TRAVEL BEYOND THE MOUNTAINS OF GILGIT BALTISTAN PAKISTAN

ARRIVE AT ISLAMABAD AIRPORT IN THE MORNING. TRANSFER TO AIR-CONDITIONED BUSES; PROCEED OVERLAND TO CHILAS / NARRAN. AS WE START OUR DRIVE FROM ISLAMABAD. THE HIGHWAY, REPUTED AS THE EIGHTH WONDER OF THE WORLD - WAS JOINTLY CONSTRUCTED BY PAKISTANI AND CHINESE ENGINEERS AND TOOK 850 LIVES & 20 YEARS TO COMPLETE. WHERE THE INDUS RIVER IS JOINED BY THE GILGIT RIVER. CONTINUE DRIVING TO CHILAS. OVERNIGHT STAY AT HOTEL/GH (07/08 HOURS, 320 KM)

We will drive on Karakoram Highway we will arrive at Raikot; at Raikot board 4x4 soft top jeeps after a one-hour drive, we will arrive at Tattu, a small village inhabited by Shina-speaking Chilasis. Our trek commencement point. As loads are distributed among the porters, we leave the jeeps and start walking. We ascend gradually, walking through the dry lunar landscape of this meeting point of the Hindukush and the Himalayan range. Soon we enter the narrow, barren gorge of Tato river, the track clings high on its left bank. Crossing through the green juniper and pine trees arrive at Fairy Meadows for overnight huts/ camping. (07/08 hours)

AN IDEAL DAY’S WALK TO THE BASE CAMP OF NANGA PARBAT. WE WALK THROUGH THE PINE TREES, COVERED VALLEY WITH RAIKOT GLACIER FLOWING ON OUR LEFT SIDE AND THE SUMMIT OF NANGA PARBAT STRAIGHT AHEAD. AFTER ABOUT TWO HOURS WE TRAVERSE THE LATERAL MORAINE OF THE GLACIER AND THEN ARRIVE AT A FLAT MEADOW OF BAYAL CAMPING SITE. FROM HERE TURN RIGHT FOR A SHORT PATCH TO ARRIVE AT THE OLD BASE CAMP OF NANGA PARBAT. THE MEADOW HERE IS NORMALLY FILLED WITH HIMALAYAN FLOWERS AND SHOUTING MARMOTS. HALF AN HOUR FROM HERE IS GERMAN MOUNTAINEER DREXEL’S MONUMENT. LUNCH AT 4,000 METERS. ENJOY THRILLING VIEWS OF NANGA PARBAT AND ITS SURROUNDING PEAKS. LATER WALK BACK TO THE CAMP AT FAIRY MEADOWS HUT/ CAMP. (7/8 HOURS ROUND TREK.)

TWO HOURS DOWNHILL WALK FROM FAIRY MEADOWS ALONG TATTU RIVER. AT TATTU BOARD ON YOUR JEEPS ONCE AGAIN AND ARRIVE AT RAIKOT BRIDGE ON KKH OVER THE INDUS RIVER. AT RAIKOT OUR AC VAN WILL BE WAITING FOR US. TRANSFER INTO THE VAN AND DRIVE BACK TO DRIVE ON KKH TO GILGIT. THE CAPITAL CITY OF NORTHERN AREAS OF PAKISTAN. AT RAIKOT BRIDGE WE CROSS THE CHINESE-MADE BRIDGE TO ENTER THE GORGE OF THE INDUS RIVER. FOR CENTURIES THE TRADERS AND BUDDHIST MISSIONARIES USED THIS BRANCH OF THE SILK ROUTE. WE DRIVE OUT FROM GILGIT TO RE-ENTER THE TOWN FROM THE HISTORIC ROUTE, CROSSING A SUSPENSION BRIDGE OVER THE RIVER. AT KARGAH VISIT THE ROCK-CARVED BUDDHA FROM THE 7TH CENTURY AD. IN THE ANCIENT TIMES, THE KARGAH VALLEY USED TO BE THE TRAVELING ROUTE FOR THE BUDDHIST MONKS, TO GO TO TAXILA. STROLL DOWN THE COLORFUL BAZAARS OF GILGIT. THE TOUR WILL CONTINUE TO THE BEAUTIFUL, BREATHTAKING HUNZA VALLEY THROUGH A SCENIC ROUTE. ON OUR WAY, WE SEE THE OLD SILK ROUTE USED BY THE BUDDHIST MONKS AND TRADERS. EN ROUTE SHORT STAY AT RAKAPOSHI (7,788M) VIEWPOINT. ENTER THE HUNZA VALLEY AND ARRIVE AT THE CAPITAL KARIMABAD. OVERNIGHT AT HOTEL/GH. (2/3 HOURS, 110 KM)

