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Trekking in Pakistan: Snow Lake and Hispar Pass

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Spend three weeks trekking in Pakistan and discover a wild and remote high-mountain region on this amazing Snow Lake and Hispar Pass expedition that will take you deep into the Karakoram Range to its stunning lakes and glaciers.

Private

20 Days

Jun - Sep

High

Intermediate


Highlights

  • Discover the remote and beautiful Snow Lake in the Karakoram range.
  • Go on an exciting trekking expedition in Pakistan.
  • Spend time in an awe-inspiring location away from civilizations.
  • Enjoy glacier trekking and exploring the high mountains of Pakistan.

Description

Enjoy trekking in Pakistan on this Snow Lake and Hispar Pass expedition. It will entail 12 days of strenuous hiking at high elevation (Maximum 5151m),  12 nights camping, and 8 nights hotels.

This is one of the most remote trekking routes in Pakistan. It is a great experience for wild adventurers that like to roam out in faraway locations, away from the crowds, and deep in the heart of nature.

For many years, Snow Lake was thought to be a vast ice cap. Today, we can explore it and come in touch with a remote landscape of ice, rock, and beautiful skies, occasionally interrupted by wildflower valleys. On this expedition, we will cover 122km on the Biafo and Hispar glaciers to explore this amazing area that encompasses Snow Lake.

It will take us 3 weeks to get there and back. We start and finish in Islamabad, with a great itinerary, which you can find below, in between. Of course, a good fitness level and prior high-altitude trekking experience are necessary as this is not an easy trek. Furthermore, be prepared to spend a few days in the wild, camping in a remote and beautiful location.

If you wish to join us on this exciting adventure, then contact us today! Otherwise, you can come with us on some of the other amazing treks we have planned for you.

Price includes

  • Accommodation included
  • Guiding fee
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  • Tents
  • Cooking utensils

Price details

  • INCLUDED:
  • Accommodation: on a twinsharing basis in the hotels in towns.
  • Camping Equipment: We Provide highquality equipment to clients making their adventure the most Comfortable and enjoyable even on the harsh and hard part of the world Dome 3 tents during trekking and at the base camp, Mattresses Toilet Tent
  • Kitchen Equipment: Mess Tent with full Kitchen Equipment, Table & chairs, Kitchen utensil
  • Meals: Full board Darning camping and base camp, We provide the
  • Excellent quality food during your adventure when you start your Trek from Skardu to BC and back to Skardu, (fallboard). In Pakistan, RVT is the only expedition outfitter which provides fresh meat and vegetable at the base camps from time to time. Break Fast, Lunch, Dinner, Tea or coffee
  • Our Staff: We would not say our staff is the best one in Pakistan, you would say this after you Experience their punctuality,
  • Experience, good and humorous attitude with you. Any helicopter rescue is not included in the price for staff. Cook helper, porters & Sardar, Their daily allowance, Food, kit & equipment, insurance, accommodation, RVT Traveling Exp, like Islamabad to Skardu and Back to ISB,
  • Transportation: Jeeps etc. with all expedition Luggage. Road head to Trek Head & back.
  • Porterage: Porter from Road to Base Camp and back to trek head, including food. Kitchen. And 12. Kg of member luggage.
  • If you are coming to Pakistan for Expeditions, Trekking and you wish to keep your equipment in Pakistan, You are more than welcome to keep your equipment In our store either in Islamabad or Skardu.
  • OFFICIAL FORMALITIES:
  • Submission of application for climbing permits and coordination with the Ministry of Tourism in order to update climbers with the progress.
  • Arrangements of the first meeting with Guide and Ministry Briefing/DeBriefing in the Ministry of Tourism.
  • Processing application for satellite permit (if required) Documentation for import and export of mountaineering cargo.
  • Services Excluded
  • Following Mentioned services are not included in our price, but some of them can be arranged on your request
  • Any Meals at the hotel or on the way is not including in the cost. Cost of any soft drinks,
  • Any domestic/international airfare, transportation in an airport for pick and drop.
  • Personal trekking equipment like the sleeping bag sacks Shoes and all personal expenses such as mineral water, telephone, liquor, etc
  • Hotel accommodation in Islamabad, and in towns
  • Transportation from ISB to ISB
  • Porter from Concordia to BC and back to Concordia, any additional expanse
  • Porter for personal Extra luggage on the trek,
  • Trekking permit fee US$ 50 per person.
  • Horse for the trek.
  • Medicines and any expense of personal nature,
  • Rescue Helicopter charges 10,000 U$ in case of use for rescue
  • Transfers to the airports for participants, Optional excursions or deviations from the scheduled tour
  • Room service, gratuities for personal services, items of a purely personal nature
  • Any expense due to forced majors, cancellation of flights, landslides, evacuation or accident or delay beyond the control of the land operator
  • Luggage and Cargo:
  • Before your arrival and departure, RVT takes care of your luggage.
  • Clearance of Cargo before arrival, Clearance of your Cargo after your departure to your home.
  • Storage of your unwanted belongings in Islamabad or Skardu, which you do not need during your adventure.
  • Miscellaneous:
  • Mail delivery at the Base Camp.
  • Reconfirmation of international flight tickets.
  • The arrangement of high altitude porters (if required). Rock Valley Tours has the best high altitude porters in Pakistan.
  • The arrangement of high altitude tents (VE 25 North Face Tents) on payment.
  • A farewell dinner will be hosted from RVT in one of the best restaurants or hotels in Rawalpindi/Islamabad with your staff who will be coming back with you from the base camp or your adventure.
  • Taxes Fees & Tipping:
  • The following fees and taxes are included in our quotation, for members, RVT crew and Camping fees, Bridge crossing Fees (Porter, porter Sardar, and RVT staff Tip is not included in the cost)

