Friendship Peak (5,289m) near Manali is a solid introduction to mountaineering—technical enough to teach you glacier travel, rope work, and crampon skills, but doable for beginners with guidance. The 8-10 day expedition includes acclimatization and training before the summit push. Best attempted May-June or September-October. Great stepping stone before tackling higher peaks. https://www.thinairexpedition.com/friendship-peak-expedition/