DAY FREE IN KARIMABAD FOR SHORT WALKS TO ALTIT AND BALTIC FORTS, AND FOR OTHER EXPLORATIONS IN HUNZA VALLEY. THE PEOPLE OF HUNZA ARE FAMOUS FOR THEIR LONG LIVES. YOU CAN ALSO SEE SOME BEAUTIFUL PEAKS OF KARAKORAM RANGE FROM KARIMABAD; RAKAPOSHI 7788M, DIRAN 7266M, ULTAR 7400M, GOLDEN 7027M PEAK, AND THE NAGAR VALLEY ON THE LEFT BANK OF HUNZA RIVER. IN HUNZA, EACH FAMILY GROWS ENOUGH WHEAT, MAIZE, APRICOTS, AND WALNUTS FOR ITS OWN USE. THE PEOPLE ARE MOSTLY SELF-SUFFICIENT, MAKING THEIR OWN CLOTHES, SHOES, WOODEN AND STONE BOWLS, AND GROWING ALL THEIR OWN FOOD. THE PEOPLE ARE VERY FRIENDLY AND CHEERFUL. IN THE AFTERNOON YOU COULD WALK TO ULTAR GLACIER, FOLLOW THE IRRIGATION CHANNEL THROUGH THE VILLAGE OR STROLL THROUGH THE SINGLE LANE BAZAAR FOR BETTER VIEWS OF THE SOARING PEAKS AROUND YOU. OVERNIGHT AT HOTEL.

MORNING AFTER BREAKFAST DRIVE TO MINAPIN. THE SOARING RIDGES OF THE KARAKORAM ON BOTH SIDES OF THE GORGE, WE ARRIVE AT THE SMALL VILLAGE OF MINAPIN IN THE SHADOW OF RAKAPOSHI (7788M) AND DIRAN (7265 M) MOUNTAINS. CAMP/GH (120 KM, 5-6 HOURS)

TREK TO TAGAFURI IS A MODERATE TREK, FULL OF INTEREST, AS IT PASSES THROUGH HILLS COVERED WITH JUNIPER AND ROSES, WITH OCCASIONAL FIELDS OF BARLEY AND POTATOES. LUNCH AT A SUMMER SETTLEMENT. LATER FOLLOW A PATH THROUGH STEEP PASTURES TO ARRIVE AT OUR OVERNIGHT CAMPSITE IN A MEADOW BETWEEN THE LATERAL MORAINE OF THE DIRAN GLACIER AND THE FOOT OF RAKAPOSHI. THE VIEWS ARE SPECTACULAR. (TREK 5-6 HOURS)

DIRAN BASE CAMP FULL-DAY EXCURSION TO KACHELI (DIRAN PEAK BASE CAMP) CROSSING MINAPIN GLACIER FROM THE TOP END OF THE MEADOW AT TAGAFURI. WALK OVER SOFT SNOW AND MEDIAL MORAINE TO KACHELI, A MEADOW STUDDED WITH WILDFLOWERS, WHICH OFFERS SUPERB VIEWS OF DIRAN & RAKAPOSHI. RETURN TO CAMP FOR OVERNIGHT. (CAMP, 7-8 HOURS ROUND TREK.)