Itinerary

Day 1: Islamabad

After your welcome at the hotel, there will be a trek briefing with your leader and guide and then the rest of the day is free to explore the bazaars of Rawalpindi and the new town of Islamabad. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 2: Skardu

Morning transfer to airport for flight to Skardu and then transfer to resort. (This flight is subject to good weather conditions, so if the flight is canceled, we will drive to Chilas.) Meals and overnight at hotel

Day 3: Free day in Skardu

If we are driving, we will complete the drive from Chilas to Skardu. If we were able to fly into Skardu, then we can enjoy a free day before setting off on our adventure.  Hotel for meals and overnight.

Day 4: Askoli

Soft-top 4×4 jeeps will take us on a bumpy ride to the trailhead. Enjoy exciting views of Mango Gusor (6208m) and Bakhor Das (5809m) peaks. Camp at 2950m  at Thongol/ Askoli. (145 km, 5-6 hours.).

Day 5: Thongol/ Askoli - Namla

With a team of porters to help with our luggage, we will begin our trek by walking across an incredible wilderness of rock, ice, and sky. After walking alongside the Braldu River for about an hour,  we will reach Askole village. This is the last permanent settlement along our trekking route. Another three hours’ walk brings us to the Biafo Glacier, two kilometers wide at this point, which is to be our companion for half of the trek. After setting foot on the glacier, and scrambling across the lateral moraine for about three hours, we will arrive at Namla campsite at 3400m.  (6-7 hour  trek).

Day 6: Namla - Biantha 

Back on the glacier, we will cross an area of crevasses where extreme care is needed. It’s important to follow our guide closely. Once across the crevasses, we will gently climb the glacier, enjoying spectacular views of Latok 1 (7145m), Latok 2 (7108m) along the trek. The track follows the ablation valley past a small lake, then heads out across the lateral crevasses to the smooth white center of the Biafo Glacier. Our campsite is at Biantha at 4025m on a grassy area with a clear stream flowing through dense willows and alpine flowers. (6-7 hour trek).

Day 7: Biantha - Karfogoro

The first hour of the trek is a lovely walk along the valley, crossing many small lakes surrounded by willows and wildflowers. This area is the habitat of bears and Himalayan ibex. Once on the glacier, we make a gradual climb over smooth ice. If there is fresh snow on the glacier we must rope up and walk using a flying belay while enjoying stunning views of Sosbun Brakk (6418m). camp at 4025m (7-8 hour trek).

Day 8: Karfogoro - Snow Lake

We make a pre-dawn departure from the camp so that we can walk safely over the soft snow on the medial moraine. After two hours of steady plodding, we arrive at the intersection of the Sim-gang glacier with Snow Lake. We camp at around 4780m close to the Hispar Pass. (2-3 hour trek).

Day 9 to 10: Two days at Snow Lake

Snow lake’s estimated size is 77 sq. km. We will spend 2 days exploring this unique place.

Day 11: Snow Lake - Khanibasa

We make an early morning departure to climb the pass. Gaiters are essential as snow can be deep even in the morning. We walk in single file, roped together. The route passes through the center of the pass around giant crevasses and striped, greenish-blue seracs towering on either side. The view of Snow Lake from the top of Hispar Pass 5151m is inspirational. Numerous glaciers emerge from  Snow Lake and disappear between nameless unclimbed  Karakoram peaks. The highest of these peaks is Baintha Brakk (7285m) also called Ogre, first climbed by Chris Bonington and Doug Scott in 1977. On the other side of the pass, the snow-covered Hispar Glacier stretches as far as the eye can see, and to the north rises the white pyramid of Workman Peak (19,300 ft.). We descend from the pass to camp on the glacier ’s northern moraine at 4580 m. (7-8 hour trek).

