Things to do in Gilgit-Baltistan & the Karakoram
Gilgit-Baltistan holds K2, Nanga Parbat and the orchards of Hunza. Come from June to September for glacier treks and high passes, or in spring and autumn for gentler valley walks.
Gilgit-Baltistan holds K2, Nanga Parbat and the orchards of Hunza. Come from June to September for glacier treks and high passes, or in spring and autumn for gentler valley walks.
June to September is the main trekking season, when the high passes are clear of snow and the jeep roads to the trailheads are open. Late June to August is the usual window for the Baltoro and K2 base camp. April brings apricot blossom to Hunza and October turns the poplars gold, and both are good months for valley walks with cold nights. Winter is cold and quiet, and some guesthouses close until spring.
Ten days is enough for Hunza and a few day hikes, with a spare day for flights. Two weeks lets you add Skardu or Fairy Meadows at a gentler pace. The trek to Concordia and K2 base camp needs around three weeks from Islamabad, because the walk itself takes about two weeks and the jeep and flight legs add several days.
Flying saves two days on the road, and on a clear morning you get mountain views from the window. The catch is the weather, which grounds flights more often than most people expect. Driving the Karakoram Highway is slower but less weather-dependent, and the Indus gorge is a sight in itself. A good plan is to fly in and drive out, which gives you both.
It's a long, non-technical trek on rough glacier moraine, reaching about 5,100 metres at K2 base camp. You camp the whole way, often on moraine beside the ice, and the altitude is the biggest challenge. It suits fit hikers who have done multi-day treks above 4,000 metres before. The route is in a restricted zone, so a licensed operator arranges your permit.
Five days from Hunza through Hooper Valley to alpine Rush Lake at 4,694m with porters, camping, and a celebratory return in the valley.
From $ 493
Three days from Hunza to Rakaposhi base camp at 7,788m with camping on the glacier trail and hotel pickup included.
From $ 267