MT. KAMET
Expedition OverviewThe climb
Towering as the second-highest mountain in Uttarakhand and the third-highest in India, Mount Kamet is a legendary giant of the Garhwal Himalayas. At 7,756 metres, its immense glaciated pyramid stands isolated near the Tibetan border, surrounded by sprawling hanging glaciers and severe sub-zero plateau winds. The expedition represents a monumental high-altitude siege, demanding elite physical endurance and prior experience on technical 7,000-metre peaks. You journey from Delhi through Rishikesh and the Niti Valley before establishing advance base camp on the East Kamet Glacier.
Your expedition follows a twenty-six-day heavy siege doctrine from Delhi, establishing three tiered high camps and staging over Meade Col at 7,130 metres. The crux involves ascending the fluted technical ice wall leading onto the col, where gale winds and severe hypoxia test every movement. On summit morning, roped teams depart at midnight into temperatures below minus forty degrees. You climb for twelve to fourteen hours across sixty-degree hard névé and the exposed summit pyramid, gaining 626 vertical metres to stand on India’s historic high ground before descending.
Day by day
A twenty-six-day full-scale Himalayan siege from Delhi into the Niti Valley, establishing three high camps and climbing over Meade Col at 7,130 metres to reach the 7,756-metre summit.
Sleeping altitude, night by night
Garhwal Himalaya progression curve to MT. KAMET summit ridge
Depart New Delhi by private air-conditioned coach. Drive across the northern plains into the Himalayan foothills at Rishikesh. Team briefing and welcome dinner.
What's included
A complete Garhwal heavy-siege infrastructure including Ministry clearances, supplemental oxygen systems, and veteran military mountain leaders.
Included
- IMF climbing permits & Ministry clearances:Full Indian Mountaineering Foundation peak royalties, Ministry of Defence clearances, and Uttarakhand Forest Department permissions.
- HAWS & ex-Special Forces mountain leaders:Certified military mountaineering instructors and high-altitude Sherpas operating at a dedicated 1:1 or 1:2 guide-to-climber ratio.
- Supplemental oxygen systems & masks:High-flow Russian/Pops multi-stage oxygen regulators, carbon-composite 4-litre cylinders, and specialized extreme-cold masks for Camp 3 and summit.
- Full expedition base and high-altitude camps:Heavy-duty geodesic tents at Vasudhara Tal Base Camp, ABC, and Camp 1 through Camp 3 at Meade Col, plus insulated sub-zero mess dome.
- Complete fixed line rigging & mountain hardware:Over 2,000 metres of static fixed lines, dynamic lead ropes, technical deadman anchors, titanium ice screws, and snow pickets.
- High-altitude expedition nutrition:Cooked high-calorie meals at Base Camp and ABC, dehydrated high-altitude rations, energy bars, and continuous hot fluids at high camps.
Not included
- High-altitude mountaineering insurance:Mandatory comprehensive insurance covering technical climbing above 7,000 metres, search and rescue, and helicopter evacuation.
- International or domestic flights to Delhi:Air travel between your home city and Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi.
- Personal climbing boots & down suit:8,000m triple-layer mountaineering boots, technical crampons, and minus-forty degree alpine down suit (rental options available).
- Personal technical hardware:Ice axes, technical jumar ascenders, climbing harness, carabiners, and safety helmet.
- Hospital and emergency medical charges:Direct hospital billing, doctor consultations, or medication expenses incurred outside our field medical kit.
- Guide and Sherpa summit bonuses:Customary summit bonuses for dedicated high-altitude guides and gratuities for kitchen and porter teams.
What to pack, and what you can rent
Pack personal moisture-wicking base layers, technical alpine outerwear, and cold-weather clothing using our comprehensive kit list. High-grade mountaineering hardware—including 6,000m/8,000m double boots, crampons, ice axes, and sub-zero down sleeping bags—can be fitted and rented directly from our Leh Base HQ locker.
Booking & Cancellation Policies
Payment
A 25% non-refundable deposit confirms your roster placement. Balance is payable 60 days prior to departure from New Delhi.
If you cancel
Cancellations outside 60 days forfeit deposit. 60–30 days forfeits 50% of total fee. Under 30 days, no refund is granted.
If we cancel
Full refund or transfer to another scheduled expedition if cancelled due to permit refusals or security force operational restrictions.
Common questions
Specific operational guidance for Kang Yatse II (6,250m)
Because Mount Kamet is an extreme 7,000-metre giant subject to heavy Garhwal snowfalls and jet-stream gales, historical team success is approximately sixty-five per cent. Safety and frostbite prevention always dictate turnaround decisions.
Ready to join India's legendary 7,000-metre siege?
Consult directly with our veteran military instructors to review your high-altitude experience and reserve your roster spot.
If this one is not right
Compare elevation profiles, duration, and terrain demands across alternative Himalayan itineraries.
Mount Abi Gamin
Kamet’s twin peak sharing the high staging at Meade Col at 7,130 metres, offering a slightly lower 7,355-metre summit along the Tibetan border watershed.
Mount Nun
The highest peak in the Zanskar range at 7,135 metres, featuring an intense 14-day technical ice headwall and knife-edge ridge climb.
Mount Kun
Nun’s rugged companion at 7,077 metres with a sweeping snow plateau and steep fixed-rope climbing, ideal as a 7,000m stepping stone toward Kamet.