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GUNUNG · Pakistan

Nanga Parbat

نانگا پربت (Nanga Parbat)

Source
Nanga Parbat

Nanga Parbat dilihat dari Fairy Meadows (Wajah Rakhiot) — panorama klasik sisi utara gunung. Photo: source

Information

Elevation
8.126 m
Country
Pakistan (PK)
Location / Range
Himalaya (western end), Gilgit-Baltistan region
Mountain type
Himalayan orogenic peak (non-volcanic) — the ninth-highest in the world
Volcanic?
No (non-volcanic)
Coordinates
35.2392, 74.5900
Difficulty
Very difficult and dangerous (an eight-thousander; nicknamed 'Killer Mountain')
Best Season
June–August (the Western Himalaya summer window); winter expeditions are extremely rare and dangerous
Permits & Rules
A summit peak permit from the Pakistani government (Alpine Club of Pakistan / Tourism Dept.) is mandatory, arranged through an official expedition operator; usually with a liaison officer
Hazards
Death zone (>8,000 m), the Rupal Face (the highest in the world) is highly prone to avalanches, seracs, and rockfall; sudden storms in the Western Himalaya, extreme temperatures, rapidly changing tropical weather risk, and the mountain's remoteness (difficult evacuation)

Description

Nanga Parbat (8,126 m) is the ninth-highest mountain in the world and the westernmost anchor of the Himalaya, rising in isolation above Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan. Its name means 'Naked Mountain', while the nickname 'Killer Mountain' comes from the many deaths on early 20th-century attempts. It presents three principal faces: the Diamir Face (modern normal route), the Rakhiot Face (1953 first-ascent line), and the Rupal Face, which rises about 4,600 metres — the highest mountain wall on Earth. The first ascent was made solo and without supplemental oxygen by Hermann Buhl on 3 July 1953, the only eight-thousander first climbed in that style. On 26 February 2016 Nanga Parbat finally saw its first winter ascent, by Alex Txikon, Ali Sadpara, and Simone Moro.

Routes

Wajah Diamir (Diamir Face) — Rute Normal Modern

Berat & semi-teknis (8000-an); es dan salju curam, zona kematian, pendekatan relatif lebih singkat dari Rakhiot
Ekspedisi ±35–50 hari (termasuk perjalanan dari Islamabad, aklimatisasi, dan jendela puncak)

The Diamir route crosses the western face of Nanga Parbat and is currently the most-used line for commercial teams. The approach starts from Islamabad along the Karakoram Highway (KKH) to Chilas village, then several days of trekking to Diamir Base Camp (~4,050 m). From there, the route ascends through three or four high camps — Camp I (~5,900 m), Camp II (~6,500 m), Camp III (~7,100 m), and Camp IV (~7,500 m) — before the summit push to the 8,126 m top. Terrain is steep ice and snow with some rocky sections at high altitude. Compared to the Rakhiot and Rupal faces, Diamir is considered relatively 'shorter' while still being a serious 8,000 m climb.

Source

Wajah Rakhiot (Rakhiot Face) — Rute Pertama Summit 1953

Berat & teknis (8000-an); lebih panjang dari rute Diamir, dengan medan es dan punggungan terbuka
Ekspedisi ±40–55 hari; pendekatan panjang via lembah Rakhiot dari Tato village

The Rakhiot route via the northeast face is the historic first line to reach Nanga Parbat's summit, pioneered by Hermann Buhl in his legendary solo ascent from Camp V on 3 July 1953. The approach passes through Fairy Meadows (~3,300 m, famous for its spectacular views) and then climbs via several high camps on the north side. Technically long and more exposed than Diamir, with open ridge sections prone to wind and weather changes. Today the route is less used because Diamir is more efficient, but it retains irreplaceable historic value and unmatched scenery.

Source

Wajah Rupal (Rupal Face) — Dinding Gunung Tertinggi di Dunia (Rute Messner 1970)

Ekstrem (ED+) — dinding selatan setinggi ±4.600 m; salah satu pendakian paling berbahaya di Himalaya
Ekspedisi ±45–60 hari; sangat teknis, bukan untuk pendaki komersial

The Rupal Face is the tallest mountain wall in the world, roughly 4,600 m from base to summit. It was first climbed by Reinhold Messner and his brother Günther on 26 June 1970 in Karl Herrligkoffer's expedition — a historic but tragic ascent that ended when Günther died during the descent via the Diamir face in an avalanche. The route faces constant avalanche, serac, and rock fall hazards, plus extreme exposure at altitude. Only elite alpinists with steep ice-and-rock wall experience and high-altitude survival skills should consider this line.

Source

Climbing Experiences

Nanga Parbat (8,126 m), the 'Killer Mountain', holds some of the most dramatic climbing history among the eight-thousanders — from Hermann Buhl's legendary 1953 solo to the Messner brothers' 1970 Rupal Face tragedy and the first winter ascent in 2016. The videos and writing below document these real stories alongside modern expeditions on the Diamir and Rupal sides. All links are verified live.

References

The summary above is compiled from the following sources. Click to explore them yourself.

  1. 1 Wikipedia Nanga Parbat en.wikipedia.org · EN
  2. 2 Wikipedia Nanga Parbat id.wikipedia.org · ID
  3. 3 Wikidata Nanga Parbat (Q130736) wikidata.org · EN
  4. 4 Encyclopedia Nanga Parbat 1st Winter Summit alanarnette.com · EN