SHORT DRIVE THROUGH THE HEART OF KARAKORAM. WE STOP AT THE VILLAGE OF GULMIT, IN THE SHADOW OF THE VIRGIN GULMIT TOWER. WALK THROUGH THE VILLAGE FIELDS AND VISIT THE POLO GROUND AND OLD HOUSES. LATER TAKE A SHORT TREK TO GULKIN GLACIERS AND BORIT LAKE. AS YOU END YOUR TREK NEAR BORIT LAKE, THE TRANSPORT WILL PICK YOU UP FOR A 15 KM DRIVE TO PASSU. PASSU IS A SMALL CHARMING VILLAGE IN THE BACKDROP OF SOARING PASSU CONES, WITH PASSU AND BATURA GLACIER AT SHORT WALKING DISTANCE. WALK THROUGH THE VILLAGE TO SEE THE VILLAGE LIFE. SOME 70 YEARS AGO PASSU USED TO BE THE SECOND-LARGEST SETTLEMENT IN HUNZA AFTER KARIMABAD. THE GLACIER UPSTREAM OF HUNZA RIVER MOVED DOWN TO CREATE A LARGE DAM, THAT LATER BROKE AND DESTROYED THE FERTILE FIELDS AND HOUSES. NOW THE RIVER OCCUPIES THE MAJOR SHARE OF THE VALLEY WITH THE VILLAGE ON ITS RIGHT BANK. WALK TO THE PASSU GLACIER AND PASSU LAKE (45 MINUTES ONE WAY). FROM THE SNOUT OF THE GLACIER, YOU HAVE FASCINATING VIEWS OF SHISPAR (7,611 M) AND PASSU PEAK (7,478 M). VISIT THE FAMOUS SUSPENSION BRIDGES OF PASSU; THESE 800 FEET LONG BRIDGES OVER THE HUNZA RIVER ARE STILL IN USE OF LOCAL PEOPLE. OVERNIGHT AT LODGE.

WE START THE DAY WITH A SHORT RIDE ON SOFT TOP 4X4 JEEPS FROM PASSU VILLAGE TOWARDS SHIMSHAL VALLEY. THE JEEP TRACK PASSES THROUGH THE NARROW GORGE OF SHIMSHAL RIVER AFTER 2 HOURS RELATIVELY JEEP RIDE, WE ARRIVE AT THE ‘TRAVELERS HUT’ OF ZIARAT SHORT STOP SOME 600 YEARS AGO A SUFI SAINT (SHAH SHAMS) FROM CENTRAL ASIA ARRIVED HERE AND STAYED HERE FOR SEVERAL NIGHTS. HE ALSO PREACHED ISLAM IN THIS REGION. FROM ZIARAT WE CAN SEE KAROON 1 (7164M) PEAK WE HAVE A BEAUTIFUL VIEW OF DASTAGIL SAR (7885M) FROM HERE. SHIMSHAL IS ONE OF THE REMOTEST AREAS OF KARAKORAM. 900 YEARS AGO, SHIMSHAL VALLEY WAS DISCOVERED BY A SUFI SAINT HE SETTLED HERE AND ALL SHIMSHALI PEOPLE ARE FROM HIS FAMILY. GH/ CAMP OVERNIGHT. (4/5 HOURS, 3300M)

FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS, OUR WALK WOULD MOSTLY BE TRAVERSE THROUGH THE REALLY NARROW GORGE OF SHIMSHAL RIVER. BUT OUR WALK FROM THE VILLAGE FOR THE FIRST TWO HOURS TODAY IS IN THE OPEN VALLEY ALONG THE RIVER. SOON WE LEAVE THE MAIN VALLEY AND TURN TO THE LEFT TO ENTER THE GORGE. MOSTLY THE TREK IS SAFE, ALTHOUGH AT A FEW PLACES YOU WOULD NEED GOOD BALANCE ON THE NARROW FOOT TRACK. EN ROUTE ENJOY VIEWS OF KUNIANCHISH AND YAZGILDOOM PEAKS BOTH ARE ABOVE 7000M. FURZIN, A NARROW CAMP ALONG THE SIDE STREAM IS KNOWN FOR ITS BIRCH TREES. OVERNIGHT IN FURZIN. (5/6 HOURS)

THIS MIGHT BE THE HARD PART OF THE TREK. WE START FROM THE CAMP WITH A STEEP ASCEND OF 200 METERS ON THE CLIFF FACING THE CAMP, TRAVERSE GRADUALLY FOR HALF AN HOUR AND THEN DESCEND STEEPLY TO THE SHIMSHAL RIVER. WE CROSS THE RIVER ON A FOOTBRIDGE AND THEN WALK FOR ANOTHER HOUR TO PARIYAN CAMP FOR A COOL BREEZE OFF THE MAIDUR NALLAH AND FRESH LUNCH. AFTER LUNCH WE TAKE UP THE LAST PART OF GORGE WALK, INVOLVING ONE AND HALF HOURS ASCEND ON A WELL-MAINTAINED YET STEEP FOOT TREK (PARIYAN) TO THE TOP, CALLED PARIYAN SAR, WITH FASCINATING VIEWS OF OUR PEAK MANGLIK AND MANY OTHER SUMMITS. HERE YOU ENJOY THE VISTA AND TAKE A RELAXING AN HOUR’S WALK TO THE CAMP. OUR CAMP ARBABPARIAN IS A SHEPHERD’S SETTLEMENT FOR WINTER, WITH PLENTY OF FRESH WATER. (4/5 HOURS)

