Kang Yatse 2 Height, Altitude & Location: Quick Facts

Two numbers matter more than the summit height when you're planning Kang Yatse 2: where it actually sits on the map, and how much altitude you gain to get there. This page covers both, along with the day-by-day altitude profile most operators don't bother printing anywhere.

For the full trek plan built around these numbers, see our Kang Yatse 2 Trek 2026: Complete Guide.

Kang Yatse 2 Height: The Exact Numbers

Kang Yatse 2 is measured at 6,270 m (20,570 ft) on most current trekking and mountaineering references. A few older listings round it to 6,250 m; that's a rounding/survey variance, not a different peak or a different route.

One mix-up worth clearing up: some listings and even a few operator websites quote “Kang Yatse 2” at 6,400 m. That figure actually belongs to Kang Yatse I, the massif's taller, technical summit next door. If a price or itinerary page quotes 6,400 m for the trekking route you're booking, confirm which peak they actually mean before you pay anything.

Kang Yatse 2 vs Kang Yatse I: Why the Height Difference Matters

Kang Yatse 2 shares its massif with a taller, tougher neighbour: Kang Yatse I, at roughly 6,400 m. The 130-metre difference on paper hides a much bigger gap in difficulty. Kang Yatse 2's summit ridge is a guided glacier walk with a short fixed-rope section; Kang Yatse I involves sustained steep ice and rock and is attempted by very few teams each season.

If you're weighing which one fits your experience level, our Kang Yatse 1 vs Kang Yatse 2 comparison breaks down the technical gap in more detail. For context against other well-known Himachal training peaks, Kang Yatse 2 sits meaningfully higher than Deo Tibba (around 6,001 m) and Hanuman Tibba, both of which many trekkers use as a prior high-altitude trek before attempting Kang Yatse 2.

Where Is Kang Yatse 2 Located?

Kang Yatse 2 sits in the Zanskar Range, inside the Markha Valley trekking region of Ladakh, within the buffer zone of Hemis National Park. It rises above the high-altitude villages of Markha, Hankar and the Nimaling meadow, roughly 60-70 km southeast of Leh.

●       Union Territory: Ladakh, India

●       Mountain range: Zanskar Range

●       Trekking region: Markha Valley, Hemis National Park buffer zone

●       Nearest city with an airport: Leh (Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport, IXL)

●       Neighbouring peaks: Kang Yatse I, and the Stok range visible across the valley

Kang Yatse 2 Altitude Profile: How High Do You Actually Go?

The summit height only tells part of the story. What actually determines how your body copes with the trek is the altitude profile along the way and how much you gain each day. The figures below are approximate and can shift slightly by operator and exact route; treat this as a working profile rather than a surveyed one.

That's a net gain of roughly 2,770 m from Leh to the summit, most of it above 4,000 m. For how this profile maps onto trek days and acclimatization stops, see our Kang Yatse 2 Itinerary.

Why Altitude Matters More Than Height Here

At the summit, oxygen levels sit around 45-48% of what they are at sea level. That's the real challenge on Kang Yatse 2, not the technical climbing. Most operators, including us, build in dedicated acclimatization days at Leh and again at Nimaling before the summit push for exactly this reason.

For a full breakdown of symptoms, prevention and what to do if you feel unwell, see Altitude Sickness on Kang Yatse 2.

The Bottom Line on Kang Yatse 2's Height and Location

6,270 m is the number that gets Kang Yatse 2 into conversations about India's most accessible 6000er, but two other things matter just as much before you book: confirming which peak a listing is actually quoting (2 or I), and understanding the altitude profile that gets you there. The summit height tells you what you're aiming for; the day-by-day gain tells you how hard your body will have to work to reach it.