K2 Base Camp Trek | Gondogoro La Trek

K2 Base Camp Trek | Gondogoro La Trek

 

In the middle of the Karakoram Range, the K2 Base Camp and Gondogoro La Trek provide an incredible experience that draws daring hikers from all over the world. This difficult walk not only goes to the famous K2 Base Camp, where the second-highest peak in the world rises to 8,611 meters, but it also passes over the breathtaking Gondogoro La Pass, which gives the hike an exhilarating element. Unmatched views of some of the highest mountains on Earth, such as K2, Broad Peak, and the Gasherbrum Massif, await adventurers as they negotiate difficult terrain, cross enormous glaciers, and ascend the high-altitude pass.

The journey passes through a variety of environments, beginning with isolated valleys and progressively rising to verdant meadows, stony moraines, and glacier stretches. The highlight is climbing Gondogoro La, which offers hikers the utmost test and the most amazing reward: a broad perspective of the Karakoram’s towering peaks that reach for miles. Few locations on Earth can compare to the sense of awe and solitude that the pristine wilderness and constantly shifting landscape provide, which cultivates a strong bond with nature.

The bond that forms amongst hikers as they share the highs and lows of this incredible adventure enhances the experience. The journey gains a significant cultural component from the friendly hospitality of the local Balti people, who sponsor the walk and share their rich cultural legacy.

The K2 Base Camp and Gondogoro La Trek offer the ultimate trekking experience for those looking for an unparalleled journey through some of the most breathtaking and difficult terrain on earth, setting the stage for lifelong memories against the majestic Karakoram.

Detailed Trip Itinerary

 

Day 01 (Islamabad Arrival) 

• Greetings from Pakistan. You’re going to the Islamabad International Airport today.
• After a friendly greeting at the airport, our representative will transport you to your Islamabad hotel.
• As a welcome beverage, the hotel will serve you tea or coffee. Take this chance to socialize with other trekkers.
• Take a nap to recuperate from your lengthy flight after the drink. We will get together over dinner to go over specifics regarding your trek to K2 base camp.

 

Day 02 (Islamabad – Skardu & Kachura) (7,316 Ft) (45 Minutes flight)  

• Pick Guests from Skardu Airport
• Head towards Kachura to explore
• Shangrila Resort
• Kachura Valley
• Upper Kachura Lake
• Xoq Valley
• Return to Skardu
• Transfer to hotel for night stay

In Case of flight Cancellation we will head towards Skardu via Karakoram High way to reach Skardu (14-16 Hours’ Drive)

 

Day 03 (Preparation Day in Skardu)

• Breakfast early in the Morning
• While we are getting your paperwork, transportation, and base camp hike logistics ready, you have one more day to explore. Savor the trip to Gondogoro La, Leila Peak, Mitre Peak, Muztagh Tower, Vigne Glacier, and other mountain valleys while visiting this historic town.
• Located on the southern bank of the Indus River, which divides the Himalayas from the Karakorum, is Skardu. There are several stores lining both sides of the main road in a lengthy bazaar.
• Yadgar Chowk, a memorial containing the names of those who lost their lives defending Gilgit Baltistan from Dogra tyranny in 1947–48, is the hub of the town.
• Visit Kharpocho Fort
• The primary attraction is the Kharpocho Fort. See the historic Kharpocho Fort, which was erected in the latter half of the 16th century atop a rock that provided a view of the town.
• Visit the Kharpocho Fort first, then proceed to Sadpara Lake to view its pristine blue water.
• On the way back, stop by the well-known 8th-century Buddha rock. Buddha Rock provides proof that Buddhism existed in the region prior to the coming of Islam in the fourteenth century.
• Good night on your bed; tomorrow you will be spending the night in tents with sleeping bags until you get back to Skardu.

