A Flight to Mount Everest + World’s Most Dangerous Airport - Lukla
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 11 พ.ย. 2022
- Our helicopter was one of the first to take off at sunrise around 6:20am from Kathmandu Airport. There are many helicopter operators offering tours to see the majestic mountains in Nepal but there’s only a small window of season to do this. I’d recommend going in April or October when the weather is at its clearest and not so cold.
Lukla is the gateway to Mount Everest. There is no road so no car can get there. A flight to Lukla is 25 minutes on a fixed-wing airplane or 40 mins by helicopter. We arrived there at 7am.
We took off again after refueling and headed to Mt Everest, on the way we passed Namche Bazar, Syangboche airstrip, Khumbu Icefall…
Mount Everest is the one with the sharp peak with snow blowing at the top. We were almost at 20,000 ft but Mt Everest stood really tall from where our helicopter was. We were trying to get up to Camp 2 of Mt Everest which is the absolute limit of the helicopter.
We eventually landed at Kala Patthar. I was so frantically taking photos and videos and started to use the oxygen supply from the helicopter. Our next stop is the pristine Gokyo Lake. On the way, we saw the world’s highest glacier, Khumbu Glacier. It really amazes me how close we fly to those mountain terrains. After a brief stop on the lake, we headed towards the world’s highest hotel, hotel Everest view for breakfast.
The whole trip took about 5 hours. The cost of doing it is about $1200 per person sharing on the helicopter. Helicopters don’t just bring tourists, they also bring cargo and bring down sick and fatigue trekkers from the mountain down on a daily basis.
Way Point of our helicopter flight:
1. Kathmandu (4,390 ft / 1,338m)
2. Lukla (9,380 ft / 2,860m)
3. Namche Bazar (11,290 ft / 3,440m)
4. Syangboche (12,402 ft / 3,780m)
5. Khumbu Icefall (17,999 ft / 5,486m)
6. Mt Everest (29,031 ft / 8,849m)
7. Kala Patthar (18,519 ft / 5,644m)
8. Cho La Pass (17,782 ft / 5,420 m)
9. Gokyo Ri (17,575 ft / 5,357m)
11. Hotel Everest View (12,729ft / 3,880m)
13. Lukla (9,380 ft / 2,860m)
14. Kathmandu (4,390 ft / 1,338m)
Finally saw sam's video about helicopters, it's great. I am a Chinese helicopter pilot, I studied helicopter flying in the US, and have both Chinese and American pilot licenses, but in China, the helicopter industry is in frozen, and I had to give up my flying job. I wonder if Nepal will recruit young foreign helicopter pilots with low hours? I am very willing to come to work.
A holder of a foreign Commercial Pilot License will be required to undergo an abridged course in an Approved Flying Training Organisation where they have to do a minimum of 35 hours of flight training and pass all the Navigational papers.
I guess you can get nepal pilot license by this way.
There are many pilots in Nepal who are foreigners. You can obviously work in Nepal as there are many Chinese citizens owning businesses to working legally in Nepal. Good luck.
Learn nepalese language first it help you for long term
Yes you can in private helicopter companies in Nepal.
You're welcome here (pengyou)🙂
Nepal is a beautiful country …can’t wai t to go back nepal …people are very friendly and helpful❤lots of love from amsterdam netherlands❤
much love from nepal
There are many Dutch doctors from united nations working in remote Nepal .
i like netherlands my dream country❤❤❤
As a helicopter pilot myself this was my absolute favorite video you have ever posted here. Thank you so much Sam
I had the opportunity to learn to fly a helicopter when I was in my 20s, but unfortunately got sidetracked, and now, at 66, I regret it greatly.
Hey Sam, just wanted to say that there´s a certain type of people that really enjoy and deserve the good things in life and you are one of them, you really do take us with you with great humility and you appreciate the beautiful things in life, treating everyone with a smile and respect from a 747 captain to everyone else. I hope great things keep coming your way.
Nepal is amazingly beautiful country 🏔️ I can’t wait to go back again- from Tokyo
Thanku
dude $1200 for a day trip to Everest?
what a great deal
Welcome to Nepal 🇳🇵
Most welcome to Nepal Sir 🙏🏼
Let’s go together
Salute to Vijay lama and Sam sir for Promoting tourism in Nepal.
