Annapurna Base Camp Trek and fly back by Helicopter Tour or ABC Helicopter Trek is alternative trekking of the Annapurna Base Camp Trek. All trekkers might not have 2 weeks' time for the trekking so, these trekking packages significantly reduced the trekking time period. Peregrine Treks and Tours make a customized itinerary as per the trekker’s requirements. Also, we do not charge a single supplement charge with clients even there is only one person on the trek. Annapurna Base Camp Helicopter Trek is the popular trekking tour package amount the trekkers.

Highlights of Annapurna Base Camp Helicopter Trekking Tour

• Annapurna Base Camp Trek via Poon Hill or direct
• Fly back to Pokhara by helicopter which saves at least 3 days time
• Panoramic Mountain view from Annapurna Base Camp, Poon Hill and during the trek
• Terrace farming land, Gurung and Thakali ethnic community
• Spectacular view of Mount Annapurna I, II, IV, South, Mount Fishtail, Dhaulagiri Range, Manaslu, and many trekking peaks

The Annapurna Base Camp Trek is popular trekking in the world and thrilling helicopter rides make this trekking more adventurous. The trekkers can see the mountain views as well as the ethnic group settlement from the landscape view via trek and bird's eye view from trekking. The Annapurna Base Camp Helicopter trekking tour offers you the awe-inspiring views of colossal peaks from different sight that you have never explored. Possibly the most naturally gorgeous and floral rich area of Nepal –Annapurna Region is blessed with coruscating of the Himalayas of Annapurna Range enhanced marvelously with the region’s astonishing landscapes.

We will start this Annapurna Base Camp Trekking tour from Kathmandu by bus or scenic flight to Pokhara. During this trek, we cross the eye-catching lush and green forest of the Rhododendron, pine oaks, and legendry Gurung villages. Poon Hill – famous vantage point for exciting sunrise and sunset is another attraction of this trek. You can see the Annapurna massif panoramic view, mount Dhaulagiri, Mount Manaslu, and many small peaks.

Get pleasure from the natural charisma of distant gigantic mountain peaks making a manifestation while trekking on the trail to ABC and be the very center of the relaxing environment filled with charming sights and paradise-like magnificence. During this trek to Annapurna Base Camp, we will enjoy the city of paradise Pokhara. The Pokhara city is situated in the lap of the Phewa Lake and from here we can see the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri Himalayan range and Peace Stupa. 

During this trek, we can do sightseeing in Pokhara and Kathmandu. In Pokhara, we will visit Gupteshwor Cave, Davi’s fall, boating in Phewa Lake, suspension bridge, International mountain museum and many more. Similarly, in Kathmandu, we will sightsee in Pashupatinath temple, Boudhanath Stupa, Swayambhunath Stupa, Kathmandu Durbar Square, Patan Durbar Square, and other destinations.

Annapurna base camp helicopter tour flight from Pokhara

If you are unable for the trek because of any reason, you can take a direct helicopter flight from Pokhara. This is a 1-hour tour (15 minutes to go there, 15 minutes to return back and half an hour free time at Annapurna Base Camp.

Annapurna Helicopter tour cost

The Annapurna Helicopter Tour cost is based on the traveler’s requirement. It would be better to take the full Package with us. Please write an email at info@peregrinetreks.com for the detailed Annapurna Helicopter Tour Cost.

Helicopter ride in Pokhara price

Helicopter ride in Pokhara price starts from USD 350 per person. This includes land transfers to Pokhara airport from your Pokhara hotel and a one-hour helicopter ride. We will provide a group discount too for this tour. It would be better if you email us at info@peregrinetreks.com

Annapurna base camp trek 5 days

From Pokhara, you can complete Annapurna Base Camp trek 5 days by using the helicopter to return back. We will provide a customized itinerary for this Annapurna Base Camp trek 5 days trekking tour.

Annapurna base camp helicopter tour cost

Annapurna Base Camp Helicopter Tour cost depends on the number of the participants on the group, service level like accommodation standard, meal plan, trekking support staff. Please write an email at info@peregrinetreks.com for the Annapurna Base Camp Helicopter tour cost.

Annapurna base camp helicopter tour from Kathmandu

Annapurna Base Camp Helicopter tour from Kathmandu will be slightly costly because of the helicopter from Kathmandu. It would be better to take a regular flight from Kathmandu to Pokhara and a helicopter ride to ABC and fly back to Kathmandu from Pokhara on the regular flight.

Annapurna base camp helicopter landing tour

Annapurna Base Camp Helicopter landing tour is a helicopter tour from Pokhara to the base camp of Annapurna. This is a private tour and needs at least 4 people at one group and cost is USD 1300 per flight from Pokhara and USD 4500 per flight from Kathmandu.

Asperfell - Mark Smith;Jamie Thomas

***I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you NetGalley and Uproar Books!***

I wanted to like this book. I really really wanted to like this book. It is exactly the type of book that I normally enjoy. A young, spunky female lead character. Magic. Society that seems to be based on a Victorian standard. Mysteries. Prisons. Other planes of existence. But I just couldn’t like it.

