If you have had a look at our Rating Scale, you would have noticed that we only have expeditions up to level 8. Levels 9 and 10 are, at the moment, empty.
This is because we are still perfecting our expeditions falling under level 8 and exploring our options under level 9. We haven’t looked into Level 10 (yet).
And while we were at it setting New Year’s goals for ourselves, we thought we would share a list of 9 exciting but demanding expeditions from our portfolio with you.
We have listed them below for you in the order of increasing difficulty along with the respective eligibility criteria.
For Experienced Trekkers:
1. Auden's Col
Offering a rare but stunning passageway between Gangotri and Kedarnath, the Auden’s Col is a demanding trek that is meant for seasoned trekkers only. In fact, according to one of our participants who did the trek with us last year, this trail posed challenges that he hadn’t encountered even in his 7k+ expeditions.
The crevasse ridden glacier of Khatling encountered sometime on the 8th day of the trek is arguably one of the trickiest sections of the trail. Navigating it safely requires the assistance of trained guides well versed with the route. Last year, a group that was trekking alongside us briefly lost their way on this glacier because their guides were unfamiliar with the terrain.
We have written about it here in case you would like to give it a read.
Difficulty Level : 6 on the BRS
Region : Uttarakhand
Duration : 16 days
Best months: May, June, September
Prior Experience of treks rated 5 is required.
View Auden's Col Batch Dates
2. Panpatia Col (new)
Located at an impressive altitude of 5260M the Panpatia Col forms a bewitching passageway between the holy shrines of Kedarnath and Badrinath. Full of steep inclines, rocky moraines and glaciers riddled with crevasses, the unparalleled beauty of this trail comes matched with its set of unique challenges.
In fact, legend has it that a priest from Kedarnath used to walk to Badrinath every day to light the temple’s lamps. Wishing for the priest to spend some time at home, his distraught wife prayed to Lord Shiva. In answer to the wife’s prayers, Lord Shiva made the peak of Neelkanth rise up on that route and placed hurdles too great for humans to overcome through the entire trail.
Owing to the challenging nature of its terrain, Panpatia Col is one of the least traversed passes of the Indian Himalayas. It is only meant for experienced trekkers/mountaineers with good physical and mental endurance.
Difficulty Level: 6 on the BRS
Region: Uttarakhand
Duration: 12 days
Best months: May, June, September, October
Prior Experience of treks rated 5 is required.
View Panpatia Col Batch Dates
For Mountaineering: Beginners
3. Mt. Deo Tibba
Located just over 6000M, Mt. Deo Tibba is the second highest peak in the Pir Panjal Range of the Kullu Valley. Although an extensive ice cap sits at the peak of Mt. Deo Tibba, the actual summit happens over a snow hump located at the edge of an ice plateau which makes it a perfect mountaineering experience for beginners.
Although marked as a beginners’ expedition, it is not to be taken lightly. The capricious nature of weather and terrain conditions at high altitude can escalate the difficulty of the climb to unforeseen levels.
For instance, on our expedition last year we were caught unawares and had to turn back with just 300 metres left to the summit! Read more about what happened here.
Difficulty Level: 7 on the BRS
Region: Himachal Pradesh
Duration: 15 days
Best months: May, June, September, October
Prior Experience of treks rated 6 is required.
BMC qualification is preferred.
View Deo Tibba Batch Dates
4. Black Peak/Kalanag
Offering rare unparalleled views of the entire Bandarpoonch family, the summit of Black Peak sits at an impressive altitude of 6387M, the highest in the Saraswati Mountain Range of Uttarakhand. In local dialect, Black Peak is referred to as the Kalanag because the top part of the peak resembles the shape of a Cobra’s head.
Mountaineering in contrast to trekking requires a greater degree of patience and acceptance of the fact that a lot of factors lay out of our control.
Our expedition to the Black Peak last year is a classic example of this. The climb almost felt like we were playing a game of chess with the mountains. For every step we took, the weather had a check in place forcing us to pause or retreat before proceeding again. We have written more about our enervating experience here.
Difficulty Level: 7 in BRS
Region: Uttarakhand
Duration: 16 days
Best Months: May, June, September, October
Prior Experience of treks rated 6 is required.
BMC qualification is preferred.
