Highest Peaks in Ladakh: 35 Peaks, Listed & Explained
Ladakh's mountains, from the Siachen giants to the Markha valley.
Thirty-five notable summits, from 7,742 m Saltoro Kangri on the Siachen front to the trekking peaks above Tso Moriri, with their heights, areas, first ascents and 2026 status: what you can climb, what is closed and how the permits work.
- 7,742 m Saltoro Kangri
- 35 peaks in our table
- 24 peaks above 7,000 m
- Stok Kangri closed since 2020
- Jul–Sep climbing season
Mountains of India › Highest Peaks in Ladakh
Last verified 5 Nov 2026
Which is the highest peak in Ladakh?
Saltoro Kangri (7,742 m / 25,400 ft), on the Saltoro Ridge in the Siachen area, is the highest peak on ground India administers in Ladakh. India’s official map also shows K2 (8,611 m / 28,251 ft) in Ladakh, but K2 stands in Pakistan-administered Gilgit-Baltistan. Second is Saser Kangri I (7,672 m). All 35 peaks are below, from our list of India’s highest peaks.
Ladakh is the high, dry corner of the Indian Himalaya. Five ranges cross it from south to north: the Great Himalaya, the Zanskar, the Ladakh Range, the Pangong range and the Karakoram. Its giants are in the far north, in the Saltoro, Saser, Rimo and Siachen groups of the Karakoram; its climbable summits are mostly in the Zanskar range around the Markha valley and the Rupshu plateau near Tso Moriri.
The “highest peak in Ladakh” has two answers. India’s official map places K2 (8,611 m) inside the Ladakh union territory, but K2 stands in Gilgit-Baltistan, which Pakistan administers, and is climbed only from Pakistan. On ground India administers, the highest is Saltoro Kangri (7,742 m / 25,400 ft) on the Actual Ground Position Line in the Siachen area, about the 31st-highest mountain in the world. It was first climbed on 24 July 1962 by a joint Japanese–Pakistani team.
Our table covers 35 notable Ladakh peaks from the dataset behind our Indian Himalaya guide: 24 above 7,000 m, 10 in the 6,000s and one in the 5,000s. Wikipedia’s Ladakh list names a few more, such as Mt Hardinge, that are not in our dataset. As Wikipedia notes, a large number of Ladakh’s peaks are still not open for climbing for security reasons.
Mountains in Ladakh by height: all 35 peaks
The animation sets seven Ladakh peaks side by side at their true heights, from the now-closed Stok Kangri (6,153 m) up to Saltoro Kangri (7,742 m).
Search the table by name, or sort it by height or first ascent. The status column shows whether a peak has been climbed, is restricted or is closed. Each peak links to its own guide where we have one, and otherwise to its row in the national list. For the other 7,000 m peaks of India, see our 7,000 m peaks list.
Showing 35 of 35 peaks
| # | State | Range | Status | Grade | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saltoro KangriHighest peak in Ladakh (on the AGPL); India also claims K2 (8,611 m) in Pakistan-administered Gilgit-Baltistan. | 7,742 m25,400 ft | Ladakh | Karakoram (Saltoro Mountains) | 1962 | Restricted | Technical |
| 2 | Saser Kangri IHighest peak entirely within Ladakh (Indian-administered). | 7,672 m25,171 ft | Ladakh | Karakoram (Saser Muztagh) | 1973 | Climbed | Technical |
| 3 | Mamostong KangriHighest peak of the Rimo Muztagh. | 7,516 m24,659 ft | Ladakh | Karakoram (Rimo Muztagh) | 1984 | Climbed | Technical |
