Grand Karakoram Traverse

Travel from Hushe across the challenging Gondokoro La pass to the foot of K2 on the Baltoro Glacier, then continue up the Biafo glacier to cross the Hispar La to Snow Lake. Finish by descending the Hispar Glacier to the Hunza Valley.

This is a unique trip which combines the K2 trek with the Snow Lake trek to produce a journey of epic proportions across the heart of the Karakoram mountains.

We start our trek in the beautiful Hushe valley where we can see the huge peak of Masherbrum and the amazing Charakusa Spires. We then trek north and cross the Gondokoro La, a high and sometimes tricky pass which links the Hushe valley with the Baltoro Glacier. Descending the Vigne Glacier on the northern flanks of the pass brings us directly to Concordia at the foot of K2. After enjoying the scenery in the ‘Throne Room of the Mountain Gods’ we then head down the Baltoro Glacier and Braldu Valley for several days to the junction with the Biafo Glacier. Continuing west, we trek up to the great Snow Lake, the vast basin of snow and ice where the Biafo and Hispar Glaciers meet. From here we can see the mighty peaks of Ogre and Latok. After crossing the Hispar Pass we follow the Hispar Glacier out to the Hunza Valley and the town of Gilgit where this great traverse concludes.

Itinerary

Please note: the itinerary is 33 days.

