Would you believe me if I told you that Mt. Everest is visible from Kathmandu? I don't think you will believe it, but the truth is YES. You can see Everest and other prominent mountains from some points in Kathmandu Valley.
On a clear weather day in Spring and Autumn, Everest is visible from Kathmandu and nearby viewpoints. Before trekking to Everest and helicopter sightseeing, locals of Kathmandu used to view Everest from the valley. Kanak Mani Dixit, a literary publisher and a local of the Patan area claims that on a clear day, the South face of Everest is visible from Patan.
In this article, I'll take you through all the viewpoints around Kathmandu from where you can see Everest and several other peaks.
One-day Everest Base Camp helicopter tour from Kathmandu
If I were a traveler in Nepal, I would go for the one-day Everest base camp helicopter tour. The unmatched view of Everest and other mountains is a once-in-a-lifetime moment. After two long years of the Covid-19 pandemic, everyone deserves to travel. And to make the best out of it, the helicopter tour with landing in one day is a must. Also, Spring, the best time of the year to travel, is finally here.
This one-day helicopter tour to Everest is the best way to escape the crowded valley and enjoy the majestic sightseeing of Everest. The Himalayan range in the Northern part of Nepal is a popular sightseeing destination for wanderers. The variation in land topography has made Nepal a true wonder for tourism.
Being the heaven of mountains, Nepal is a peak tourist destination. So, the aerial viewing of these peaks is an unmatched experience. Mt. Everest, Lhotse, and Ama Dablam are the best of a few for mountain sightseeing from a helicopter. You will get the best aerial viewing of Everest and other mountains in one day by helicopter to Everest Base Camp. Also, many travelers prefer trekking to Everest.
On the helicopter tour to Everest, you'll witness alluring Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Ama Dablam, and many peaks. On top of it are the glaciers, glacial lakes, icefalls, and ice crusts that make the sightseeing unmatched.
To make the price affordable, you can select a group-sharing chopper flight to Everest. The five-passenger shared flight is the best way to explore the Himalayas in one day. Also, if you want to tour with family in a helicopter, you'll get a private helicopter tour. Here are our details and the cost of private helicopter flights and group-sharing helicopters.
What makes Everest sightseeing in a helicopter the best?
- 360 panoramic views of Everest, Lhotse, etc, as the helicopter lands at Kala Patthar.
- The panoramic view of the alpine landscape and diverse topography.
- The sightseeing around the famous Lukla airport and Namche Bazar.
- Luxury breakfast at the hotel on the world's highest altitude, Everest View Hotel.
- Aerial sightseeing around Kathmandu and the beautiful Sherpa settlements of Namche and Lukla.
Itinerary overview for one day Everest helicopter tour
The helicopter takes off from Kathmandu in the early morning. A 40-minute scenic flight will take you to Tenzing Hilary Airport, known as Lukla Airport. Here, the helicopter refuels for 10 minutes. After flying from Lukla, you'll fly out past beautiful Namche, Tengboche, and Dingboche. The chopper will land at Pheriche before making a flight to Kala Patthar.
From Pheriche, you'll fly to Kala Patthar. From this point onwards, you'll start witnessing the true magnificence of the Everest region. The giant ridge, Lobuche glacier, and Chola Tsho Lake make for pleasurable viewing. Also, the close sightseeing of Camp I adds thrill to this tour. You'll have a 15-minute sightseeing break at Kala Patthar. It is the place for perfect viewing of Everest and other adjacent mountains. The pilot will make it easier for you to know the names of the mountains and places.
The helicopter will then fly to Everest View Hotel for a luxury breakfast. You can see the great view of Ama Dalmab and some glimpses of Everest from the courtyard of the hotel. After breakfast, the helicopter flies to Kathmandu for 40 minutes.
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Mountain Flight
Mountain flight is another way of sightseeing Everest and several peaks. It takes you close to the Himalayan giants for the best viewing possible. The one-hour-long mountain flight takes off in the early morning in the best weather window.
As the flight takes off from Kathmandu, all the prime mountains become visible. Langtang, Ganesh, and Sishapangama were the first to witness the mountain flight. Later, as the flight progresses, the true beauty of Everest and its adjacent peaks start unfolding.
Imagine how beautiful it will be sitting on a luxury flight and watching the alluring peaks in the distance. On a mountain flight, you'll never get any signs of altitude sickness. The plane will circle the beautiful mountains for about an hour before landing at Kathmandu airport.
