Kanamo Peak Trek
Lahaul and Spiti, Himachal Pradesh
Opens without signal on this phone, with the map file and checklist. Saved for offline →
- Max altitude
- 5,964 m
- Days
- 8 days
- Distance
- 25 km
- Difficulty
- Challenging
A trekking peak of about 5,960 m that starts from Kibber at about 4,200 m: summit day is roughly 11 km and 12-14 hours over loose scree and moraine, with a very steep final headwall, no water above base camp and a high risk of altitude sickness. Operators sell it as a non-technical trek but ask for strong fitness and prior high-altitude experience.
Photos
On the trail
The route
Day by day
Day 1
Manali → Kaza (drive via Atal Tunnel and Kunzum La)
2,050 m → 3,800 m
Day 2
Kaza → Kibber (short drive and acclimatisation walk)
3,800 m → 4,200 m
Day 3
Kibber → Kibber (rest and acclimatisation)
4,200 m → 4,200 m
Day 4
Kibber → Kanamo Base Camp
4,200 m → 4,830 m
Day 5
Kanamo Base Camp → Kanamo Base Camp (rest and acclimatisation)
4,830 m → 4,830 m
Day 6 · highest point
Kanamo Base Camp → Kanamo Base Camp (via Kanamo summit)
4,830 m → 5,964 m → 4,830 m
Day 7
Kanamo Base Camp → Kibber (drive to Kaza)
4,830 m → 3,800 m
Day 8
Kaza → Manali
3,800 m → 2,050 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 · Kibber
at 4,200 mLoading forecast…
High point · Kanamo Peak summit
at 5,964 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
- Kibber (nearest town: Kaza)
- Nearest railway
- Joginder Nagar (narrow gauge); Chandigarh for broad gauge
- Nearest airport
- Bhuntar (Kullu-Manali) Airport
- By road
- Manali to Kibber, about 180-215 km via Atal Tunnel, Gramphu, Batal, Kunzum La and Kaza; Shimla to Kaza via Kinnaur and Tabo (longer, open more of the year)
- Drive
- About 8 h from Manali
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
₹15,000–30,000
With an operator
₹12,000–27,500
Per person, ex-Manali. Guided prices seen October 2026: Indiahikes ₹21,850 trek fee plus ₹4,800 Manali transport (July-August 2027 batches); Himalayan Hikers ₹21,000 + 5% GST Manali to Manali; Trekup India ₹20,800; Himtrek lists ₹12,000 + 5% GST but has no departures. Self-guided is an estimate: shared taxi or bus Manali-Kaza-Kibber both ways, Kaza and Kibber guesthouse/homestay nights, a local guide and porter or mule for three trek days, tent and stove hire, and Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary entry/camping fees. Going without a local guide is not advised at this altitude.
Gear
Top picks for this trek
The gear that matters most on this route, chosen from its altitude, season and risks.
Ad · affiliate link
Ad · affiliate link
Ad · affiliate link
Ad · affiliate link
Ad · affiliate link
Ad · affiliate link
Ad · affiliate link
Ad · affiliate link
Store buttons open a search on that store, not a product we picked. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Photos show the kind of item, not a specific product. Affiliate disclosure
Packing checklist
Matched to this trek: altitude, season, days and the risks on the route.
Packed 0 of 33
Nights near 5,964 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
- Kaza has mobile and internet; Kibber has weak, patchy coverage (operators advise charging phones in Kibber); none at Kanamo Base Camp or on the summit route.
- Last ATM
- Kaza
- Nearest hospital
- Primary Health Centre at Kibber for first aid; Kaza for the civil hospital; Manali (about 6-8 hours' drive) for serious cases. Descend at once for altitude sickness.
- Water
- Streams and two small lakes between Kibber and base camp (one supplies Kaza town); a stream near base camp. No water on summit day - carry at least 2-3 litres. Treat all water.
