Helicopter Rescue Insurance: Why Every Trekker Needs It

If you get sick or injured at altitude in Nepal, walking out is often not an option. Helicopter rescue is the only way — and at USD 2000-5000, it’s prohibitively expensive without insurance.

Why You Need It

Every year, hundreds of trekkers require helicopter rescue from the Everest, Annapurna, and Manaslu regions. The most common causes: altitude sickness (60%), gastrointestinal illness (15%), injuries (15%), and other medical issues (10%). A rescue from Gorak Shep to Kathmandu costs USD 3500-5000. Without insurance, you pay this out of pocket — or the helicopter doesn’t come.

What to Buy

Your regular health insurance almost certainly does not cover helicopter rescue in Nepal. You need dedicated trekking insurance that specifically covers:

• Helicopter rescue at altitudes up to 6000m (or 7000m for trekking peaks).
• Medical evacuation to your home country.
• Trip cancellation and interruption.
• Lost or stolen gear.

Recommended Providers

World Nomads: Popular with trekkers. Covers treks up to 4500m on the Standard plan, 6000m on the Explorer plan.

IMG Patriot Travel: Covers up to 4500m. Affordable.

Global Rescue: Premium provider. Covers security and medical evacuation worldwide. No altitude limit.

British Mountaineering Council (BMC) Insurance: For UK residents. Covers all trekking and climbing up to 7000m.

American Alpine Club: For US residents. Includes $5,000 rescue benefit with membership.

How to Call for Rescue

If you or a trekker in your group needs evacuation:

1. Note your exact location (GPS coordinates if possible).
2. Call your insurance company’s 24-hour emergency line.
3. Call a Kathmandu rescue operator (we recommend Fishtail Air or Simrik Air).
4. Send someone to the nearest village with cell reception if you have no signal.
5. Mark your location with a brightly-colored item visible from the air.

Carry a printed copy of your insurance policy, including the 24-hour emergency number and your policy number. Many tea houses have WiFi or satellite phones for emergencies.

Satellite Messenger

For remote treks (Dolpo, Kanchenjunga, Upper Mustang), carry a satellite messenger like the Garmin inReach Mini 2. It lets you trigger SOS from anywhere with a clear view of the sky. We rent these for USD 4/day.