The pilot will call you, in turn, in the cockpit for the awe-inspiring view. The cockpit view of Everest will be the best you'll ever witness in your life. Pilots will also assist with the identification of mountains. You can just grab your camera and record this once-in-a-lifetime viewing moment from the cockpit.
What makes the mountain flight best for Everest sightseeing?
- Aerial sightseeing of mountains like Everest, Makalu, Lhotse, etc.
- Breathtaking view of the alpine landscape around the Khumbu region.
- Best sightseeing tour with family members on a single flight.
- Affordable scenic flight to the Himalayas.
- No signs of getting altitude sickness.
Trekking is also the best way to explore the Everest region and high-altitude terrain. But, not everyone can trek to Everest or have enough preparations for a helicopter day tour. For them, there are some locations around Kathmandu from where they can catch some glimpses of Everest and other mountains.
On the utmost visible day, some glimpses of the South Face of Everest are visible from the city. Also, hill points like Chandragiri, Chovar, and Nagarkot are the best places for catching an Everest glimpse. For the mountains around Langtang Valley, you can view them from Dhulikhel and the above-mentioned places.
Let's explore each hilltop and why they are better for Everest and other peak sightseeing.
Chandragiri Hills
Chandragiri Hills is a nearby escape for people in the valley. Also, for travelers, this hilltop is the perfect place for a day sightseeing tour.
On a clear day, the summit of Everest and other mountains like Cho Oyu, Gaurisankhar, and Kang Nachugo are visible from Chandragiri hills. Also, the mountain ranges of Langtang Valley, Manaslu, and Ganesh are utterly visible from here. On top, the beautiful Kathmandu Valley is visible from the hilltop.
Chandragiri Hills is also a popular day-hike destination from Kathmandu. It's home to many wild animals, birds, and 135 different species of herbs. For travelers who want to spend some time in the jungle for a day, the hike to Chandragiri is best.
In recent years, the introduction of cable cars has made easy access to the hilltop. The Bhaleshor temple is also a primary attraction of Chandragiri. In winter, the snowfall makes this place a must-visit for every traveler and local.
A view tower on the top of the hill serves as a perfect spot for Everest sightseeing. If possible, don't forget to carry your binoculars for optimum viewing.
Highlights of Chandragiri Hills
1. Best for sightseeing on Everest and several other mountains.
2. A short day hike to escape the crowded Kathmandu city.
3. Religious outing to Bhaleshor temple for Hindu people.
4. To enjoy the snowfall, if you manage the tour in winter.
Reaching Chandragiri Hills
Chandragiri Hills, at 2,540 meters, is about 16 km from Kathmandu. You can take a bus from Ratnapark to Thankot and hike up the hilltop. The introduction of cable cars has made the Chandragiri hills easy to access. A private taxi from your hotel to the cable car station wouldn't cost that much. Hiring a cab would also be the best option to avoid congested local transport.
If you are an individual traveler, you can also take a ride-sharing transport called Pathao, which costs less than a taxi.
Nagarkot
Don't want to trek to EBC or take a helicopter flight to Everest sightseeing? Well! If this is the case, you can still get some glimpses of Everest from Nagarkot. It is around 20 miles East of Kathmandu Valley. This place is excellent for viewing the sunrise, sunset, and Kathmandu Valley. Also, on a clear day, Nagarkot is the perfect hub for Everest and other peak sightseeing.
From Nagarkot, you can view the mountain ranges of Eastern Nepal. The mountain range you can see from Nagarkot is seven. It includes Annapurna, Ganesh, Langtang, Jugal, Rolwaling, Manaslu, and Everest range. Several hiking spots also offer a view of these mountains.
Shivapuri National Park and adjacent Kathmandu Valley look spectacular from Nagarkot. The many numbers of three-star grade hotels in Nagarkot have made it a perfect place for a family holiday and a night's stay.
Autumn, Winter, and Spring are the best months for Everest sightseeing from Nagarkot. In monsoons, the frequent rain and overcasts hinder sightseeing.
Highlights of Nagarkot
- Inspiring sunrise and sunset viewing experience.
- Sightseeing Everest and several mountain ranges like Annapurna, Jugal, Ganesh, and so on.
- Family day tour and one night stay at a three-star hotel.
- Panoramic view of Kathmandu to the west and Indravati river and Langtang mountain range in the east.
- Alluring rhododendron forest in Spring.
Reaching Nagarkot
Nagarkot is reachable by local transport. If you wish to hire a taxi or jeep, it would be the best decision. A direct deluxe tourist bus from Kathmandu would also be a great comfort.
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