26 Nights / 27 Days

Mount Nun Expedition

Arrives at Delhi International Airport at 0900 the following morning. Local time in Delhi is 4.5 hours ahead, but hopefully we will have been able to sleep on the flight. We are met at the airport and taken to our hotel, which is very conveniently placed for sightseeing in the city. In the afternoon, we must visit the Indian Mountaineering Federation (IMF) to obtain our climbing permit.
 

We make an early start to take the flight to Leh, the capital city of Ladakh. The flight takes us over the Greater Himalaya and makes an exciting landing at one of the highest airports in the world. We can hope to get excellent views of the Zanskar Range as we fly-in and, on a clear day, the great peaks of the Karakoram are visible to the north. We are met at the airport and taken to the Kang Lha Chen. The rest of the day is at leisure. Leh is at an altitude of nearly 3,510m, and you can expect to feel the effects of the rarefied atmosphere.
 

Today is your own to relax and stroll around Leh, to allow the effects of the altitude to wear off. This is an important period, which allows the body to acclimatise. There are plenty of distractions in Leh, varying from scenic and cultural to gastronomic. Alternatively your leader can arrange a short drive out to visit some of the fantastic monasteries that have existed here since the 11th Century.
 

Instead of driving directly to Kun, we will complete a three day trek to the Kanji La (5,280m), partly for the acclimatisation, but also for the opportunity to explore a little of this fascinating region. The drive to Kanji Village is an adventure in itself, firstly along the main highway from Leh to Kashmir, before turning off for the last 10Km through a spectacular gorge. It takes roughly 4 hours to get to Heniskut - which is like driving back into the middle ages. From the road head, the trek to Kanji Village takes 3 hours. This is on rough road, but it's better to walk than to drive.
 

From Kanji Village we trek up the floor of the valley, passing fields and seasonal settlements, criss-crossing the river (carry sandals!), to a grassy camp site at the base of Kanji La (6 - 7 hours).
 

Soon after leaving camp in the morning we break off heading steeply up the valley side to a pass at 4,600m, then on up a side valley to the final steep slopes which take us to the pass itself with wonderful views of the mountains of the Zanskar (4 hours from camp). A long descent down barren scree slopes to Mapollan is quite tough for the ponies (9 hours).
 

We’ll stay overnight at a campsite at Golmatangol.

Trek to Nun Advance Base Camp.

We need to establish three camps on the mountain and fix ropes on various sections of the route. The Sherpas will do the bulk of load carrying and fixing, but each member of the team needs to be prepared to carry their own share of the kit.
The route to Camp 1 is first up a moraine and scree slope and ridge for one hour, then onto the glacier and up an icefall with 200m of fixed line, which gives access to a huge glacial plateau.

Camp 1, at 5,500m, is on this plateau. The route from here goes across to the base of the mountain and the start of 600 vertical metres of almost continuous fixed ropes to the site of Camp 2.

Camp 2, at 6,100m, is squeezed onto a narrow sloping shelf between a glacial ridge and a vertical drop of a very long way.
Above Camp 2, a short scramble takes us onto the rocky summit of a subsidiary peak, with a steep snow slope down the other side to a crevassed col. The col gives access to snow and ice slopes, which have one short section of fixed rope and lead to the plateau at around 6,400 meter.

Camp 3 is put on this open area, giving access to the final summit slopes which terminate in a steep and narrow snow arête.

 

We need to establish three camps on the mountain and fix ropes on various sections of the route. The Sherpas will do the bulk of load carrying and fixing, but each member of the team needs to be prepared to carry their own share of the kit.
The route to Camp 1 is first up a moraine and scree slope and ridge for one hour, then onto the glacier and up an icefall with 200m of fixed line, which gives access to a huge glacial plateau.

Camp 1, at 5,500m, is on this plateau. The route from here goes across to the base of the mountain and the start of 600 vertical metres of almost continuous fixed ropes to the site of Camp 2.

Camp 2, at 6,100m, is squeezed onto a narrow sloping shelf between a glacial ridge and a vertical drop of a very long way.
Above Camp 2, a short scramble takes us onto the rocky summit of a subsidiary peak, with a steep snow slope down the other side to a crevassed col. The col gives access to snow and ice slopes, which have one short section of fixed rope and lead to the plateau at around 6,400 meter.

Camp 3 is put on this open area, giving access to the final summit slopes which terminate in a steep and narrow snow arête.
 

We need to establish three camps on the mountain and fix ropes on various sections of the route. The Sherpas will do the bulk of load carrying and fixing, but each member of the team needs to be prepared to carry their own share of the kit.
The route to Camp 1 is first up a moraine and scree slope and ridge for one hour, then onto the glacier and up an icefall with 200m of fixed line, which gives access to a huge glacial plateau.

