Insurance & payment
Who pays, how much, and how it works.
The uncomfortable questions, answered before you need the helicopter instead of after.
Before you trek
Three checks that take ten minutes
Helicopter evacuation must be named in the policy
Generic travel insurance often excludes it. Look for the words "emergency helicopter evacuation" or "air ambulance" in the coverage list, not just "emergency medical".
The altitude limit must cover your route
Many policies stop at 4,000 or 6,000 meters. Everest Base Camp trekkers stand at 5,364 meters and cross higher passes; Dingboche alone is 4,410 meters. A policy capped below your highest point can refuse the whole claim.
Carry the assistance line and policy number on paper
Phones die in the cold. Write your insurer's 24 hour assistance number and policy number on paper, and give a copy to your guide. Those two lines are what launch an insured flight quickly.
During an emergency
Three ways a flight gets paid
Through insurance
The desk calls your insurer's assistance company, sends the medical details and obtains a guarantee of payment. The flight launches on approval, and you receive the full document pack for the claim afterward.
Private payment
Card, bank transfer, or family arranging payment in Kathmandu. Payment or a firm payment commitment is confirmed before takeoff. [EDIT: list your accepted payment channels here.]
Nepali citizens
No insurance required. The desk coordinates directly with the family and the receiving hospital on cost, payment and admission, in Nepali, from the first call.
Costs, in the open
What an evacuation typically costs
Every mission is quoted on its own facts: pickup point, altitude, flight time, aircraft and weather standby. The ranges below reflect typical market rates for evacuations to Kathmandu or Pokhara, so you can sanity-check any quote, including ours.
| Region | Common pickups | Typical range (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Everest / Khumbu | Pheriche, Gorak Shep, EBC | 4,000 to 6,500 |
| Annapurna | ABC, Manang, Thorong La side | 2,500 to 4,000 |
| Langtang | Langtang village, Kyanjin Gompa | 2,500 to 3,500 |
| Manaslu | Samagaun, Samdo | 3,500 to 4,500 |
| Remote west & long range | Dolpo, Rara, Hilsa, Kanchenjunga | Quoted per mission |
Indicative ranges only, not a quote. Hospital treatment, oxygen and ground ambulance are billed separately. The exact figure is confirmed on the phone before launch.
After the flight
The claim pack, complete
Every mission ends with the documents an insurer asks for: the medical report, the flight report with route and timings, the itemized invoice and payment receipt. If the assistance company needs anything clarified, the desk answers directly so the claim does not stall on the patient.
A necessary word
Evacuation is for emergencies
Nepal's rescue system has been damaged in the past by staged and unnecessary evacuations. That hurts patients, raises premiums and makes insurers slower to approve genuine cases. Our position is simple: flights launch for medical need, confirmed with the guide and the patient, and every invoice is itemized. If a helicopter is not the right answer, the coordinator will say so and help you find the option that is.
Unsure about your policy?
Send the desk your policy's coverage page before your trek. It costs nothing to check.