Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering

National mountaineering training institute offering courses and a small climbing museum

The Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports (ABVIMAS) is India's premier mountaineering training institution, established in 1961 in the Manali cantonment area. The institute runs certified mountaineering courses from basic to advanced levels, as well as courses in skiing, river rafting, and mountain rescue. These are open to Indian and foreign nationals.

Even if you're not enrolling in a course, the institute grounds are worth a visit for the small museum of Himalayan mountaineering history and the equipment exhibition. The library holds an extensive collection on Himalayan exploration. For those considering a first mountaineering course, ABVIMAS is one of the most respected institutions in Asia for professional mountain training — courses run from two to four weeks and include rock climbing, ice climbing, and glacier travel.

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The institute was founded in 1961 as the Mountaineering Institute and Allied Sports, and has trained tens of thousands of mountaineers over six decades, including many who went on to lead expeditions to Everest and other 8,000-metre peaks. Several of India's most celebrated high-altitude climbers began here on the institute's introductory courses.

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