• Day 1. Depart UK: Depart for the flight to Islamabad, the capital city of Pakistan. Flights depart from London Heathrow Airport terminal 3. There is also the option of flying from Manchester.
• Day 2. Arrive Islamabad: Arrive in Islamabad in the early hours of the morning and transfer to the Shalimar Hotel in Rawalpindi. Islamabad is a modern sprawling metropolis which merges imperceptibly into its more ancient twin city of Rawalpindi. The Grand Trunk Road runs through ‘Pindi, as it is universally known, and Rudyard Kipling was stationed here briefly in 1885 on his first posting to British India as it then was. Stay at the comfortable Shalimar Hotel in the Cantonment area of the city. The nearby Rajah Bazaar makes for a fascinating and eye-opening sight-seeing trip. By contrast, Islamabad is a modern, somewhat characterless city developed on a grid system.
• Day 3. Fly or Drive to Skardu: If the weather permits, take the short but spectacular flight from Islamabad to Skardu. The flight is operated with a Boeing 737 aircraft and the flight path skirts breathtakingly past the Rupal and Diamir faces of Nanga Parbat. It is sometimes possible to catch a glimpse of K2 in the distance before landing at Skardu. On arrival, meet local staff with jeeps and make the short transfer to the K2 Motel.
• Day 4. Drive via Khaplu to Hushe: Depart from Skardu by jeep and follow a reasonable road alongside the Indus River before turning into the Shyok valley to reach the large and prosperous settlement of Khaplu. Amid groves of apricot trees, take lunch here. After leaving Khaplu, cross the Shyok River and commence a rough four-hour jeep ride through several small villages in the lower Hushe Valley. At an altitude of over 3000 metres, Hushe is the highest village in the area and will be the last habitation seen until reaching the Hunza Valley more than three weeks away. Set up camp in a grassy field below the village, with the huge peak of Masherbrum dominating the view to the north.
• Day 5. Contingency Day: A spare day in case of driving on the Karakoram Highway to reach Skardu. If flown to Skardu, this day will be used to aid acclimatisation.
• Day 6. Trek to Saitcho: A short trek of about 4 hours to the campsite at Saitcho. The camp is situated at the junction of the Charakusa and the Gondokoro valleys and is located among shady trees on a sandy plain beside the river. From the camp, get excellent views of the peak of Nameka and the rock pillars of K7. From just below the camp, there is a view of the Charakusa Spire.
• Day 7. Rest and acclimatisation day: Spend a full day at Saitcho for rest and acclimatisation. For those feeling well acclimatised, there is a chance to walk up the Charakusa Valley for better views of K6 and K7.
• Day 8. Trek to Dalsan: From Saitcho, trek alongside the Gondokoro Glacier following a path on a wooded moraine crest which ascends to the summer settlement of Gondokoro Village. Pause for lunch here before scrambling down onto the glacier. Trek along the edge of the glacier for a short distance to bypass a steep rock section before finally scrambling up a rocky gully to reach the campsite at Dalsan (4150m). There are two small lakes and views of a range of snowy peaks including the summit of Masherbrum. 5 hours walking.
• Day 9. Trek to Gondoro Peak Basecamp: Drop back down onto the glacier and follow the central section, generally walking on snow and ice. Any crevasses on this section of the glacier are small and easy to see. The views improve moving along the glacier, and in particular the view of the spire of Layla peak is impressive. Destination for the evening is a campsite known as Huisprung (4800m), which is the basecamp area for Gondoro Peak. The campsite is located on a grassy field beside a small lake. 5 to 6 hours walking.
• Day 10. Glacier skills training and acclimatisation: A day for rest and acclimatisation. Spend part of the day learning the skills and safety procedures required for ascending fixed ropes and moving roped together on the glacier.
• Day 11. Trek to Gondoro La base camp: Move camp to a location a little closer to the pass to prepare for the crossing of the Gondoro La. Approx 2 hours walking.
• Day 12. Cross the Gondoro La to ‘Ali’ camp: One of the toughest and most challenging days of the trek. Start as early as possible to get the best snow conditions. The climb to the pass is a straightforward snow plod - the final section up to the pass steepening up to 40 degrees or so. The guides will fix ropes to safeguard this ascent. After about five hours, reach the crest of the pass (5585m). In front lie the peaks of K2, Broad Peak, Chogolisa and the Gasherbrums. From the crest of the pass, descend slightly trickier ground moving roped together as a precaution against crevasses on the descent to the Vigne Glacier. After an hour of descent from the pass, reach the level glacier surface and have a further three hours of roped trekking to reach ‘Ali Camp’.
• Day 13. Trek to Concordia: From Ali Camp, trek out onto the Vigne Glacier and then make your way easily down the central section of the glacier, for the most part walking on moraines. Arrive at Concordia (4650m), the junction of the Baltoro and Godwin Austen Glaciers, with K2 and Broad Peak rising above.
• Day 14. Trek to Shachspong: From Concordia, commence the descent down the Baltoro Glacier. The surface terrain of the glacier to begin with is hard ice pitted with moraine debris. As you descend, walking becomes predominantly on moraine. Pass by Goro where there is a small military post, heading for the campsite known as Shachspong (4200m). Looking back towards Concordia, views of Gasherbrum IV are impressive, and to the north is Mustagh Tower, first climbed by Joe Brown and Tom Patey in 1956. 5 to 6 hours walking.
• Day 15. Trek to Horbose: Continuing down the Baltoro Glacier, trek across increasingly rough piles of glacial moraine where in places the path is quite indistinct. Have the backdrop of Cathedral Peak and Lobsang Spires opposite. The campsite off glacier is at Horbose (3930m), situated on sandy flats of glacial outwash. Across the glacier look directly towards the rock walls of the Trango Towers and Uli Biaho. 4-5 hours walking.
• Day 16. Trek to Paiju: Trekking off the glacier following good paths, in some places cut into steep rock walls. Regain the glacier for a short distance to cross the snout, reaching the campsite at Paiju. 6 hours walking.
• Day 17. Trek to ‘Jola’ Camp: Follow the true right hand side of the valley, the route skirting around Paiju Peak. The path of sandy and stony terrain follows the Braldu River. Reach the tributary Panma River to camp. 6 hours walking.
• Day 18. Trek to Korophon: A relatively easy day. Begin by crossing the Panma River via a bridge. Once on the far side, the path climbs steeply to regain the north bank of the Braldu River. Follow this path for a further two hours to the campsite at Korophon (3000m) situated just before the snout of the Biafo Glacier.
• Day 19. Trek to Namla: Cross the snout of the Biafo Glacier and head north to follow a trail in the ablation valley by the side of the glacier. Trek on the rough glacial surface before climbing a lateral moraine to arrive at the campsite of Namla, a grassy meadow at an altitude of 3400 metres. 4 hours walking.
• Day 20. Trek to Mango: Return to the Biafo Glacier and follow a series of moraine ridges along the centre of the glacier. Trek along these for 3 or 4 hours to reach a point where the glacier becomes contorted, working off the glacier and up to another meadow in a green ablation valley. The campsite, Mango (3626m), gives views down the valley to the Braldu Gorge.
• Day 21. Trek to Baintha: Drop back down to the Biafo Glacier and work through a maze of jumbled boulders to reach the central moraines. Follow these to the white ice section of the glacier. Cross over to the east side of the glacier and make camp at Baintha (3940m), a grassy campsite with many flowers and birds.