By putting a spotlight in Nepal's glory , you will have managed to bring in enthusiasts, travelers, hikers, mountaineers & more to Nepal. This the best post-covid promotion for tourism in our country. Thanks mate !
Great footage Sam. I went to Everest base camp in 1983 and flew out of Lukla then - no tarmac on the runway then and you’d watch the cattle get cleared before takeoff. One of the great experiences of my life. Thanks for bringing my memories flooding back.
I’d like to hear more about your experience in nepal back then… 😃 And and, you’re always welcome to nepal…
@@shree7802
Hi Shree, My trip to Nepal in 1983 is still one of the highlights of my life.
We stayed in Thamel in Kathmandu before our trek .
Fascinating place - I don’t think there was a traffic light back then.
My trek was a bit over 300 km and we walked into the Khumbu via the Arun Valley. Great way to see the country.
I got blessed by a monk at Thangbouche monastery and I really appreciated the exposure to the religions.
The scenery stays with me till this day. Got to Everest base camp and then walked back to Lukla to fly out.
Back in Kathmandu I remember eating fantastic pie each day at a place called Jamalys and eating at Utses. Not sure if either of those places are there today?
I spent 9 weeks in Nepal and also did a trek into the Annapurnas.
Overall it was a great experience - scenery is the best in the world, found some great places to eat and , as with all travel, it is the people that make the experience and the Nepali people were wonderful.
@@markwinter5285 .. you didnt eat at KC's in Thamel back then? Awesome food and a great place to hang out. I was there in 1979, 1980 and 1988. Annupurna treks(2) and Everest base camp like yourself
How much one trip Halicoptar U$
@@ashinpannalinkara1468its mentioned in the video.
People often consider dubai,maldives for luxury exotic tourism but if you have money nepal is dream country for luxury tourism and no doubt a bagpacker favourite destination it has always been.
Heavan on earth🇳🇵🤞
True. Nepal do have luxury places and things to spend on but we often lack on promoting it..
Flying to Nepal from Australia in February for vacations.
See you soon :)
It's true
Of all your aviation adventures I'd say this is the most visually...breathtaking.
If you like this check out the Pakistan videos, also crazy beautiful.
@@Innerbrave Hope u noticed what I did there.
Thank you thank you thank you thank you from UK for making this stunning amazing breathtaking video for us . ☺️🏔️⛰️🏔️🏞️🚁
@@Innerbrave ---Pakistan is the western end of the Himalaya, just as spectacular, very close to being as high as here and with even much bigger glaciers !
Those mountains do deserve our reverence as they are beyond incredible. It would be so great to see them in person. Thank you for posting!
1.1 million views as of today- that‘s well deserved: What a video, what a flight!
Certainly one of your best!
Wow, That first landing was smooth as butter in the one of the most dangerous airport in the world, hats off to those pilots👏
I've seen Lukla Airport many times on TV, but this is the first time I've heard of such a hotel. Soooooooo AWESOME!!!!!
Thank you Sam! Not one opinion have you expressed on the few hours of what I have viewed. You allow the people, scenery and last, but not least, your exceptional recording and editing skills, to speak for themselves. If only there were more Sam's on youtube. Once again, thank you Sam!
Paradise on earth , 70% world natural beauty is in South Asia. Nepal is the country which deserve to explore.
What a great video Sam! I can't imagine $1200 buying a better adventure than that. I know flying in that environment is dangerous even in seemingly perfect conditions like you had, but man, what a great job that pilot has. Thanks for sharing and great work!
In my view, the bill isn't actually bad at all!
I think in Europe you would get only 1 hour instead of the flown 5 hour trip😮 Impressive clip👍
Hey Jeff, do you have a link or contact details for this stuff?
Weather and climatic conditions are supported well.....
Seems the heli has one engine.
Nepal is amazing. Can't wait to go back there again. No other place like it. Love from Germany 🇩🇪
Khaire lai guff handeko la guys.
Hahaha ur so smart.
Plz welcome to Nepal Enjoy your beautiful Trip
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
🤣🤣🤣🤣
Wow Sam, this is the BEST video ever….those mountains 🏔 and that view amazing
Awesome. EBC was the most amazing experience of my life. Thanks for a great video.
