Chau Chau Kang Nilda (6,303 m), Spiti: Expedition Guide
The blue moon in the sky above Langza.
A glaciated dome 13 km north-east of Kaza, climbed from the village of Langza by scree slopes and the south-west ridge, with two high camps. A moderate Spiti 6,000er for climbers who can move roped on snow and acclimatise well.
- 6,303 m summit (20,679 ft)
- About 2 weeks from Manali
- Jun–Sep season
- Grade moderate
- Price Get Quote
Mountains of India › Himachal Pradesh › Chau Chau Kang Nilda
Last verified 24 Oct 2026
What is Chau Chau Kang Nilda, and how do you climb it?
Chau Chau Kang Nilda (6,303 m / 20,679 ft), or CCKN, is a glaciated peak in Spiti, Himachal Pradesh, 13 km north-east of Kaza, with the village of Langza at its foot. It is a moderate climb by scree and the south-west ridge with two high camps, best from June to September. It is one of the 6,000 m peaks of India.
Chau Chau Kang Nilda rises above the high villages of Spiti, the cold desert north of the main Himalayan crest. Its name is usually given as “blue moon in the sky”, it also appears on maps as Guan Nelda, and climbers shorten it to CCKN. Langza, a village at about 4,420 m, sits right at its base, so the peak fills the skyline for anyone who drives up from Kaza.
For a climber it is an honest Spiti 6,000er: no technical wall, but snow, scree, a glaciated summit dome and more than 1,800 m of height gain from the village. This page sets out the route with camp altitudes from a documented ascent, the season, the permits and the climbing history. For the wider picture, see our Indian Himalaya guide and the full list of India’s highest peaks.
Route from Langza, camp by camp
The road-head is Langza (about 4,420 m), a short drive above Kaza. Teams use Kaza and Langza to acclimatise before moving to a base camp at 5,307 m above the village.
The camp heights below come from an Ordnance Factories team’s ascent of the south-west ridge, reported in the American Alpine Journal in 1989. They placed Camp I at 5,547 m and Camp II at 5,883 m, and reached the summit along the west face in about 7½ hours from Camp II. From base camp to the summit took them six days.
| Camp / point | Altitude | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Langza | 4,420 m / 14,501 ft | Village at the foot of the peak, above Kaza; acclimatisation |
| Base camp | 5,307 m / 17,411 ft | Above Langza; set up in late August on the 1989-reported ascent |
| Camp I | 5,547 m / 18,199 ft | First high camp on the south-west ridge |
| Camp II | 5,883 m / 19,301 ft | Second high camp; summit day starts here |
| Chau Chau Kang Nilda summit | 6,303 m / 20,679 ft | About 7½ hours from Camp II, along the west face |
A typical two-week plan from Manali
- Days 1–2 · Manali to KazaDrive into Spiti and settle in Kaza.
- Days 3–4 · Kaza and LangzaAcclimatise, with short walks and a night at Langza, about 4,420 m.
- Day 5 · Base campMove up to base camp at 5,307 m.
- Days 6–8 · Camp ILoad ferries and a move to Camp I at 5,547 m.
- Day 9 · Camp IIClimb to Camp II at 5,883 m.
- Day 10 · Summit dayAlong the west face to the 6,303 m summit, then down to Camp II.
- Days 11–12 · Spare daysKept for weather or a second summit attempt.
- Days 13–14 · Back to ManaliDescend to Langza and drive out via Kaza.
Itineraries vary with the outfitter, group and weather; rest days are added when needed.
How hard is Chau Chau Kang Nilda?
CCKN is graded moderate. The normal route climbs scree slopes and the south-west ridge to a glaciated summit dome, with two high camps above base camp. There is no long technical section, but you will wear crampons, move roped on snow and carry loads above 5,500 m. The summit day on the documented ascent was about 7½ hours from Camp II.
The real test is altitude: you start sleeping above 4,400 m within days of arriving. Read our altitude sickness guide, and if this would be your first 6,000er, compare it with Yunam and our guide to choosing a first 6,000 m peak.
- ExperienceEarlier high-altitude treks; a trekking peak such as Friendship Peak helps.
- TechniqueCrampons, ice axe, roped glacier travel and basic fixed-rope work.
- FitnessLoad carrying between camps and a long summit day above 5,800 m.
- AcclimatisationDays at Kaza and Langza before base camp; no rushing the height gain.
- TrainingA Basic Mountaineering Course is a good base; Indian expeditions also follow IMF rules on team qualifications.
Best time to climb Chau Chau Kang Nilda
June to September. Spiti lies in the rain shadow of the main Himalaya, so the summer monsoon reaches it only weakly. The two documented ascents in the American Alpine Journal both summited in September, on the 5th and the 15th, after setting up base camp in late August.
Build weather days into the plan anyway: high camps above 5,500 m can still bring wind, cloud and fresh snow.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
BestPossibleClosed / not advised
Permits for Chau Chau Kang Nilda
Indian climbers need permission from the Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF) for an expedition, and IMF rules set team qualifications, such as the leader’s course and summit record. In Himachal, climbs go through an HP Tourism-registered outfitter with registered guides, with pre-trek police registration and life and rescue insurance for every participant under the state’s 2021 adventure rules.