The writing is very good and thus why I gave this a two star rating over a one star. The dialogue is engaging, the plot moves at a fairly good pace, and the narrative flows beautifully. The first half of the book seemed a bit on the slow side while the second half was very rushed but that is my only complaint about the writing.

WARNING: From this point on there will be lots of spoilers, consider yourself warned.

This book has never met a young adult trope that it didn’t like….and utilize…..frequently. Let me preface where my opinion is coming from on this novel. The very first sentence, before I even hit the first chapter is that the author wants to “smash the patriarchy one novel at a time!”. Now, I will also explain that I am rather tired of reading militantly feminist literature, it seems to be everywhere these days. Normally I can overlook an author’s personal views or opinions about the book and just take the book for the story it presents. But not when that’s what you open with. The very first thing you told me about your story is that it’s smashing patriarchy with its strong female characters so you need to live up to that. You have now infused that idea into your novel and need to deliver.

This did not deliver. Instead I got the same old tired tropes of the young adult genre that feminist readers complain about constantly. How exactly are you smashing patriarchy? By presenting me tropes that I’ve been reading since I was 13 years old?

Briony is just like every young adult female lead character. She is spunky, sassy, strong willed, and bucks the patriarchal system that she was born into. Her older sister is the perfect lady of the court. This isn’t a new dynamic and it can be a good one when used correctly. I didn’t actually mind this because it set up Briony as a character who is questing to be knowledgeable. Knowledge and wisdom will be her weapon in the fight against what society has said her place is. That’s all well and good.

My problems start when Briony gets to Asperfell. Naturally she instantly dislikes Prince Elyan. He is dour, brooding, and wants nothing to do with her and largely he is exactly what one expects from the young adult male lead. I assumed Briony would be on a mission to find the answer to take him home whether he protested or not. But…..she doesn’t. Within the space of a chapter she seems to have completely forgotten about her mission and just goes along with working in the gardens and learning magic all while throwing a glare at Elyan when he deigns to make an appearance. He, of course, is primarily there to ridicule her efforts before disappearing again.

It wasn’t until about the last forty pages that Briony suddenly remembers that she is supposed to be getting Elyan back to their homeland. And only because someone whacked her across the head with the information that would lead her to that goal. She was far too busy trading gossip, learning magic, gardening, and making sarcastic remarks at Elyan to actually discover the answer on her own.

Another trope, instalove. Authors think that they are avoiding this if their characters start off hating each other. But Briony and Elyan go from coldly tolerating each other to gazing at each other affectionately literally in the space of a single dance. So not quite instalove but maybe 3 1/2 minute love? Microwave love? Be sure to wait for the ding!

Briony was also revealed to not be that strong or much of a feminist either. The most offensive example of this is when another character attempts to sexually assault her. Okay, we kind of have to assume that’s what he’s doing because it doesn’t get very far but I’m fairly confident that’s where this was headed. Briony courageously defends herself. She fights off her attacker and escapes to safety before the situation escalates into anything much worse. I was cheering for her! I was so proud of her for reacting in her own defense so decisively and swiftly. But then she decides to have a whole inner monologue about how she feels shame about the situation. Why exactly? Surely you would be feeling scared but also proud of yourself? She even says to herself that she has nothing to feel ashamed about…..but then concludes that thought with “but I do” and moves on. Is this really an example of a strong woman? Feeling shame about something that you recognize should not be causing you shame and during which you admirably protected yourself? I was highly disappointed.

Next we have the other young adult trope that I despise so much. Briony does something very stupid and reckless. She recognizes internally that it was reckless and stupid. But when Elyan points out that it was reckless and stupid then she yells at him about it. Because, how dare he think that he can control her! He doesn’t own her! She can do what she likes without him! Does anyone actually think that this is the makings of a strong woman? Actual thoughts that she had. No one was trying to control her or prevent her from doing anything on her own. She made a reckless and foolish decision, but because a male confronts her about it then he’s controlling. Then later he, naturally, apologizes for daring to question her reckless, foolish behavior because he was just so scared of losing her. And she gets to walk away feeling smug. Strong women rejoice! Patriarchy smashed!

Finally, the ending. We spent a very long time getting to Asperfell. We spent an equally long time gardening and learning magic in Asperfell. That left about 60 pages for the conclusion. I thought the conclusion was supposed to be the rescue of Elyan from Asperfell and delivering him back home. Except that didn’t happen. The book ends with them in the woods. On their way to a potential way to get home, but they aren’t actually sure it will work yet. And of course, it ends with a kiss. Frankly, it left me wondering what exactly the point was? We couldn’t spare another 30 pages to actually get back to Tiralaen? And then end it once they have successfully left Asperfell? I recognize that we’re setting up a sequel here, but the sequel works just as well starting with the moments after they escape Asperfell as the moments before.

