Dodham By Helicopter - Same Day Tour

• VIP Darshans are subject to the orders issued by the temple authorities and State government.

• In view of our helicopters’ weight carrying capacity, Himalayan Heli reserves the right to shuffle passengers between helicopters to manage the right weight for safe flying in the hills. Therefore, passengers travelling together may not be accommodated in the same helicopter flight.

• FIXED FLIGHT TIMINGS: This is a Daily Fixed Departure Helicopter tour, and departure timings of each destination is fixed. Therefore, passengers must ensure they report as per the scheduled ETDs. However, Himalayan Heli reserves the right to change/postpone the timings of flying one day prior, subject to weather/force majeure reasons.

• Reporting time will be confirmed by our Dehradun team, in the evening one day prior to the tour.

• Passengers must submit their correct weights at the time of booking.Submitting incorrect weights may lead to passengers being debarred from boarding without any refunds.

• BAGGAGE ALLOWANCE: Only one baggage weighing a maximum of 5 kgs is allowed per passenger. It Is not permitted to carry suitcases or big travel bags in the helicopter. The 5 kg baggage limit must be maintained throughout the journey, and luggage weight would be checked at both the Dhams. In case of excess baggage weight, a penalty of INR 500 per kg will be applied, and baggage will only be loaded subject to the aircraft's weight carrying capacity. If the excess baggage exceeds permissible limits, it will be offloaded and not transported further.
Passengers are advised to pack thoughtfully to avoid any inconvenience.

• Kedarnath shuttle service: Passengers will be ferried to Kedarnath ji in a shuttle services flight. And it is likely that passengers travelling together may not be accommodated in a same flight.

• Any sudden increase in taxes/levy by the State Government or the temple authorities, will be borne by the passengers.

• If online yatra registration will be compulsory, then passengers will have to do the same prior to travel. In cases where the booking is made through a travel agency, the agency will be responsible for completing the online registration on behalf of the passengers.

• Comfortable clothing such as tracksuits or Kurtas are advised on the tour. As for shoes, one should carry sports or trekking shoes.

• Himalayan Heli has its own crew at both the Dhams. For assistance, they will be with the passengers always.

• Infants below 2 years (Max 12 kg weight) are accommodated free of charge. For verification of age the child, ID proof/birth certificate of the child will be checked.

• In case an infant is on board, the weight of the infant will reduce the total permissible weight of that respective group.

• Any donations, tips, pitthu, extra porter charges shall be borne by the passengers.

• Network connectivity at Badrinath is poor. BSNL & Jio are the main telecom services, that work in these regions mostly.

• TEMPLE TIMINGS: The opening and closing timings of the Dham’s often change every season. Our team carefully plans and schedules the flights for each group in accordance with the temple timings to ensure a smooth and well-coordinated pilgrimage experience.

• Both the temples are located at a high altitude, therefore passengers are advised to carry medication after consulting their doctor before travelling. Also, they are advised to carry warm clothing with them, because during evenings & nights, the temperature can drop drastically.

• For the senior citizens and people with medical issues are hereby advised to kindly consult a doctor and get medical check-up done before commencing the yatra. Medical check-up is mainly required if a passenger has any medical ailment.

Our team can arrange any extra inclusion that you may want on your tour, such as:

Air tickets, Haridwar or Rishikesh visit, hotel bookings for extra night halt, Special pujas, etc.

CONFIRMATION AGAINST THE ADD-ON SERVICES MUST BE GIVEN IN ADVANCE.

• Passengers have to mandatorily follow the government prescribed measures in regards to COVID-19.

• Passengers will be provided PPE gowns/kits, masks & sanitizers by our crew before boarding their respective flights.

• Passengers should ensure social distancing with other pilgrims at the time of darshan.

• Wearing a mask is compulsory to board the helicopter and must be worn at all times.

• Post-flight our helicopters are sanitized and fumigated for the safe flying of our passengers.

• Flying in hills is subject to weather conditions. And in regard to our Dodham operations, we would like to bring to your kind attention that flight cancellations & other inconveniences due to weather are very much likely since weather is extremely unpredictable in the hills.

