Carstensz Pyramid, or Punack Jaya, as it’s known to locals, is the highest island peak in the world. Rising 4,884m above the lush Indonesian jungle which covers much of New Guinea, it’s also the highest point in Australasia, and one of the Seven Summits. The altitude may not be particularly high, but the rough, hard rock and technical climbing sections make this a tricky mountain to climb. Furthermore, the remoteness and occasional political instability in the region can make the trip a challenge - but one that Elite Exped are uniquely qualified to help you meet.
Adventure to the world’s highest island
Elite Exped’s record of operating in the most extreme environments on earth speaks for itself.
Our leaders, Nimsdai and Mingma David and Mingma Tenzi, famously led the first team ever to climb K2, aka ‘the Savage Mountain’, in winter, in January 2021. Nimsdai summited all of the world’s 8,000m peaks in record time in 2019, and Mingma David became the youngest to reach all 14 that same year. Perhaps more importantly, when working together, the pair have a 100 percent safety record.
Each of the Seven Summits presents its own, unique challenges, and Carstensz Pyramid, although it’s the lowest of the seven, is no exception. Named for the Dutch explorer Jans Carstenszoon, the first European to see the glaciers from his ship in 1623, the mountain requires technical mountaineering ability, but also rock climbing skills. The remoteness of the mountain, which was off-limits to outsiders between 1995 and 2006, and the need to secure government permits makes this an adventurous expedition.