Overall, this story reminded me of every single bad young adult novel I’ve ever read. Exactly the same characters. Exactly the same plot devices. Exactly the same tropes.

On June 26th, 2015, love won when SCOTUS announced that same-sex marriage ought to be legal, and thus made it the law of the land. In the United States, finally, FINALLY, LGBTQ men and women were allowed to marry their partners. Many of them had been waiting for years, such as George and Jack in Dallas, TX, who married after 56 years of being together.

Let that sink in for a moment.... 56 years, they waited for their love to culminate in I-Dos, something that het couples take for granted. Het couples like Brittany Spears and whats-his-name who got married on a lark in Vegas with an annulment 55 hours later, couples like Kim Kardashian and whatever-his-name who filed for divorce a mere 72 days after their big fancy wedding. Sanctity of matrimony?

When the news broke this time last year, I cried buckets of tears, out of happiness for my friends who were now finally granted the same rights I've always had - to marry the person they loved. I watched the many proposals, ceremonies, and rejoiced with all of them in the face of their happiness.

I raged with them when the likes of Kim Davis (herself married 4 times) and that despicable Judge Roy Moore decided that they didn't have to follow the law and refused to issue licenses. And fought to have the right of bigotry. And lost.

So, here we are, one year later, and the world hasn't ended, and our globe is still turning, and yet, the LGBTQ community is still being persecuted, hated on, with many of them in danger of losing jobs or denied housing because full protection against discrimination still doesn't exist for them in many states. Still fearful to come out, still being murdered simply for who they are and who they love.

But that's not what this book is about. No, this book celebrates four (mostly) fictional relationships, all written by four gay married men, who all bring a unique perspective to their stories, but who all celebrate love as it should be celebrated.

Flames by J. Scott Coatsworth:

Alex and Gio have been living together for a while. They're in love, but Gio wants to get married, and Alex doesn't. After a massive fight, Alex runs off to cool his heels.

When a fire nearly takes Gio from him, Alex must confront the fact that as his boyfriend, he has no legal standing, and Gio's mother has him removed from Gio's hospital room.

This was actually a difficult story to read. We see Gio's struggle to come out of his coma, while he remembers certain things from their relationship, and we see Alex's bitter regrets and fears.

There were tears I'm not ashamed of, and I'm happy to report that they do get their happy ending - this is a romance after all.

This was a very engaging story that clearly shows how desperately LGBTQ couples needed this ruling, to obtain the legal rights to care for their partners.


Jeordi and Tom - Michael Murphy:

Tom and Jeordi live together openly in the rural South, where gay men are still spit upon, and where families tend to want to pray the gay away.

Jeordi's parents are like that - always trying to steer him away from his "sinful lifestyle", and even going so far as to stage an intervention.

None of that goes over well, of course, and it only serves to fuse Tom and Jeordi closer together.

A car accident sends Jeordi to the hospital where his mother, aided by the rest of the family, tries to keep Tom away. They're not married, you see, and Tom has no rights. Just reading about it made me so angry!!

But Jeordi knows what his family is capable of, and he ain't having it!!! I cheered when he read his mother the riot act - good for him!

Damn bigots!

But there's sweetness too, especially when we get to see the couple on their own and get a glimpse into their strong relationship. They stick up for each other, and they just fit each other.

There's even more bigotry toward them when the author reminds us that in rural Kentucky the Clerk of Court doesn't seem to think she has to do her job and can invoke her religion to deny them a marriage license. I had RAAAAAAGE again!

But Jeordi is not deterred in the least and takes Tom on a magical flight to Washington, DC, where with the help of a sweet gay couple, they get the wedding they've wanted.

I really enjoyed reading that part of the story and was happy for them.


Destined - Jamie Fessenden:

Jay and Wallace first meet at an LGBTQ group, but quickly forget about each other. Until they meet again, but Jay's not single... until he is, and they embark on a relationship. The author tells us that this is basically the story of him and his husband, and I was fascinated to read it.

It's a sweet story, despite the many setbacks the two men encounter, and it was ever so lovely to read about them. Very enjoyable, and I felt incredibly close to them both, especially considering what I know of Jamie and his husband Erich via Facebook.

Very well written and engaging.


Someday - B.G. Thomas:

Lucas meets Dalton on the first day of Kindergarten, and it's love at first sight. He tells his mother that he's gonna marry that boy some day, and is not deterred when his mother tells him that boys can't marry boys. Lucas will find a way.

Their teenage years aren't easy, especially since Dalton's family is very conservative, but eventually Dalton, who by that point has also fallen hard for Lucas, stands up for himself and his boyfriend.

Still, marriage isn't possible, not where they live, and a commitment ceremony isn't what Dalton wants. This causes some discord between them, but Lucas keeps waiting anyway.

Until the day comes, that sweet day when they can get legally married after waiting so many years.

A beautiful story.

****

All four stories in this anthology are worth reading, my friends. I'm happy I did.

Recommended.


** I received a free copy of this book from one of the authors. A positive review was not promised in return. **