We had to be up and ready to go by six a.m. for the high point of our trip - literally - our helicopter flight to Mt. Everest! The owner of Marron Trek tour company, Ram, would be accompanying us on the flight. He met us in the lobby around 6:10, and we climbed into his car for the short drive to the airport with our boxed breakfasts prepared by the hotel . Parking was pretty crazy and random; where he left his car didn't really look like a parking space. I'd have been driving around for hours looking for a safe spot.
A guy met us outside the domestic terminal and gave us boarding passes for Air Dynasty helicopter flights. We needed these to pass through the double security: twice through scanners and pat-downs. We waited in the departure area, where I bought stamps and mailed my postcards. "Walking the Himalayas" happened to be showing on the TV while we waited. Someone came and walked us out to the tarmac, where another guy came and changed our Air Dynasty boarding passes to Mountain Air helicopter flights. I hoped this wasn't some kind of "bait and switch," but trusted our guide to know what was what.
After waiting several minutes on the tarmac, a small truck came and drove us the four kilometers to the other side of the airport where maybe a dozen helicopters sat. We greeted the pilot, and Ram clarified our trip with him. He told the pilot that since it was our first trip to Nepal, he should give us several minutes at Kala Patar, and make an extra stop at Gokyo Lake. We appreciated the effort on our behalf.
We climbed into the gleaming red, yellow and blue, six-passenger helicopter, with Tim in the front seat next to the pilot, and Ram and me in the back. I was relieved that the pilot seemed very competent and experienced. He gave us all headsets, started the rotors, and before we knew it, we were hovering up into the air and speeding off toward the mountains! Visibility was pretty bad with heavy smog, and I wondered if we would be able to see anything. I was frankly surprised that the flight was even cleared for takeoff in these conditions. We were quickly away from the city and my nerves soon settled. To be honest, I had been pretty anxious about this part of the trip for some time.
Am I hiding my apprehension well?
Bring it on!
The pilot
Ram, our guide for the morning
limited visibility
Below, we saw the layers of tier-farms everywhere, growing rice, maize and millet; reminded me of the layers of a Pillsbury biscuit (maybe I was hungry.) We flew over some green areas, with beautiful, purple flowering trees that stood out against the backdrop. After a short flight, we stopped in the tiny town of Lukla, to off-load fuel - the added weight would have prohibited the flight to the altitudes we would be reaching. Lukla, at just over 9,000 feet, is the "gateway to the EBC (Everest Base Camp.)" It has a tiny runway, and a few helipads at different levels. The ground staff there was efficient and capable, and we were quickly back up in the air.
Kathmandu haze
our first peek of the peaks
dots of purple trees
Lukla runway
parking lot for helicopters
The sky became increasingly clear, and suddenly, snow capped peaks appeared on all sides as we rose above the treeline. The green trees gave way to rocky landscapes covered in gray-green lichen. The pilot put on his oxygen feeder, a requirement for all helicopter pilots flying above 12,000 feet. We passed over the Khumbu glacier, the world's highest glacier, and the EBC, where hundreds of yellow tents were erected. This was high season for climbers, and the EBC looked like a small city. Nepal limits the number of permits to attempt the summit each season, and those applicants must meet certain requirements, including having already scaled a mountain over 21,000 feet!
trekkers
the photobombing helicopter blade
Tents at the EBC
The village of Pheriche
our shadow
After flying over the glaciers and the EBC, we landed at Kala Patthar ("black rock".) At over 18,000 feet, this site affords spectacular views not only of Everest, but also Nuptse and Changtse as well. The peaks are all so similar in their tremendous height, that Everest was not so distinctive, pointed out to us as "the black one." Ama Dablam ("Mother's Necklace") stood out very distinctively from the other peaks.
The lichen crunched under our feet as we stepped out of the helicopter. The sun was shining, and we were surprised to find that it was not terribly cold here. Also, the high elevation didn't seem to bother us at all, perhaps because of our acclimatization in Tibet.
We spent several minutes here, taking photos and just marveling at the magnificence around us. It was so surreal to be looking up at Everest. I think I enjoyed seeing the pure joy on Tim's face as much as I enjoyed the view; he'd dreamed about this for a long time. Nirvana.
Everest peering over the shoulder of other peaks
Called an inuksuk by the Inuit, these stone piles are built as an offering to spirits, or just as a guidepost for trekkers -
this one has the white scarf left as an offering at the top
Ram took many photos himself, although he said he had made the trip before. He took lots of pictures of Tim - I think he was hoping to use his image on the Marron Trek website. That's my guy! (We are already the face of another tour company's facebook page: Kaimur Holidays ).