 

Day 04 (Skardu – Shigar – Askole – Jhola) (141 km) (10,332 ft.) (8 Hours’ Drive) 

• Breakfast early in the Morning
• Head towards Askole in Shigar
• Reaches Askole & Head towards Jhola
• Trekking distance from Jhola is 80 km
• Night stay at Jhola camp site

 

Day 05 (Jhola – Paiju) (21 km) (11,220 ft.) (6 Hours Trek) 

• Today is first day of K2 Base camp trek
• Breakfast & start trekking towards Paiju Camp side in Karakorum National Park
• Start trekking along the Braldu Gorge for a while Start trekking along the Braldu Gorge for a while
• Will cross a few small streams
• Arrive at Paiju campsite after crossing a small stream
• Night Stay at Paiju camp sidte

 

Day 06 (Paiju – Khobartse) (15 km) (12,450 ft.) (7 Hours)

• Breakfast and Travel towards
• Today is the day you will be introduced to the mighty Baltoro Glacier, the large piece of ice outside the polar region
• One-hour walk from the camp will bring you to the snout of Baltoro Glacier
• You do not need an ice axe, ropes and other special climbing equipment to walk on the Baltoro Glacier
• After four hours, you will arrive at Liligo camp, where you will have a lunch break
• You may see Himalayan ibex, snow leopards and other wildlife above on the rocks of Liligo camp.
• Continue walking on the moraine for a while, then climb a steep hill to arrive at a grassland with alpine meadows, which leads you to Khoburtse campsite.
• This Camp site offers a sensational view of Uli Biaho and Trango Tower.
• Night Stay at Paiju camp site

 

Day 07 (Khobartse – Urdukas) (6 Km) (12,795 ft.) (4 Hour)

• Breakfast at early in the morning with beautiful view of Trango Tower
• Today will be a short but strenuous trekking day as you walk up gaining height
• Most of the time, you will trek along the lateral moraine and sometimes on the surface of Baltoro
• Pass the Nameless Towers to arrive at Urdukas camp by early afternoon.
• The rest of the afternoon is free to relax or walk up the slope behind the camp for a spectacular panorama view of the mighty Baltoro.
• Night Stay at Urdukas camp site

 

Day 08 (Rest Day at Urdukas)

• Breakfast at early in the morning
• Today is a free day at Urdukas. It is important to ascend slowly at a high altitude, so having a break and free day at Urdukas will give your body more time to get used to the thin air of the high altitude. High altitude starts at 1,500 meters (4,921 feet).
• Night Stay at Urdukas camp site

 

Day 09 (Urdukas – Goro) (12 Km) (14,091 ft.) (07 Hours)

• Breakfast at early in the morning
• Today you will trek to Goro
• Pass By graveyard of Porters who died in Baltoro region
• Porters usually stop and gather around the graves to pay their respects and say a short prayer.
• Walk down the moraine until you reach the Baltoro Glacier’s surface, where simple access to climb is available.
• Once you’re above the surface, walking gets heavy.
• You will enjoy breathtaking up-close look at Masherbrum Peak (7,821m/25659 ft), dubbed the “queen of the Karakoram” due to its stunning beauty.
• Ascend farther while enjoying views of Gasherbrum IV, which resembles a beacon rising from the top of the Baltoro glacier and leading you to the K2 base camp.
• Following an army campground, the Goro II camp is located on the stony Baltoro glacier. There is plenty of space to set up your tent at this expansive campsite.
• Night Stay at Goro camp site

 

Day 10 (Goro – Concordia) (12 Km) (14,763 ft.) (05 Hours)

• Breakfast at early in the morning
• One of the best days of your climb to K2 base camp is today. Get up early and make your way to Concordia
• Concordia is situated at the meeting point of the Godwin-Austen Glacier and the upper Baltoro Glacier, 4,500 meters above sea level.
• This location was named Concordia by renowned explorer and climber Sir Martin Conway. One of the most breathtaking locations on the planet is Concordia.
• Now all of the giants of the Karakoram you have been observing from a distance are in front of you.
• Surrounding you are the formidable Gasherbrum II (8,035m/26,361ft), III (7,952m/26,089ft) & IV (7,925m/26,000ft), Mitre Peak, Chogolisa (7,665m/25,147ft), Broad Peak (8,047m/26,401ft), and, for the first time, the breathtaking K2 (8,611m/28,251ft), the second-highest mountain on Earth after Everest.
• Put up your tents at Concordia with lots of space because Concordia is a much larger area. It can get windy here in the evening, so dress warmly by layering on several garments.
• Night Stay at Concordia camp site

