During the COVID shutdowns I had doubts whether I would ever visit Nepal again which was rather depressing. One of the regrets I had, was not doing a helicopter tour of the Khumbu area. Helicopter flyovers provide a completely different perspective from climbing or trekking and provide fantastic opportunities for mountain photography.
Thankfully, the COVID shutdowns relaxed and I could again travel to Nepal in 2022. The Khumbu was not busy and definitely not at tourist levels as pre-Covid. Thanks to Rajendra from Mountain Sun Valley, I was able to do the helicopter flight. When I contemplated doing this, I had a very specific route in mind which surprisengly was not easy to organize. Normally, the helicopter flyovers focus on Everest and Everest BC but I was interested in the area of the Nangpa Glacier and along the West Khumbu bordering Rowaling Valley. I also wanted to fly along the Cho Oyu - Pumori wall. We later covered the entire helicopter route on foot.
You can see the annotated photos here: www.himalaya-info.org/Khumbu_Helicopter.htm
The flight route. Map curtesy of: www.himalaya-info.org/Khumbu_Helicopter.htm
Moving up the Thame Valley towards the confluence of the Bhore Glacier and Lumsumna Glacier. The tall point mountain is Lunag 1 6907. The mountain behind Lunag is Nzacampa 6797m. Nangpa La is visible on the right.
Tengi Ragi Tau from the east
Tengi Ragi Tau
Tengi Ragi Tau
Dragnag Ri 6757m
On the left is Khang Karpo 6646m. Chule Glacier and Menlung Glacier.
Lunag Glacier and Mahalangur Himal. The pointy mountain is Lunag 1.
Lunag 1
Awesome rock towers along the Nangpa Glacier
Khang Karpo 6646m
Jasemba (left 7350m), Chamar 7287m (centre) and Cho Oyu 8201m right
Lunak Glacier and Jobo Lecoultre 6,590m. The pointy peaks Pangbuk 6750m.
Confluence of the Nangpa Glacier and Lumsumna Glacier. The basecamp of Sumna Pass is in the shadow on the right.
Lumsumna Glacier, Jasemba and Cho Oyu
Bhole Koshi Glacier, Lunag 1 and Little Lunag.
Chamar and Cho Oyu 8201m
Jasemba and Chamar
Chamar 7287m
Jasemba, Chamar and Cho Oyu
Jasemba
Jasemba 7350m (on the right)
Mahalangur Himal on the left and Jasemba on the right
Jasemba
Chamar 7287m and top of Cho Oyu on the right
The pointy ridge end is 5802m high. It is the start of the summit ridge of Cho Oyu.
Cho Oyu
Massive south wall of Cho Oyu
Cho Oyu
Cho Oyu south wall
Cho Oyu south wall
South side of Cho Oyu. The mountain on the right is Ngo Jumba Kan 7664m.
We gained some altitude and are now at 21000 feet. The mountain on the right is Gyachungkang 7922m.
Gyachungkang 7922m
Gyachungkang on the left, West Rongbuk Glacier and Chakung on the right (lower part of it)
Gyachungkang
Chakung 7029
Chakung on the left and Chumbu 6859m on the right
Chakung 7029 on the left/centre. Upper section of the Gaunara Glacier.
Gaunara Glacier and Chumbu 6859m
Chakung 7029m and Gaunara Glacier
Chakung and upper Gaunara Glacier
Chumbu 6859m
Chongri Pass and Chumbu 6859m. Pumori can be seen on the right. The glacier is Changri Nup.
Chumbu
Pumori
Changri Pass
Chumbu and Pumori tower above Changri Nup Glacier
The rocky ridge of Chumbu. Pumori 7165m on the right. The glacier coming off Pumori is Changri Shar Glacier.
The wall of Chumbu
West aspect of Pumori
Changri Shar Glacier
Pumori 7165m
Pumori
East aspect of Chumbu and Changri Shar Glacier
Pumori
Pumori
Pumori and Lingtren 6749m
Pumori 7165m
Pumori
Lingtren 6749m
Lingtren and Everest BC
Everest, Everest Icefall, Lhotse and Nuptse - the giants of the Himalaya
Mt. Everest
Nuptse 7861m
Taboche (left) 6367m, Cholatse (centre) 6335m and Lobuche East 6,119m
Chola Pass area
Chola Pass 5420m
Mountains to the south of Chola Pass
Cholatse and the trail down from Cho La Pass
Cholatse (left) and the rocky spires above the Cho La Pass
Looking north towards Jasemba and Cho Oyu from above the Cho La Pass
Gokyo and Renjola Pass
Gokyo and Renjola Pass
Renjola Pass
Renjola Pass
Mountains above Gokyo Valley south of Renjola
Phari Lapcha 6077m south of Renjola Pass
Phari Lapcha 6077m
Tengi Ragi Tau
Dragnag Ri (left) 6757m and Khang Karpo 6646m
The Himalayas of Bhutan. This is the entire range of Bhutan. On the left if Chomloari, On the right Table Mountain and Gangkhar Puenseum (the highest peak of Bhutan) 7400m.
Chomolari 7315m, Chomolari 2 6935m, Jitchu Drake 6850m and Takaphu 6526m in Bhutan Himalaya
Chomolari, Chomolari 2 and Jitchu Drake in Bhutan Himalaya
Kangchendzonga from Skikim side (from he East)
Langatang Himal, Shishapngma os on the left
Gauri Sankar 7314m in Rowaling Himal Nepal
Jugal Hiémal, Nepal/Tibet
Gauri Sankar in Rowaling Himal
Looking towards Cho Our from the Southwest. Rowaling Himal is in the foreground.
Rowaling Himal
Rowaling Himal
Pumori and the Khumbu central
On the right is Jasemba, than Nangpa La, Lunag 1 and Khumbu West
Jasemba in the centre and Cho Oyu on the right
Mountains between Everest and Makalu
The Khumbu
Rowaling Himalaje
The Khumbu. Cho Oyu is on the left. Everest is on the right.
Everest is on the left, Makalu on the right
Everest
Everest, Nuptse and Lhotse
Pumori
Everest
Makalu
Chamlang and Makalu
Makalu and Chamlang
Barun Valley and Makalu
Makalu
Mountains north-east of Makalu
Kangchendzonga, Janu os on the right
Kangchendzonga Himal
Trail to Gunsa, Kangchendzonga
Kangchendzonga Himal. Janu is on the right.
Janu
Kangchchendzonga south
Kangchendzonga Himal. Janu is on the right.
Kangchandzonga
Kangchandzonga
Kangchendzonga
Sikim side of Kangchendzonga Himal
Sikim
Sikim