Puncak Jaya (Carstensz Pyramid)

Indonesia

Puncak Jaya (Carstensz Pyramid): Southeast Asia's Mount Everest

The permanent (for now) ice cap on Puncak Jaya's summit.
Natural Height
Hiking Period
Terrain
Weather
Equipment
Rest Stops & Facilities
Guides & Porters
Location
Safety
Gallery
Weather Now

Summary Puncak Jaya (Carstensz Pyramid) Indonesia - Summary

Puncak Jaya (Carstensz Pyramid) is Southeast Asia’s Mount Everest

Carstenz Pyramid (Puncak Jaya) is one of the “7 Summits” – the highest points on each continent – it being assigned to Australasia rather than Asia. It is the highest mountain between the Himalayas and the Andes.

First conquered in 1962 by an expedition led by Henrich Harrer (who famously spent 7 years in Tibet and climbed the North Face of Elger). He was joined by a geologist Jean Jaques Dozy who spotted an oddly dark and green-tinged peak that turned out to be the richest gold and copper deposit ever found.

Climbing Puncak Jaya (Carstensz Pyramid) Indonesia - Height and Distance

Natural Puncak Jaya (Carstensz Pyramid) Indonesia - Natural Height

Summits Index:
6 / 10 (4,501m - 5,000m)

4,884 m (16,024 ft)

Natural Puncak Jaya (Carstensz Pyramid) Indonesia - Hiking Period

Summits Index:
5 / 10 (5 - 6 days)

The climb to the top of Indonesia’s Carstensz Pyramid will take around a week, depending on where you plan on starting the trek.

There are two options to get to ascend the summit. The first is to reach the base camp by helicopter and climb to the summit, and the second is to trek all the way, including the trek up to the base camp through dense jungles. The first option allows mountaineers to complete the summit in 3-4 days, the second option takes an additional 4-5 days to trek to basecamp from Sugapa.

Difficulty Puncak Jaya (Carstensz Pyramid) Indonesia - Hiking Difficulty

Difficulty Puncak Jaya (Carstensz Pyramid) Indonesia - Terrain

Summits Index:
9 / 10 (Very difficult - advanced)

Despite having the lowest elevation among the “Seven Summits,” the Puncak Jaya climb has one of the highest technical ratings. This is a climb for seasoned mountaineers and peak-bagging enthusiasts.

The climbing terrain is composed of 4 distinct sections, the first of which only needs to be negotiated if you are hiking up from the base of the mountain instead of taking a helicopter directly to the base camp.

Getting to the base camp by helicopter can save you around 4-5 days of trekking through dense rainforests, jungle, swamps and incessant rains. Even after that, the standard climbing route is up the north face and along the summit ridge, which is an all-rock surface.

There are also 3 more challenging summit routes for advanced climbers:

The Harrer Route (the ‘normal’ route) has a UIAA difficulty rating of 3 to 4, the East Ridge Trail which has a more challenging and lengthy ascent on some narrow areas and loose rocky areas, or The American Route (also called ‘The Direct Route’) offers the most challenging climbing experience by going straight up to the summit via the Carstensz headwall.

Difficulty Puncak Jaya (Carstensz Pyramid) Indonesia - Weather

Summits Index:
4 / 10 (Fluctuates greatly across seasons and/or between the base and summit or mildly unpleasant throughout the year)

The climate in this region is fairly consistent, making the climb up Puncak Jaya possible all year round. During the day, temperatures range from 12˚C to 37˚C (53.6 ˚F to 98.6 ˚F) in the upper alpine areas, whilst nighttime temperatures drop as low as -8˚C (17.6 ˚F). There’s a little bit of rainfall most days, and you may even experience a little snowfall!

Difficulty Puncak Jaya (Carstensz Pyramid) Indonesia - Equipment

Summits Index:
10 / 10 (Advanced technical equipment, only for trained climbers)

You’ll need advanced technical climbing equipment for this climb, your camping gear, as well as clothing for all weather.

Facilities Puncak Jaya (Carstensz Pyramid) Indonesia - Support Facilities

Facilities Puncak Jaya (Carstensz Pyramid) Indonesia - Rest Stops & Facilities

Summits Index:
9 / 10 (Basic - no special facilities)

There are no trail facilities, but you will find food and potable water at the trailhead, and only portable water along the trail at the summit base camp.

Facilities Puncak Jaya (Carstensz Pyramid) Indonesia - Guides and Porters

Summits Index:
6 / 10 (Necessary; available but references advisable)

Both guides and porters are required and necessary. Make sure to book head.

Accessibility Puncak Jaya (Carstensz Pyramid) Indonesia - Accessibility and Safety

Accessibility Puncak Jaya (Carstensz Pyramid) Indonesia - Location

Summits Index:
5 / 10 (Near minor city)

You’ll most likely need to fly first to Nabire Airport on the north coast of Irian Jaya / West Papua, and from there you can take a local flight to Timika to the South of Puncak Jaya.

If you’ve decided to take the helicopter trail, now is when you’ll be taking your chopper to Lake Valley Base Camp. If you plan on starting from the rainforests, you’ll have to take another flight to Sugapa from Timika. The starting point of your trek is a quick motorbike ride from the Sugapa Airport.

Accessibility Puncak Jaya (Carstensz Pyramid) Indonesia - Safety

Summits Index:
8 / 10 (Significant risk of injuries; not recommended for single travelers)

It’s always advised to avoid the first few days hiking through the dense forests as it has been reported that local tribes and paramilitary tend to extort tour guides for thousands of dollars and tourists have even been beaten and kidnapped over the years. When attempting the rest of the hike, you’ll need to also keep in mind how technical of a climb this is.

Irian Jaya, also named West Papua, also has an ongoing independence movement. So, It’s best to avoid talking politics, not that there will be many people to chat with up the mountain.

Weather Right Now