Mt. Kun Peak

The trek starts from Leh, which is a headway into Ladakh that is home to some of the highest peaks in the region. It is also a very popular tourist destination and hence fairly accessible. If you need guidance on how to get to this high-altitude hub of mountaineering, this article (Travel options from aound Leh) might be useful.

Day one is reserved for the climbers to make their way to Leh and get settled into their accommodation. Since climbers will be coming to this altitude from sea level, the body will need time to get comfortable with the mountain air.

Day two is reserved for rest and acclimatization to the altitude, too. This is important to allow your body to adapt to its new environment and reduce chances of adverse health conditions. You can go around and explore the city market, delve into the colors and culture of this high-mountain city and visit some places nearby. A little movement around the city would be good for acclimatization. Also, use this time to go through your checklist and do some last-minute shopping for what you might be missing for the expedition. Leh has the best market for trekking essentials.

While the body acclimatizes, we take this time to get together with the group for a debriefing session where we get to know each other better and delve into the happenings of the next few days - schedule, what to expect, basic do's and don'ts in the mountains, how to maintain the sanctity of the environment and other such matters of importance.

Distance: 217 kms

Time Taken: 6-7 hour drive

Today is a big day! It is the official beginning of the expedition when you will be driving straight towards Mount Kun. You will also meet the Sherpas and other support staff, a vital part of this team. Expect to leave after breakfast. The drive should take close to 6-7 hours. By now you would be familiar with the terrain and roads of Ladakh. Barren landscape, smooth roads and the flavoured air make the seven hour drive seem like a visit to the neighbours!

 Time Taken : 4-5 hour drive

We move after breakfast in the hotel. Drive is along the Suru river when you will have first view of Nun & Kun peaks. The drive takes around 4-5 hours from Kargil ot reach Shafat Nala.

Distance: 6-7 kms

Time Taken: 6-7 hours trek

The actual trek starts today. You will slowly move towards the upper reaches of the mountains. We will try to leave right after breakfast because it is likely to be a long day. There is a height gain of 500M and the weight on your back does not make it easy. You start by crossing over to the other side of the river through a sturdy bridge with a deep gorge and river underneath. This leads you to the last village you will cross before heading out of the boundary of civilization.

The route to basecamp takes you through small villages rich with lush green fields bordered with pink flowers and locals running up and down the steep slopes like it were an Olympic field. With cattle scattered around the landscape, you soon leave the geometric greens behind at the foothills of the mountain and enter the world of browns on narrow shepherd trails– rocks, boulders and mud – extremely dry but rich in flowers of all colors growing out in tufts from the cracks between the land.

The mountains here are peculiar – rocky with pointed peaks – completely brown and dry from a specific point upward with lush green fields at the foot of the slopes. You walk through boulders and scree on the many shepherd trails crisscrossed across the landscape which divide the dry greens into mounds of tufts. 

After the first couple of hours, the landscape changes completely, and so does the air. You have now entered a much chillier region – a bit more rustic than the one you left behind. The meadows have now turned into scree and glacial moraine – the terrain you get to call home for as long as you stay on base camp.

The day starts with a puja. The base camp of Mt. Kun, as of any other mountain, is rife with colour from the prayer flags and small stone structures. You offer your prayers here to the mountain gods and thank them for allowing you to be there. This sacred ritual where the team members, together, seek blessings for the safety and the success of the team ends with a sip of some brandy and some sweets to fill you with warmth along with the benedictions of the mountain. It does help connect you to the mountain better and makes you feel belonged – like your presence is not a burden to the massif anymore.

A lot is to be achieved during your time at base camp. From the distribution and setting up of all the gear to technical training and practice on the icy slopes around the basecamp. But before then, you have the entire day to rest your bodies and acclimatize to the terrain, altitude and temperatures of the base camp which lay at 4200M – a height gain of approximately 500M from Tangol.

Since the conditions on high-altitude are unpredictable, there is a constant readjustment of plans to adapt to the situation at the time. Providing fixed day-wise schedules is thence tricky. But roughly, the schedule includes rotation rounds between camps which is a standard acclimatization process on high-altitude expeditions. Mt. Kun has 3 camps at 5,300M, 6,000M and 6,200M above the basecamp.

Given that high-altitude climbs demand a rigorous acclimatization routine, expeditions usually employ the method of making rotation rounds between camps so as to better adapt to the environment. Living the tenet of ‘climb high, sleep low’ which is a golden rule for survival in that altitude, we make multiple rounds between campsites. For Mount Kun, specifically, we make two rounds. The first is when we ferry our load up to the next camp, leave our stuff there and then climb back down to the lower campsite to spend the night. The next day, we climb back up to the camp where we left our stuff and proceed to pitch out tents to now occupy the campsite. What this achieves is a three-fold benefit. Firstly, you can divide your weight between two days so as to not carry a massive amount in one trip. Secondly, it introduces the body to a higher altitude environment but gives it time to better adapt to it by not pushing it in this new height. Thirdly, for each time that you climb the same route, it tends to get easier and easier, refining your technique, skill and adaptation.

The entire length of the expedition will include proper acclimatization, rotation rounds, rest days and a possibility of 2 summit attempts in case of bad weather.

As for the difficulty, the route between Camp 1 to Camp 2 is the most difficult and a highly technical section of the climb. The section requires a use of fixed ropes and an ascender to climb to the next camp site. There are small patches of difficult sections and high ice-walls on the summit push as well.

After resting your body, pack up your temporary homes on Base Camp and head on down towards Shafat Nalla. It is a relatively easy stretch and should take close to 4 hours to cover. We get into our vehicle soon after and make our way down to Kargil. Expect to reach Kargil by early evening.

Distance: 217 kms

Time Taken: 6-7 hour drive

We will drive towards Leh after breakfast and will reach by evening. Today will be the celebration day after culmination of the expedition.

Your expedition ends here but not before some celebration. How can we end this adventure without a summit party?

If you plan to stay for a few more days to explore the wonders of Ladakh, the article below might help start you off on what places to consider. (Places to visit in Leh Ladakh)

Like we indicated before, the weather on high-altitude is unpredictable as are many other conditions. So, we would suggest you keep spare days between the end of the expedition and your travel arrangements to head back home.

This day can be used in case of bad weather to attempt summit or as a sightseeing day if we reach Leh as per schedule.

This day can be used in case of bad weather to attempt summit or as a sightseeing day if we reach Leh as per schedule.