As the highest peak in the world, Mt. Everest has long fascinated the public’s imagination, including ours.
However, not everyone has the time, energy or even desire to trek this wonder of the world.
In our case, we knew once we started planning that we didn’t have at least two weeks to climb Everest Base Camp.
Luckily, now there is an Everest mountain flight that lets you soar over the tallest peak in the world, from the comfort of an airplane.
We were incredibly lucky enough to try this out for ourselves, thanks to our partnership with our travel sponsor, Tinggly.
Tinggly offers the world’s most inspiring experiences, about 2,000+ total in 100+ countries, and we were thrilled to find that they offered this epic mountain flight experience in Nepal.
Read on about our review and tips to make the most out of this once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Getting to the Kathmandu Airport
At 6:40 am sharp, a private van picked us up from our hotel in the Thamel area.
There were already other guests in the car with our guide. So then they drove us and dropped us off at Kathmandu Airport’s Domestic Terminal, which is very close to the International Terminal.
Much like the international airport, the entrance into the domestic airport can get chaotic sometimes.
We were about an hour early for our 8:00 am flight, so we would have been fine waiting in the long line. However, we were relieved that the Buddha Air ground staff whisked us away to the front of the security line—since we didn’t have any luggage with us anyway.
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TIP: Complimentary hotel pickup and drop-off are included in the Tinggly experience. Unlike other mountain flight tickets, hotel pickup and drop-off were included– for added convenience! |
Checking In
We went straight to the Buddha Air counter labeled, “Mountain Flight”, located at the very end of the single long row of airline check-in counters.
Check-in was fairly quick, they just asked us for our passports and we got our boarding passes in less than 10 minutes.
We then went through the usual airport security. Afterward, we sat in the waiting area about 45 more minutes before boarding.
Regarding food options in the airport, be warned though that there is only one café in the waiting area. So be prepared for limited choices. Or better yet, make sure to grab an early breakfast before heading to the airport so you’re not starving.
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TIP: Don’t forget your passports! This sounds like a simple flight, passports are still required, so make sure to have them with you! |
Boarding Our Mt. Everest Flight
At about 8:00 am, it was time to board the mountain flight. About 20 of us approached the gate and promptly boarded the bus that took us to the tarmac and to our plane.
As expected, many of the passengers had to stop and take some quick selfies while boarding. The staff kindly indulged us and helped us in taking our photos, which we appreciated since this was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for most of us.
Once we buckled up in our seats, another 15-20 minutes passed, the flight attendant passed around some mints and we were off to see the highest point on earth.
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TIP: Make sure to use the bathroom before boarding! We used the bathroom in the airport waiting area. |
The Epic Views
As we traveled from Kathmandu to the Mt. Everest area, we couldn’t help but marvel at the change in the landscape.
From the busy crowded city, the view suddenly morphed into idyllic countryside. We then slowly ascended in altitude, soaring above the clouds as we got closer to the majestic Himalayan range.
Our windows gave us a front-row seat to the epic mountain chain.
A few minutes into our flight, the flight attendant gave us some illustrated brochures. They served as handy sightseeing guides — since they contained a photo of the mountain range and corresponding names of each of the notable mountain peaks.
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TIP: Request for seats with unobstructed views. Window seats are guaranteed but some seats may have the wing or propeller in your view. If there are at least 2 of you, ask for seats across each other, so you can get the views on both sides of the plane. |
An Exclusive Look from the Cockpit
Once we were at a steady pace, our flight attendant called us up one by one to get a few minutes with the pilots at the cockpit.
The pilots were kind and were happy to chat a bit and give quick explanations while flying. They were also happy to pose with us for a quick selfie.
After everyone had their turn, it was free for all who were interested. Most were just happy to stay in their seats since they had excellent views anyway.
Honestly, this was the highlight of our flight!
Some reviews say that their cockpit time was short, but in our case, we got unlimited time in there! We respectfully requested for the flight attendant to give us extra time in the cockpit since our windows had the propellers in our view. She completely understood and happily obliged. She even made sure to save our spot once the plane started turning around, which is supposed to be the best view of Everest.
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TIP: Ask nicely to be at the cockpit when the plane turns back. Once you reach Mt. Everest, the pilots will slowly turn the plane back to Kathmandu. This will the best view of Everest since you will be the closest you will ever be to the mountain! |
Weather Conditions
By the way, we got very lucky in that we had amazing weather on the day of our flight.
However, this isn’t always the case. Especially during monsoon season, passengers are advised to prepare for possible delays.
In some of the reviews, we heard that people had to wait up to 2 hours just so the staff can make sure that the weather would be clear.
Well, it’s understandable that the pilots and staff do this. Otherwise, people might complain about the flight and the views.
Thanks to the amazing weather, we were able to return to our hotel by 10 am. This gave us enough time to do a full-day tour of Kathmandu.
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TIP: Good news, the flights are available year-round! We were there for monsoon season and we were lucky to get awesome views. According to some though, the best times are the winter months from September to April, when you get a view of the sparkling snowcapped peaks. |
The Verdict: Is the Everest Flight Worth It?
YES, totally worth it! It’s a thrilling once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Considering that the usual way to see Everest is to spend thousands of dollars while also taking 2 weeks off, this short 1-hour flight is definitely worth it!
Here’s how you can also book this experience through Tinggly.
DISCLAIMER: Tinggly invited to try this Mt. Everest flight experience as new Tinggly Ambassadors. However, all opinions are our own and based on our honest personal experience. You can read more here about how Tinggly works.
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QUICK NOTE: Booking this flight through Tinggly was a breeze since they helped us every step of the way. After booking, we quickly received an email with complete info regarding our activity. |
