Kang Yatse 2 (6,250 m) & Kang Yatse I, Ladakh: Climbing Guide
Two summits at the head of the Markha Valley.
Kang Yatse 2 is the 6,000 m peak most Ladakh climbers aim for now that Stok Kangri is closed. Here is which summit is which, the route from Leh camp by camp, how hard it really is, the season, the permits and the climbing story since 1977.
- 6,250 m Kang Yatse II (20,505 ft)
- 6,400 m Kang Yatse I, the true summit
- Grade PD non-technical, glaciated
- Mid-Jun–Sep Ladakh rain-shadow
- 10–12 days from Leh (estimate)
Mountains of India › Ladakh › Kang Yatse 2
Last verified 1 Nov 2026
How high is Kang Yatse 2, and how hard is it to climb?
Kang Yatse 2 (Kang Yatse II) is 6,250 m (20,505 ft) high, the lower western summit of the Kang Yatse massif at the head of the Markha Valley in Ladakh’s Hemis National Park. It is graded Alpine PD: no technical climbing, but a glaciated 6,000 m peak with a midnight start. The true summit, Kang Yatse I, is 6,400 m. Compare the 6,000 m peaks in India.
Status, checked 1 November 2026: open. Kang Yatse was climbed through summer 2026; on 1 August 2026, for example, a team of 16 reached the top of Kang Yatse II from a 5,070 m base camp. We found no official closure. That is the big difference from Stok Kangri, which the Ladakh administration closed to all expeditions on 21 December 2023.
Which summit is which? The massif has two main summits. Kang Yatse I (6,400 m) is the true, eastern summit. Kang Yatse II (6,250 m) is the lower western summit, and it is the one most people mean when they say “Kang Yatse 2”: a snow climb with no technical sections. Heights vary between sources. For II they run from 6,175 m in the 1977 report to 6,250 m in recent reports; we use 6,250 m. For I, our dataset uses the Survey of India’s 6,400 m (21,000 ft).
Kang Yatse is often called the main Stok Kangri alternative in Ladakh. For the wider picture, see our Indian Himalaya guide and the full list of India’s highest peaks.
The Markha Valley route to Kang Yatse 2, camp by camp
Every climb starts in Leh (about 3,500 m / 11,500 ft), with at least two nights there to acclimatise. The classic approach is the Markha Valley trek: Chilling, Skiu, Markha and Hankar, between about 3,200 m and 4,000 m. A shorter approach crosses the Gongmaru La (5,130–5,200 m) from Shang Sumdo, and that pass is also the usual way out.
The high pasture of Nimaling (5,019 m / 16,467 ft) is where teams take a rest day. Base camp is a little higher, on scree below the glacier at about 5,000–5,070 m. Some teams add a high camp about 300 m above it. Summit day starts between midnight and 2 am: scree, then a steep snow slope, 6–8 hours up. Kang Yatse I needs a Camp 1 at about 5,908 m. The approach heights are approximate.
| Camp / point | Altitude | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Leh | 3,500 m / 11,483 ft | Arrive by air or road; at least 2 nights to acclimatise (about 3,500 m) |
| Markha Valley | 3,800 m / 12,467 ft | Chilling, Skiu, Markha and Hankar, about 3,200–4,000 m |
| Nimaling | 5,019 m / 16,467 ft | High pasture; rest day to acclimatise (not the base camp) |
| Base camp | 5,070 m / 16,634 ft | Scree below the glacier (about 5,000–5,070 m) |
| Kang Yatse II summit | 6,250 m / 20,505 ft | Scree, then a steep snow slope; start midnight to 2 am, 6–8 h up |
| Camp 1 (for Kang Yatse I) | 5,908 m / 19,383 ft | Where the north-east ridge meets the north ridge (2018 HMI report) |
| Kang Yatse I summit | 6,400 m / 20,997 ft | Knife-edge traverse from II, or the north-east ridge and a steep snow face |
A typical Kang Yatse 2 plan (estimate, not a fixed schedule)
- Days 1–2 · LehArrive and rest. Short walks only; the body needs time at 3,500 m.
