Siliguri (West Bengal) [India], July 25 : The Himalayan Nature & Adventure Foundation (HNAF) on Friday flagged off its Expedition 2026 to scale Mt Kangyarrag (6,210m) in Ladakh's Markha Valley, with the five-member team targeting the summit during the July-August climbing season.
The expedition has received approval from the Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF), New Delhi. The Indian National Flag was ceremonially handed over to the team by renowned mountaineer Nima Tashi, former Deputy Secretary of the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HMI), Darjeeling, at the launch event in Siliguri.
The team will begin its journey on July 25, travelling by train to Chandigarh before heading to Ladakh by road. Expedition leader Ganesh Saha said the team would spend a few days acclimatising before beginning the approach trek to the mountain.
"This expedition is in Ladakh. Its height is 6,210 meters. We will leave from here approximately at 4 am on 25th July. We will leave by train for Chandigarh. From Chandigarh, we will then take a cab to Ladakh. We will have to spend two to three days in Ladakh. Due to the altitude, we need to acclimatise there and complete some official paperwork," he said.
"We will have to trek for four days, establishing a camp each day. We are not taking any help or support in this. We are doing this on our own; all our team members are qualified. We have done all the courses, so we will open this entire route on our own. If everything is fine, we will summit it by 1st or 2nd August. Base camp is at 5,600 meters. Then we will make another camp at 5,700 meters. The purpose is to create a record and get good exposure. This is a moderate expedition," he added.
The expedition will establish its base camp at an altitude of 5,600 metres before setting up a higher camp at 5,700 metres ahead of the summit push.
According to the team, the climb will be undertaken without external logistical or climbing support, with members relying on their own technical expertise to establish the route.
Team member Tina Khan said the expedition would be an important milestone in her mountaineering journey.
"I wanted to conquer this peak. I'll gain experience with different terrain and mountain peaks. I have excellent team members. They are experienced enough," she told ANI.
The team hopes to reach the summit on August 1 or 2, with the expedition aimed at adding another successful Indian ascent of Mt Kangyarrag while showcasing the capabilities of homegrown mountaineers.