Kathmandu to Jagat Helicopter Flight

The Kathmandu to Jagat helicopter flight is the fastest way to reach the gateway of the Manaslu region, a scenic transfer that replaces a punishing road drive and a two-day trek with a single comfortable hop along the Budhi Gandaki valley. The helicopter takes off from Tribhuvan International Airport, climbs north over the terraced middle hills of Gorkha District, and sets down at Jagat, the stone village at 1,340 metres where the Manaslu Conservation Area formally begins, in roughly 40 minutes. On a round tour you spend an hour exploring the village before returning; on the popular one-way option you start your Manaslu Circuit or Tsum Valley trek the same morning. As every flight is influenced by the weather, the exact duration may vary depending on visibility, wind, air traffic, and the flight route assigned on the day of departure.

The Kathmandu to Jagat helicopter flight exists because the Manaslu region is one of the most remote and strictly protected trekking areas in Nepal. Reaching Jagat overland takes a full day of rough driving past Arughat or Soti Khola followed by hours of trail, while the permit checkpoint at the village gates the entire circuit beyond. A helicopter removes the road entirely: same-day arrival from the capital, permits verified on the spot, and the trek begun from the correct starting point without spending days in transit. For trekkers on the Manaslu Circuit and the Tsum Valley alike, Jagat is the true trailhead, and flying there is the modern way to reach it.

We operate the Manaslu helicopter tour from Kathmandu with the same care and safety standards as every Mountain Helicopters Nepal flight, from the pre-flight briefing to the final landing. The route follows the deep, forested Budhi Gandaki gorge past waterfalls, suspension bridges, and increasingly Tibetan-influenced settlements, with Ganesh Himal and Himal Chuli appearing ahead on clear days. It is especially popular with trekkers starting the Manaslu Circuit, travellers short on time, photographers, and anyone who wants to experience the unspoiled Manaslu region without two days of hard road travel.