- Day 3 · Into the Markha ValleyDrive to Chilling and start walking up the valley via Skiu.
- Days 4–5 · Markha and HankarVillage to village up the Markha Valley, gaining height slowly.
- Day 6 · NimalingUp to the high pasture at 5,019 m.
- Day 7 · Rest, then base campAn acclimatisation day at Nimaling, then the short move to base camp.
- Summit day · Kang Yatse IIStart between midnight and 2 am; 6–8 hours to the 6,250 m summit, then down to base camp.
- Last days · Out over the Gongmaru LaA spare day for weather, then out over the pass to Shang Sumdo and back to Leh: about 10–12 days in all.
Itineraries vary with the outfitter, group and weather; rest days are added when needed.
How hard is Kang Yatse 2?
Kang Yatse II is graded Alpine PD. It does not need technical climbing skills: the route is scree, then a steep snow slope to the top. But it is still a glaciated 6,000 m peak. The summit push is long, it starts in the cold of the night, and early in the season snow can lie down to base camp. Fitness, experience of altitude and basic crampon and rope skills matter more than technique.
Kang Yatse I is a different climb. It is reached by a knife-edge traverse from II or by the north-east ridge and a steep snow face, graded AD+ to D-, with fixed ropes on the last 500 m or so. Read how to climb your first 6,000 m peak, our trekking peaks guide and the altitude sickness guide before you go.
- ExperienceEarlier high treks, ideally a 5,000 m summit such as Friendship Peak.
- TechniqueWalking in crampons, using an ice axe and moving roped on snow.
- FitnessSeveral days of trekking above 4,000 m, then a 6–8 hour climb and the descent.
- AcclimatisationTwo nights in Leh, a slow walk up the Markha Valley and a rest day at Nimaling.
- For Kang Yatse ISteep snow and ice on fixed ropes, and a Camp 1 at about 5,908 m.
Best time to climb Kang Yatse 2
Mid-June to the end of September. Ladakh lies in the rain shadow of the Great Himalaya, so the monsoon that closes many Himachal and Uttarakhand peaks barely reaches it, and July to September is the most reliable window.
In June and early July, snow can still cover base camp and the river crossings run high with snowmelt. Later in the season the snow slope is firmer and the approach is drier.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
BestPossibleClosed / not advised
Permits for Kang Yatse in 2026
Kang Yatse lies inside Hemis National Park, so park entry and Ladakh fees apply to every climber. Indian climbers pay the Ladakh environment fee online at lahdclehpermit.in.
Foreign climbers need IMF permission for the peak. Both summits are below 6,500 m, so they fall in the up-to-6,500 m band: US$500 for a team of two, plus US$500 for liaison-officer equipment, and per-member charges apply (IMF peak-fee page, as of October 2026). Sources disagree on whether the Markha Valley needs a Protected Area Permit, so confirm with the District Leh office before you travel, and check your visa with the Indian mission.
More in our IMF permit and peak fees guide and mountaineering in India for foreign climbers.
What to pack
- Insulated mountaineering boots that take crampons
- Crampons and a walking ice axe
- Climbing harness, helmet, carabiners and a sling
- Down jacket and a sleeping bag for well below freezing
- Windproof and waterproof shell jacket and trousers
- Summit mitts plus liner gloves
- Glacier sunglasses (UV400) and high-factor sunscreen
- Headlamp with spare batteries for the midnight start
- Trekking poles for the scree and the Markha Valley
- Two water bottles and a personal first-aid kit
Climbing history of Kang Yatse
Before 1977: nobody knows who first stood on Kang Yatse II. The 1977 British team saw what looked like a cairn and thought the Survey of India may have been there earlier, which fits the 21,000 ft survey height of the main summit.
23 August 1977: Simon Fraser, Mark Dravers and Mike Ritchie made what is probably the first ascent of Kang Yatse I, by a snow couloir on the east side and a rock spur to the south ridge at about 6,100 m. On 5 September 1977 they also climbed Kang Yatse III (6,310 m).
