| Mountaineering (Mountain Climbing) - The area most frequented by foreign climbers is the Nun-Kun massif in the Great Himalayan Range. Its easy accessibility from the Kargil-Padum road and the shortest possible approach march to the base camps makes this massif the most attractive climbing destination in the Great Himalayan, necessitating advance booking years ahead. Among its six known peaks accessible from the Suru Valley, Nun (7,135 m) and Kun (7,087 m) are the highest summits.
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The area nearest to Leh is the Stok-Khangri massif in the Zanskar Mountains, south of Leh. The base camp for the various peaks of this massif is about two days' trek from the Stok village. Among its known peaks, Stok- Khangri (6,150 m) is the highest. It offers a spectacular perspective to the central expanse of the Indus Valley, which it dominates. Other peaks in the area include Gulap Khangri (5,900 m), Matho West (5,950 m) and Kantaka (5,275 m). The much higher Konglacha Peak (6,700 m) lies southwest of Leh and is reached via Rumbak on the first leg of the Markha Valley trek from Stok. Besides there are many unnamed peaks in the altitude range of 5,500 m to 6,400 m available for climbing.
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North of Leh, across the Ladakh Range and the Nubra Valley, lies the Karakoram Range. It soars to a number of known peaks which are, however, within the restricted area and so not freely accessible to foreign climbers except with special permission from the Government of India. The most prominent summits in this range, which are accessible from various parts of the Nubra Valley include, Saser-I (7,415 m), Saser-II (7,513 m) and Saser-III (7,495 m).
The climbing season extends from mid-May to mid-October, the ideal period being from June to September because during this time only Ladakh remains unaffected by the monsoon, which holds sway over most of the Himalayas. Foreign climbing expeditions are required to obtain permission from the Indian Mountaineering Foundation for climbing all listed peaks. A booking fee, based on the height and popularity of the allotted peak, is charged and a Liaison Officer is assigned to every climbing team. The minimum period required for processing applications for permission is six months. A list of peaks available for climbing and application forms for booking along with other requisite documents can be obtained from the Director, Indian Mountaineering Foundation, Benito Juarez Road, New Delhi-110021.
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