• Passengers should come prepared to face the eventualities which can arise by bad weather/force majeure problems.

• Force Majeure situations include cases of bad weather, low visibility for flying, delayed Air Traffic Clearances/Permissions, VVIP movements, valley flying by Indian Air Force (NOTAM), sudden occurrence of technical snag in aircraft, illness of flying crew or late reporting of the guests at the helipads, among others.

• Further please note, in case of bad weather/force majeure situation, we will operate as per our policies mentioned in the ‘Terms & Conditions’ & ‘Important Guidelines & Policies’ sections.

We operate Airbus AS350 B3 single engine helicopters. This helicopter is known for its high-altitude performance. The helicopter can seat a total of 6 passengers, maximum total weight permissible is 450 kgs

Only one handbag weighing a maximum of 5 kgs is allowed per passenger.

Q.1: How is the weather going to be?
Ans: Please refer to Weather & What to Wear section.

Q.2: What kind of clothing should I bring?
Ans: Please refer to Weather & What to Wear section.

Q.3: What sort of meal is served on our tour?
Ans: Pure Vegetarian food is served to all our pilgrims without onion and garlic. One meal is included in our Dodham Heli-tour.

Q.4: Which telephone networks work?
Ans: Kedarnath: BSNL
Badrinath: BSNL

In case your networks do not work, you can always reach out to our crew for any help or assistance regarding the same.

Q.5: Will there be a guide with us through out the Yatra?
Ans: HHSPL crew will be present at each Dham to assist you for all your needs.

Q.6: When should we reach Dehradun to start our Dodham Yatra?
Ans: Guests are advised to reach Dehradun one day prior to their Dodham tour date, so that they can report timely on the morning of their trip.

Q.7: Will children be charged the same for the Dodham Yatra, or do they have any concessions?
Ans: Children below the age of 2 years travel free of charge. For children 2 or above, full charges are applicable.

Q.8: Are we supposed to pay for the darshans at the temple?
Ans: VIP darshans at both the shrines are arranged by Himalayan Heli. However, special pujas are not included in our tour. The same can be arranged on request.

Q.9: Do we need to bring any compulsory medical certificate before the commencement of our Dodham tour?
Ans: No compulsory health certificates are required for Dodham Heli-Tour passengers.

Q.10: Are there chances of High-Altitude sickness at any of the Do Dham destinations?
Ans: Kedarnath and Badrinath Dham are at very high altitude, 10,000+ ft. Therefore, passengers are advised to be very cautious of strenuous activities there.

Q.11: When is the Dodham tour available?
Ans: The opening date of Kedarnath ji is announced every year on the day of Maha Shivratri, and opening date of Badrinath ji is announced on the day of Basant Panchmi.

Based on the opening dates, our Dodham tours generally commence in the month of May, and are operational from May-June (pre-monsoon season) & September-October (post-monsoon season).

Both dhams are situated between 10500 ft – 11500 ft. Kedarnath Dham being the highest at 11500 ft. Since your Do Dham yatra is only for one day, the body cannot get enough time to acclimatize therefore it is advisable to go slow and always catch your breath.

For your information if anyone exerts themselves too much too quickly, one of the common risks for the yatris is the development of acute mountain sickness (AMS). AMS, which affects the brain and lungs. Following are some common high altitude ailments and their symptoms.


( 1 ) Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS): AMS is the most common form of mountain sickness and may occur after you ascend to altitudes above 2500 m.
Symptoms: Breathing problems, headache, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, weakness, dizziness and difficulty in sleeping.

( 2 ) High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE): HACE is a severe form of AMS and occurs due to swelling of the brain tissue which may eventually impair the brain. The illness often manifests itself at night and may result in coma/ death within hours.
Symptoms: Breathing problems, headache, fatigue, visual impairment, bladder dysfunction, bowel dysfunction, disorientation and partial paralysis.

