20 DAYS K2 BC & CONCORDIA TREK

Departure for Pakistan 

Spend the day in Islamabad finalizing permit details with the Ministry of Tourism. Evening free. Overnight at the hotel.

In the morning you will be transferred to Islamabad airport for the flight to Skardu (2272m). This flight is subject to clear weather. Alternatively, we take a two-day drive to Skardu, along the Karakorum Highway, sometimes referred to as the eighth wonder of the world. We stay overnight at Chilas on the banks of the Indus, the lion river.

Free day at Skardu, the capital of Baltistan, sometimes called little Tibet due to its geographic location and historic links with Tibet and Ladakh. Stroll down the narrow bazaar, climb up the cliff to visit the historic Kharpocho fort, visit the turquoise blue Satpara Lake which is just a few kilometers from the town. Meals and overnight at Motel/Resort.

We leave Skardu on the metal road heading east, drive over a small pass, and enter Shigar, a valley of orchards. Arrive at Thongol, and leave the jeeps for a short walk to the camping site. Meals and overnight at camp. 6-7 hour jeep ride.

As the staff distributes 25kg each among the porters, we start our trek in the soft morning light. Walking along the Braldu river we arrive at Askole, the last permanent settlement along the trek, often mentioned by early explorers as the last human inhabitation of the Indian subcontinent. Another three hours’ walk across barren wasteland brings us to Biafo glacier, a tortured sea of ice and rocks two kilometers wide at this point. It takes around two hours to cross the glacier on an established trail, walking most of the time on morraine and occasionally on ice. Once across the glacier, it is twenty minutes to Korofan (10,200`). 6-7 hours.

A tough day’s walk along a cliff face to arrive at the cable bridge to cross the Dumordo River. We may have to wait here for some time for our turn to cross the river over the newly built wooden bridge which replaced a swinging pulley. The last two hours are a comparatively easy walk beside the river. This section of the trek can be unexpectedly hot and dry, so protect yourself well from the sun. Our campsite Khrobrak (4242m) is a small stretch of land just by the Braldu river, which will provide natural music all the time. 7-8hrs trek.

The trek starts in easy fashion with an occasional scramble over rock. Three hours’ walk brings us to the point where waters from the Paiju peak divide themselves into four rushing streams, that can be crossed by jumping over the stones and then walking through the meltwater. In the east dominating, the horizon is the towering summits of Gashabrum 4, Cathedral Towers and Broad Peak. After negotiating scree and sand, we walk along the river, arrive at Paiju (3560m), a refreshing campsite situated in a grove of willows and poplars through which flows a stream of fresh water. 4-5 hours trek.

We begin our day’s trek with a walk for about an hour across gradually ascending barren territory to arrive at the snout of the Baltoro Glacier, 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 undulating glacier can be a little challenging as we dodge small crevasses. The view is magnificent with the Cathedral and Trango Towers, rising to 6000metre -plus on our left. We begin to feel the pulse of creation: the melting ice, the shifting rocks, and the groans of the glacier as it rearranges its icy rivers. As we walk across boulder-strewn ice, we gradually gain height over three hours to the south side of the glacier. We arrive at a flat, sandy area of lateral moraine, our campsite Khobursay at 4000m. 5-6hrs trek.

We walk on the lateral moraine of the glacier for the first two hours. After arriving at the green pastures of Urdukas, we cross crevasses and then walk on the medial moraine of the glacier. The middle part of the glacier has its own surprises for us, small streams of water rushing over clear blue ice, and huge mushroom-like ice towers erupting from the glacier. As we proceed Gasherbrum 2 (8035m), the 14th highest peak in the world) peeps from the right shoulder of G-4 in the east. Biango, at 4030m, is our campsite, dominated by a stunning view of Mashabrum (7900m) due south. As we are camping on a thin layer of moraine over glacial ice the night can be cold. 7-8hrs trek.

Finally Yes Concordia! Start your trek walking on the medial moraine of the glacier to the incredible sanctuary of Concordia. As we make our approach, Gashabrum – 4 stands guard in the east. On our left, we have magnificent views of Muztagh Tower (7200m) on the border between Pakistan and China. Excitement mounts and paces quicken as we arrive at Concordia, lured by the classic views of K2 (8612m), The second highest mountain in the world. Concordia – the meeting place of five glaciers, is named after “Place de la Concorde” in Paris. Within a radius of 15km are 41 peaks above 6500 meters, almost half of them still virgin and unnamed. Also visible from Concordia, clockwise from K-2 are Broad Peak (8068m), Gasherbrum 4 (7900m), Baltoro Kangri (7245m), Kondus (7000m), Mitre (6000m), Paiju (6610m), Crystal (6300m), Marble (6200m) and Angel Peak (6800m). 4-5 hour trek.

Full-day excursion to the base camp of K2. A strenuous 10-hour round-trip trek over snow, rock, and ice. As we start our trek, we cross crevasses of the Baltoro Glacier, then walk on the lateral moraine of the Godwin Austin glacier to the base camp of Broad Peak. Chogolisa (7586m) now appears on the scene, standing guard in the south and hinting at the new crossing from Concordia to the Hushe valley. As we proceed towards base camp, we walk on the moraine of Godwin Austin glacier. Walking here is much easier than the first two hours’ stretch on rocks. When we arrive at K2 base camp at 5000m, which is normally occupied by five mountaineering expeditions during the climbing season each year, we are overwhelmed by the sheer size of K2. Return to Concordia for overnight.

Concordia – Gore   Today we will say goodbye to the mountains and turn back by the same route to Skardu. The trek is downhill now and as we will be well acclimatized we will cover the ground quickly and in five to six hours we will reach Gore. Here there are many tall icebergs on the Baltoro Glacier and there are also outstanding views of Meshabrum Peak (7821m)

Day 12 Gore  Urdukas   From Gore it is five to six hours’ trek to Urdukas,  which is opposite the great Trango towers. This is a beautiful camping site among large boulders and pasture. There are also graves of porters here, men who died during mountaineering

Urdukas – Khoburzay

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Khoburzay – Paiju. 

Paiju – Jola   The  Jola camping site is on the banks of the Baltoro and Dumurdo rivers. Last year the government constructed  a wooden bridge here so unlike in the past we do not have to cross the Dumurdo River over the  swinging pulley.

Jola – Askole  Early moning start to reach the trek head. First we will corss Dumurdo River then climb Pari rock and arrive Korophone. At Korophone we meet the Biafo Glacier  which flows from Snow Lake,  and cross a plateau to reach Askole. From here we will try to take a jeep to Skardu but if road conditions are not suitable we will walk another hour to Thongal to find transport.

Back To Civilization – Skardu  Enjoy your last breakfast in camp on this trek and say Khuda Hafiz to your camping staff who pitched tents and prepared meals for you during the trek. Board soft-top 4×4 jeeps for a bumpy ride through Karakoram. This part of Baltistan is greener and more prosperous. We arrive at Skardu – shall we call it civilization ? You must be the judge. Meals, the enjoyment of a shower  and overnight at resort/motel. 5-6 hour jeep ride.

Towards Pindi  A flight is booked to Islamabad, which if weather conditions mean are suitable we will be in Islamabad in  just one hour –  a miracle of modern technology. But, if the flight is cancelled we will drive back,  with an overnight stop at Chilas on the Karakoram Highway.

Back, Finally!   Once at Rawalpindi, Islamabad’s twin city, we shall proceed to the office of Ministry of Tourism for  a trek debriefing. The rest of the day is free to explore the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

Fly Home Transfer to airport for international departure flight.