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An AS350 running up on the Lukla apron, the airstrip climbing away behind it.© Vyacheslav Argenberg / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 4.0
Medevac

Everest Region Medical Evacuation

Emergency evacuation from the Khumbu to a Kathmandu hospital. Insurance documentation is handled after the flight, never before it.

Flight time
1h 10m
Max altitude
18,000 ft / 5,486 m
Best season
Year-round, 24/7 on-call
Operators
2 certified

From

Lukla

VNLK · Lukla Tenzing-Hillary

To

Kathmandu Tribhuvan International

VNKT · Change route

Depart

Travellers

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2 of 2 operators

Showing 2 of 2 operators on the Everest Region Medical Evacuation.

Lowest published

Fishtail Air

Airbus H130 (9N-AAE)

LicensedNo reviews yet

LUA

Lukla

1h 10mNon-stop · 15m on the ground

KTM

Kathmandu Tribhuvan International

Indicative from

US$5,600

whole helicopter

  • Airport transfers in Kathmandu or Pokhara
  • All domestic airport and landing fees
  • Supplemental oxygen on board
  • Down jacket loan on request

Simrik Air

Airbus AS350 B3e (9N-AAA)

LicensedNo reviews yet

LUA

Lukla

1h 10mNon-stop · 15m on the ground

KTM

Kathmandu Tribhuvan International

Indicative from

US$5,800

whole helicopter

  • Airport transfers in Kathmandu or Pokhara
  • All domestic airport and landing fees
  • Supplemental oxygen on board
  • Down jacket loan on request

These are published prices, not your price

Every figure above is what an operator has advertised recently. Yours depends on the date, the party and what everybody weighs — at these altitudes payload is what moves a price. One request goes to all 2 of them at once. Nothing is charged, and you are tied to nobody until you accept a quote.

Get quotes from 2 operators

Highlights

  • On-call crews
  • Direct to hospital helipad in Kathmandu
  • Longline capability for high-altitude retrieval

Questions about this route

What is the weight limit on this flight?

Operators on this route cap passengers at about 75 kg including your day bag, and you will be weighed at check-in. Helicopter performance drops sharply with altitude — this route reaches 18,000 ft, so the limit is a safety figure, not a guideline.

How long does the whole thing take?

About 1h 10m door to door, including roughly 15m on the ground. Departures are early: Himalayan valleys cloud over as the day warms.

When is the best time to fly this route?

Year-round, 24/7 on-call

What if the weather closes in?

You are not charged for a flight that does not happen. The operator will offer you the next time that works or give all your money back. No good operator flies into poor conditions in these valleys.

How do I get a price, and when do I pay?

Nothing on this page books a flight. You send one request with your date, how many people and their weights. Every licensed operator that can fly it comes back with a price, usually within a few hours. You compare those prices side by side and accept the one you want. Only accepting makes a booking, and only then do you owe anything. The figures on this page are a guide, taken from the prices operators publish.

Not sure which operator to pick?

Tell us your dates and group size and we will come back with the options that actually have availability.

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