| 4 | Saser Kangri II EastWas the world's 2nd-highest unclimbed peak until 2011; lower West summit climbed 1984. | 7,513 m24,649 ft | Ladakh | Karakoram (Saser Muztagh) | 2011 | Climbed | Extreme |
| 5 | Saser Kangri III | 7,495 m24,590 ft | Ladakh | Karakoram (Saser Muztagh) | 1986 | Climbed | Technical |
| 6 | Teram Kangri IHighest of the Siachen Muztagh. | 7,462 m24,482 ft | Ladakh | Karakoram (Siachen Muztagh) | 1975 | Restricted | Technical |
| 7 | K12Occupied by an Indian Army party in 1984; used for training for the 1985 Army Everest expedition. | 7,428 m24,370 ft | Ladakh | Karakoram (Saltoro Mountains) | 1974 | Restricted | Technical |
| 8 | Saser Kangri IV | 7,415 m24,327 ft | Ladakh | Karakoram (Saser Muztagh) | 1987 | Climbed | Technical |
| 9 | Teram Kangri II1978 Indian Army ascent (Col. Narendra Kumar) was India's first move to assert its claim to Siachen. | 7,407 m24,301 ft | Ladakh | Karakoram (Siachen Muztagh) | 1975 | Restricted | Technical |
| 10 | Ghent KangriNear the AGPL; military zone. | 7,401 m24,281 ft | Ladakh | Karakoram (Saltoro Mountains) | 1961 | Restricted | Technical |
| 11 | Rimo IClimbed only once. | 7,385 m24,229 ft | Ladakh | Karakoram (Rimo Muztagh) | 1988 | Climbed | Technical |
| 12 | Teram Kangri IIISiachen military zone. | 7,382 m24,219 ft | Ladakh | Karakoram (Siachen Muztagh) | 1979 | Restricted | Technical |
| 13 | Plateau PeakThe last unclimbed 7,000er of the Saser massif until 2013. | 7,287 m23,907 ft | Ladakh | Karakoram (Saser Muztagh) | 2013 | Climbed | Technical |
| 14 | Apsarasas Kangri IOnly the western summit has been climbed; sources disagree which Apsarasas summit is highest. | 7,245 m23,770 ft | Ladakh | Karakoram (Siachen Muztagh) | 1976 | Restricted | Technical |
| 15 | Apsarasas Kangri II (and III)Among the highest unclimbed summits in the world. Apsarasas III is c.6,882 m. | 7,239 m23,750 ft | Ladakh | Karakoram (Siachen Muztagh) | — | Unclimbed | Technical |
| 16 | Rimo III | 7,233 m23,730 ft | Ladakh | Karakoram (Rimo Muztagh) | 1985 | Climbed | Technical |
| 17 | Singhi KangriSiachen military zone. | 7,202 m23,629 ft | Ladakh | Karakoram (Siachen Muztagh) | 1976 | Restricted | Technical |
| 18 | Rimo IV | 7,169 m23,520 ft | Ladakh | Karakoram (Rimo Muztagh) | 1984 | Climbed | Technical |
| 19 | Kun | 7,077 m23,219 ft | Ladakh | Great Himalaya (Nun Kun massif) | 1913 | Climbed | Technical |
| 20 | Chong Kumdan Ri I | 7,071 m23,199 ft | Ladakh | Karakoram (Rimo Muztagh) | 1991 | Climbed | Technical |
| 21 | PadmanabhSiachen area. | 7,030 m23,064 ft | Ladakh | Karakoram (Rimo Muztagh / Teram Shehr) | 2002 | Restricted | Technical |
| 22 | Chamshen Kangri | 7,017 m23,022 ft | Ladakh | Karakoram (Saser Muztagh) | 2013 | Climbed | Technical |
| 23 | Aq Tash | 7,016 m23,018 ft | Ladakh | Karakoram (Rimo Muztagh) | 1993 | Climbed | Technical |
| 24 | Chong Kumdan Ri II | 7,004 m22,979 ft | Ladakh | Karakoram (Rimo Muztagh) | 2008 | Climbed | Technical |
| 25 | Shahi KangriUnclimbed until June 2022 (with neighbouring Silver Peak). | 6,934 m22,749 ft | Ladakh | Karakoram (eastern) / Ladakh Range | 2022 | Climbed | Technical |
| 26 | Argan Kangri | 6,789 m22,274 ft | Ladakh | Karakoram (Saser Muztagh, Arganglas group) | 2003 | Climbed | Technical |
| 27 | Lungser KangriHighest peak of Rupshu. | 6,666 m21,870 ft | Ladakh | Zanskar/Rupshu | 1995 | Climbed | Trekking peak |
| 28 | Chamser Kangri | 6,622 m21,726 ft | Ladakh | Zanskar/Rupshu | — | Climbed | Trekking peak |
