A half-hour early morning drive from the city center to Danda Gaun in the Shivapuri Hills—the northern fringe of Kathmandu—followed by a 15-minute flight 4,380 meters above sea level takes you to Gosainkunda, a heavenly abode of Hindu Gods and one of the most visited tourist destinations in Nepal. Located in the lap of the Himala­yas, the pristine lake of Gosainkunda in Rasuwa district is a Ramsar site. It takes a round-trip of 7 to 8 days to trek up to the lake. But walking 7-8 hours every day in high altitude is not for everyone, especially not for the elderly, the physically-chal­lenged and pilgrims who value the site more than the journey.

But private airline companies have cut short the Gosainkunda trip and made the exhilarating experience of a helicopter ride affordable for many Nepalis. For just Rs 20,000 ($200) per person, one can take a half-day leave and travel to one of the highest lakes in the world, which remains frozen for nearly six months every year.

With the chopper service, the sacred lake has been made accessible to children, retired government employees, working professionals, tourists on short visits and people from all walks of lives—you meet them all up there.

Following the 15-minute flight, visitors get half an hour to marvel at the beauty of the place. They are accompanied by a crew of profes­sionals, including a doctor, who ensure that the whole trip is both safe and comfortable. They also give pilgrims a rare opportunity to be close to the Gods.