View Black Peak Batch Dates
5. Mt. Hanuman Tibba (new)
Sporting an altitude of 5932M, Mt. Hanuman Tibba in the Pir Panjal Range of the Himalayas offers a thrilling climb to the summit. The trail to this pyramid shaped peak treats one to a delightful change of scenery through the beautiful alpine meadows of Solang Valley, the glaciers and rivers of Beas Kund and finally across the imposing Pass of Tentu!
Although marginally lower in altitude, the challenging nature of the terrain demands technical climbing skills that are only meant for experienced trekkers with excellent physical and mental stamina.
Difficulty Level: 7 on the BRS
Region: Himachal Pradesh
Duration: 13 days
Best months: June, September
Prior Experience of treks rated 6 is required.
BMC qualification is preferred.
View Hanuman Tibba Batch Dates
For Mountaineering: Intermediate
6. Mt. Nanda Ghunti (new)
Mt. Nanda Ghunti (6309 M) otherwise known as the "Veil of Goddess Nanda Devi" is a peak situated in the Nanda Devi National Park. If you have been on the Roopkund trail, you would have gotten a glimpse of this resplendent peak along with the mighty trident shaped Trishul massif. Despite not being a technically difficult peak, Mt. Nanda Ghunti has attracted serious mountaineering enthusiasts looking for a challenge because of its unpredictable weather conditions and crevasses enroute the summit.
Difficulty Level: 8 on the BRS
Region: Uttarakhand
Duration: 16 days
Best months: June
Prior experience in mountaineering is required.
BMC/AMC qualification is preferred.
View Batch Dates Here
7. Mt. Gangotri III
Flanked resolutely by Mt. Rudragaira on the right and the infamous Auden’s Col on the left, the Gangotri III peak is a part of the Gangotri group of mountains of the Garhwal Himalayas of Uttarakhand. Perched at an altitude of 6577 M, it is perfect for anyone looking to graduate to climbing 7000M+ peaks. Being a technical peak, mountaineers who have prior experience in roping up procedures, use of ice axes and crampons are more suited for this expedition.
To get an idea of the terrain and weather conditions encountered during this expedition, read the story of our climb to the summit last year here.
Difficulty Level: 8 on the BRS
Region: Uttarakhand
Duration: 15 days
Best months: May, June, September
Prior experience in mountaineering is required.
BMC/AMC qualification is preferred.
View Gangotri III Batch Dates
Bikat AdventuresFor Experienced Mountaineers
8. Mt. Nun
Mt. Nun is the highest peak in the Zanskar Range of the Himalayas and on the Indian side of the Line of Control. Perched at an imposing height of 7,135M, this expedition is only meant for serious mountaineers looking to graduate to climbing 8000+ peaks.
Incidentally, Mt. Nun is also the first successful 7k+ summit of Bikat Adventures. We embarked on it last year and have compiled our experience in this article here.
With excerpts from interviews with each of our four climbers, do give the article a read to get an idea of what a mountaineering expedition at that altitude is like.
Difficulty Level: 8 on the BRS
Region: Ladakh
Duration: 23 days
Months: June, July, August
Prior experience in mountaineering is required.
BMc and AMC qualification are preferred.
View Mt. Nun Batch Dates
9. Mt. Satopanth (new)
And lastly, we have Mt. Satopanth. At a staggering 7075M, it is the second highest mountain in the Gangotri group of mountains in Uttarakhand. The name of the peak in local dialect means “True Path”.
Punctuated by a complex glacier approach, high angled snow slopes and a technical knife-edge ridge before the final ascent to the summit, Mt. Satopanth makes for one daunting expedition. Further the precarious weather conditions coupled with the testing terrain makes this expedition suitable only for aspiring mountaineers with a high level of mental and physical endurance.
Mt. Satopanth serves as a preparatory expedition for many Indian mountaineers who wish to conquer 8000M+ peaks and possibly Mt. Everest.
Difficulty Level: 8 on the BRS
Region: Uttarakhand
Duration: 20 days
Months: June, August
Prior experience in mountaineering is required.
BMC and AMC qualification are preferred.
View Mt. Satopanth Batch Dates
Do keep in mind that the nine expeditions above are not meant for beginners to trekking.
That said, a beginner can gradually progress from trekking to mountaineering with the assistance of our Rating Scale and the learning modules integrated into the itineraries of our expeditions.
If you have queries, feel free to call/whatsapp our team at +91-78381 48127 or drop in a comment below. We will get back to you.