| 29 | Kang Yatse ITrue (east) summit of the Kang Yatse massif; 23 Aug 1977 via an east-side couloir and the south ridge. First traverse from Kang Yatse II by HMI instructors, 17 Aug 2018. | 6,400 m20,997 ft | Ladakh | Zanskar range (Markha) | 1977 | Climbed | Technical |
| 30 | Chiling I | 6,349 m20,830 ft | Ladakh | Great Himalaya (Zanskar–Kishtwar) | 1977 | Climbed | Technical |
| 31 | Dzo Jongo | 6,280 m20,604 ft | Ladakh | Zanskar range (Markha) | — | Climbed | Trekking peak |
| 32 | Kang Yatse IILower western summit of the Kang Yatse massif and Ladakh's most-climbed 6,000er since Stok Kangri closed; published heights 6,175-6,250 m. | 6,250 m20,505 ft | Ladakh | Zanskar range (Markha) | — | Climbed | Trekking peak |
| 33 | Mentok KangriRises above the west shore of Tso Moriri; the lake is ringed by 6,000 m peaks including Mentok Kangri and Lungser Kangri. | 6,250 m20,505 ft | Ladakh | Zanskar/Rupshu | — | Climbed | Trekking peak |
| 34 | Stok KangriWas India's most-climbed 6,000er before the closure. | 6,153 m20,187 ft | Ladakh | Zanskar range (Stok range) | 1951 | Closed | Trekking peak |
| 35 | MachoiSource of the Drass river. | 5,458 m17,907 ft | Ladakh | Great Himalaya (Zoji La) | 1984 | Climbed | Moderate |
Permits for climbing in Ladakh
Indian nationals no longer need an Inner Line Permit for Ladakh’s protected areas, such as Nubra, Pangong and Tso Moriri: the Ladakh administration removed it in August 2021. Local environment and wildlife fees still apply; the amounts change, so check them in Leh.
Foreign nationals still need a Protected Area Permit for Nubra, Pangong, Tso Moriri and Rupshu, Dha-Hanu and similar areas. The same 2021 order extended it from 7 to 15 days. It is issued to groups of two or more through a registered Leh travel agent. Leh town, the highways and Zanskar need none. A tourist visa covers open areas; confirm visa rules with the Indian mission.
Every peak needs Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF) permission; foreign teams apply at least 90 days ahead, with a liaison officer and insurance. The IMF base fee for a team of two is US$500 for peaks up to 6,500 m, US$700 for 6,501–7,000 m and US$1,000 above 7,000 m, plus US$500 for liaison-officer equipment; per-member charges apply (IMF, checked 1 Oct 2026). See our IMF permit and fees guide and how to climb in India. Markha peaks also need Hemis National Park entry.
Ladakh's peaks, area by area
The peaks fall into six areas. The first two are military and border zones; the last four are where ordinary climbing happens.
Siachen and Saltoro (restricted)
- Saltoro Kangri (7,742 m): Ladakh’s highest, on the AGPL
- Teram Kangri I (7,462 m) and K12 (7,428 m)
- Ghent Kangri (7,401 m)
- Apsarasas Kangri I (7,245 m); its neighbour Apsarasas Kangri II is still unclimbed
- Singhi Kangri (7,202 m) and Padmanabh (7,030 m)
Closed to ordinary teams. The 2019 opening of Siachen was for Army-arranged tourist visits from Siachen Base Camp to Kumar Post, not for climbing.
Nubra, Saser and Rimo (restricted)
- Saser Kangri I (7,672 m): first climbed by the ITBP in 1973
- Mamostong Kangri (7,516 m)
- Saser Kangri II East (7,513 m): climbed in 2011
- Rimo I (7,385 m) and Plateau Peak (7,287 m)
- Shahi Kangri (6,934 m): first climbed in 2022
East Karakoram: the IMF allows only joint expeditions with Indian counterparts.