"I just want to be silent and appreciate the beauty" very well said Sam. Wow!! thanks for the tour 👍
Thank you so much sir
For exploring Nepal ❣️❣️
Nepal is beautiful 😍
AND THE TECHNICAL KNOW-HOW AND INCREDIBLE CAPACITIES OF THE NEPALI PILOTS!! GOD BLESS!
Been there more than 10 years ago. It's so cool to see all these spots from above. Thank you so much!
You bring to me a lot of memories in nepal 🇳🇵
Beautiful country and friendly people ❤️.
What an amazing video as always Mr Sam 👏🏻
@Shiva Bhattarai 💟💟
There must be a terrible non-stop noise by all these helicopters
Again I would like to say welcome to the Nepal
Thank you Sam for taking us to beautiful places .As an airline pilot I did visited so many places,you have taken us to almost all the places in the world. Thank you very much once again.
Thanks for promoting our country 😍
That was incredible sir. Your channel is what TH-cam is for.
Thank you! 💫
Sam, I love mountains more than anything. This video is a very special gift for those who like me, loves mother nature and all their beauty. Thanks a lot for sharing it
From Nepal ❤
True
Nepali from the southernmost part of Nepal here :) I often feel jealous seeing foreigners exploring/touring the mountainous region of my country where I have never been before. I’m currently overseas and I have a lot of Brits neighbours who always share their stories of going to ABC, EBC and Namche Bazaar and I’m there just listening to them like ‘Wow that’s interesting. Nepal indeed sounds like a paradise that I must start wandering through’.
same here
I am a Brit living in Nepal and I totally understand how you feel. The only thing I can say is that the costs for Nepali citizens are usually much cheaper than for foreigners and Nepal depends on foreign income for its economy. This helicopter flight must be the most exciting in the world.
@@timtaylor1365 Hi Tim, it’s great to hear from your perspective. Whilst it is significantly cheaper for us to explore our country, I must acknowledge here that the average annual income per capita in Nepal is unbelievably low, which is why the northernmost parts of our country remain unvisited by Nepalis as the remuneration people receive here is continually spent on sustaining their lives.
@@justkidding4556 yes I know. I also sometimes feel guilty but then I think that I am trying to help the economy and my Nepali family by spending money here, and I think that we should let everyone know how beautiful the country of Nepal is.
Oh boy Go visit home and stop being jealous lol 😂
Thank you for exploring the himalayan country a beauty of nature and mountains.
Absolutely spell bounding! The hotel has a live cam that labels each peak. Thank you so much!
How exciting! Thanks Sam for taking us high up the Everest. It's a point we dream about and you've taken us half there. The views are magnificent and sites breathtaking. Always looking forward to your next travel.
Hi Sam, I remember how I randomly found your channel during the lockdown after consistently watching aviation-related content. Glad I did and since then I've been an avid fan of your channel! Also, thanks to the high quality YT vids you create! They actually helped me get through all those pandemic period fiasco. One of my dreams (aside from flying w/ all the aircraft model there is around the world) is to see Everest. So this tour is neat! Thanks for sharing your experience. Never a dull moment in your vids!
感谢您探索喜马拉雅山的美景
Xièxiè nǐ Sam 🙏🏼
Huge respect and love from my country Nepal for all the foreigners who feel these adventures in reality. 🇳🇵❤️🫰🏻🙏🏼🙏🏼
i am from nepal and i love to watch your video and feel proud that nepal is a great destination to explor the beauty created by nature for tourist from all over the world. welcome to nepal
Thanks for an amazing Tour, this have been added to my bucket list!
Amazing images of an incredible mystical place. I could not think of a better view to have breakfast. $1,200 seems like a very reasonable price for the length of the trip and the locations. In my state in the US, it costs $499. for a 30 min flight around the city and coast to see "the sights ad tourist attractions". Great video, thank you for sharing your experience with us. Stay safe and looking forward to the next.
Welcome to Nepal!
Ama Dablam is such a beautiful peak, especially from the vantage point of the Everest Hotel. Stunning.
If you think that is stunning, have you seen Jack Grealish's legs?
