Makalu Base Camp Helicopter Tour

Makalu (8,485 m) is the fifth-highest mountain in the world, a sharp four-sided pyramid standing just east of Everest. Its base camp, at about 4,870 m in the upper Barun valley, is one of the most remote places in the Nepal Himalaya: the trek from Tumlingtar takes around two weeks there and back.

The helicopter tour covers that distance in a morning. From Kathmandu the helicopter flies east to Tumlingtar in the Arun valley to refuel, then follows the Arun and Barun valleys north through Makalu Barun National Park to land at base camp, beneath the huge south face of Makalu.

This is a private charter planned around your group. It is one of the quietest mountain flights in Nepal, far from the busier routes of the Everest region.

Makalu Base Camp Helicopter Tour Highlights

• Landing at Makalu Base Camp (about 4,870 m) below Makalu (8,485 m)
• Flight over the Arun and Barun valleys in Makalu Barun National Park
• Views of Chamlang, Baruntse and the Barun glacier, with Lhotse and Everest to the west on clear days
• Fuel stop in Tumlingtar, in the low Arun valley
• A remote mountain flight far from the busy trekking routes
• Private charter for your group

Flight Route and Landing

The tour leaves Kathmandu early in the morning and flies east to Tumlingtar (about 410 m), where the helicopter refuels. From there it climbs up the Arun and Barun valleys to Makalu Base Camp. Because of the altitude, time on the ground is kept to around 15 to 20 minutes.

After base camp the helicopter returns to Tumlingtar to refuel and flies back to Kathmandu. The whole tour takes about four to five hours, depending on weather and fuel stops.

Best Time for a Makalu Helicopter Tour

The clearest months are October and November, followed by March to May. Winter mornings can be very clear but bitterly cold at base camp. From June to September, monsoon cloud often hides the upper Barun valley.

Itinerary: Makalu Base Camp Helicopter Tour

06:00 – Hotel pickup

Transfer to the domestic terminal of Tribhuvan International Airport for check-in and the weight check.

06:30 – Fly to Tumlingtar

Fly east along the Himalaya to Tumlingtar in the Arun valley and refuel.

08:00 – Makalu Base Camp

Fly up the Barun valley and land at base camp for about 15 to 20 minutes of photos below Makalu.

08:30 – Return via Tumlingtar

Fly back down the valley to Tumlingtar to refuel.

10:30 to 11:30 – Back in Kathmandu

Landing in Kathmandu and hotel transfer. Times are approximate and depend on weather.