 

Day 11 (Concordia – Broad Peak Base Camp) (06 Km) (15,750 ft.) (04 Hours)

• Breakfast at early in the morning
• Our mountain guide will take you to the Broad Peak base camp for the night today, passing the Godwin-Austen glacier.
• By lunchtime, you will reach Broad Peak Basecamp. After that, you have the afternoon free to take in the beauty
• K2 can be seen up close and spectacularly from Broad Peak base camp.
• Savor a stunning view of Broad Peak and other Karakoram giants as the sun sets.
• Night Stay at Broad Peak Base Camp, camp site

 

Day 12 (Broad Peak Base Camp – K2 Peak Base Camp – Concordia) (11 Km) (16,890 ft.) (07 Hours)

• Breakfast at early in the morning
• Get up early and enjoy a breathtaking view of K2 and Broad Peak at sunrise
• Walking to K2 Base Camp on this day will be the high point of your Base Camp excursion.
• Trek to the Gilkey Memorial
• At the base of K2, the Gilkey Memorial honors individuals who lost their lives while ascending the mountain. It bears Art Gilkey’s name, who passed away in 1953 while leading an American expedition up K2.
• See the Gilkey Memorial and go up the world’s second-highest mountain, K2 basecamp.
• You set out on this incredible journey, which took almost a week, and at last reached the K2 Base Camp in Pakistan.
• You cannot help but be in awe of the utter majesty of your surroundings as you arrive at the base camp. Place yourself in front of K2, the second-highest peak in the world, which rises to a height above you and exudes an overwhelming sense of majesty. Breathe deeply and let yourself to be enveloped in the breathtaking ambiance as you stare at this stunning sight.
• You experienced an indescribable sense of pride and success after traveling for days to reach this location. To get here, you had overcome severe weather and difficult terrain while pushing the boundaries of your physical capabilities. And now that you are at the foot of one of the greatest natural wonders on earth, you can’t help but feel incredibly grateful for the trek that got you here.
• The elevation of K2 Base Camp is 5,150 meters above sea level. Outside of Everest base camp, it is the largest campsite for mountaineers aiming to climb K2. You will be able to enjoy an uncommon panoramic vista from base camp. Savor the breathtaking vista of Broad Peak, Concordia, and other peaks that rise from the towering Baltoro.
• At the base camp, we’ll get some food and snap a group photo with the climbers who are there to summit K2. While they try their luck, mountain climbers stay in the base camp for about two months. Take advantage of the chance to chat with the climbers, savor your lunch, and take in the views. You have completed the ascending part of the K2 base camp trek, and now the descending journey will begin by retracing your steps back to Islamabad.
• Trek back to Concordia for Night Stay

 

Day 13 (Trek to Ali Camp) (12 Km) (15,748 ft.) (06 Hours)

• Breakfast at early in the morning
• Your ascent to the K2 base camp has now been completed.
• You will depart from the popular trekking route and start on a much less-traveled path that follows the Upper Baltoro, one of the glaciers that feeds the massive Concordia glacial junction and descends from Chogolisa.
• Trekking along the Upper Baltoro for 6-7 hours will finally bring you to the confluence of this glacier with the West Vigne Glacier, which sweeps down from the base of the Gondoro La and eventually reaches the massive bulk of Chogolisa at the head of the valley.
• Here, at Ali Camp (15,748 ft.), we spend the night on the moraine next to the intersection. After we arrive at Ali Camp in the middle of the day or early afternoon, your trip leader will arrange a skills session where you can practice the basic methods of using a Jumar to protect moving on fixed lines.
• At Ali Camp, a rescue squad from Hush Village is stationed to offer assistance in navigating the Gondogoro Pass. For the past few years, they have been operating this business profitably, charging $100 per foreign visitor, which we pay. This is covered by the cost.
• Night Stay at Ali Camp, camp site