Markha and Hemis (Leh)
- Kang Yatse: II (6,250 m) is a walk-up, I (6,400 m) is technical
- Dzo Jongo (6,280 m)
- Stok Kangri (6,153 m): closed since 2020
Inside Hemis National Park, which charges its own entry.
Rupshu and Tso Moriri
- Lungser Kangri (6,666 m): Rupshu’s highest, first climbed in 1995
- Chamser Kangri (6,622 m)
- Mentok Kangri (6,250 m)
Reached from Karzok on Tso Moriri. Foreigners need a Protected Area Permit for this area.
Kargil and the Suru valley
- Kun (7,077 m): first climbed by Mario Piacenza in 1913
- Nun (7,135 m): on the Jammu & Kashmir–Ladakh border
- Chiling I (6,349 m) on the Zanskar–Kishtwar side
Kun is in Ladakh and Nun is counted in Jammu & Kashmir; both are approached from Kargil via the Suru valley road to Tangol.
Drass
- Machoi (5,458 m): the only 5,000 m peak in our table, near the Zoji La
Mountaineering in Ladakh: what is open in 2026
Only a short list of Ladakh peaks is climbed by ordinary teams each summer. In our dataset, 10 of the 35 are open to foreigners; the other 25 sit in the restricted Siachen, Nubra and Shyok belt.
| Status | Peaks |
|---|---|
| Climbed every summer | Kang Yatse II (6,250 m) and I (6,400 m), Dzo Jongo (6,280 m) in the Markha valley; Lungser Kangri (6,666 m), Chamser Kangri (6,622 m) and Mentok Kangri (6,250 m) near Tso Moriri |
| Full expeditions | Kun (7,077 m) and Nun (7,135 m) from the Kargil side |
| Closed | Stok Kangri (6,153 m): climbs stopped in 2020 and the Ladakh administration banned expeditions on 21 December 2023 over the shrinking Stok glacier; no reopening found as of October 2026 |
| Restricted | Siachen and East Karakoram peaks, such as Saltoro Kangri, Teram Kangri, Ghent Kangri, Apsarasas, Singhi Kangri, Padmanabh and K12: joint expeditions with Indian counterparts only |
A record year. In September 2026 a 20-member team from NIMAS Dirang, led by Col Ranveer Singh Jamwal, made the first recorded ascents of 20 unclimbed peaks above 6,000 m in 23 days, in the Chamser–Lungser, Gyama Nala and Chokula areas of the Ladakh Range (PIB, 25 September 2026). The peaks’ names and heights have not been published. More virgin summits in our unclimbed peaks guide.
Climbing firsts in Ladakh
| Year | Ascent |
|---|---|
| 1913 | Kun (7,077 m): Mario Piacenza, by the north-east ridge |
| 1953 | Nun (7,135 m): Pierre Vittoz and Claude Kogan, west ridge, on 28 August |
| 1962 | Saltoro Kangri (7,742 m): joint Japanese–Pakistani team, south-east ridge, on 24 July; an Indian Army team climbed it in 1981 |
| 1973 | Saser Kangri I (7,672 m): an ITBP team from the south-east, on 5 June |
| 1995 | Lungser Kangri (6,666 m): Harish Kapadia |
| 2011 | Saser Kangri II East (7,513 m): Mark Richey, Steve Swenson and Freddie Wilkinson, later awarded a Piolet d’Or |
| 2022 | Shahi Kangri (6,934 m): first ascent |
| 2026 | NIMAS Dirang: 20 first ascents above 6,000 m in the Ladakh Range in 23 days |
The big Karakoram peaks are serious ground: in 2018 a climber died in a crevasse on Saser Kangri IV. More firsts across India in our climbing records timeline.