Foreign nationals can climb it with IMF permission, applied for at least 90 days ahead, and a liaison officer. For peaks up to 6,500 m the base fee is US$500 for a team of two, plus per-member charges and US$500 for liaison-officer equipment (IMF peak-fee page, checked Oct 2026). Foreigners who reach Spiti through Kinnaur also need a Protected Area Permit for the border belt beyond Jangi. More in our IMF permit and peak fee guide and our guide to mountaineering in India for foreign climbers.
CCKN is in Spiti, so the 2026 Kangra trekker registration, which covered ten Dhauladhar routes, does not apply.
What a guided Chau Chau Kang Nilda expedition includes
The price depends on your dates, group size, nationality and experience, so we quote each expedition. Tell us your dates and climbing record on WhatsApp and you get one plan and one quote. Foreign nationals also pay the IMF fee and liaison-officer charges, shown separately.
- Certified mountaineering guides and support staff
- Tents, camps and all meals on the mountain
- Group climbing equipment (ropes, fixed lines and anchors)
- Help with IMF permission and permit paperwork
- Transfers from Manali to Kaza and Langza and back
- Acclimatisation and weather days in the plan
What to pack
- Insulated mountaineering boots that take crampons
- Crampons, ice axe and a jumar (ascender)
- Climbing harness, helmet, carabiners and slings
- Expedition down jacket and a warm sleeping bag
- Windproof and waterproof shell jacket and trousers
- Summit mitts plus liner gloves
- Glacier sunglasses (UV400), goggles and sunscreen
- Headlamp with spare batteries
- Trekking poles
- Two water bottles and a personal first-aid kit
Climbing history of Chau Chau Kang Nilda
The first ascent was made in 1939 by J.O.M. Roberts, while he was crossing Spiti from Kullu; Wikipedia calls him the first mountaineer to visit Spiti. The second ascent followed in 1955, by Trevor Braham and Peter Holmes.
Indian expeditions climbed the peak in 1966 and 1981. An Ordnance Factories team led by Keshab Chandra Kar reached the summit by the south-west ridge on 5 September, as reported in the American Alpine Journal in 1989. The record of ascents after 1955 is patchy, so we do not number them.
A Calcutta team led by Alok Basu made the first ascent of the south-east ridge, summiting on 15 September, as reported in the American Alpine Journal in 1991. Its summit party included Yana Banerjee-Bey and Kalpana Ghosh.
Chau Chau Kang Nilda and its neighbours, side by side
At 6,303 m, Chau Chau Kang Nilda sits in the middle of the high country around Spiti. Below it are Kanamo (5,964 m), whose access is unclear, and Yunam (6,111 m). Above it rise Manirang (6,593 m, first climbed 1952) and Reo Purgyil (6,816 m), the highest peak in Himachal.
Compare every Himachal summit, with grade, season and status, in our guide to the peaks of Himachal Pradesh.
Other Himachal Pradesh peaks of a similar height
-
Himachal Pradesh6,220 m20,407 ft
Indrasan
-
Himachal Pradesh6,200 m20,341 ft
Shikar Beh
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Himachal Pradesh6,443 m21,138 ft
Menthosa
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Himachal Pradesh6,473 m21,237 ft
Jorkanden
Chau Chau Kang Nilda: questions people ask
How high is Chau Chau Kang Nilda?
6,303 m (20,679 ft). A 1989 American Alpine Journal report gives 6,304 m.
What does Chau Chau Kang Nilda mean?
It is known as “blue moon in the sky”. The peak is also called Guan Nelda, and climbers often shorten it to CCKN.
Where is CCKN?
In Spiti, Lahaul & Spiti district, Himachal Pradesh, 13 km north-east of Kaza. The village of Langza, at about 4,420 m, sits at its base.
Who first climbed Chau Chau Kang Nilda?
J.O.M. Roberts in 1939, while crossing Spiti from Kullu. Trevor Braham and Peter Holmes made the second ascent in 1955.
How difficult is Chau Chau Kang Nilda?
Moderate: a glaciated 6,000er climbed by scree and the south-west ridge with two high camps. You need crampon and rope skills and good acclimatisation.
When is the best time to climb CCKN?
June to September, when Spiti’s rain-shadow summer gives the most settled conditions. Documented ascents summited in early and mid-September.
How many days does a CCKN expedition take?
On a documented ascent, base camp to summit took six days. With travel and acclimatisation in Spiti, allow about two weeks from Manali.
Can foreigners climb Chau Chau Kang Nilda?
Yes, with IMF permission applied for at least 90 days ahead and a liaison officer. The base fee band for peaks up to 6,500 m is US$500 for a team of two (Oct 2026), plus other charges.
Can Suzu Travels arrange a Chau Chau Kang Nilda expedition?
Yes. We pair you with a registered Himachal outfitter and certified guides and help with the permits and transfers — one plan and one quote on WhatsApp at +91 70874 88961.
Plan this climb with Suzu
We pair you with a registered Himachal outfitter and certified guides, sort the permits and add hotel and transfers — one plan, one quote.
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Sources
- Wikipedia — Chau Chau Kang Nilda
- Wikipedia — Langza
- American Alpine Journal (1989) — Chau Chau Kang Nilda
- American Alpine Journal (1991) — Chau Chau Kang Nilda, South-east Ridge
- Indian Mountaineering Foundation — peak fees for foreign expeditions
- Indian Mountaineering Foundation — expedition application rules
- HP Miscellaneous Adventure Activities (Amendment) Rules 2021
