Friendship Peak Expedition
Friendship peak is one of the most famous summits for trekking in the country. It is located in the Pir Panjal range in Himachal Pradesh and stands tall at 17,348 ft. The trail of this trek passes through beautiful alpine meadows and dense forests and one crosses numerous streams. Highly varied flora and fauna found on the trek. At the summit, one gets a panoramic view of Pir Panjal range, Dhauldhar range, and the great Himalayan range. Some of the most peaks like Hanuman Tibba, Shitidhar, Indra Asan and Deo Tibba are also visible. The Friendship peak summit is not meant for the beginners. Trekkers must have prior experience of high altitude treks. The fitness level required for this expedition is quite high. The best months to do this trek are from May to June and September to October.
Friendship Peak is made only for experienced trekkers who want to test their limits. The challenges faced in the trek should not be underestimated. You should attempt this trek only If you have already done a trek that climbs to 4700-5000 metres. It is recommended not to opt this trek if you cannot get acclimatized at high altitudes. Besides you need to have a strong physical endurance to complete this trek. For details on trek difficulty level, please read on Bikat Rating Scale
Should have an experience of at least 10 – 15 trek days in the Himalayas, At least one Moderate Plus category trek, Experience of trekking at altitudes higher than 4700 - 5000 mts, Medical fitness certificate from CMO of a recognized hospital.
How to use an Ice Axe
How to use Climbing boots & Crampons
How to rope up & follow queued climbing/descending
How to self-arrest using an ice axe
Knowledge of Basic First aid
Its a good trekking peak & gives you a glimpse of how actual mountaineering expeditions are conducted. So, if you have enough trekking (view eligibility) & now want to stretch your limits, this expedition is just right for you.
The base camp for the Friendship Peak Trek is Solang Nallah in the beautiful Solang Valley. It is a short drive of 13 km from Manali to Solang Valley. The road from Manali to Solang Nala is lined with apple and pine trees. There are private taxis running between Manali and Solang Valley that cost you anything between INR 2500 to 4000 depending upon the season. Manali is well connected to Delhi with all kinds of transport (except direct train) and can easily be reached through road or air.
By Road : The road distance from Delhi to Manali is 536 km. There are overnight HRTC buses and Volvos available from ISBT Kashmere Gate, Delhi for Manali. It is a 14 hour journey by bus. You can book your bus tickets online through hrtchp.com or any other bus services available. You can also hire a private taxi or an outstation cab from Delhi.
By Rail : To reach by train, take a direct train from Delhi to Pathankot. Some of the trains that run on this route are Delhi-Pathankot Express, Jammu Tawi Express, Delhi-Dhauladhar Express. You can then take a bus from Pathankot to Manali. Or you can take a connecting train to Joginder Nagar from Pathankot which is the nearest station to Manali. There are buses running frequently between Joginder Nagar and Manali.
By Air : The nearest airport is Bhuntar airport which is located 50 km from Manali. There are taxis available at the airport which will take you to Manali. You can also take local buses that keep running from Bhuntar to Manali at a very regular frequency. Buses are decent and very cheap compared to taxi that can cost you around INR 2000-5000 depending upon the season.
Airtel and BSNL may have coverage at some points upto Beas Kund. Bakkarthatch & Dhundi have decent coverage of BSNL. One can expect full reception till Solang Valley.
Manali is the gateway to Solang Valley where you can participate in adventure activities like paragliding, and zorbing in the summer months when the snow melts. Visit the ancient Hadimba Devi Temple which has an interesting mythological tale associated with it. Walk through the charming lanes of Old manali. Visit the bazaar to buy some souvenirs. Jogini Fall and Vashisht Temple are other famous attractions in Manali. You can also visit Rohtang pass while you are in Manali.
Click here for text packing list.
June or September - October
The minimum age limit is 13 years. However, minors aged between 13 to 17 should be accompanied with their parents or guardians. If you are above the age of 60, kindly carry a medical certificate from your doctor that deem you fit for adventure activities like trekking.
ID Proof (Soft Copy to be sent to us in Advance & original to be carried) and Medical Certificate (Soft Copy to be sent to us & original to be carried) are the mandatory documents required for this trek.
Jog/Run for 5 Kms in 25-30 mins Or Walk continuously for 10 kms (with 3-4 small breaks) on plain terrain (slight incline is better) and
Hold your breath for 40 seconds and
3 sets of Climbing 30 – 40 steps in one stretch and
Push Ups – 10 and
Lunges & Squats – 15 X 2 sets
If you are not meeting these benchmarks, please use the preparation schedule to improve your fitness till you achieve the above benchmarks.
How to use an Ice Axe
How to use Climbing boots & Crampons
How to rope up & follow queued climbing/descending
How to self-arrest using an ice axe
Knowledge of Basic First aid
A basic mountaineering course is recommended though not mandatory in case of highly experienced & skilled trekkers. At least 2-3 challenging treks along with 20 – 25 total trekking days in the Himalayas.
The Friendship peak expedition is meant for experienced trekkers only. The maximum altitude gained during the expedition is 17,348 ft. The trail of the trek is difficult to scale but offers unmatched beauty at the same time. At the summit, one gets a panoramic view of Pir Panjal range, Dhauldhar range, and the great Himalayan range. Some of the most peaks like Hanuman Tibba, Shitidhar, Indra Asan and Deo Tibba are also visible. For details on trek difficulty level, please read on Bikat Rating Scale
The best months to do this trek are from May to June and September to October.
Click here for packing list.
From Manali, we drive to Dhundi via Solang Nala from where we trek to Bakkarthatch. At the end of the trek, we will trace our steps back to Dhundi from where we will board our vehicles to Manali.
Manali is a famous tourist attraction. The Mall road and Hidimba Devi temple are frequented by many. The Solang valley is famous for many adventure sports activities.
The minimum age limit is 13 years. However, minors aged between 13 to 17 should be accompanied with their parents or guardians. If you are above the age of 60, kindly carry a medical certificate from your doctor that deem you fit for adventure activities like trekking.
At Manali, we will stay at hotels or guesthouses. During the trek we will be camping.
We use four-season tents and the sleeping bags we use are rated from -15 to -20 degree celcius.
A maximum of 25-degrees to a minimum 5-degree celcius is seen during the months of July to October.
A trek leader will be assigned to lead you on the trek.
Yes, since there will be a lot of snow on the trail a trekking pole would be helpful.
From Manali, we will drive you to Dhundi and at the end of the trek, we will drive you back to Manali.