 

Day 14 (Gondogoro La – Khuispang) (13 Km) (18,100 ft.) (11 Hours)

• Breakfast at early in the morning
• You’re going to start this morning before the lights go out. We start climbing Gondogoro La at around two in the morning in order to reduce the possibility of rock falls when descending the Hushe side of the pass.
• Once you’ve refueled with some snacks in the dining tent, adjust your crampons and harnesses and head out roped onto the West Vigne Glacier. You will move slowly across the sparkling glacier, lit in patches of light by your head torches, in the pitch-black, starry cold air.
• Although today is difficult, the vistas from the summit of Gondogoro Pass make it worthwhile. One direction offers views of all four 8,000ers, while the other direction features the stunning Laila Peak and the Hushe Valley.
• Before reaching the base of the pass, you might need to rope up to cross the glacier, depending on the state of the snow. There are multiple places where there are fixed ropes that can serve as handrails. Fasten a carabiner by securing it to the rope for safety.
• It is possible to ascend the pass rapidly (in about 4-5 hours) if the trail has already been broken and the snow conditions are good. We climb from the West Vigne Glacier for about four hours, enjoying breathtaking views as we go. When we finally reach the pass’s summit, it feels amazing and thrilling.
• The view from the top is amazing, featuring four 8,000-meter peaks in close proximity: K2, Broad Peak, Gasherbrum I, and Gasherbrum II. The Gondogoro Pass has a broad shoulder as its summit, and the Gondogoro Valley is visible below as the ground drops away sharply on the far side.
• The faces of the Trinity peaks are directly across from one another, but everyone’s attention is focused on the stunning spire of Laila Peak (6,096 m). Descending further and following the glacier’s curve, we can see Masherbrum II’s perfect cone.
• Even though there are fixed ropes at the top, the Hushe side of the Gondogoro pass can be challenging to descend. Starting at a steady 50 degrees on snow, the slope finishes near the bottom on loose scree. You can kick back and unwind once you arrive at Khuspang, the verdant oasis, while reminiscing about the adventure of the previous day.
• Night Stay at Khuispang camp site

 

Note: Favorable weather and pass conditions are necessary for the Gondogoro La crossing. Should a safe ascent of the Pass be unattainable, the team will trek back down the Baltoro glacier to Askole.

Since the trek involves a gradual ascent, we believe that our itinerary maximizes our chances of crossing the pass because:

• Due to the trek’s gradual ascent, everyone should be well acclimated.
• We also have two buffer days in case of delays or inclement weather.

 

Day 15 (Spare Trek Day)

• Breakfast at early in the morning
• Like any journey, there may be delays, so you should definitely factor in some extra time to account for them. These days will give us another opportunity to cross the Gondogoro pass in the event that the weather is bad on Day 14. If we are able to cross the Pass on Day 14, you can choose to relax or go exploring, or you can go on down to Hushe and spend the night there.
• Night Stay at Khuispang/Saicho camp site

 

Day 16 (Khuispang – Saicho) 18 Km) (10,990 ft.) (07 Hours)

• Breakfast at early in the morning
• It takes a few minutes of easy walking to reach Dalsangpa, which means “field of flowers,” where you eventually cross the glacier up to the campsite after navigating through ice and moraines. The view of Masherbrum and the glacier tumbling down from Masherbrum Pass is breathtaking.
• We walk past yak pastures and the first trees since Paiju on a lovely stroll to Saicho. Shaicho is a tiny community. As we continue to descend the moraine to the valley bottom, we have now returned to more benign altitudes where things grow and the trees get bigger than us.
• At the intersection of the Gondogoro and Charaksa valleys, at 10,990 ft. we pitched our tent beside the river in Saicho, a sandy area with few grasses. We get to sleep to the sound of flowing water and breathe the oxygen-rich air below 4,000 meters for the first time in nearly a week on this particular night
• Night Stay at Saicho camp site

 

Day 17 (Saicho – Hushe – Skardu) (07 Km) (10,000 ft.) 02 Hours trek, (06 Hours’ drive to Skardu)