Camp 1, at 5,500m, is on this plateau. The route from here goes across to the base of the mountain and the start of 600 vertical metres of almost continuous fixed ropes to the site of Camp 2.

Camp 2, at 6,100m, is squeezed onto a narrow sloping shelf between a glacial ridge and a vertical drop of a very long way.
Above Camp 2, a short scramble takes us onto the rocky summit of a subsidiary peak, with a steep snow slope down the other side to a crevassed col. The col gives access to snow and ice slopes, which have one short section of fixed rope and lead to the plateau at around 6,400 meter.

Camp 3 is put on this open area, giving access to the final summit slopes which terminate in a steep and narrow snow arête.
 

We need to establish three camps on the mountain and fix ropes on various sections of the route. The Sherpas will do the bulk of load carrying and fixing, but each member of the team needs to be prepared to carry their own share of the kit.
The route to Camp 1 is first up a moraine and scree slope and ridge for one hour, then onto the glacier and up an icefall with 200m of fixed line, which gives access to a huge glacial plateau.

Camp 1, at 5,500m, is on this plateau. The route from here goes across to the base of the mountain and the start of 600 vertical metres of almost continuous fixed ropes to the site of Camp 2.

Camp 2, at 6,100m, is squeezed onto a narrow sloping shelf between a glacial ridge and a vertical drop of a very long way.
Above Camp 2, a short scramble takes us onto the rocky summit of a subsidiary peak, with a steep snow slope down the other side to a crevassed col. The col gives access to snow and ice slopes, which have one short section of fixed rope and lead to the plateau at around 6,400 meter.

Camp 3 is put on this open area, giving access to the final summit slopes which terminate in a steep and narrow snow arête.
 

We need to establish three camps on the mountain and fix ropes on various sections of the route. The Sherpas will do the bulk of load carrying and fixing, but each member of the team needs to be prepared to carry their own share of the kit.
The route to Camp 1 is first up a moraine and scree slope and ridge for one hour, then onto the glacier and up an icefall with 200m of fixed line, which gives access to a huge glacial plateau.

Camp 1, at 5,500m, is on this plateau. The route from here goes across to the base of the mountain and the start of 600 vertical metres of almost continuous fixed ropes to the site of Camp 2.

Camp 2, at 6,100m, is squeezed onto a narrow sloping shelf between a glacial ridge and a vertical drop of a very long way.
Above Camp 2, a short scramble takes us onto the rocky summit of a subsidiary peak, with a steep snow slope down the other side to a crevassed col. The col gives access to snow and ice slopes, which have one short section of fixed rope and lead to the plateau at around 6,400 meter.

Camp 3 is put on this open area, giving access to the final summit slopes which terminate in a steep and narrow snow arête.

 

We need to establish three camps on the mountain and fix ropes on various sections of the route. The Sherpas will do the bulk of load carrying and fixing, but each member of the team needs to be prepared to carry their own share of the kit.
The route to Camp 1 is first up a moraine and scree slope and ridge for one hour, then onto the glacier and up an icefall with 200m of fixed line, which gives access to a huge glacial plateau.

Camp 1, at 5,500m, is on this plateau. The route from here goes across to the base of the mountain and the start of 600 vertical metres of almost continuous fixed ropes to the site of Camp 2.

Camp 2, at 6,100m, is squeezed onto a narrow sloping shelf between a glacial ridge and a vertical drop of a very long way.
Above Camp 2, a short scramble takes us onto the rocky summit of a subsidiary peak, with a steep snow slope down the other side to a crevassed col. The col gives access to snow and ice slopes, which have one short section of fixed rope and lead to the plateau at around 6,400 meter.

Camp 3 is put on this open area, giving access to the final summit slopes which terminate in a steep and narrow snow arête.

 

We need to establish three camps on the mountain and fix ropes on various sections of the route. The Sherpas will do the bulk of load carrying and fixing, but each member of the team needs to be prepared to carry their own share of the kit.
The route to Camp 1 is first up a moraine and scree slope and ridge for one hour, then onto the glacier and up an icefall with 200m of fixed line, which gives access to a huge glacial plateau.

Camp 1, at 5,500m, is on this plateau. The route from here goes across to the base of the mountain and the start of 600 vertical metres of almost continuous fixed ropes to the site of Camp 2.

