Air Buddha...flight over Mt Everest.

During our India/Nepal trip in 2009 we had a once in a lifetime opportunity to see the "top of the world." We were staying in Kathmandu which due to distance and the summer haze made it almost impossible to see the Himalayas. Although the surrounding local mountains in Kathmandu were beautiful we really wanted to see the world famous snow capped peaks! We discovered that a small local airline called Air Buddha offered a "mountain flight." During this hour long flight they would take you up in a small prop jet and flight you right over the Himalayas. Without hesitation we decided to do it. We took a taxi to the Local domestic airport in Kathmandu which was a small chaotic mess. Within a few minutes we were being loaded into a bus and shuttled to a small 2 engine prop jet out on the runway. We boarded the flight and the adventure began. Just flying out of Kathmandu was amazing. This is a dense and colorful city of 1.5 million people and seeing it from above was fascinating. Within 10 minutes of take-off we began to see the bright white snow capped mountains of the Himalayas. They looked almost fake as they rose above the summer haze of Nepal. Before we knew it we were flying closer and closer until eventually we were right above these incredible and majestic peaks. I personally expected MT. Everest to stick out like a sore thumb but being surrounded by so many other tall peaks it would have been easy to miss. Eventually we were told we were flying right next to Mt. Everest and at that point they allowed us to come up into the cock-pit (one by one)for a panoramic view. There is only one word to describe what we saw....BREATHTAKING. After taking our seats again we spent the rest of the flight (about 45 minutes) simply starring out the windows in awe. We flew over incredible peaks, amazing glaciers and even the Mt. Everest base camp trial. There is no feeling in the world like flying above "the worlds rooftop."