COMPARED TO THE LAST TWO DAYS, IT IS A RELAXING WALK ALONG THE RIVER WITH VIEWS OF PEAKS SOARING ABOVE 6,000 METERS. IN OUR WAY WE WILL PASS GANJ DOUR VALLEY, LEADING NORTH TO CHINA BORDER WITH MANY PASTURES FOR THE YAKS AND GOATS. THIS VALLEY IS KNOWN FOR ITS SUBSTANTIAL POPULATION OF BLUE SHEEP, MARCO POLO SHEEP, IBEX, AND ALSO A FEW SNOW LEOPARDS AND BEARS. SHUNJERAB IS THE SUMMER HOME OF SHIMSHALIS, WITH 60 HOUSES AND HUGE YARDS TO HOUSE THE ANIMAL & HUMAN POPULATION. PEOPLE STAY HERE IN MAY & JUNE AND THEN PROCEED OVER SHIMSHAL PASS TO SHUWART TO SPEND THE WINTER. CAMP OVERNIGHT (4/5 HOURS)

D EAST OF SHUNJERAB IS GULCHI WASHK (CARPET OF FLOWERS), A 200 METERS GRADUAL ASCENT TO BRING US JUST UNDER MANGLIK SAR. WE WALK IN A WIDE-OPEN VALLEY RUNNING EAST TO WEST, WITH TWO LAKES LOCATED JUST BEFORE THE SHIMSHAL PASS. IN SUMMER WE FIND YAKS, GOATS, AND SHEEP WHO ROAM THE GREEN PASTURES. WE SHALL BUILD OUR CAMP AFTER 2/3 HOURS WALK, JUST UNDER THE MAIN RIDGE OF MANGLIK SAR. IN THE AFTERNOON ONE COULD WALK OVER TO THE SHUWART SUMMER SETTLEMENT, CONSISTING OF 60 HOUSES. INEVITABLY WE MIGHT GET INVITED FOR DINNER, A GREAT CHANCE TO VISIT LOCAL HOUSES, AND ALSO TO TASTE THE ENERGETIC NOMAD FOOD MADE FROM YAK’S CHEESE, BUTTER, AND WHEAT FLOUR. CAMP OVERNIGHT. (4/5 HOURS, 4735M)

ACCLIMATIZATION AND EXPLORING THE AREA. WE WILL ALSO VISIT SOME LOCAL HOUSES ON THIS DAY. STEWART GLACIER IS ONE OF THE PLACES HERE TO VISIT. CAMP OVERNIGHT.

FULL DAYS TO ATTEMPT THE TREKKING PEAK MANGLIK SAR (6050M), JUST NORTH OF OUR CAMP. AS WE START IN SOFT MORNING LIGHT, FOR THE FIRST FEW HOURS WE WILL ASCEND GRADUALLY ON THE MAIN RIDGE LEADING TO THE SUMMIT. AT 5,800 METERS WE WILL LEAVE THE RIDGE AND HEAD TOWARD THE ETERNAL SNOW OF THE PEAK. THE GOING COULD BE SLOW HERE DUE TO ALTITUDE AND THE INCREASED ASCENT OF THE PEAK. YET NEAR THE TOP IT IS WIDE AS A FOOTBALL FIELD AND ALSO NOT SO STEEP. ENJOY A FASCINATING VIEW OF THE VALLEY FROM THE TOP, ON A CLEAR DAY ONE CAN SEE K-2 AND A BROAD PEAK DISTANCE EAST. SAFETY ROPE AND OTHER REQUIRED CLIMBING EQUIPMENT WILL BE CARRIED BY THE MOUNTAIN GUIDE. DESCEND DOWN TO BASE CAMP. (9/10 HOURS EXCURSION).