Camp 2, at 6,100m, is squeezed onto a narrow sloping shelf between a glacial ridge and a vertical drop of a very long way.
Above Camp 2, a short scramble takes us onto the rocky summit of a subsidiary peak, with a steep snow slope down the other side to a crevassed col. The col gives access to snow and ice slopes, which have one short section of fixed rope and lead to the plateau at around 6,400 meter.

Camp 3 is put on this open area, giving access to the final summit slopes which terminate in a steep and narrow snow arête.
 

We need to establish three camps on the mountain and fix ropes on various sections of the route. The Sherpas will do the bulk of load carrying and fixing, but each member of the team needs to be prepared to carry their own share of the kit.
The route to Camp 1 is first up a moraine and scree slope and ridge for one hour, then onto the glacier and up an icefall with 200m of fixed line, which gives access to a huge glacial plateau.

Camp 1, at 5,500m, is on this plateau. The route from here goes across to the base of the mountain and the start of 600 vertical metres of almost continuous fixed ropes to the site of Camp 2.

Camp 2, at 6,100m, is squeezed onto a narrow sloping shelf between a glacial ridge and a vertical drop of a very long way.
Above Camp 2, a short scramble takes us onto the rocky summit of a subsidiary peak, with a steep snow slope down the other side to a crevassed col. The col gives access to snow and ice slopes, which have one short section of fixed rope and lead to the plateau at around 6,400 meter.

Camp 3 is put on this open area, giving access to the final summit slopes which terminate in a steep and narrow snow arête.
 

We need to establish three camps on the mountain and fix ropes on various sections of the route. The Sherpas will do the bulk of load carrying and fixing, but each member of the team needs to be prepared to carry their own share of the kit.
The route to Camp 1 is first up a moraine and scree slope and ridge for one hour, then onto the glacier and up an icefall with 200m of fixed line, which gives access to a huge glacial plateau.

Camp 1, at 5,500m, is on this plateau. The route from here goes across to the base of the mountain and the start of 600 vertical metres of almost continuous fixed ropes to the site of Camp 2.

Camp 2, at 6,100m, is squeezed onto a narrow sloping shelf between a glacial ridge and a vertical drop of a very long way.
Above Camp 2, a short scramble takes us onto the rocky summit of a subsidiary peak, with a steep snow slope down the other side to a crevassed col. The col gives access to snow and ice slopes, which have one short section of fixed rope and lead to the plateau at around 6,400 meter.

Camp 3 is put on this open area, giving access to the final summit slopes which terminate in a steep and narrow snow arête.
 

We need to establish three camps on the mountain and fix ropes on various sections of the route. The Sherpas will do the bulk of load carrying and fixing, but each member of the team needs to be prepared to carry their own share of the kit.
The route to Camp 1 is first up a moraine and scree slope and ridge for one hour, then onto the glacier and up an icefall with 200m of fixed line, which gives access to a huge glacial plateau.

Camp 1, at 5,500m, is on this plateau. The route from here goes across to the base of the mountain and the start of 600 vertical metres of almost continuous fixed ropes to the site of Camp 2.

Camp 2, at 6,100m, is squeezed onto a narrow sloping shelf between a glacial ridge and a vertical drop of a very long way.
Above Camp 2, a short scramble takes us onto the rocky summit of a subsidiary peak, with a steep snow slope down the other side to a crevassed col. The col gives access to snow and ice slopes, which have one short section of fixed rope and lead to the plateau at around 6,400 meter.

Camp 3 is put on this open area, giving access to the final summit slopes which terminate in a steep and narrow snow arête.
 

We need to establish three camps on the mountain and fix ropes on various sections of the route. The Sherpas will do the bulk of load carrying and fixing, but each member of the team needs to be prepared to carry their own share of the kit.
The route to Camp 1 is first up a moraine and scree slope and ridge for one hour, then onto the glacier and up an icefall with 200m of fixed line, which gives access to a huge glacial plateau.

Camp 1, at 5,500m, is on this plateau. The route from here goes across to the base of the mountain and the start of 600 vertical metres of almost continuous fixed ropes to the site of Camp 2.

Camp 2, at 6,100m, is squeezed onto a narrow sloping shelf between a glacial ridge and a vertical drop of a very long way.
Above Camp 2, a short scramble takes us onto the rocky summit of a subsidiary peak, with a steep snow slope down the other side to a crevassed col. The col gives access to snow and ice slopes, which have one short section of fixed rope and lead to the plateau at around 6,400 meter.

Camp 3 is put on this open area, giving access to the final summit slopes which terminate in a steep and narrow snow arête.
 