17 August 2018: instructors from the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, Darjeeling, led by Wg Cdr Devidutta Panda, climbed both summits alpine style with no high-altitude support above base camp. Three of them made the first traverse from Kang Yatse II to Kang Yatse I: about 1.5 km of ridge in roughly six hours.
Since 2020: with Stok Kangri closed, Kang Yatse II has become one of the most climbed 6,000 m peaks in Ladakh, and searches for it rise every summer.
Kang Yatse next to other first 6,000 m peaks
Kang Yatse II stands 97 m higher than Stok Kangri (6,153 m / 20,187 ft), the Ladakh peak that has been closed to climbers since 2020. Its true summit, Kang Yatse I, is 150 m higher again and a much harder climb.
In Himachal, the closest match is Yunam Peak (6,111 m / 20,049 ft), climbed from a camp on the Manali–Leh highway. Friendship Peak (5,289 m / 17,352 ft) above Manali is the usual first snow summit before either.
Other Ladakh peaks of a similar height
-
Ladakh6,250 m20,505 ft
Mentok Kangri
-
Ladakh6,280 m20,604 ft
Dzo Jongo
-
Ladakh6,153 m20,187 ft
Stok Kangri
-
Ladakh6,349 m20,830 ft
Chiling I
Kang Yatse: questions people ask
How high is Kang Yatse 2?
6,250 m (20,505 ft). Sources give between 6,175 m and 6,250 m. The main summit, Kang Yatse I, is 6,400 m (20,997 ft).
What is the difference between Kang Yatse 1 and Kang Yatse 2?
Kang Yatse II is the lower western summit, a non-technical snow climb graded PD. Kang Yatse I is the true eastern summit, reached by a knife-edge traverse from II or a steep snow face graded AD+ to D-, with fixed ropes.
Is Kang Yatse 2 good for beginners?
It needs no technical climbing, but it is a glaciated 6,000 m peak with a long night-time summit push. It suits fit trekkers with altitude experience and basic crampon and rope skills, ideally after a 5,000 m summit.
Is Kang Yatse a good alternative to Stok Kangri?
Yes. Stok Kangri has been closed since 2020, and Kang Yatse II is the Ladakh 6,000er most climbers now choose. In Himachal, Yunam Peak (6,111 m) is the closest match.
What is the best time to climb Kang Yatse 2?
Mid-June to the end of September. Ladakh is in the rain shadow, so July to September is the most reliable; June can still have snow at base camp.
How many days does Kang Yatse 2 take?
About 10 to 12 days from Leh, including two nights in Leh to acclimatise, the Markha Valley walk-in, a rest day at Nimaling and a spare day for weather. This is an estimate; plans vary.
Where is Kang Yatse?
At the head of the Markha Valley in Hemis National Park, Leh district, Ladakh, in the Zanskar range. Base camp is above the Nimaling pasture.
Who first climbed Kang Yatse?
Kang Yatse I was probably first climbed by a British party, Simon Fraser, Mark Dravers and Mike Ritchie, on 23 August 1977. The first ascent of Kang Yatse II is not documented.
Do I need a permit to climb Kang Yatse?
Yes. Everyone pays Hemis National Park entry and Ladakh fees; Indians pay the Ladakh environment fee online. Foreign climbers need IMF permission and should confirm Protected Area Permit rules with the District Leh office.
Want a first 6,000er? Climb it in Himachal
Suzu arranges climbs in Himachal only, so we do not sell Kang Yatse. The nearest Himachal match is Yunam Peak (6,111 m) near Baralacha La, and Friendship Peak (5,289 m) above Manali is a good first snow summit before it. Tell us your dates, team size and experience, and we pair you with a registered Himachal outfitter and certified guides. Price: Get Quote.
Keep exploring
Sources
- Wikipedia — Kang Yatze
- American Alpine Journal (2023) — Kang Yatze group, historical ascents
- Dream Wanderlust — Team HMI on Kang Yatse: alpine-style ascent and first traverse (2018)
- TelQuel (Aug 2026) — Kang Yatse II summit report
- Indian Mountaineering Foundation — peak fees for foreign expeditions
- The Statesman — Ladakh administration bans expeditions to Stok Kangri
