The world’s highest skydiving event, Everest Skydive is underway. According to our contact at Shyangboche, jumps were held at Shyangboche drop zone on 22nd & 23rd October.
Jump day- 22nd October, 2011, around 9:10 Am (local time)
Solo Jumps- Dawie  Du Plessis (South Africa), Derek Thomas(UK), Mario Gervasi (France)
Jump Day- 23rd October, 2011, around 10:50 AM (local time)
Solo Jumps- Wendy Smith (New Zealand), Dawie du Plessis (South Africa), Phillip Smith(USA), Derek Thomas (UK)
Tandem Jumps-Priscilla Telmon (France)with tandem master Ryan Jackson(UK), Klaus L.M. Gachter (USA) with tandem master Ryan Jackson , Jean-Marc Nowak (France) with Mario Gervasi (France)

Tandem Jump -Priscilla Telmon (France)with tandem master Ryan Jackson

Solo Jump- Phillip Smith

(Pic: Wendy Smith)

Everest Heli Trek (6 Days)
An elite adventure, this trip takes you to Khumbu Himal, the homeland of Nepal’s tough mountain tribe, the Sherpas. Trek to Sherpa villages that lie under the shadows of some of the tallest peaks in the world including Mount Everest and take an exciting heli tour to Kala Patthar (5242m), at the base of Mount Everest….

After arriving in Kathmandu we fly to Lukla, the ‘Gateway of Everest’. We trek for two days taking in the wonderful mountain scenery and Sherpa culture, with stopovers at Sherpa villages of Phakding & Namche ,finally arriving at Shyangboche – the site of the World’s Highest Skydiving Adventure ‘Everest Skydive’.

At Shyangboche we board the waiting Fishtail Air’s helicopter for our heli tour and fly over the towering Himalayan giants : Ama Dablam [6856m], Thamserku [6608m], Kantega [6685m] , Lhotse [8501m], Nuptse [7879m]and enter Mount Everest’s Western Cwm – a broad, flat, gently undulating glacial valley basin terminating at the foot of the Lhotse Face.

We fly close to these Himalayan giants and enter the Western Cwm. The Western Cwm, also known as the ‘Valley of Silence,’ is traversed by climbers using the southeast route to the summit of Everest. The view of the mesmerizing Gokyo Lake from aboard the helicopter is just amazing.

We stop briefly at Kala Patthar (5,545m) – one of the finest viewpoints to view Mount Everest up close and the site of the World’s Highest Cabinet Meeting (held on December 4, 2009).

After exploring and taking pictures, we leave Kalapatthar and fly towards Kongde Ri (4200m) which has the world’s highest full service luxury resort – Yeti Mountain Home, Kongde. At the resort, we sit out enjoying the panoramic views of Himalayan mountains and celebrate the completion of our Everest adventure over champagne and a sumptuous breakfast- a fitting finale to a wonderful and memorable trip.

After our meal we take the return flight to Kathmandu. Throughout your trek you will be accommodated at Yeti Mountain Homes, a chain of high end luxury resorts. At Kathmandu your address is the serene and tranquil Gokarna Forest Resort.

(Note: At high altitude , Oxygen system will always be at hand to help you deal with mountain sickness.)

Itinerary & Price detail

Heli- Trekking in Everest Region

Is it possible to trek to Everest region and return to Kathmandu in two days? It may seem unbelievable (what with AMS & other health concerns),  but yes we have made it possible! How did we do  it? Read our trip our report on the Everest Heli-Trek that we organized for Danish clients Mr. Ole Andersen & Ms. Line Gjessoe Andersen.

The father and daughter duo Mr. Ole Andersen & Ms. Line Gjessoe Andersen, after arriving in Kathmandu, were  flown  to Lukla on 14th May 2011. From Lukla they began their two-day trek to Shyangboche.

On the way to Shyangboche

Line with guide Maya Gurung

Above Namche

Trek to Shyangboche

After reaching Shyangboche, on 16th May they boarded Fishtail Air’s AS 350 B3 helicopter and flew over the snowy and towering Mount Everest and other mountains, and the mesmerizing  Gokyo Lake, finally landing at Kalapatthar (5,545m) – one of the finest viewpoints to view Mount Everest up close and the site of the World’s Highest Cabinet Meeting (held on December 4, 2009).

Enjoying the mountain views from aboard the chopper

Himalayan Panorama – Everest Region

Gokyo Lake

Breathe easy – Oxygen systems are always at hand to help you breathe easy at high altitude

At the Base of Mount Everest – Kalapatthar(5545m)

After exploring and capturing some fantastic shots in their cameras,  the father and daughter duo were flown to Yeti Mountain Home in Kongde or Kongde Resort for breakfast.

Breakfast at the World’s Highest Luxury resort in Kongde (4250m)

Located at an elevation of 4250m, this is the highest luxury hotel in the world. From Kongde, the clients  were flown to Kathmandu. According to Mr. Ole “it was a very good and memorable trip”.

(Photos: Explore Himalaya)

On 28th October, Ncell , a private telecommunication company operating in Nepal successfully launched the highest 3G station(at 5200 m) in the world at Kala Patthar, Everest Base Camp. According to English daily ‘The Kathmandu Post’ there are seven 3G base stations in the region and the one established at the base camp is the highest 3G station in the world.
Fishtail Air carried out corporate charters from Kathmandu to Shyangboche & Gorakh Shep on 25th & 28th October 2010.The helicopters ferried equipments and high ranking staffs of Ncell including its CEO, Pasi Koistinen .
On Thursday(28th October) Mr. Pasi Koistinen, Ncell’s CEO, launched the 3G service by making a video call from Shyangboche to Kala Patthar. His call was received by Explore Himalaya’s climbing guide Namgyal Sherpa, who was stationed at Kala Patthar, at a height 5,500 meters.
Now mountaineers, trekkers as well as locals in the Everest region will be able to make use of Ncell’s 3G services.3G service allows subscribers to make video calls and surf high speed internet and also provide other services such as voice calls, SMS, CRBT and MMS.

After three days of bad weather, the sky at Shyangboche  finally cleared up today. Since early morning there was hectic activity at the drop zone as ESD crew and group members  prepared for the jumps.

Between 8 to 9 AM (local time) the PC-6 aircraft took off.

Tandem- Christopher rainier & Tom Noonan

The first lift had Christopher Rainier from Canada making a tandem jump with Tom Noonan, while Wendy Smith and Ryan Jackson jumped solo from a height of 29,500 feet.

Nick Leventis & Tom Noonan- Freefalling from 30,000 feet

The second lift saw British racing pro Nick Leventis making a record breaking tandem leap with tandem master Tom Noonan from a height of 30,000 feet:  a new Everest Skydive & WORLD record.No skydiver had ever attempted a jump from this height at this altitude.

Wendy( with her camera), jumped solo  and captured Nick & Tom’s free fall.