Mountain Flight in Nepal is a must try activity when visiting Nepal. The exhilarating experience of flying over the tallest mountain, The Everest, is a rare experience in life itself. Passing the tallest mountain range, The Himalayas, within camera range entices viewers of the beauty of this majestic snow-capped paradise.
Mountain Flight is best suited for a person who doesn’t have the luxury of time to trek and physical attributes to scale many hills to reach the peak of mountains. Mountain Flights are readily available, time efficient and cheaper than weeks of rigorous trekking.
Mountain Flights are available in different forms, schedule, and duration in Nepal. All the mountain flights are done in the morning to catch a clear view of the mountains. Mountain flights are done in two ways in Nepal.
- Airplane Mountain Flight
- Helicopter Mountain Flight
Airplane Mountain Flight
Three major airline service provider in Nepal, Buddha Air, Yeti Air, and Simrik Air provides daily mountain flight services from Kathmandu Airport. Airplane Mountain Flights takes off from Kathmandu and Pokhara.
Helicopter Mountain Flight
Helicopter Mountain Flight is famous among tourists who like to view the mountains for an extended period, take videos and photos from close range. Helicopter Flight is used for reaching remote destinations and places where the regular airplane cannot reach. Heli Tour is massively expensive than Airplane Flight. The cost of Heli Tour is more than $1000 per trip. Heli Tour is available from Kathmandu Airport and Pokhara Airport.
A Glimpse of Heli Tour in Nepal
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Nepal Mountain Flight Price
The Airplane mountain flight is very cheap compared with the Heli flights. The cost of a Mountain Flight is about $180 to $200. The price varies based on the day of travel, weather condition, and your respective agent or booking agency and also the airline with whom you travel.
The cost of Heli Flight starts from $1000 and rises as per the destination and duration of the travel. The price of Everest Heli Tour is around $6000, and the trip will consist of five passengers only.
Nepal Mountain Flight Booking
The booking for Mountain flight in Nepal is relatively straightforward. The reservation of your window seat can be made individually by visiting the flight service providers website. You can also book a mountain flight through your choice registered tours and travel agencies in Nepal.
Everest Mountain Flight
Mount Everest is the tallest peak above sea level in the world. The existence of Everest has made Everest Mountain Flight one of the most sought out and attended tourism activity in Nepal. The one hour flight takes passengers over the soaring Himalayas and gives the view of the Tibetan lands beyond the Everest.
The trip takes place in mornings from Monday to Sunday. The tour takes you nearly 20 miles of the Everest and showcases neighboring lakes and glaciers. The flight comes with guaranteed window seat. The journey is carried out in 19 seater Beech 1900D aircraft, 24 seater ATR 42-300 aircraft and 36 seater 72-500 ATR aircraft.
Everest Mountain Flight Experience
The mountain flight begins early morning when you will be taken to the airport by a private vehicle. Then you will attend an hour flight over the glorious Himalayas, seeing the natural beauty of sky-high, snow-capped peaks followed by slow-moving glaciers.
After the takeoff, the aircraft heads eastward and immediately the view of peaks starts. The first peak in sight is Gosaithan (Shisha Pangma) standing at 8,013 meters. To the right of Gosaithan, Dorje Lakpa (6,966m) appears. Dorje Lakpa is known as number 8 mountain. It is a small mountain that looks like the number 8 covered with snow. At the right of Dorje Lakpa is Phurbi-Ghyachu, the mountain that stands atop of Kathmandu and smiles over the valley.
The plane moves along, and the Himalaya range comes close. The next mountain in the vicinity is Choba-Bhamare (5,933m), the smallest to view on the flight. Choba-Bhamare is also called the Virgin Mountain because nobody has climbed to the top of it. Then comes the Gauri-Shankar, at the height of 7,134 meters. This mountain carries Hindu belief; devotee believes that Lord Shiva and his consort Gauri protect the mountain.
As the plane moves towards the sixth longest mountain chain of the World, a succession of mountains follow starting Melungtse, a Plateau like a mountain that stretches up to 7,023 m, mountain Chugimago is seen standing at 6,297 m and remains unconquered. At 6,956 m, Numbur mountain resembles a breast, maternal source in the sky providing pure milk to the Sherpas of the Solu Khumbu. Next comes Karyolung, the white mountain that at 6,511 meter gleams as the sun rises and the rays hit its snow-covered body. Then comes Cho-Oyu, the eighth highest mountain in the world, reaching a height of 8,201 m, appears stunningly beautiful from the aircraft.