We need to establish three camps on the mountain and fix ropes on various sections of the route. The Sherpas will do the bulk of load carrying and fixing, but each member of the team needs to be prepared to carry their own share of the kit.
The route to Camp 1 is first up a moraine and scree slope and ridge for one hour, then onto the glacier and up an icefall with 200m of fixed line, which gives access to a huge glacial plateau.

Camp 1, at 5,500m, is on this plateau. The route from here goes across to the base of the mountain and the start of 600 vertical metres of almost continuous fixed ropes to the site of Camp 2.

Camp 2, at 6,100m, is squeezed onto a narrow sloping shelf between a glacial ridge and a vertical drop of a very long way.
Above Camp 2, a short scramble takes us onto the rocky summit of a subsidiary peak, with a steep snow slope down the other side to a crevassed col. The col gives access to snow and ice slopes, which have one short section of fixed rope and lead to the plateau at around 6,400 meter.

Camp 3 is put on this open area, giving access to the final summit slopes which terminate in a steep and narrow snow arête.
 

We need to establish three camps on the mountain and fix ropes on various sections of the route. The Sherpas will do the bulk of load carrying and fixing, but each member of the team needs to be prepared to carry their own share of the kit.
The route to Camp 1 is first up a moraine and scree slope and ridge for one hour, then onto the glacier and up an icefall with 200m of fixed line, which gives access to a huge glacial plateau.

Camp 1, at 5,500m, is on this plateau. The route from here goes across to the base of the mountain and the start of 600 vertical metres of almost continuous fixed ropes to the site of Camp 2.

Camp 2, at 6,100m, is squeezed onto a narrow sloping shelf between a glacial ridge and a vertical drop of a very long way.
Above Camp 2, a short scramble takes us onto the rocky summit of a subsidiary peak, with a steep snow slope down the other side to a crevassed col. The col gives access to snow and ice slopes, which have one short section of fixed rope and lead to the plateau at around 6,400 meter.

Camp 3 is put on this open area, giving access to the final summit slopes which terminate in a steep and narrow snow arête.
 

We need to establish three camps on the mountain and fix ropes on various sections of the route. The Sherpas will do the bulk of load carrying and fixing, but each member of the team needs to be prepared to carry their own share of the kit.
The route to Camp 1 is first up a moraine and scree slope and ridge for one hour, then onto the glacier and up an icefall with 200m of fixed line, which gives access to a huge glacial plateau.

Camp 1, at 5,500m, is on this plateau. The route from here goes across to the base of the mountain and the start of 600 vertical metres of almost continuous fixed ropes to the site of Camp 2.

Camp 2, at 6,100m, is squeezed onto a narrow sloping shelf between a glacial ridge and a vertical drop of a very long way.
Above Camp 2, a short scramble takes us onto the rocky summit of a subsidiary peak, with a steep snow slope down the other side to a crevassed col. The col gives access to snow and ice slopes, which have one short section of fixed rope and lead to the plateau at around 6,400 meter.

Camp 3 is put on this open area, giving access to the final summit slopes which terminate in a steep and narrow snow arête.
 

We need to establish three camps on the mountain and fix ropes on various sections of the route. The Sherpas will do the bulk of load carrying and fixing, but each member of the team needs to be prepared to carry their own share of the kit.
The route to Camp 1 is first up a moraine and scree slope and ridge for one hour, then onto the glacier and up an icefall with 200m of fixed line, which gives access to a huge glacial plateau.

Camp 1, at 5,500m, is on this plateau. The route from here goes across to the base of the mountain and the start of 600 vertical metres of almost continuous fixed ropes to the site of Camp 2.

Camp 2, at 6,100m, is squeezed onto a narrow sloping shelf between a glacial ridge and a vertical drop of a very long way.
Above Camp 2, a short scramble takes us onto the rocky summit of a subsidiary peak, with a steep snow slope down the other side to a crevassed col. The col gives access to snow and ice slopes, which have one short section of fixed rope and lead to the plateau at around 6,400 meter.

Camp 3 is put on this open area, giving access to the final summit slopes which terminate in a steep and narrow snow arête.
 

The return journey can be done in two days. The walk from ABC to Tangol takes less than 4 hours and the drive to Kargil takes another 3 or 4. The drive back to Leh from Kargil takes anything from 6 to however many hours depending on traffic, road conditions, landslides, roadworks and the like.
 

Return to Leh. The return journey can be done in two days. The walk from ABC to Tangol takes less than 4 hours and the drive to Kargil takes another 3 or 4. The drive back to Leh from Kargil takes anything from 6 to however many hours depending on traffic, road conditions, landslides, roadworks and the like.

De-briefing at the IMF.

Transfer to Airport