Friendship Peak Trek
Kullu, Himachal Pradesh
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- Max altitude
- 5,289 m
- Days
- 7 days
- Distance
- 34 km
- Difficulty
- Challenging
An IMF-listed trekking peak climbed as a mini-expedition: a 1–2 am summit push of 12–14 hours on steep snow, glacier and a narrow ridge above 5,000 m, using crampons, ice axe and fixed rope. Operators ask for prior high-altitude trekking experience.
Photos
On the trail
The route
Day by day
Day 1
Manali → Manali (arrival, briefing, gear and permit check)
2,050 m → 2,050 m
Day 2
Manali (drive about 21 km to Dhundi via Solang) → Bakarthach / Lohali
2,840 m → 3,300 m
Day 3
Bakarthach / Lohali → Lady Leg (advance base camp)
3,300 m → 3,840 m
Day 4
Lady Leg → Lady Leg (load ferry to summit camp and back, snow-craft training)
3,840 m → 4,200 m → 3,840 m
Day 5
Lady Leg → Summit camp
3,840 m → 4,200 m
Day 6 · highest point
Summit camp → Lady Leg (via Friendship Peak summit)
4,200 m → 5,289 m → 3,840 m
Day 7
Lady Leg → Dhundi (drive to Manali)
3,840 m → 2,840 m
Ups and downs
Altitude profile
Where it is
Map
Trailhead and high point only — not a recorded track. Use it with a proper map.
Weather
Next 5 days on the trail
Live forecast for the trailhead and the high point. Mountain weather changes fast — check again on the morning you start.
Trailhead · Dhundi
at 2,840 mLoading forecast…
High point · Friendship Peak summit
at 5,289 mLoading forecast…
Each day: high / low °C · rain mm and chance · snow cm · wind km/h
Weather data: Open-Meteo.comModel forecast, not an official warning. For alerts follow IMD and the local administration.
Plan the trip
How to reach
- Trailhead
- Dhundi (nearest town: Manali)
- Nearest railway
- Joginder Nagar (narrow gauge); Chandigarh for broad gauge (about 310 km from Manali)
- Nearest airport
- Bhuntar (Kullu–Manali), about 50 km from Manali
- By road
- Manali to Dhundi via Solang Nala (about 21 km, 1 hour); Delhi to Manali (about 540 km); Chandigarh to Manali (about 310 km)
- Drive
- About 13 h from Delhi
Plan the trip
Permits and fees
We could not confirm the current permit rules and fees from an official source. Check with the local forest department or tourism office before you go.
Plan the trip
Cost
Self-guided
₹15,000–25,000
With an operator
₹28,000–40,000
Per person, ex-Manali. Guided prices published October 2026: Himtrek ₹27,899 + 5% GST (7 days); Great Adventure ₹37,499 (7 days); Bikat Adventures ₹36,500 + 5% GST (8 days incl. a reserve day; ₹2,500 extra if it is used); Himalaya Shelter ₹38,000. Self-guided is an estimate only and not advised: a qualified local guide and porter, hired crampons, ice axe, harness and snow boots, tents and food, the Dhundi taxi, and any IMF/forest charges. Foreign nationals pay an extra IMF fee (Bikat quotes about USD 75).
Gear
Top picks for this trek
The gear that matters most on this route, chosen from its altitude, season and risks.
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Packing checklist
Matched to this trek: altitude, season, days and the risks on the route.
Packed 0 of 34
Nights near 5,289 m can drop close to freezing even in summer. Pack one more warm layer than you think.
Tick each item as it goes in the bag.
Know before you go
Good to know
- Mobile network
- Full network in Manali; none at the campsites, with patchy signal only at the col and the summit (Bikat Adventures).
- Last ATM
- Manali
- Nearest hospital
- Mission Hospital / Civil Hospital, Manali (about 21 km from Dhundi)
- Water
- Streams of the Beas headwaters at Bakarthach and Lady Leg; the summit camp is sited where water or snowmelt is available. Treat or filter all water.
