Mt: Bandarpunch Expedition (6,316 M)

Bandarpunch Mountain Expedition: Conquering the Majestic Peak

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Bandarpunch (also spelled Bandarpoonch) literally means “monkey’s tail” in Hindi. It is a magnificent and beautiful mountain located in the Western Garhwal region of Uttarakhand.

Bandarpunch Massif

Bandarpunch massif comprises three peaks above 6,000 meters: Bandarpunch I (6,316 meters), Bandarpunch II (6,102 meters), and Kalanag (Black Peak), which has two summits reaching 6,387 meters. Bandarpunch II is also known as White Peak and is easily visible from many locations in the Garhwal region.

Early Exploration and First Ascent

The first successful expedition to Bandarpunch took place in 1950, led by Major General Harold Williams, and included the renowned mountaineer Tenzing Norgay. The team ascended the mountain via the Hanuman Ganga valley, located southwest of the peak.

Doon School Connection

Around the same time, Doon School masters Jack Gibson and John Martyn chose this area to provide their students with valuable climbing experience during their summer holidays. This route had been explored earlier in 1937, marking the beginning of organized exploration in the region. In his autobiography, Tenzing Norgay famously referred to Bandarpunch as “The Doon School Mountain.

Southeast Route and the NIM Expedition

The commonly used climbing route is located on the southeast face of the mountain. This is the same route successfully climbed by the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM) in 1975 during an advanced mountaineering course conducted in the spring.

Access and Base Camp

The trek to the base camp begins from Sukhi, located on the road to Gangotri. It is a two-day trek from Sukhi to the base camp. Typically, two alpine camps are established above the base camp before attempting the summit.

Climbing Route and Challenges

The climbing route is relatively straightforward; however, there are significant crevasses between Camp I and the summit, requiring careful navigation and technical skills.

Why Bandarpunch is an Ideal Training Peak

Bandarpunch is considered an ideal training ground for Himalayan mountaineering expeditions. This peak offers climbers spectacular views of the high peaks of Garhwal, including Satopanth, Sudarshan Parbat, Chandra Parbat, Swetavaran, Matri, Thelu, Srikanth, and Jogin to the south and east, the Gangotri Range and Jaonli Group, and the distant mountains of Kinnaur shimmering on the western horizon.