I've been waiting for Lukla and Everest video from Sam for so long! Amazing! ❤
Your footage of this trip is absolutely SPECTACULAR! And your commentary, especially about wanting to be silent and appreciate the beauty, is spot on. Loved this video. I did this same trip, Christmas time 2018. What an adventure, worth every cent.
I did the same trip earlier this year. It was the most amazing experience! Awesome video!
Hey Michael. This is on my bucket list and I'd like to do this next year. What company did you book with ?
@@mareksobecki I booked with Mountain Ram Adventures. Ram is an amazing man…he summited Mt. Everest in 2021. He also has a TH-cam channel (Ram Sharan Upreti). His company does all kinds of adventures in Nepal. I am going back to Nepal next year because it is such an amazing place. Enjoy Nepal!!!
@@michaelcallahan6391 Thanks so much for the reply. I am definitely going to check this out. Maybe we can meet up on a mountain somewhere 🤣
awesome video Sam!
Hey it’s you!
Sam... Don't you dare go down xDD
One of the best video Sam! Thanks a lot!!!
i've always been fascinated by videos that people make when they summit Everest. This video was just awesome; glad you had a chance to go to Lukla and Everest!
One of your best videos ever Sam, thoroughly enjoyed this one. Living through your experience was so awesome. Thanks
Nepal is so beautiful and this flight was absolutely breathtaking!
Greetings from Thailand, Flori
Love you Sam, for capturing the mesmerizing views.
Absolutely amazing. Breath taking. Thank you, Sam!
Thank you Sam - not only a fantastic video but also helping to show the beautiful mountains of Nepal for visitors . Of all your flying experiences this must be the greatest...
Thank you for sharing this adventure. What an incredible opportunity, in such a beautiful country. Definitely a bucket list experience I'd love to have myself.
Thank You for exploring my country
Love from Nepal❤
Such an incredible video. Absolutely loved it. To see the airplanes land at Lukla Airport made my pulse increase. Everest was as incredible to see as I imagined.
What a great viedeo with the mountains and with the helicopter flight. I will certainly go visit Lukla!!😍
Thank you Sam for taking me see our Planets great mountain range including our highest mountain Everest.
Goosebumps at the sight of that smoking peak of the world!
This just takes my breath away - the sheer beauty & majestic scenery. I have been fascinated by this part of the world ever since I read the autobiography of the great mountaineer Reinhold Messner who summitted Everest solo and without oxygen some years ago. Super excellent video & THANK YOU for this!!
I remember my mountain flight to everest in 2014. Once in a lifetime experience. Great work Sam. I know what you have felt when you were up there.
Hair raising adventure Sam . What an incredible journey in one of the most beautiful and challenging terrain in the world . I held my breath when you were breathless due altitude sickness . Thanks for a fantastic ride .
Great to see you at Nepal Sam have a great day there. Amazing destination for natural beauty. 😍
Thanks Sam for enhancing the tourism of nepal and our country’s wonders
Thank you very much for this amazing Kathmandu-Lukla- Kalapathar- Gokyo Lake- Everest View Hotel- Lukla and back to Kathmadu trip video. Tariff is on higher side i.e 1200 $ per person for this trip. Fortunately Nepal's most famous, Mr Vijay Lama also accompanied you.
Thank you gentlemen for this wonderful video .
Nepal is my second home but I've never been up to Lukla & Everest region. Thanks Sam for this wonderful glimpse.
Absolutely amazing. Thank you Sam for bringing us along.😲🛩️👍🇮🇪🇳🇵
Rescue pilots in Nepal are the finest in the world.
Absolutely amazing. Wow
Awesome views of Lukla air port of Nepal planes and helicopter flying to Mountain View. Thanks for sharing the beautiful videos by Sam chui.
Thanks for the great video, Sam. The views are absolutely breathtaking, just that flying so close to the terrain would probably make me want to jump out of my skin!
This video is like a movie,breathtaking footages.
Brilliant to watch....thank you Sam!
Wow what a fabulous trip. Amazing scenery and flying! Thanks for sharing!