Highlights
- Summit of a 5,289 m peak in the Pir Panjal, with Hanuman Tibba, Indrasan, Deo Tibba and the Seven Sisters around you
- Sunrise from the col over Manali and the Kullu valley on summit morning
- Hands-on snow and ice training: crampons, ice axe, roping up and self-arrest
- Camps in the shepherd meadows of Bakarthach and Lady Leg above Solang, on the Beas Kund side of the valley
Risks
- This is a mountaineering climb, not a walk: steep snow and ice slopes, glacier with hidden crevasses and a narrow summit ridge; crampons, ice axe, harness and rope are used.
- Summit day starts at 1–2 am and lasts 12–14 hours above 4,000 m, with real risk of altitude sickness; descend at once if symptoms appear.
- Weather turns fast: snowstorms, white-outs and heavy rain can stop the climb, which is why operators keep a buffer day.
- Himalaya Shelter says the route is inaccessible in peak monsoon (landslides on the moraine) and in winter (heavy snow, avalanche risk); operators run it only in May–June and September–October.
- Night temperatures at the higher camps fall to about -10 °C.
Know before you go
Questions
Can a beginner climb Friendship Peak?
Not as a first trek. Bikat Adventures asks for earlier high-altitude treks and calls it a bridge from trekking to mountaineering; Himtrek says prior high-altitude trekking experience is necessary. Operators teach crampon, ice-axe and rope skills on the trip, so no mountaineering course is required, but you need to be very fit (Bikat's benchmark: 5 km run in 25–30 minutes).
What is the best time to climb Friendship Peak?
May and June, when the peak is under snow, and September to mid-October, when the upper slopes are rockier. Peak monsoon (July–August) brings landslide risk on the moraine and winter brings heavy snow and avalanche risk.
How long is the Friendship Peak expedition and how far do you walk?
Most operators run 7 days Manali to Manali (Bikat runs 8 with a reserve day). Bikat and Great Adventure give about 34 km of walking; Himtrek and Himalaya Shelter quote 24 km. Summit day alone is 14–16 km and 12–14 hours.
Do I need a permit to climb Friendship Peak?
It is an IMF-listed trekking peak. Operators complete IMF and state paperwork in Manali and include forest/camping fees; foreign nationals pay an IMF fee (Bikat quotes about USD 75). We could not find a current official fee, so self-organised climbers should check with the IMF and the Directorate of Mountaineering in Manali.
Is there mobile network on the climb?
There is full network in Manali but none at the campsites; Bikat says you may get patchy signal at the col and the summit. The last ATM is in Manali.
In an emergency
Save these numbers before you lose signal. Tap to call.
- 112All emergenciesIndia’s single emergency number — works in every state
- 108Ambulance
- 1077District disaster control room
You are in
District: KulluHimachal Pradesh
- Nearest hospital
- Mission Hospital / Civil Hospital, Manali (about 21 km from Dhundi)
- Last ATM
- Manali
- Phone network
- Full network in Manali; none at the campsites, with patchy signal only at the col and the summit (Bikat Adventures).
Before you set off
- Tell someone your route and when you will be back.
- Carry a charged phone and a power bank.
- Download an offline map of the route.
- Turn back if the weather turns bad — the mountain will wait.
Questions about Friendship Peak
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Where this comes from
Sources
Last reviewed:
- Friendship Peak Trek - 2027 Trekking Peak In Manali — Bikat Adventures
- Mt: Friendship peak Expedition (5,289 M) — Great Adventure
- Friendship Peak Expedition 2026 - Cost, Itinerary & Best Time — Himalaya Shelter
- Friendship Peak Expedition: 7-Day Thrilling Himalayan Summit — Himtrek
Photos: Sharad Yadav, CC BY-SA 4.0; Gxyd, CC BY-SA 4.0; Combatmedic11, CC BY-SA 4.0
