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Trek Pakistan's Karakoram Mountains

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Operated by Intrepid Travel
Tripcode: HQXP
Overview
Destination:
Pakistan
Start:Islamabad, Pakistan
Finish:Islamabad, Pakistan
Duration:10 days
Type:Group tour (max 12)
Style:
Adventure,
Walking & Trekking,
Travel Period
May 2025 - September 2026
Trek among the towering rock walls and lush valley floors of Northern Pakistan’s Karakoram Range and Nangma Valley. The Baltistan region, sometimes known as Little Tibet, is a mountaineer’s paradise. Spend four days trekking along well-marked and relatively easy trails that cross glacial streams running through vibrant pastures and camp under the stars. You’ll be fully supported by a professional and welcoming crew of porters, guides and camp cooks who will prepare fresh and filling hot meals featuring local Pakistani dishes. Along your roundtrip journey from Islamabad, you’ll also get the chance to meet Balti locals and learn about the history and culture of this region, through dancing, shared meals and expert local knowledge.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

1. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
2. Arrival and Departure transfers are included in this trip, please provide us with your exact flights details no later than 14 days prior to your departure.
3. Due to the demands of travelling at high altitudes a Passenger Self Assessment Form is required for this trip. You will be trekking on hilly terrain, generally on well-defined paths, walking anywhere between 2–7 hours per day. Altitude may exceed 4500 metres.
4. On this tour we travel from Islamabad to Skardu by plane. In case of unfavourable weather, we may need to swap the flight and drive instead. Please see Special Information box on day 2 for exact contingency plan.
5. Passport scans are required at the time of booking to book domestic flights.
6. All trekking permits and National Parks entrance fees are included in the price of the trip.
7. We use Pakistan Airlines for the included internal flights.