Simply incredible! One of your best videos Sam, amazing
🇳🇵Nepal beautiful country & people so friendly wow😍
Hi, Sam! Despite being a Nepali man being born and raised in Nepal, I have not yet visited Lukla. But, you have. I liked your video that you have made of exquisite mountains and picturesque places around the world's highest peaks. This video is helping expose our country to the world and making the people across the world feel like visiting the country at lease once in their lifetime. Looking forward to your visit to this amazingly beautiful country, Bye!!!
I have visited Lukla airport and it is amazing. To be real I am from Nepal and it is kinda funny to see people get jealous sorry no offense. 🙇♀️
Thanks for sharing this awesome, once in a lifetime adventure!
What a fantastic adventurous video of flying near Everest , kalapatthar ,Lake Gyoko and all the amazing locations. Thank you for taking us high there Sam and Captain Prakash ,Captain Vijay Lama was icing on the cake of this journey.
Awesome. I did the Everest fixed wing flight but this is now top of my bucket list. Thanks for the great video.
Thank u very much for the great video, we enjoyed it the view of the Mount Everest is obsolete fantastic once again thanks.
I flew to Lukla in 1993 in a Harbin Y-12.
It was still a gravel runway with no go-around as there is a mountain in front.
One landed uphill, turned around and departed downhill.
Another off my bucket list never to be repeated.
8:03 its not Khumbu Glacuer which is the largest one. It is Ngozumba Glacier which runs through the Gokyo Valley.
Thank You ❤ lots of love from Nepal
This is the longest glacier in Nepal Himalaya. Thank you for visit
This is the most interesting flying videos I've seen Sam do....and he's done a lot of great ones....amazing views....thanks for the video
Aviation and Everest two thing that make my day today. Thankyou Sam. Your videos is amazing
Amazing video of an amazing experience. Breathtaking scenery. Thanks for sharing this with us.
Thank you so much Sam for taking us along on your flight up to Everest base camp 2. What a great way to start my Saturday morning with coffee & an exhilarating helicopter flight thru the mountains of Nepal. That cheese omelette with tomatoes looked delicious & now I’m hungry.
Welcome to Nepal Sir... your visit will surely promote Nepalese tourism
ThankYou so much, this just moved to the top of my bucket list!
Your awesome smile is the most memorable thing in this video. With u as a tour guide Everest is more awesome. Great job.
Wonderful treat Sam. You're always rocking!!! Thank you.
Amazingly breathtaking , thanks Sam
Wonderfull video!!....from Argentina, congratulations!!!
Great video Sam! That Lukla Airport reminds me of Loakan Airport in Baguio City (where my wife is from) in the Philippines, and it's also pretty high up above sea level (and dangerous). Back in 1997 we did fly in and out of this airport (from/to Manila). Thanks for giving us a great virtual trip near Mount Everest!
Very nice experience. Beautiful country
Thank you so much Sam for giving me a small spotlight on such a fantastic area of the world!
Lived in Kathmandu 2008-2010 and my last year a group of us did the trekk from Lukla to Mt. Everest Base Camp. We took 8 days for the ascent to acclimatize to the altitude. The group of us were in good shape and only a few began to show symptoms of Altitude Sickness near the end. That said we saw many tourist who were suffering and were not listening to their guides. I remember having lunch and tea on that balcony. Beautiful scenery and I think there is either a small school or clinic dedicated by Edmund Hillary near there.
Hillary, a New Zealander, brought his brother, a carpenter, to the region to build the first school in that valley in the mid-1950's, he was the first person to climb to the top of Mt Everest as part of the massive British Expedition in 1953. In those days, the whole expedition packed supplies to the base camp near Kala Patter on the backs of hundreds of local people hired to the job, getting to Everest then was like getting to the middle of the Sahara Desert or the middle of the Amazon Rainforest by foot, no airstrips existed until the 1970's.
Oh my, thank you for this awesome video 🙏. Feel like I m right behind you enjoying the Lukla aitport and Everest incredible scenery.
Such amazing skills of both the fixed and heli pilots 🙌 wow
The Kathmandu n lukla airport flights spotting are worth of seeing through your camera, Sam.
Thank you for the Himalayan hills coverage by Helicopter rides👍
beautifullly shot world's highest peak so amazing.just enjoyed watching this video
I really love this video. Everyday i watch videos from the worlds tallest peaks. They really amaze me. I love Everest, Anarpuna and Lhotse