ANOTHER FULL DAY TO ATTEMPT THE PEAK. ON THIS TREK TO SHIMSHAL PAMIR, THERE IS AN OPTION TO CLIMB THE MANGLIK SAR 6050M OR OTHER TWO PEAKS AROUND, OR WHO DO NOT WANT TO MAKE THE SUMMIT CAN TREK AROUND OR TO SHUWERTH. HERE WE TAKE YOU FOR THE ASCENT OF A 6,050 M TREKKING PEAK. IT IS AN EASY TREKKING PEAK THAT DOES NOT REQUIRE TECHNICAL THINGS JUST TO NEEDS TO TRAVEL THE TEAM IN ROPED. IT IS ONE DAY CLIMB NORMALLY WITH 1500M ASCENT AND 1500 DESCENT. IT IS A SAFE AND EASY CLIMB, AND CAN TAKE A GOOD AND PHYSICALLY FIT TREKKER TO THE TOP OF THIS PEAK. THIS IS A POPULAR AND EASY-TO-ACCESS 6000M PEAK. TO CLIMB THIS PEAK, YOU NEED SNOW SHOES, GAITERS, HARNESSES AND ROPE. THERE ARE TWO OTHER PEAKS JUST NEAR BELOW 5500M, KUZ SAR AND LUP ZHUI SAR ALSO IN ONE DAY CAN CLIMB USING SAME BASE CAMP OF MANGALIK SAR. A SPECIAL CAMP FIRE WILL BE ARRANGED THAT NIGHT WITH LOCAL MUSIC AND DANCES TO CELEBRATE THE SUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT ON THE PEAK. CAMP OVERNIGHT.

SAME TREK WE HAVE PASSED THROUGH ON OUR WAY TO STEWART. BUT IT WILL TAKE US A VERY SHORT TIME BECAUSE OF THE CONTINUED GRADUAL DESCEND OF THE TREK. CAMP OVERNIGHT. (5/6 HOURS)

IT IS AN EASY WALK. WE FOLLOW A STREAM FLOWING FROM SHUWART TO MAIDUR. THERE ARE MANY SUMMER SETTLEMENTS IN MAIDUR VALLEY. WE WILL PITCH OUR TENTS AT A SMALL SETTLEMENT HAVING ONLY TWO OR THREE HOUSES. IT IS A BEAUTIFUL VALLEY AND WATER IS EASILY ACCESSIBLE HERE. CAMP OVERNIGHT. (4/5 HOURS)

TODAY WE TAKE AN EARLY MORNING START TO CROSS SHAPODIN PASS (5150M). THE CLIMB UP TO PASS IS NOT TECHNICAL AND ONE CAN CLIMB IT WITH THE HELP OF WALKING POLES ONLY. PASSU PEAK (7478M) SHISPAR PEAK (7611M) AND DASTAGIL GIANT ARE VISIBLE FROM THE PASS. WATER IS EASILY AVAILABLE ON THE WAY. AFTER CROSSING THE PASS, WE WILL ARRIVE AT THE CAMPING PLACE OF SHAPODIN WHICH IS ALSO A SUMMER SETTLEMENT. CAMP OVERNIGHT. (7/8 HOURS)

WE WILL BACK TOWARD SHIMSHAL IT IS AN EASY TREK DOWN TO THE VILLAGE. KANJUT SAR (7760M) IS VISIBLE FROM THE PASS. AFTER THE PASS THERE IS A BEAUTIFUL LAKE OF BLUE WATER. EN ROUTE SHORT STAY FOR REST AND LUNCH AT PACHODEWASHK. PROCEED TOWARDS MANDIKSHLAKH. THERE ARE SEVEN HOUSES IN MANDIKSHLAKH AND WATER IS EASILY AVAILABLE FOR WASHING. CAMP OVERNIGHT. (5/6 HOURS)

AFTER BREAKFAST DRIVE TO HUNZA. SHORT STOP AT PASSU, ARRIVE AT HUNZA CHECK INN OVERNIGHT STAY AT HOTEL/GH

EARLY MORNING DRIVE AIR-CONDITIONED TRANSPORT ON THE KARAKORAM HIGHWAY TOWARDS BESHAM. LUNCH IN DASSU./ NARRAN PROCEED TOWARDS BESHAM/ NARRAN. OVERNIGHT AT MOTEL. (11/12 HOURS)

AFTER BREAKFAST WE WILL DRIVE TOWARD THE FEDERAL CAPITAL. HALF DAY SS IN ISLAMABAD AFTER LUNCH. EVENING FREE. OVERNIGHT AT HOTEL. (5/6 HOURS)