Thanks to Ram for this photo
a look at the edge of the glacier
look out, GQ
Reluctantly departing Kalapatthar, we climbed back into the helicopter and continued on to Gokyo Valley, landing near Gokyo Lake. The mountains were reflected in the glassy surface of the lake, and we were quite surprised to find a small, but modern-looking hotel in this remote location. It is a popular stop on the EBC trek, and some trekkers came down from the Gokyo resort to say hello and took some selfies with the helicopter. A big yak was trotting up the slope as we disembarked, and stood looking down at us from above.
yaks are the beasts of burden in this harsh terrain
another edge of the glacier
Gokyo Lake
our pilot waits with his oxygen mask attached
the Gokyo Resort
curious yak
curious trekkers
We continued to enjoy spectacular views of the Himalayas as we flew on to Khumbu and the Hotel Everest View, listed as the highest hotel in the world in the 2004 Guinness Book of World Records at 12,730 feet! This hotel was built in the 1960's, and relied on porters carrying supplies up on two-week treks, as no access roads existed. Some supplies could be flown up by helicopter as well. It was built by a Japanese man and designed by Japanese architect Yoshinobu Kumagaya. It reminded me of a Frank Lloyd Wright creation, nestled into the side of the mountain.
We landed on a hill and found we were winded after the short trek into the hotel. This was a lovely green space in the middle of nowhere, with grassy fields and huge pine trees. We walked into the warm lobby of the hotel, prepared to eat our boxed breakfasts as we enjoyed the view. The manager said we weren't allowed to bring in our own food and would have to order from the menu. He acquiesced, however, when we agreed to give his wife a lift back down to Kathmandu.
that's 12,729 feet to you and me
Tim set down his backpack, set his camera on top, and put his hat over the camera, asking me to keep an eye on it. When it was time to head into the dining room, our guide tried to be helpful by grabbing Tim's backpack, and the camera went crashing to the stone floor! The lens cap broke, the viewfinder now had a big splotch in the middle of it, and the zoom wouldn't retract all the way, but luckily the camera still worked. The guide said, "I'm so lucky, I saved your camera!" Hmm.
What a spectacular view with which to eat our breakfast, looking through huge picture windows at Mount Everest. The boxed meals took me back to Tanzania - too much food for one person - and we shared all with our guide and pilot. Tim ordered some food as well. We enjoyed learning the pilot's story - he had completed his helicopter training in Miami, and was part of the rescue teams helping after the 2015 earthquake. He told us how he once had Richard Gere as a passenger.
A few other guests ate out on the deck outside the window.
The restroom here seemed to be built around a huge rock, the first thing you see when you go in the door. It was very cold, but the toilet seat had a fabric cover to minimize a chilly landing, and at least it had a seat!
inside the restroom
By the time we finished our meal, the clouds were starting to roll in, and the view was quickly disappearing. They told us how lucky we were that we were able to see all the peaks so clearly. We trekked back up to the helicopter, along with our extra passenger. She told me she had a son in Kathmandu, and a daughter living in New York City. Apparently NY has quite a community of Nepalis. What a huge culture shock that must be for the new arrivals.
here come the clouds
the hotel staff saw us off
We got our last looks at Everest as the cloud cover increased. Stopped again in Lukla for refueling. This time there were a few other helicopters there, so we had to wait on the ground a bit for our turn to take off. We marveled at how they have it all down to a system, and the helipads are little more than paved yards next to some small buildings. It has been rated as the most dangerous airport in the world - glad I only learned that after our trip. I think the danger is much greater for the planes that have to land and take off from the tiny runway. Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary were instrumental in the building of this airport which bears their names.
the ground crew
our lovely guest
Back down into the city we flew through a light rain, drowsing as visions of snow-capped mountain peaks danced in our heads...
Back at the airport in Kathmandu, a group of monks were waiting for our helicopter to take them somewhere. The pilot told us one of these monks was the thirtieth incarnation and considered very holy. We noticed how young he was, and looked for signs of sanctity or wisdom as he shook our hands and wished us a safe journey. Our plus-one group climbed back into the pickup for the drive back to the main terminal, where we bid our guest farewell. Ram picked up his oxygen canisters that he was not allowed to bring through security - they actually held onto them for him. Never saw airport security agree to do that before.
We climbed into the gleaming red, yellow and blue, six-passenger helicopter, with Tim in the front seat next to the pilot, and Ram and me in the back. I was relieved that the pilot seemed very competent and experienced. He gave us all headsets, started the rotors, and before we knew it, we were hovering up into the air and speeding off toward the mountains! Visibility was pretty bad with heavy smog, and I wondered if we would be able to see anything. I was frankly surprised that the flight was even cleared for takeoff in these conditions. We were quickly away from the city and my nerves soon settled. To be honest, I had been pretty anxious about this part of the trip for some time.
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