Helicopter Joy Ride in India

Plan to reach the helipad well before your slot; the operator will tell you the reporting time when the booking is confirmed. Bring a photo ID for every passenger, because names are checked against the booking before anyone flies.

At check-in each passenger is weighed. The weights decide how the seats are arranged, since the load has to be balanced, so the crew, not the group, chooses who sits where. Loose items such as caps, scarves and selfie sticks may need to be put away.

Before boarding the crew gives a short safety briefing: how to walk to and from the helicopter, always in view of the pilot and never towards the tail, how to fasten the seat belt and what to do if asked. Then you board, the doors close, and the flight takes 10 to 30 minutes depending on what you booked. You land back at the same helipad and are walked clear of the helicopter before the next group goes out.

A short scenic flight suits most families: grandparents who cannot walk the hills, children seeing the mountains from above for the first time, or a couple marking a special day. Because the flight starts and ends at one helipad, there is no long journey on the day.

Some passengers should ask before booking. That includes infants and young children, older passengers, anyone who is pregnant, and anyone with a heart, breathing, back or other medical condition, or who has had recent surgery. Each operator sets its own rules, so mention it in your enquiry and we will check with the operator; if in doubt, ask your doctor too. Telling us early is always better than finding out at the helipad.

There is no single fixed price, because each flight is put together for you. The main things that decide the quote are:

• Flying minutes. A 10 minute circuit costs less than a 30 minute one, as you pay for time in the air.
• Seats filled. The helicopter seats five or six; when the whole group flies together, the cost is shared across more people.
• Positioning. If the helicopter has to fly from its base to your chosen location and back, that flying is part of the price.
• Landing permissions. Flying from somewhere other than an established helipad needs permission, which takes time and may add cost.
• Your dates. Availability depends on which operators have a helicopter free on the day.

Send your location, date, group size and the flight time you want, and we will come back with a written quote that says what is included.

Dehradun is the usual starting point, as it is the base for most helicopter flying in the state. Elsewhere a ride needs a helipad or an approved landing site and the district's permission, so every place below is on enquiry, and we tell you honestly if it cannot be done.

• Dehradun. The Doon valley, the Shivalik hills and the Mussoorie ridge, from the helipads at Sahastradhara and Jolly Grant. See helicopter service in Dehradun.
• Mussoorie. The Himalayan air safari: on a clear day the snow peaks of the Garhwal to the north and the Doon valley below. See Mussoorie joy ride and air safari.
• Rishikesh. The Ganga leaving the hills, the ashrams and bridges along the river and the forested ridges around them. See Rishikesh helicopter joy ride.
• Haridwar. The ghats and the Ganga canal from above; during the Haridwar Kumbh 2027, see Kumbh Mela helicopter joy ride.
• Tehri. The long blue lake of New Tehri between the hills, on enquiry and subject to permission near the dam.
• Nainital. Naini Lake, Bhimtal, Naukuchiatal and Sattal from the Naukuchiatal helipad, with the Kumaon Himalaya on a clear day. See Nainital helicopter joy ride.
• Auli. The Himalaya darshan flight from the Ravigram helipad at Joshimath, with Nanda Devi, Kamet and Dunagiri close up. See Auli helicopter ride, and heli skiing for skiing from a helicopter.
• Almora, Bageshwar, Pithoragarh and Munsiyari. Reached by scheduled helicopter services from Haldwani; scenic flights in the Kumaon hills on enquiry.

A helicopter ride from a city outside Uttarakhand is possible by enquiry too, where an operator can fly there and the permissions can be arranged. See helicopter service in Uttarakhand for the wider picture.

• The operator. Ask which operator will fly you; every joy ride is flown by a permit-holding operator, not by us.
• A written quote. It should state the flight time, the number of seats, the date and slot, and what is and is not included.
• Weather and refunds. Flights run in daylight and fair weather only, and the pilot has the final say. Ask what happens if the flight is moved or cancelled for weather, and what the refund policy is.
• Weight limits. Share each passenger's weight in advance and ask whether any limit applies.
• ID. Check which photo ID each passenger must carry.

A short flight makes a lovely surprise, and a little planning keeps it one. Book early and keep a spare date in mind, since weather can move the flight. Share the weights of both passengers, even if one of them does not know yet, so the seating works on the day.

Tell us the occasion in your enquiry. If you want the moment photographed, mention it so the timing can be planned, and think about where you will say the words: many people choose the view in the air, others wait until they land. For bigger celebrations, see our helicopter for wedding service, or flower showering by helicopter for an entrance from the sky.