Heliski tools
Heliski Operator Cost Index 2027
Per-day pricing, vertical guarantees, season windows and lodge models for 30 commercial heliski operators across Canada, Alaska, Norway, the Alps, Japan and India — compared on equal terms.
31
Operators compared
€680
Lowest price per day
9
With vertical guarantee
Heliski operator ranking (31)
| Operator | EUR / day | Package days | Vertical guarantee | Season | Model |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Himachal Heli (Manali) India — Pir Panjal range, cheapest heli week | €680 | 7 | None | Feb–Apr | Full-board lodge |
Heliksir (Gudauri) Georgia — Caucasus, lift+heli combo | €780 | 1 | None | Jan–Apr | Day-trip |
Stranda Heliski Norway — Sunnmøre fjords from Ålesund | €920 | 1 | None | Feb–May | Day-trip |
TLH Heliskiing (Tyax) Canada — Whistler day-trip access | €980 | 3 | 13,700 m | Dec–Apr | Full-board lodge |
Monterosa Heliski (Alagna) Italy — Pioneer of Italian heli, 1985 | €980 | 1 | None | Dec–Apr | Day-trip |
Cervinia Heli Service Italy — Matterhorn backside drops | €1,040 | 1 | None | Dec–Apr | Day-trip |
Hokkaido Backcountry Club Japan — Niseko-area, weather-restricted | €1,080 | 1 | None | Jan–Mar | Day-trip |
Norway Heliski (Mefjord) Norway — Senja Island fjord drops | €1,180 | 1 | None | Feb–May | Day-trip |
Basecamp Spitsbergen Norway — 78°N polar ski-mountaineering | €1,180 | 8 | None | May–May | Expedition |
Heliski Italia (Aosta) Italy — Mont Blanc south face access | €1,180 | 1 | None | Dec–Apr | Day-trip |
Whistler Heli-Skiing Canada — Day-trip from Whistler village | €1,240 | 1 | 3,700 m | Dec–Apr | Day-trip |
Alaska Rendezvous (Valdez) USA — Thompson Pass budget option | €1,280 | 5 | None | Mar–May | Self-catered lodge |
Niehku Mountain Villa Sweden — Riksgränsen Arctic spring heli | €1,280 | 5 | None | Mar–May | Full-board lodge |
Telluride Helitrax USA — Colorado's only commercial heli | €1,290 | 1 | None | Dec–Apr | Day-trip |
Arctic Heli Charter (yacht) Norway — Sail-and-ski Lyngen fjords | €1,340 | 6 | None | Mar–May | Yacht-based |
Valdez Heli Ski Guides USA — Thompson Pass spine pioneers | €1,380 | 6 | None | Mar–May | Self-catered lodge |
Sun Valley Heli Ski USA — Smoky Mountains Idaho | €1,380 | 1 | 5,800 m | Dec–Apr | Day-trip |
Air Glaciers (Sion) Switzerland — Verbier 4-valley access | €1,380 | 1 | None | Dec–May | Day-trip |
Chugach Powder Guides USA — Alyeska-based day-trips | €1,450 | 1 | None | Feb–May | Day-trip |
Heli Bernina (St Moritz) Switzerland — Engadine glacier drops | €1,450 | 1 | None | Dec–May | Day-trip |
Swiss Heli (Zermatt) Switzerland — Monte Rosa massif | €1,520 | 1 | None | Dec–May | Day-trip |
Ruby Mountain Heli USA — Nevada solitude, 7 runs/day | €1,530 | 1 | 7,000 m | Jan–Apr | Day-trip |
Mike Wiegele Blue River Canada — Only 3-rotor permanent base | €1,540 | 7 | 30,500 m | Dec–Apr | Full-board lodge |
CMH Bobbie Burns Canada — Beginner-friendly Selkirk terrain | €1,580 | 7 | 30,500 m | Dec–Apr | Full-board lodge |
CMH Bugaboos Canada — Original Hans Gmoser lodge, 1965 | €1,620 | 7 | 30,500 m | Dec–Apr | Full-board lodge |
Wasatch Powderbird USA — Utah cold-smoke, Snowbird base | €1,620 | 1 | 6,100 m | Dec–Apr | Day-trip |
Lyngen Lodge Norway — Patrick Williams' boutique original | €1,620 | 6 | None | Feb–May | Full-board lodge |
Points North (Cordova) USA — Classic Chugach spine terrain | €1,750 | 7 | None | Mar–May | Self-catered lodge |
Last Frontier Bell 2 Canada — Largest tenure on Earth (10,100 km²) | €1,880 | 7 | 30,500 m | Jan–Apr | Full-board lodge |
Bella Coola Heli Sports Canada — Big-mountain expert tenure | €2,100 | 7 | None | Jan–Apr | Full-board lodge |
Tordrillo Mountain Lodge USA — Tommy Moe lodge, chef + spa | €2,680 | 7 | None | Mar–May | Full-board lodge |
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Frequently Asked Questions
Canadian operators (CMH, Mike Wiegele) include a vertical guarantee (typically 30,500m / 100,000ft per 7-day week) and refund per-metre below guarantee or fly extra days. Alaskan operators (Tordrillo, Points North, Valdez) include no vertical guarantee — you buy a 'flight block' and weather risk is yours. A good Alaskan week delivers 4–5 flying days and 25,000–40,000m vertical; a bad week may deliver 2 days and 8,000m. Per-vertical-metre, Alaska is significantly more expensive on average; per-experience, Alaska's terrain has no global equivalent.
Yes — Himachal Helicopter Skiing has operated since 1990 in the Pir Panjal range above Manali, running Bell 407 helicopters with IFMGA-certified guides. The 7-day all-inclusive at ~EUR 680/day is the cheapest established heliski week worldwide. Terrain is high-alpine (drops between 3,200m and 4,400m) with 1,000–1,800m vertical descents in dry continental snow. Trade-offs: 35-50% weather cancellation rates, basic lodge standards by Western heli norms, 14-hour overland transfer from Delhi (or charter flight to Bhuntar). Strongest fit for adventurous strong skiers who've already done BC and want something different.
For lodge weeks: GST/VAT (5% Canada, 25% Norway, 18% India), gratuities (5-8% of package, expected), powder ski rental EUR 35-60/day, vertical overage above guarantee (CMH EUR 14-18/m), ground transfers (Calgary-Bugaboos charter EUR 380, Tromsø-Lyngen Lodge boat EUR 280). For day-trips: weather cancellation policy varies — most operators charge 30-50% if you arrive and they cancel, 0% if cancellation is more than 24 hours pre-arrival. Budget +20-25% above headline package price for total trip cost.
Calculated against typical week vertical (Canada: ~30,500m guaranteed; Alaska: ~25,000m typical good week; Norway: ~22,000m typical good week): CMH Bobbie Burns and Mike Wiegele Blue River both work out around EUR 0.36/m (best mainstream value). TLH Heliskiing and Whistler Heli-Skiing day-trips work out EUR 0.27-0.33/m for occasional buyers. India (Himachal Heli) wins on absolute cost-per-metre (EUR 0.18-0.22/m) but with significant weather variance. Alaska's premium operators (Tordrillo) come in around EUR 0.75-0.95/m — you pay for terrain quality and lodge experience, not vertical efficiency.