• Breakfast at early in the morning
• Our last day of walking on the K2 and Gondogoro La trek is today. The village of Hushe will be easily reached on foot. Hushe is a sizable city with a maze of buildings and alleys. The majority of traditional homes are two stories tall, with rooms for people and animals on the upper stories made of rounded river stones. Hushe also boasts recently constructed residences, a store, a school, a hotel, and a campsite for hikers.
• As our cars are expected to be there shortly, we set out early for the drive back through the verdant Khapulu Valley.
• We travel into Skardu on a paved road that is faster and more comfortable, following the vast Indus River. After checking into our hotel when we get to town, we’ll have time for a welcome shower and a quick change before dinner. The luxury of a real bed and a hot shower will be enjoyed.
• Transfer to Hotel for Night stay

 

Day 18 (Skardu – Islamabad) (141 Km) (7,316 ft.) (45 Minutes flight)

• Breakfast at early in the morning
• Drop Guests at Skardu Airport
• Reaches Islamabad

 

 

OR

 

• In the event that inclement weather forces the cancellation of the flight, you will proceed from Juglot Skardu Road till you reach Juglot and from Juglot till Hazara Motorway, you will move by Karakoram Highway to Islamabad via road.
• With Nanga Parbat (8,126 meters), the ninth-highest mountain in the world, as your backdrop, you can travel with an amazing view.
• After a while, continue on the Karakoram Highway and pass through the Kaghan Valley and Babusar Pass (4,067 meters) to reach Mansehra City.
• Rejoining the Karakoram Highway from Mansehra, you will travel through the historically significant and culturally rich cities of Hassan Abdal, Taxila, and Abbottabad before arriving in Islamabad.
• It will be late afternoon when you arrive.

 

Day 19 (Spare Day in Islamabad)

• Breakfast at early in the morning
• You have the entire day to explore the green capital city of Islamabad if you were able to catch a flight there yesterday.
• See the Islamabad Monument, Parliament Square, and the Faisal Mosque before traveling to the nearby city of Rawalpindi.
• The historical and traditional city of Rawalpindi will introduce you to the flavors of southern Pakistan. Situated on the Pothohar Plateau, which is well-known for its long history of Buddhism, particularly in the nearby town of Taxila.
• Enjoy a local Pakistani curry at the Magnificent Food Streets for your final meal in Pakistan after a full day of sightseeing.
• This meal will make you nostalgic for your trip to the K2 base camp.

 

Day 20 (Departure | Fly Back Home)

• After breakfast, we will transfer you to Islamabad Airport for your flight back to your home country. The “K2 base camp trek” is now officially over.
• In conclusion, completing the K2 Base Camp trek is an unforgettable experience that leaves you with a profound sense of accomplishment and a deep appreciation for the natural wonders of Pakistan.
• The journey requires strength, resilience, and determination, but the reward of standing at the base of K2, one of the world’s most magnificent peaks, is well worth the effort. With memories of the stunning landscape and challenging terrain and welcoming locals, you leave Pakistan with a newfound respect for the power and beauty of nature and a sense of awe that will stay with you for a lifetime.

 

Services Included

• All internal (Domestic) air tickets and related airport transfers
• English-speaking guide
• Private transport with driver
• Accommodations (Hotels and Camps)
• All Meal (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner)
• All camping ground fees, Mess tents, sleeping tents, Kitchen tents with chairs,
• All fees associated with trekking permits, royalty, toll taxes, entry tickets, parking fees etc.
• Every piece of kitchenware, including cutlery, crockery, fuel, and other associated
• All Wages and basic kits of guide, sirdar, Porter’s cook and assistants
• Insurance for crew members such as porters and guides (except helicopter rescue)
• Satellite phones
• Solar Panel or generator

 

Service not included

• International Flight tickets
• Travel Insurance
• Pakistan Visa Fee
• Photography & Videography
• Personal Nature Expense
• Items which are not mentioned in “Services Include”

 

Regards:   

PYARA SKARDU ADVENTURE CLUB & TRAVEL AGENCY