Best time to climb in Ladakh
Ladakh lies in the rain shadow of the Great Himalaya; Leh gets only about 100 mm of precipitation a year. So the climbing season is high summer, when the monsoon soaks the rest of north India.
| Months | What to expect |
|---|---|
| June | Season opens; snow-melt rivers run high and crossings can be dangerous |
| July–September | The best window for Markha, Rupshu and Kargil peaks |
| June–August | The window given for the Karakoram peaks in our dataset |
| October–May | Cold and snowbound; high passes close |
Base camps here start high, so acclimatise in Leh first and read our altitude sickness guide.
Want to climb? Start next door in Himachal
With Stok Kangri closed and most of the Karakoram restricted, many climbers who search for a Ladakh peak are really looking for a first 6,000 m summit. Himachal has those, without Ladakh’s protected-area permits.
- First summitFriendship Peak (5,289 m) above Manali, the classic first snow climb.
- First 6,000 m peakYunam (6,111 m) near the Baralacha La, on the Manali–Leh road itself.
- Compare the optionsOur trekking peaks guide and 6,000 m peaks list set Kang Yatse beside Himachal’s peaks.
Information only. Suzu arranges climbs in Himachal Pradesh only, so we do not sell Ladakh peaks.
Ladakh's peaks: your questions
Which is the highest peak in Ladakh?
Saltoro Kangri, 7,742 m (25,400 ft), on the Saltoro Ridge in the Siachen area: the highest on ground India administers. India’s official map also places K2 (8,611 m) in Ladakh, but K2 is in Pakistan-administered Gilgit-Baltistan.
Which is the second-highest peak in Ladakh?
Saser Kangri I, 7,672 m (25,171 ft), in the Saser Muztagh above the Nubra valley. An ITBP team first climbed it on 5 June 1973.
How many mountains in Ladakh are above 7,000 m?
24 of the 35 Ladakh peaks in our dataset, almost all of them in the Karakoram. The only one outside it is Kun (7,077 m) in the Great Himalaya.
Is Stok Kangri open for climbing?
No. Climbs stopped in 2020 and the Ladakh administration banned expeditions on 21 December 2023 because of the shrinking Stok glacier. We found no reopening as of October 2026.
Which peaks can I climb in Ladakh?
Kang Yatse II (6,250 m) in the Markha valley and the Rupshu peaks near Tso Moriri, such as Lungser Kangri (6,666 m), are climbed every summer. Kun and Nun are full expeditions from the Kargil side.
Is Nun Kun in Ladakh?
The massif sits on the Jammu & Kashmir–Ladakh border. Kun (7,077 m) is in Ladakh and Nun (7,135 m) is counted in Jammu & Kashmir; both are approached from Kargil through the Suru valley.
Do I need a permit to climb in Ladakh?
Indians have not needed an Inner Line Permit since August 2021. Foreigners still need a Protected Area Permit for areas like Nubra, Pangong and Tso Moriri, and every peak needs IMF permission.
When is the mountaineering season in Ladakh?
July to September, because Ladakh lies in the Himalayan rain shadow. June brings high snow-melt rivers; the Karakoram peaks are climbed from June to August.
Dreaming of Kang Yatse or Stok? Climb in Himachal first
Suzu arranges climbs in Himachal only, so we do not sell Ladakh peaks. If a 6,000 m summit is your goal, Himachal is a good place to start: Friendship Peak first, then Yunam on the Manali–Leh road. 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 — List of mountain peaks of Ladakh
- Wikipedia — List of Indian states and union territories by elevation
- Wikipedia — Saltoro Kangri
- Wikipedia — Saser Kangri
- Wikipedia — Nun Kun
- Wikipedia — Lungser Kangri
- PIB (Ministry of Defence), 25 Sep 2026 — NIMAS team's 20 first ascents in Ladakh
- Deccan Chronicle — Ladakh team scales 20 unclimbed peaks in 23 days
- Voice of Ladakh, Aug 2021 — Indian nationals no longer need a permit for protected areas
- The Statesman — Ladakh administration bans expeditions to Stok Kangri
- The Tribune — Expeditions to Stok Kangri banned over depleting glaciers
- GKToday — Siachen opened to tourists (2019)
- Indian Mountaineering Foundation — peak fees for foreign expeditions
