The Everest Mountain Flight: Seeing the Himalaya Without Trekking

Not everyone who comes to Nepal has two weeks, strong knees or the wish to sleep in an unheated lodge at 5,000 metres. For them, and for anyone curious to see the world's highest mountain with their own eyes, domestic airlines operate scenic flights from Kathmandu along the main Himalayan range every morning in season.

What the flight is

A small turboprop aircraft takes off from the domestic terminal shortly after dawn, climbs to cruising height and flies east, parallel to the mountains, for about twenty-five minutes until it draws level with the Everest group. It then turns and flies back along the same line. The whole trip lasts roughly an hour.

Aircraft used for these flights carry a limited number of passengers, and airlines arrange seating so that everyone has a window. Because the plane turns round, each side of the cabin faces the mountains for half the journey.

What you see

As the aircraft leaves the Kathmandu Valley, the first big peaks to appear are those of the Langtang range, close to the capital. Continuing east, a sequence of giants passes the windows: Shishapangma, standing just inside Tibet; Dorje Lakpa; the twin summits of Gauri Shankar; Melungtse; Cho Oyu, the sixth-highest mountain in the world; and then the cluster formed by Nuptse, Lhotse and Everest itself. Beyond lies Makalu.

Cabin crew move along the aisle pointing out summits against a printed panorama that each passenger is given. On most flights, passengers are invited one at a time to step into the cockpit doorway for a view through the front windscreen.

Everest appears as a dark rock pyramid rising behind the ridge of Nuptse and Lhotse, often with a plume of cloud streaming from its top. You are looking at it from a distance of some kilometres, at about the same height as many of the surrounding peaks, across a sea of ridges and glaciers.

Setting expectations

This is a panoramic view, not a close fly-past. The mountains are large in the window but not filling it, and photographs through a scratched pane rarely match what the eye sees. Some people step off the plane thrilled; a few feel it was brief and distant for the money. It helps to think of it as a moving balcony seat along the whole eastern Himalaya, with Everest as the centrepiece.

When to go

Season. October to early December offers the clearest air. Late December to February is cold and usually sharp. March and April are good on many mornings, though haze increases. From May, cloud builds earlier; in the monsoon months flights are frequently cancelled.

Time of day. Flights leave between about six and eight in the morning, when the atmosphere is most stable and the peaks are clear. Take the earliest departure you can.

Weather and cancellations

Mountain flights operate only when visibility is good. If cloud covers the peaks, the flight is postponed, sometimes for hours, and may be cancelled. Airlines generally offer a place on the next day's flight or a refund if the aircraft does not take off. Check the policy when booking, and schedule the flight early in your stay so there is room to try again.

Booking

Several domestic airlines run mountain flights. Tickets can be bought through any hotel or travel agency in Kathmandu, or from the airlines directly, usually a day or two ahead; book further in advance in October and November. Prices for foreign visitors are fixed and broadly similar between airlines.

You will need your passport at check-in. Arrive at the domestic terminal about an hour before departure, and expect some waiting.

Alternatives

Helicopter tours fly from Kathmandu into the Everest region itself, landing briefly at a viewpoint near base camp or at a high hotel for breakfast with a close view of the peaks. They are many times more expensive, involve rapid exposure to extreme altitude and depend heavily on the weather.

Scheduled flights between Kathmandu and Pokhara, or to the eastern lowland towns, offer a fine Himalayan panorama on clear days for the price of an ordinary ticket, if you sit on the mountain side.

Viewpoints near Kathmandu such as the ridge-top villages on the valley rim give a distant sight of the range, including a far-off Everest, from the ground.

Who it suits

• Visitors with limited time or mobility.

• Families with children too young to trek.

• Anyone who has trekked elsewhere in Nepal and wants a glimpse of the Everest region.

• People who simply love flying.

On a clear morning, with the cabin quiet and the whole white chain of the Himalaya sliding past the wing, it is an hour that few forget.