Highlights
- Stand on a summit of about 5,960 m without technical climbing - one of the highest trekkable peaks in India
- A 360° view from the top over dozens of peaks in Spiti, Ladakh, Kinnaur and Kullu, with Shilla Peak close by
- Start from Kibber, one of the highest villages in Spiti, inside the Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary - home of snow leopard, ibex and blue sheep
- Marine fossils scattered around Kanamo Base Camp, and dry, clear rain-shadow weather in the monsoon months
Risks
- Access: in July 2019 the village leaders above Kibber banned trekking and camping on the Kanamo route after trekkers polluted a water source, and Bikat Adventures' page still says the trek is 'banned due to local restrictions'. Indiahikes ran groups again in August 2025 and lists 2027 dates, but confirm with the Kibber panchayat or Kaza forest office before you go.
- Altitude: the trek starts above 4,000 m and summits near 6,000 m. Acute mountain sickness, HAPE and HACE are real risks; take both acclimatisation days and turn back with symptoms.
- Summit day is 12-14 hours on loose scree with a very steep final headwall, starting around 2 am; falls and exhaustion are the main dangers, and early-season snow on the top section may need microspikes.
- The route is inside Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary; forest entry/camping permission is needed and Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF) rules for a peak of this height should be checked - no official fee was found dated within 24 months.
- The Manali-Kaza road over Kunzum La is rough, can be blocked by snow until June and by landslides, and is closed in winter.
- Exit is only back the same way to Kibber; there is no quick evacuation.
Know before you go
Questions
Is the Kanamo Peak trek open or banned?
Villagers above Kibber banned trekking on the route in July 2019 after trekkers fouled a water source, and Bikat Adventures still shows the trek as banned. Indiahikes, however, ran batches in August 2025 and has published July-August 2027 dates, so it appears to be running with operators that follow local rules. Check the current position with the Kibber panchayat or the Kaza forest office before booking.
Do I need mountaineering skills to climb Kanamo Peak?
No technical climbing is needed - operators call it a trekkable summit - but it is not easy. Summit day is about 11 km and 12-14 hours on scree, and operators ask for prior high-altitude trekking experience and fitness such as running 5 km in about 32 minutes.
What is the best time for the Kanamo Peak trek?
June to September. Spiti lies in the rain shadow, so the monsoon months are dry and clear here; operators run it mainly in July and August, with some offering June and September. From November to April the area is under snow and the Manali road closes.
How high is Kanamo Peak?
Operators quote about 19,553-19,600 ft, i.e. roughly 5,960-5,975 m. This page uses 5,964 m.
Where does the Kanamo trek start?
From Kibber village in Spiti, about 19 km by road from Kaza. Most groups pick up in Manali and drive to Kaza or Kibber over Kunzum La.
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: Lahaul and SpitiHimachal Pradesh
- Nearest hospital
- Primary Health Centre at Kibber for first aid; Kaza for the civil hospital; Manali (about 6-8 hours' drive) for serious cases. Descend at once for altitude sickness.
- Last ATM
- Kaza
- Phone network
- Kaza has mobile and internet; Kibber has weak, patchy coverage (operators advise charging phones in Kibber); none at Kanamo Base Camp or on the summit route.
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 Kanamo Peak
No questions yet. Ask something and trekkers who have done it can answer.
Share your trek photo with #TreksAndTrails
I trekked this
Did Kanamo Peak look different from this page? Tell us what changed and we will check it.
Where this comes from
Sources
Last reviewed:
- Kanamo Peak Trek 2027 | Spiti's Trekkable Summit at 19,553 ft — Indiahikes
- Kanamo Peak Trek - Trekking In Spiti Valley — Bikat Adventures
- Kanamo Peak Trek — Himalayan Hikers
- Kanamo Peak: Breathtaking 9-Day Spiti Trek — Himtrek
- Kanamo Peak Trek — Trekup India
- Kanamo Peak Trek Called Off Until Further Notice (village notice of 20 July 2019) — Indiahikes blog
- Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary — Spiti Wildlife Division, HP Forest Department (official)
Photos: Timothy A. Gonsalves, CC BY-SA 4.0; Timothy A. Gonsalves, CC BY-SA 4.0; Timothy A. Gonsalves, CC BY-SA 4.0
