Distaghil Sar was first climbed in 1960 by Günther Stärker and Diether Marchart of an Austrian expedition led by Wolfgang Stefan. The expedition climbed the western part of the South face and continued over the southwest ridge to the highest summit. Three years earlier, in 1957, an English expedition had attempted to climb the mountain from the South and the West, but failed due to bad weather. Likewise, weather foiled a 1959 Swiss attempt over the southeast ridge.