( 3 ) High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE): HAPE results in respiratory failure due to accumulation of fluid in the lungs. HAPE manifests itself at night (typically the second night of climbing in high altitude areas), progresses rapidly and may lead to fatality within hours.
Symptoms: Shortness of breath even when resting, persistent dry cough, bright red stained sputum, weakness, fatigue, drowsiness, chest tightness, congestion and increased heart rate. Younger people are held to be more susceptible to this ailment as, in exuberance, they are inclined to over exert while trekking.

Do’s

• Take Palkis/Horses instead of trekking to avoid high altitude sickness.

• Take short breaks to catch your breath when tired.

• Notice any symptoms such as extreme tiredness, headache, nausea, loss of appetite or vomiting.

• Saree is NOT a suitable dress for the Yatra. Salwar Kameez, pant-shirt or a track suit will be better. Ladies who are more than 6 week pregnant shall not be allowed to undertake the pilgrimage.

• Keep spare clothes and eatables in a suitable water proof bag.

• Carry some cold cream/Vaseline/sunscreen to protect your hands /face against sunburn etc.

• Keep in your pocket your identity card with emergency contact number, incase of an emergency.

Don’ts

• Don’t exert yourself too much and go out of breath.

• Don’t ignore any symptoms such as extreme tiredness, headache, nausea, loss of appetite or vomiting.

• Don’t stop at places which are marked by warning notices.

• Don’t use slippers. Only wear trekking / sports shoes with laces.

• Don’t attempt any short cuts on the route as doing so would be dangerous.

• Don’t trek alone. Always stay together as a group. Your mobile network may not work.

PRE-MONSOON SEASON
• In the summer months of May –June, weather remains sunny during the day & approx. 20-30 degrees at night – which is very pleasant.
• Comfortable summer leisure wear should be carried during the May-June season.

POST-MONSOON SEASON
• During Sep-Oct, temperatures remain pleasant during the day. However, they drop to around 10-20 degrees at night.
• We provide disposable raincoats to our passengers in case of rain.
• At Kedarnath & Badrinath, temperatures may suddenly fall below 10 degrees at night. Therefore, it is advisable to carry clothes for cold weather during these months.

• COVID TRAVEL GUIDELINES
COVID protocols must be adhered by the passengers as per the effective mandate of the government. Without adhering to the government guidelines, boarding shall be denied to the passengers without refund.

• SEATING CAPACITY
The seating capacity of our helicopter is 06 passengers.

• HELICOPTER WEIGHT LIMITATION
Maximum weight capacity of the helicopter is 450 kg (excluding baggage weight). Passengers are taken on board depending up on the load and temperature conditions, and the Pilots call will be final. Hence, passengers are required to provide us their exact weights at the time of booking.
Exceedance of helicopter weight carrying capacity, will result in passengers getting deboarded & cancelled for the Heli-tour without any refund.

• OVERWEIGHT CHARGES
Overweight charges are applicable @ INR 1,500/kg. This will be chargeable to passengers weighing above 75 kg. But excess weight will only be calculated on the total excess weight above the total permissible weight of all the group members combined, i.e., permissible weight = 75 Kg x (No. of pax).

• PENALTY ON SUBMISSION OF INCORRECT WEIGHT
If a discrepancy is found in a passenger's declared weight at the time of weighing, a penalty of INR 20,000 will be imposed, along with overweight charges as per the overweight criteria. Passengers will be accepted onboard, subject to the aircraft's permissible weight carrying capacity. Passengers are strictly advised to provide accurate weight details to avoid this penalty.
Please Note: While submitting the body weights, please keep in view that you submit your final weight on the higher side, after adding extra weight of your clothes and shoes.

• Depending up on weather/force majeure conditions, Himalayan Heli might cover the Dhams interchangeably. And breakfast/lunch can be arranged at either of the Dhams or Dehradun, depending up on the time of departure from Sahastradhara.

• We advise our passengers to keep one additional day at hand at Dehradun, to avoid inconvenience in case passengers get stuck at any of the destinations due to bad weather or force majeure scenarios. Passengers have to pay directly at the hotel, in case extra accommodation needs to be arranged due to such scenarios.

