Mountain
Gangkhar Puensum
Bhutan
Gangkhar Puensum (also spelled Gangkar Punsum) is the highest mountain in Bhutan, commonly listed at 7,570 m, located on or near the Bhutan–Tibet border in the Lunana highlands (Lunana Gewog, Gasa District). It is widely reported as the highest unclimbed mountain in the world. Bhutan introduced successive mountaineering restrictions (including a ban on peaks above 6,000 m in 1994) and currently prohibits mountaineering, so summit attempts are not permitted from the Bhutan side.
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What to expect on this mountain
Gangkhar Puensum (also spelled Gangkar Punsum) is the highest mountain in Bhutan, commonly listed at 7,570 m, located on or near the Bhutan–Tibet border in the Lunana highlands (Lunana Gewog, Gasa District). It is widely reported as the highest unclimbed mountain in the world. Bhutan introduced successive mountaineering restrictions (including a ban on peaks above 6,000 m in 1994) and currently prohibits mountaineering, so summit attempts are not permitted from the Bhutan side.
Approaches are by long, high-altitude, multi-day treks into Lunana (for example, the Snowman Trek/Lunana Snowman routes that pass near Gangkhar Puensum base areas). Travel into Bhutan’s highlands must be arranged through licensed local operators and is subject to Bhutan’s tourism requirements, including the Sustainable Development Fee and required permits. Summit mountaineering is prohibited by Bhutanese policy; walkers and trekkers may access base and trekking routes but are not permitted to attempt the summit.