Day 12: Khanibasa - Yutmaru

Soon after leaving our camp we spend about 90 minutes crossing the Khanobasa Glacier. During the walk, we can enjoy spectacular views of Kanji Sar (7700 m), the 29th highest peak in the world. From here we follow lateral moraine and marvel at the hanging glaciers and frequent avalanches on the southern ice walls. Yutmaru at 4330m is a flat, sheltered field in a valley, surrounded by willows and alpine flowers. It also offers fine views of the Hispar Pass and the Balchish Range.   (5-6 hour trek).

Day 13: Yutmaru - Bitanmal

An hour’s easy walk through the valley to the Yutmaru Glacier, which we then take about two hours to cross, negotiating high ice walls and deep crevasses. Once across the glacier, we make the steep climb which provides us with panoramic views back to Hispar Pass. As we descend there are also views of the Kenyan Chish Range (7852m), the 22nd highest peak in the world. The Pumari cherish Glacier flows south from this mighty mountain. We walk along a path 100m above Hispar Glacier to reach our campsite at 3902. (6-7 hour trek)

Day 14: At Bitanmal

Our  Bitanmal valley campsite is a wide open summer pasture surrounded by willows and flowers. In summer the shepherds from Hispar Village move here to live with  their herds of goats, sheep and yaks.  It’s a perfect place for a rest day.

Day 15: Through Hispar Village

A lovely, relaxing walk through green pastures past willows and cedars and among  herds of goats, sheep, cattle and donkeys. Soon we meet the south bank of Hispar River, and a  wide alluvial fan rippling in terraces down to a cliff above the  river. We cross a wooden bridge over the river and  climb steeply to enter the  Hispar village and its mud houses, apricot, willow & poplar trees, and fields of wheat, peas, beans, along with the ever-present wild poppies and marijuana. After spending some time here, we walk for another hour to our camp close to a  roaring river at 3200m.  (5-6 hour trek).

Day 16: Jeep Drive Huru - Hunza

In the morning we walk for two hours through the dry landscape to Huru and board soft-top 4×4 jeeps for the short ride to Karimabad., the capital of Hunza Valley. You are never short of spectacular views here – Rakaposhi (7788m ), Ultar 1 (7388 m),  Ultar 2, and Golden Peak tower above the valley. Afternoon free, meals and overnight at hotel. (2 hours trek & 2 hours by jeep).

Day 18: Hunza Karimabad

Day free at Karimabad to explore the valley and to visit the Altit and Baltit forts. These are reminders of the times when Hunza was an important staging post on the Karakoram branch of the Silk Route. The forts were erected by the locals to protect themselves against invaders coming mostly from Central Asia over the high passes. Overnight at the hotel. Time permitting we may drive 35km further north along the Karakoram Highway to the picturesque village of Passu for thrilling views of the Passu & Batura glaciers. Meals and overnight at hotel. Hunza cultural dance in the evening.

Day 19: Hunza - Besham/ Narran

Morning excursion to the Upper Hunza to enjoy views of Passu Peak, Passu Glacier, Batura, and other peaks of Karakoram. Drive back along the Karakoram Highway to Chilas. Meals and overnight at a hotel. (230 km, 6 hours).

Day 19: Islamabad

On to  Islamabad, overnight at hotel. (385 km, 12 hours)

Day 20: Departure

 

Details

More info

Foreigner clients must share their passport copy, 02 passport size Photograph full detail for trek permission requirement. If any member leaves the trek at any stage, the organization will not be liable to refund the payment. If any member splits from the expedition for his/her own reason, that member will bear all transportation costs on the way back to Rawalpindi. In case of damage to the base camp tent or any Equipment, the trek member will be charged the original value of the Equipment.

Meeting point

Hotel in Islamabad

About the guide

Guide profile image

Rock Valley

5.0

(1)

Tour Operator

Rock Valley Tours is a tour management company based in Lahore, Pakistan. We specialize in organizing tours, treks, hikes, hunting and climbing expeditions, team building and leadership trails all over Pakistan. Although we are experts in the Northern Areas of Pakistan, our footprint is spread over every nook and corner in Pakistan.

Pakistan has been nominated as the best adventure tourism destination in the world for the year 2020. We feel that the team we have assembled is best equipped to arrange and facilitate trips across the length and breadth of Pakistan.

Born and raised in the Karakorum region of Pakistan, our team has spent their childhoods crisscrossing the endless trails of these parts of the country. They have all been trained and certified to ensure that your experience is supreme and that safety remains paramount no matter what.

Pakistan welcomes you with open arms!

Languages

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What people are saying about Rock Valley

Mikael

5

After meeting with the guide the trip was changed on there recommendation so we didn't do nanga parbat base camp trek. Instead we did Shimshal Pass trek. Which was a great experience, even though I struggled a bit with sickness during the trip both the guide and the porters were always friendly and helpful. All in all it was a great experience!!


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