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Standard inclusions
  • Meals: Meals: 9 breakfasts, 9 lunches, 9 dinners.
  • Transport: Private Vehicle, Plane.
  • Accommodation: Hotel (6 nights), Full Service Camping (3 nights).
  • Skardu Bazaar walk.
  • Manthal Rock Buddha.
  • Skardu - Kharpocho Fort visit.
  • Khaplu Fort Museum.
  • Yugo Village cultural walk.
  • Mingulo Broq guided hike.
  • Rumbak - Expert Licensed professional local guide.
  • Rumbak -15 kgs of porter services per person.
  • Mingulo Broq to Nangma valley guided hike.
  • Amin Brakk base camp guided hike.
  • Live music and dance show by local Balti people.
  • Nangma valley to Kanday guided hike.
  • Traditional lunch with local family at Kanday village.
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Itinerary
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Day 1: Islamabad
Khush Aamadid! Welcome to Islamabad. When you arrive at the Islamabad International Airport, you’ll be met by a local representative and taken to your hotel. If you arrive early, you can join your leader and group for lunch and a city tour this afternoon. Back at the hotel, you’ll meet up with everyone again for a welcome meeting at 6 pm to get all the details on your upcoming trek. After, relax, explore or find a good spot for dinner.
Day 2: Skardu
First things first, you’ll check the weather – if it’s good, you’ll fly from Islamabad to Skardu (a short, scenic flight). If the weather isn’t cooperating, you’ll instead make the trip via the Karakoram Highway, making stops along the way among mountain peaks that humans are yet to have stepped a foot on. In Skardu – the gateway to the Karakoram Mountain Range – you’ll have some free time to explore and pick up any snacks or souvenirs that might be calling your name from the Skardu Bazaar. You’ll also have the chance to rent any hiking gear here that you may have forgotten to pack. While in Skardu, don’t miss Manthal Rock Buddha, Kharpocho Fort and Nansoq Organic Village.
Day 3: Khaplu
Carry on into the mountains as you drive to Khaplu, passing through the small villages of the Ghanche district. Along the way, stop where the Shayok and Indus Rivers meet. Visit the small village of Yugo and enjoy lunch and a cultural village walk where you’ll get a feel for village life and meet some locals. This afternoon, travel on to Khaplu – the Ghanche district’s capital city. After checking into your hotel, enjoy some free time to explore. Maybe see the Khaplu Fort Museum and the organic garden.
Day 4: Hike Kanday to Mingulo Broq
After breakfast, drive from Khaplu to Kanday Village – the trailhead for your trek into Nangma Valley – and meet your local support crew of guides, porters and camp cooks. The first leg is short but with a few steep parts. From Kanday, descend to cross a wooden bridge over the Hushe River, then ascend through the narrow valley across two suspension bridges to the Mingulo Broq campsite. This lush site near the water is surrounded by willow trees and is also a local pasture, so you’ll likely get the chance to meet a few local shepherds. After lunch at the campsite, you’ll have time to explore nature or relax at camp. For dinner, your kitchen team will prepare local Balti cuisine, like balay (soup), chapshoro (cooked minced meat stuffed and sealed between two whole wheat flatbreads, cooked over a skillet) and other Pakistani dishes. Before sliding into your sleeping bag, be sure to turn your gaze upwards and take in the star-filled night sky.
Day 5: Trek the Nangma Valley
Fuel up on a hot breakfast, then carry on from Mingulo Broq to Nangma Valley, passing through lush green fields alongside a glacial stream. Today’s trek is relatively flat, crossing over one stream and through another. You’ll arrive at the Nangma Valley campsite by lunch, where you can tuck into a fresh, hot meal. Enjoy some free time to take in the incredible views – looking out over the valley, you’ll see the North Ridge of Shingu Charpa. For dinner, tuck into another hot meal of local soup and a mix of regional and continental Chinese and Pakistani dishes.
Day 6: Nangma Valley
Check in with your feet this morning and decide how you’d like to spend the day. Opt to take a day hike to Amin Brakk base camp (4500 metres), at the base of the towering rock face that’s known as one of the most spectacular climbs in the world. Start with a steep climb and continue on a relatively flat plateau, before the final, steep push through a rocky trail. While at the base camp, enjoy some free time for your own exploration before tucking in to refreshments and tracking your own steps back to Nangma campsite. Or if you’d rather lay low, choose to kick back and relax at camp. Either way, you won’t want to miss the sunrise from up here. If you choose to stick close to camp for the day, test your scrambling skills on nearby rocks or go on a scavenger hunt for local Karakoram bird and flower species. This evening, enjoy a live music and dance show by local Balti performers. Feel free to join in!
Day 7: Nangma Valley trekking & Shigar/Skardu
Make the trek back down to Kanday this morning and enjoy a traditional lunch with a local family in the village. You and your group will travel by road back to Skardu this afternoon, following the southern bank of the mighty Indus River. The views are stunning as you travel down a valley surrounded by towering peaks before arriving at the surreal landscape of the Safranga 'Cold Desert'. At 2300 m above sea level, it's one of the highest deserts in the world. After the obligatory photo stop (or two) continue on to the small town of Shigar, then on to Skardu.
Day 8: Islamabad
Once again, the weather may play a role in today’s plans. If the weather is nice, you’ll drive from Shigar to the Skardu Airport, where you’ll fly back to Islamabad. In this case, you’ll check into your Islamabad hotel, enjoy lunch and enjoy some free time for sightseeing. Be sure to ask your leader for recommendations. If the weather isn’t agreeable, you’ll spend some free time in Naran, where your leader will be pleased to offer suggestions or plan an excursion around town for the group.
Day 9: Islamabad
If you didn’t fly yesterday, today you’ll make the journey by road to Islamabad. If you’re already there, do some sightseeing in the capital. Don’t miss the Taxila Museum, which sits in the middle of several important archaeological sites, hosting a rich collection of Gandharan art dating back to the 1st century.
Day 10: Islamabad
With no further activities or hikes planned, your amazing journey comes to an end today after breakfast. If you are leaving today, you’ll have an included transfer to the airport. If you’d like to extend your stay, just speak to your booking agent ahead of time.
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Travellers

Operator
Intrepid Travel

Intrepid is a small group tour travel company with humble beginnings that now sends over 100,000 travellers a year on grassroots and responsible travel tours.

Important Information
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Please note: We are proud to be an independent agent to travel providers of hotels, flights and other related services. We are not a tour operator. Details and information on the offer are provided by 3rd party businesses and although we do our best to verify the information, we cannot guarantee its accuracy on all occasions. These offers are not available in conjunction with any other offer unless otherwise stated. Pricing and availability are subject to change without notice. For more information, please see Terms of Use
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9 nights
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