Soaring to 7,756 meters (25,446 feet) in the northern reaches of Chamoli district near the Tibetan frontier, Mount Kamet is the second highest peak in Uttarakhand and the third highest in India. Appearing as a colossal flat-topped pyramid crowned by two distinct summits, Kamet anchors the Zanskar Range and lies north of the Great Himalayan divide, giving it dry, high-altitude alpine terrain and fierce windward weather conditions.
Pyramidal Structure & Sister Peaks
Kamet is flanked by three formidable sister summits: Mukut Parbat (7,242m), Abi Gamin (7,355m), and Mana Peak (7,272m). The mountain's sheer western and eastern faces plunge into the East and West Kamet Glaciers, feeding the Saraswati and Dhauliganga river systems.
Legendary 1931 Ascent by Frank Smythe
Kamet was first climbed on June 21, 1931, by a British expedition led by Frank S. Smythe, along with Eric Shipton, R.L. Holdsworth, and Lewa Sherpa. At 7,756m, it became the highest mountain summit ever reached by climbers at that time, a milestone that electrified the global mountaineering community.
Discovery of the Valley of Flowers
While returning from their victorious Kamet expedition in 1931, Frank Smythe and his team lost their way in thick monsoon fog and stumbled across the Bhyundar Valley blanketed in thousands of exotic wildflower species, accidentally discovering the world-renowned Valley of Flowers.
Strategic Geography & Mana Pass
Situated close to the high Mana Pass (5,608m) on the ancient Indo-Tibetan trade trail, Kamet commands panoramic views deep into the Tibetan plateau (Ngari prefecture) and across the Great Himalayan crest towards Badrinath and Kedarnath.