KP Mountaineers Successfully Summit 6,050-Metre Thalo Zom Peak

CHITRAL: A nine-member mountaineering team from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has successfully climbed Thalo Zom, a 6,050-metre peak in the Hindukush mountain range, marking a significant achievement for adventure tourism in Pakistan.

The expedition was sponsored by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority (KPCTA). According to officials, the team reached the summit on the eighth day of the expedition, making it one of the few successful ascents of the mountain in recorded history.

The expedition was led by veteran mountaineer Roohullah and included Umer Khan, Intikhab Khan, Numan Sami, Izzatullah Shah, Saeed Akhtar, Naeem Khan, Fawad Khan, and Raza Ali. Team members represented different districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Officials said the expedition began from the scenic Kumrat Valley in Upper Dir. After reaching the base camp, the climbers spent nearly a week acclimatizing to high-altitude conditions before making their final attempt.

On summit day, the team spent around eight hours climbing from the high camp to the top of Thalo Zom, where they hoisted the national flag after completing the challenging ascent.

Located on the border of Chitral and Upper Dir, Thalo Zom is considered one of Pakistan’s most technically demanding mountains despite being lower than the country’s famous 8,000-metre peaks. Its steep terrain, glaciers, and hidden crevasses have made successful climbs extremely rare.

Officials said favorable weather conditions during the expedition helped reduce some of the risks and supported the team’s successful summit.

Tourism experts noted that the first recorded ascent of Thalo Zom was made by an Australian expedition in 1971, followed by another successful climb by an Italian team in 2019. In 2025, a local Chitrali mountaineering group also reached the summit.