Helicopter Tour to Base Camp at Mount Everest from Kathmandu

On March 28, 2023March 28, 2023 By Living The Q Life Travel AdventuresIn Nepal5 Comments

One of the tours that we planned for our visit to Kathmandu was taking a helicopter tour up to the Mount Everest base camp. It was, without a doubt, not only a highlight of the trip to Nepal, but one of the most fascinating experiences that we’ve ever had the privilege to enjoy. Just the time in the helicopter as you travel from Kathmandu over the foothills and then rising ever higher into the Himalayan mountains was a spectacular experience. Then when the helicopter landed and we were able to stand on a peak overlooking base camp at a dizzying altitude of 17,500 feet and look up at the summit of Mount Everest, it was absolutely breathtaking.

Dona with Mount Everest in the Background

Flying to Base Camp

The total tour takes around 4 hours as you fly from Kathmandu to the tiny Lukla Airport where many other helicopters would also land, provisions would be taken to the various hiking camps, and we even saw one plane make the harrowing take-off from the very short runway. After a 10 minute wait at Lukla, we then continued on to the valley at Pheriche, where our group of 5 was split with 2 people continuing on to the Kalapatthar while we enjoyed amazing views of all of the surrounding peaks until the helicopter returned to drop off the other 2 people and the 3 of us were flown to the viewing point. We only had about 10 minutes at the overlook site as we hadn’t had time to acclimatize to the altitude and even after a short amount of time, we felt a little light headed as we breathed in the very thin air.

Helicopter Landing at the Base of the Mountains

After we returned to Pheriche to pick up the other 2 passengers, we continued on to the Hotel Everest where we were able to get breakfast and watch all of the hikers as they made their way up from the valley below before continuing to their campsites. We weren’t initially sure if we were going to be able to go on the tour as the high altitude helicopters only fly when the weather is good and the skies aren’t cloudy as they can’t tell when a cloud might be concealing a mountain peak. On the day that we went, the skies were clear and we had amazing views of Mount Everest. As we sat eating breakfast, however, the conditions changed and the clouds came whipping across the peaks and our tour guide quickly escorted us to our helicopter to fly us back to Kathmandu during a slight snow squall.

When we finally arrived back in Kathmandu and returned to our hotel, we had time to sit with a glass of wine and review the photographs and videos that we had taken. As with anything, as amazing as the photographs might be, there is no way to truly explain how it felt to stand there at the base of such an iconic mountain as Mount Everest and all of the other high Himalayan peaks. It will be a memory that we will truly cherish for the rest of our lives and something that we would recommend to anyone who visits Kathmandu. It isn’t an inexpensive venture, but well worth the cost for the incredible experience that it provides.

Another Video Heading to Base Camp

Helicopters Arriving at Lukla

How Time Flies – Lóndrangar and the Malariff Lighthouse on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula in Iceland

On February 9, 2023February 9, 2023 By Living The Q Life Travel AdventuresIn IcelandLeave a comment

It is hard to believe that it has been 7 years since our trip to Iceland. One of our favorite memories in Iceland was driving around the Snæfellsnes Peninsula. It was recommended to us by the staff at the hotel and it was certainly one of the highlights of our trip. The Golden Circle is certainly an absolute must, but you will be surrounded by crowds and tour buses while driving around the peninsula, at least in winter, will have you enjoying the natural beauty of the island on your own. Two of our favorite sights while driving around the peninsula was Lóndrangar, which is a pair of volcanic rocks that jut up along the coast and the Malariff Lighthouse located nearby. It is also a perfect place to see the “black beaches” of Iceland, which are beachs covered in black volcanic rocks.

Seeing the twin peaks of Lóndrangar is certainly an amazing sight and pictures don’t truly do it justice. Centuries of erosion have left these volcanic rocks looming over the edge of the coastline. The entire area is volcanic crater that has been enveloped by the ocean and now only lava rocks remain. We were fortunate to see Lóndrangar from two angles, first looking at them with the ocean sitting behind them and then later from the Malariff Lighthouse. Since we were there during the winter, the black lava rocks really stood out against the snowy landscape and glacial mountains off in the distance.

IMGP7013 — Rock Formations at Lóndrangar

dsc_0100_day3 — Lóndrangar with Ocean in the Background

Next we drove to the Malariff Lighthouse, which is truly dramatic and well worth visiting. You are able to walk all around the lighthouse, which stands as a lonely sentry to protect ships from crashing into the rocky coast. As we arrived, the cloudy skies temporarily parted to provide an amazing backdrop to the white lighthouse. It is supposed to be a great location to see different water birds and even seals, but perhaps the weather was too cold for even them during our visit.

imgp7014 — View of Lóndrangar from the Lighthouse

After walking around the lighthouse, we continued on to walk down to the shoreline and see the waves crashing against the lava lined coast. It certainly provides a sense of how powerful the ocean can be in this rugged land. It also provides evidence as to the clear need for the lighthouse when you see the waves splashing high above the rocks along the shore. Iceland is such a beautiful country and this little snippet of the coast will give you a true sense of the destructive forces that have created not only Iceland, but the world as a whole.

Affectionate Animals in the African Grasslands

On January 31, 2023January 31, 2023 By Living The Q Life Travel AdventuresIn Kenya, Tanzania3 Comments

When we went on our eleven-day safari a couple of years ago. It was great to be able to spend so much time up-close and personal with all of the various animals. One thing that quickly became apparent was that animals of all kinds showed affection to one another. Knowing that their lives were in constant threat due to different predators, the environment, and other circumstances, it is clear that the various animals relied on each other, and families were extremely close, especially the lions.

Elephants a Notoriously Affectionate Parents

It wasn’t just the mother’s affection for their offspring, but it was also the playful affection among the siblings and even that of their mates. It was a common theme amongst all of the different species of animals that saw throughout our time in the African grasslands. We have looked back at photographs from our safari many different times and the photographs showing the loving interactions amongst the animals are certainly some of our favorite memories. We were very fortunate to catch some truly adorable moments.