Kothe	Everest region	3,600 m11,811 ft	About 20 min to Lukla	1
Samagaun (Manaslu)	Manaslu region	3,530 m11,581 ft	About 1 h from Kathmandu	3
Namche Bazaar	Everest region	3,440 m11,286 ft	About 10 min from Lukla, about 1 h from Kathmandu	2
Rara Lake	Far-West Nepal	2,990 m9,810 ft	About 4 h tour via Nepalgunj	1
Lukla	Everest region	2,860 m9,383 ft	About 45–50 min from Kathmandu	12
Kathmandu	Kathmandu Valley	1,338 m4,390 ft	Starting point for most flights	7
Pokhara	Annapurna & Mustang	822 m2,697 ft	Starting point for Annapurna flights	7

Choosing where to fly

The Everest region has the highest landings we fly to: Kala Patthar at 5,545 m, Gorakshep at 5,164 m and the Gokyo Lakes at 4,790 m. Everest flights start in Kathmandu and usually refuel at Lukla on the way up.

Annapurna flights start in Pokhara, so tours to Annapurna Base Camp and Mardi Himal are short and good value. Muktinath, Damodar Kunda and Upper Mustang lie in the rain shadow north of the Himalaya and are flown for pilgrimages and sightseeing.

From Kathmandu, Langtang and Gosaikunda are the closest mountain destinations, about half an hour away. Rara Lake in the far west and Pathibhara in the east are full-day charters.

How altitude affects your flight

Helicopters carry fewer passengers at high landing sites because thin air reduces lift, and ground time above 4,500 m is kept to a few minutes for your safety. Morning departures give the clearest views, because cloud usually builds by midday.

Helicopter Destinations & Helipads in Nepal

Kathmandu Valley 1 place

Everest region 14 places

Annapurna & Mustang 7 places

Manaslu region 1 place

Langtang & Gosaikunda 2 places

Dolpo 1 place

Far-West Nepal 1 place

Eastern Nepal 3 places

Helipads by altitude

Choosing where to fly

How altitude affects your flight