Mountaineering in Garhwal (Uttaranchal)

Mountaineering in Garhwal is concentrated mainly in two areas -- around the Gangotri Glacier and the Nanda Devi Sanctuary. There are numerous peaks of varying heights and difficulty level, between 6500-7000 mt. The highest peak is Nanda Devi, 7601 mt and two more – Kamet and Abhigaman are a little over 7000 mt. The approach march, in most cases, is not more than 3-4 days and therefore many available peaks can be attempted within a period of 4-5 weeks from Delhi. The approach march to the Nanda Devi sanctuary could take a week and is an expedition in itself.

Best Season:

The mountaineering season is from Apr-Nov, however, a number of peaks can also be attempted during winters. The permanent snowline in the region starts at around 5000 mt.

Mountaineering Expeditions:

All mountaineering expeditions have to be cleared by the Indian Mountaineering Foundation before they can begin. Expeditions are graded according to level of difficulty and must be accompanied by a liaison officer, provided by the government, at the expedition's expense.