• BAD WEATHER & FORCE MAJEURE DISCLAIMER
Flying in hills is subject to bad weather, and many Force Majeure factors like delayed Air Traffic Clearances/Permissions, VVIP movements, valley flying by Indian Air Force (NOTAM), sudden occurrence of technical snag in aircraft, illness of flying crew or late reporting of the passengers at the helipads, among others. Therefore, passengers must be prepared to face any eventuality and inconvenience in case of such scenarios.

• AADHAR Card copies are to be shared by all Indian passengers, & passport in case of foreign nationals.

• MEDICAL EMERGENCIES
Himalayan Heli will not be liable for any medical emergency on the ground to the passengers. Therefore, in your own interest, passengers are hereby advised to kindly consult a doctor and get medical check-up done before commencing the yatra. Medical check-up is mainly required if a passenger has any medical ailment or condition. If Medical evacuation by Helicopter is needed, it will be chargeable @ INR 1,30,000/ Hr + UCADA royalty & landing charges + GST.

• CARRIAGE BY AIR ACT, 1972
The carriage is subject to Himalayan Heli Services regulations relating to the conditions of Non-International Carriage (Passenger and Baggage) framed in accordance with The Carriage by Air Act, 1972 and Notification regarding application of the carriage which is non-international. The liability of the company for damage sustained in the event of the death or wounding of a passenger or any other bodily injury suffered by passenger or by his registered baggage during the course of carriage by air will be governed by the provisions of sections 4,5,6 and the rules contained in the second Schedule of Carriage by Air Act 1972 with certain exceptions, adaptations, modifications, etc as notified in the Govt. of India, Ministry of Civil Aviation Notification and as amended from time to time.

• Himalayan Heli reserves the right to cancel passengers, who are unruly, abusive, intoxicated, sick, mentally unfit or anyone else whom we deem to be unsafe to fly. No refund shall be done to such passenger(s).

• Our Heli-Tours are not available for the following VIP’s:
- Speaker Lok Sabha
- Dy. Chairperson Rajya Sabha
- Central Ministers of Cabinet Rank
- C J I Supreme Court
- Governors of State
- Chief Ministers of State
- State Ministers of Cabinet Rank
- SPG Protectees – Z category only.

• RESCHEDULING OF BOOKING
Rescheduling your booking to any future or prior travel date will be done subject to availability and on payment of 10% of the total tour cost. This will be permitted only if informed at least 28 days before the arrival date. In case rescheduling is requested less than 14 days prior to the travel date, then the booking would be treated as cancelled, & and a fresh booking will be given subject to availability, after the levy of applicable cancellation charges.

• PAYMENT TERMS
o We accept payments via bank transfers, cheques, cash, UPI and card machine.
o The booking is to be done in advance with a deposit of 50% of the total amount. Balance payment will be taken 14 days prior to the date of arrival at Dehradun.
o Passengers will not be permitted to board or commence the tour, unless full & final payment of the tour has been done.
o Payments via credit/debit card machine will incur 3.5% extra charges.
o Payment via American Express / Foreign cards will incur 4.5% extra charges.

• CANCELLATIONS POLICY:
If passengers cancel their booking prior or after commencement of tour, following cancellation charges will be applicable -

o More than 28 days prior to travel date	: 30% of total tour cost.
o Between 15 to 28 days prior to travel date	: 50% of total tour cost.
o 14 - 08 days prior to travel date	: 75% of total tour cost.
o 07 or less days prior to travel date	: No Refund.
o No show	: No Refund.
o After commencement of tour	: No Refund.

• FORCE MAJEURE & BAD WEATHER REFUNDS:

Basis of Refund:
• Tour Cost: Full refund toward the proportionate amount of the cancelled sector as below:

• Cancellation of Complete tour – Full refund, minus INR 15,000 toward the flight preparation charges.
• Only Badrinath ji – INR 4,50,000 (tax inclusive for 06 pax). Ekdham Badrinath Dham tour cost will be chargeable to the passengers in case only Badri Dham is covered.
• Only Kedarnath ji – INR 4,00,000 (tax inclusive for 06 pax). Ekdham Kedarnath Dham tour cost will be chargeable to the passengers in case only Kedar Dham is covered.

