K2 Base Camp Trek, Pakistan

Arrival in Islamabad, permits and briefing.

Flight or drive to Skardu (2287m). The flight is subject to clear conditions. Drive will take 2-days along the the Karakoram Highway (KKH), with an overnight at Chilas on the banks of the Indus – the Lion River. ( One-hour flight or a 12-hour drive on KKH).

Free day in Skardu, the capital of Baltistan, which is sometimes called little Tibet due to its geographic closeness and historic links with Tibet and Laddakh.

We head east from Skardu, soon crossing a small pass leading to Shigar, the valley of orchards. We leave our jeeps at Thongol for a short walk to our camping site. Meals and overnight at camp, 6-7 hour jeep ride

After walking along the Braldu River we will arrive at Askole, the last permanent settlement along the trek route.

Another three hours’ walk across barren wasteland brings us to the Biafo Glacier, two hours to cross the glacier on an established trail, walking most of the time on moraine and occasionally on ice. Once across the glacier, it is 20 minutes to Korofan (3110m)

6-7 hours

A tough walk along a cliff face to arrive at the new wooden bridge which has replaced the cable bridge over the Dumordo River. Near Paiju we will get our first glimpse of Gashabrum 4 and later we will reach the point where waters from the Paiju Peak divide themselves into four rushing streams, which we cross by jumping from boulder to boulder and then wading through the meltwater.

After negotiating scree and sand beside the river we arrive at Paiju (3600m), a picturesque campsite situated in a grove of willows and poplar trees.

4-5 hour trek.

Baltoro Glacier is a vast, turbulent sea of rocks and ice more than two miles wide and nearly forty miles long. The first stretch of the walk on the glacier can be difficult as we must dodge small crevasses but there are magnificent views all around us.

We spend about three hours walking across boulder-strewn ice, gaining height gradually until we reach a flat, sandy area of lateral moraine – our campsite Khobursay at 4000m.

4-6 hours

The first two hours of the trek are spent walking across the glacier’s lateral moraine until we arrive at the green pasture of Urdukas, from where we cross side crevasses to traverse the medial moraine.

Biango at 4350m is our campsite and is dominated by the thrilling view of Mashabrum (7821m) to the south.

Through the medial moraine we will reach Concordia.

Gashabrum 4 stands in the East and Muztagh Tower (7250m) on the border between Pakistan and China.

As we reach Concordia, which is the point at which 5 glaciers meet, we will catch sight of K2. Within a radius of 15 km, there are 41 peaks above 6500m, almost half of them still unclimbed and unnamed. Also visible from Concordia, clockwise from K-2 are Broad Peak (8051m), Gasherbrum 4 (7925m), Baltoro Kangri (7315m), Kondus (6760m), Mitre (6060m), Paiju (6660m), Crystal (6260m), Marble (6175m) and Angle Peak (6860m).

4 to 5 hours

Full-day excursion to the stunning K2 base camp involving a strenuous 10- hour round-trip trek over snow, rock, and ice.

Overnight in Concordia.

The trail is downhill, and on the way, we will catch sight of many tall icebergs on the Baltoro Glacier and there are also outstanding views of Meshabrum Peak (7821m).

5-6 hours

Urdukas, opposite the Trango Towers, is a beautiful camping site among large boulders and pasture. There are also graves of men who died during mountaineering expeditions.

5-6 hours

The Jola camping site is on the banks of the Baltoro and Dumurdo river, which we can cross over a bridge.

After breakfast at camp and farewell, we board soft-top 4×4 jeeps for a bumpy ride through the Karakoram to Skardu.

5-hour jeep ride.

Either by plane or on a 2-day drive depending on weather.

Trek debriefing at the tourism office and free day to explore Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

Transfer to the airport for international departure flight