A week has passed, yet I still can’t move on from this journey.

It was never on my wishlist, as it felt too grand, but I’ve learned that we should never dream too little. It has turned out to be the most unforgettable experience.

Our helicopter ride to Hotel Everest View, located at an altitude of 3,880 meters (higher than Mount Semeru’s peak; Semeru is the highest mountain in Java) began early at 5:30 am, when we were picked up from our hotel. The helicopter took off from the domestic terminal at Tribhuvan Airport, Kathmandu, though the helipad is situated at the far end of the airfield. That morning, 28 helicopters were scheduled to fly to Hotel Everest View as September to November is the busiest tourist season. Fortunately, our helicopter was assigned as the third flight, taking off around 6:30 am.

Typically, each helicopter carries five passengers: four in the back and one beside the pilot. Since there were only three of us, everyone got a window seat. I was lucky enough to sit in the front. After a 30 minute flight, we made a brief stop at Lukla Airport (2,845 m) to reduce fuel weight, making it easier to cross the towering Himalayan peaks. On flights with five passengers, the helicopter usually stops at a valley near one of the base camps after Lukla. There, two or three passengers are dropped off while the helicopter circles the Himalayan peaks, then returns to swap passengers before ascending to Hotel Everest View. In our case, the route was different. From Lukla, we didn’t make a stop at the valley but flew directly, circling Namche Bazaar, Syangboche, Tengboche, and Everest Base Camp. As a bonus, our pilot flew around Everest’s summit, allowing us to see its glaciers from above. Cold air seeped through the helicopter windows, and the oxygen level grew noticeably thinner. I started feeling lightheaded as we flew past the peak.

During the flight, I noticed there were no other helicopters nearby, it seemed each pilot had their own route through the mountains.When I saw the summit of Everest, I couldn’t help thinking of the climbers who lost their lives there, some of whose bodies still rest on the mountain. Glancing at our pilot, I wondered if he was quite the adventurer himself. Has he ever rescued stranded climbers with this very helicopter?

After about 20 minutes of flying among the peaks, we landed on the helipad at Hotel Everest View. The thin air immediately took its toll. I was so sluggish & clumsy 😂 even unbuckling my seatbelt and headset was a struggle, until the pilot kindly helped me. As I stepped out, the freezing air hit instantly. I saw the grass around was covered in frost.

The view from the landing area toward the hotel was breathtaking. Despite the dizziness and the cold, I couldn’t stop looking around, completely mesmerized. In that moment, I was deeply thankful for having 20/20 vision. Catching my breath, half laughing, half in awe, I whispered to the sky,“God, thank You for this travel timing, after I did LASIK… I can see all this, crystal clear.”

We were the first tourist helicopter to arrive that morning, so we got the best table facing the majestic peaks of Everest (8,848 m), Pumori (7,161 m), Ama Dablam (6,812 m), Lhotse (8,516 m), Cho Oyu (8,201 m), Nuptse (7,861 m), and several others whose names I couldn’t recall.

Hotel Everest View is located within Sagarmatha National Park. Sagarmatha is the local name for Everest, meaning “Goddess of the Sky,” while the name Everest came from Sir George Everest, the British surveyor & geographer. After learning the story and its meaning, I think Sagarmatha is a far better name.

We enjoyed breakfast with a selection of continental or Indian menu. The hotel is also a popular destination for hikers coming from Lukla. After breakfast, we spent time exploring the surroundings.

We ended up staying almost four hours, far longer than the planned two hour itinerary. Most tours usually stay for just one hour. It turned out our helicopter pilot was part of a rescue unit, and midway through, he was called to evacuate a patient. I guess my earlier thought came true. Another helicopter was later sent to pick us up for the return flight to Kathmandu.

It was truly an extraordinary experience. We had plenty of time to wander around the area, and for a while, our group was the only one on the hill. We even got to ride two different helicopters under perfectly clear weather, with bright sun and mountains shining in full glory. Every photo from this trip turned out beautiful, but in real life, it was many times more magnificent.

Though the effects of oxygen deprivation lingered until night and I only felt normal again the next morning, this helicopter ride over Everest now ranks as the most unforgettable journey in my heart. I’m so grateful for it. ❤️

Alone upon the hill I stay, beneath eternity’s glow, The Himalayas rise where earth and heaven meet. In this loud silence, I’m reminded still, how great art Thou, how small my heartbeat.