Puncak Jaya, also known as Carstensz Pyramid, is the highest summit of Mount Jayawijaya in Indonesia. With the height of 4884 metres (16,024 feet) it is often considered one of the “Seven Summits” – the highest peak on each continent.

Indonesia is a country with a large number of mountains. However, Puncak Jaya is the only peak in tropical countries like Indonesia which have snow and glaciers on its different slopes.

It is also the highest summit between the Andes and the Himalayas, as well as the highest island summit in the world.

Located in Lorentz National Park in Papua Province, Puncak Jaya represents a very serious adventure for mountaineers. Climbing the mountain demands advanced technical skills and it is highly recommended to hire a guide to prepare you for it.

In comparison to the other Seven Summits, Puncak Jaya is not the tallest one, but it is one of the more challenging to climb.

There are several routes that lead to the summit. “The normal one”, which is the simplest, was first climbed by an expedition led by Heinrich Harrer in 1962.

Although it is located only 4° from equator (on the island of New Guinea) snow is not unusual on the mountain. The route to the summit lasts several days and starts at 2000 metres (6561 feet) above sea level. This means frequent changes of climate and ambience - from rainforests to foggy forests.