Bandarpunch Peak

Bandarpunch Peak is one of the principal tourist attractions of Uttarkhand. It is basically a twin peak, Bandarpunch-I that is 6316 m and Bandarpunch-II, also known as white peak, is 6102 m. There is another peak named Kalanag (6387 m) or Black Peak that remains hidden. On the basis of peakery data, Bandarpunch Peak ranks as the 11th highest mountain in the state of Uttarakhand and the 40th highest mountain in India. Yamunotri which is the source of the River Yamuna is situated on a flank of the Bandarpunch peak. Yamunotri is the western most shrines in the Garhwal Himalayas. The Bandarpunch Glacier is around 12 km long. The speciality of the Bandarpoonch glacier is that it feeds water to the Yamuna as well as the Ganges.

Etymology of Bandarpunch Peak
The name is derived from Hindi language. It literally means "Tail of the monkey" or "Tail of Hanuman" in Hindi.

Location of Bandarpunch Peak
Bandarpunch Peak is located in the Western Himalayas of North India in the Uttarkhand state of India. It stands at the edge of the High Himalayan Range at an altitude of 20,720` (6316 m.) The coordinates of the peak are 31°1`0" N and 78°33`0" E in DMS (Degrees Minutes Seconds) or 31.0167 and 78.55 (in decimal degrees).

Trekking at Bandarpunch Peak
It offers excellent trekking opportunities to the adventure lovers. Every year, the peak draws a good number of people from different parts of the country. The first successful expedition launched in 1950 to Bandarpunch was led by Maj Gen Williams. The peak has been climbed by well-known Mountaineer Tenzing Norgay.

The peak is easily accessible with a scenic three-day hike. The Southwest ridge offers a route of moderate difficulty with little technical climbing. There is of course significant exposure. It has been attempted twice from the southwest. The most common route for climbing is from the northeast and is climbed several times a year.

The mountain is usually trekked in the month of May or June when most of the snow storms have passed. During this time spring flowers are found to blossom in abundance and animals are also visible.