It costs US $200, lasts less than an hour, and you have to get up at 6 am to do it. But why go all the way to Nepal and not get up close to the world’s highest mountain? Do the Mt. Everest Flightseeing trip.

Shangri-La Airlines will get you as close to Mt. Everest as you can go without actually climbing it. People on the left side of the plane get to watch the parade of lesser peaks leading up --- like a crescendo -- to Everest itself. If you’re on the right, you’ll enjoy the same view in reverse on the way home.

Have your camera ready for two low and slow passes around the mountain -- one favoring people on each side. But remember: photography through the double-thickness plexiglass windows of an airplane cabin is difficult and not usually satisfying.

For an extra bonus, every passenger’s invited to the cockpit for a view of the mountains as seen over the pilot’s shoulder. The airline normally uses ATR-42 turboprop aircraft, selling only window seats for a total of 21 passengers. But because it was the off-season, we had a little 19-seat Twin Beechcraft and just nine passengers. Nirvana!