• REFUND TURNAROUND:
After receiving the cancellation request refund will be initiated to the bank account within 20-25 working days.

•Additional Services: The cost of additional services provided at any Dham during the tour will be deducted over & above the refundable Tour Cost.
• Refund against an unutilized service will not be done.
• COVID-19 Lockdowns, or any National/State Emergency:
In case passengers test COVID positive before the travel, or the Yatra gets called-off by the government, or any National or State emergency is imposed, there will be no refunds applicable. However, passengers will be provided a Credit Voucher by Himalayan Heli against the advance paid, which will be valid for one year. It can be utilised against any of our helicopter tours or charter services by the passengers or any of their friends/relatives.

• BAD WEATHER & FORCE MAJEURE POLICIES:
• Where bad weather, technical snags, or any force majeure reason beyond Himalayan Heli Services’ control results in the cancellation of the flight or delay, Himalayan Heli Services will not be liable in any way for the cancelled or delayed flight. However, refund will be given to clients as per our refunds policy. Any kind of inconvenience caused because of cancellation of flights is beyond the control of the operator. No compensation or reimbursement for accommodation, transportation, meals, or any other extra travel expenses done by the passengers shall be offered in the event of cancellation of a flight.
• In case tour departure does not take place from Dehradun as per the scheduled departure timing due to above reasons, our team will propose the possible revised itinerary within our package duration, but without any extension of days.
• In case flying does not take place during the entire day, tour will be considered as cancelled & refund as per our policies will be made.
• Booking will not be revalidated to the next day under any circumstance.
• In case the passengers would like to consider taking the tour on the next available date, a fresh booking can be made for the same. Our team will propose the available options to the passengers.
The balance/unutilized amount against previous booking can be adjusted against the fresh booking. And any extra costs that would be accruing, will have to be borne by the passengers.
• In case the tour departs from Dehradun as per schedule but gets disrupted, while the tour is ongoing, our team will propose the possible revised itinerary within the scheduled package duration, but without any extension of timings.
• Any extension, proposed by the passengers, in the package will only be considered at an extra cost and subject to operational viability.
• Additional night halt charges will be payable by the passengers to hotels on direct payment basis when they get stuck for additional nights due to bad weather/force majeure reasons.
• KEDARNATH BAD WEATHER DISCLAIMER: Bad weather stops helicopter flying at Kedarnath which is highly common in the Kedar valley. Due to this, passengers are at risk of getting stranded and spending the night at Kedarnath top.
In such conditions our team will try to arrange rooms at the guests houses available at Kedarnath top. These rooms will be booked on ad-hoc basis subject to availability, and the accommodation charges will be borne directly by the guests. Additionally, no refund for the pre-booked accommodation at Sersi will be applicable under such circumstances.
Also, please note that the guest houses at Kedarnath are very basic, often lacking standard amenities like hot water, clean beds, and proper hygiene. And unfortunately, due to extremely high demand of rooms, the cost of accommodation at Kedarnath tends to be unfairly high compared to the quality of services offered. Guests are advised to be prepared for such contingencies.
• If passengers require extra helicopter flying at the end of their tour, the same will be chargeable at INR 1,30,000/Hr + UCADA royalty & landing charges + GST.
• While passengers are stuck at a Dham due to bad weather/force majeure reason, and demands to cancel their tour and return by road, Himalayan Heli shall arrange transportation for them, however, cost for the same will be borne by the passengers on direct payment basis. No refund shall be applicable in this case.

• Any increase in government levies or taxes, after the confirmation of booking, will be extra chargeable to the passengers. Payment against the same will have to be done before the commencement of tour.

• DISPUTES
Disputes as to legality, interpretation, application or performance of service or any of its terms and conditions shall be governed by the laws of Delhi Jurisdiction.

• Bookings will be taken, considering there is acceptance of the above-mentioned terms & conditions by the party.