View of Everest from Airplane
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The outlook continues with Gyanchungkang gleaming at 7,952 meters, one of the most challenging mountains to climb. The right shows Pumori at 7,161 meters. The trip then nears the Sagarmatha, as called by Nepalese people, also called Chomolungma by Tibetans. The majestic Everest, to view this beast of a mountain from closer than 20 miles is a sight to behold.
The airplane then takes a turn around the Everest to give a proper view for passengers sitting on both sides of the aircraft. Then the plane returns to Kathmandu Airport signaling the end of the mountain flight. During the trip, the passengers receive separate map marking the route of the aircraft, the mountains, and their location to ensure that passengers know about the where about of the mountains. The plane attendant will guide about the area and information about the numerous sights and mountains in the route.
The trip will land in Kathmandu International Airport, and you will leave for your hotel in a private vehicle.
Mountain Flight Pokhara
Pokhara is a major tourist city of Nepal. Tourists visit Pokhara to view lakes and indulge in other relaxing activities. Pokhara sits in the base of Annapurna Range and Machhapuchre, the fishtail mountain. Pokhara lies in Kaski, which is known as Lakes paradise. Numerous natural lakes like Phewa, Begnas, and Rupa and also has Davis falls, a favorite tourist hub.
Pokhara gives tourist with two separate experience of mountain flight.
- Airplane Mountain Flight Pokhara
- Ultra Light Flight Pokhara
Airplane Mountain Flight Pokhara
Tourists keen on mountain sightseeing can choose to take a mountain flight from Pokhara. The trip takes place over the Annapurna range, fishtail mountain and also reaches Mt.Lamjung and Mt. Manaslu.
After 15 minutes of boarding the plane, Mt.Dhaulagiri flashes before your eyes, the seventh highest mountain of the World standing at 8,172 meters. After Dhaulagiri comes Mt. Annapurna I (8,091m) followed by Machhapuchre (6,993m). Mt. Machhapuchre is famously called the fishtail mountain because the top of the mountain looks like a fish’s tail.
After crossing fishtail mountain, Annapurna III (7555m), Annapurna IV (7525m) and Annapurna II (7939m) come in view one after another. The carrier then takes a 360-degree turn providing a panoramic view of Mt. Lamjung(6,932m) and Mt.Manaslu(8,163m). The return trip offers a view of Seti river gorge and all-around greenery view of the mesmerizing Pokhara Valley.
Ultralight Flight Pokhara
Ultralight Flight is a new way of experiencing the natural beauty and exhilarating snow-capped mountains from touching distance. Ultralight is a light aircraft carrier with no window and can carry just two people, a pilot, and a passenger. Powered by engines, these carriers can reach very close to mountain peaks. The reach a high altitude and glides in the air giving a long viewing time for the passenger.
View from Ultralight Flight
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Ultralight Flight Price in Pokhara
The price of Ultralight Flight varies as per the package is chosen. There are three types of flight.
- Fly for Fun: It is a 15-minute flight over Pokhara Valley. The trip crosses over Pokhara city, a round of Phewa Lake, Sarangkot hill and gives a distance look on Annapurna Range and Mt. Dhaulagiri. The cost of the trip is $100 plus 13% VAT.
- Touch the Fish Tail: This flight is of 30-minutes and takes you higher and farther than the shorter trip. You reach close to Mt. Machhapuchre and get a spectacular broad screen view. The route reaches near the Tibetan Refugee camp in Lamachaur on the North of the Valley. Price of the flight is $175 plus 13% VAT.
- Mountain Range Sky Trek: If you have enough money and want almost to touch the mountains, this is the trip you must try. It is a one hour flight well over 12,000 feet covering the entire Annapurna Range and the fishtail mountain. The carrier gets so close to the mountain that the wind bouncing after hitting the peak sometimes hits your cheeks. The price of this package is $275 plus 13% VAT.
This ride is a unique experience in itself and must be on every traveler’s bucket list of activities.
