Trek Pakistan's Karakoram Mountains

Intrepid Travel Premier
Has very high quality customer experiences and demonstrated commitment to responsible travel practices. read more
4.6 . Excellent
94%
Travel Style: N/A
Physical Level: Very challenging all day hiking and backpacking carrying significant equipment. Hard
Lodging Level: Mid-range budget with accommodations ranging from comfortable lodges, guesthouses, and homestays to three star hotels. Value (3*)
10 days
From: $ 3,080 $ 308 / day
Checking price

Overview

Highlights (Bullets)

  • Walk among the towering peaks of Northern Pakistan’s Baltistan region on well-marked trails in Nangma Valley.
  • Enjoy fully-supported camping with expert guides, porters and a professional cooking team, providing warm Pakistani meals at every campsite.
  • Opt for a day hike to the mountaineer’s paradise of Amin Brakk, also known as the Great Tower.
  • Join in a live Balti dance performance at the Nangma Valley campsite and cross paths with local shepherds whose pastures share these trails.
  • Tap into your local leader’s expert insights as you take some time to explore the capital city of Islamabad

Short Description

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.

Style Small group tour
Array
Itinerary Focus N/A
Mid-range budget with accommodations ranging from comfortable lodges, guesthouses, and homestays to three star hotels.
Lodging Level Value (3*)
Flight & Transport Inclusions All internal ground transport
Start City Islamabad
End City Islamabad

Destinations

Pakistan

Attractions & Cities Visited

N/A

Activities & Interests

N/A

Age Requirement

18-99

N/A
See more

Itinerary

Day 1 Islamabad

Welcome to Islamabad! Your transfer from the Islamabad International Airport to your hotel is included. If you arrive early in the day, be sure to join your leader and other members of your group for lunch and a city tour this afternoon. Back at the hotel, meet up for a Welcome Meeting at 6 pm and get all the details on your upcoming trek into the Yosemite of Pakistan.

Day 2 Skardu

First things first, check the weather – if it’s good, you’ll fly from Islamabad to Skardu (a one-hour 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 humans have yet to step foot on. In Skardu, the gateway to the Karakoram mountain range, you’ll have some free time to explore and pick up any personal favourite snacks or a few souvenirs 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 onwards to Khaplu, the Ghanche district’s capital city. After checking into your hotel, enjoy some free time to explore. Don’t miss the Khaplu Fort Museum and organic garden.

Day 4 Hike Kanday to Mingulo Broq

Lace up your hiking boots! 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 of your hike is short but with a few steep parts. From Kanday, descend to cross a wooden bridge over the Hushe River and then ascend through the narrow valley, across two suspension bridges to the Mingulo Broq campsite. This lush site near the water and surrounded by willow trees is also a local pasture. You’ll likely get the chance to meet 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 and other Pakistani dishes. Before sliding into your sleeping bag, be sure to turn your gaze upwards and take in the stunning star-filled night sky.

Day 5 Trek the Nangma Valley

Fuel up on a hot breakfast and 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 your next stop, the Nangma Valley campsite, by lunch, where you can tuck into a freshly prepared hot meal and then 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, enjoy another hot meal of local soup and a mix of regional and continental Chinese/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. Strat 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

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 Shigar this afternoon, stopping for sightseeing and view-admiring along the way. Tonight, spend the night at a family-owned guesthouse.

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 a number of important archaeological sites, hosting a rich collection of Gandharan art dating back to the 1st century.

Day 10 Islamabad

Your journey comes to an end today after breakfast. Enjoy a transfer to the airport.

Availability

Checking price
Price From $ 3,080
Price Per Day: $ 308 per day
Checking price
Start DateFinish DateBase PriceAvailability 
Sep-08-2023Sep-17-2023$ 3,08012 spots left Reserve
May-24-2024Jun-02-2024$ 3,14012 spots left Reserve
Jun-21-2024Jun-30-2024$ 3,14011 spots left Reserve
Jul-19-2024Jul-28-2024$ 3,14012 spots left Reserve
Aug-16-2024Aug-25-2024$ 3,14012 spots left Reserve
Sep-06-2024Sep-15-2024$ 3,14012 spots left Reserve

Check Current Availability, prices, specials with Intrepid Travel.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

4,327 Intrepid Travel Travel Reviews & Ratings

94%
4.6 out of 5 (100+ reviews)
Excellent 3,267
Great 678
Average 136
Disappointing 71
Terrible 175
Value
4.6
Guide
4.6
Activities
4.6
Lodging
4.6
Transportation
4.6
Meals
4.6

Trek Pakistan's Karakoram Mountains

No reviews yet for this trip. Be the first one to write a review

Company Reviews

Experience of Egypt orchestrated by INTREPID

5.0
Details
Value5.0
Guide5.0
Activities5.0
Lodging5.0
Transportation5.0
Meals5.0
INTREPID is a company I use regularly as a vehicle for exploring the world and my most recent edifying experience was a 12 day visit to Egypt. The itinerary covered Cairo, Luxor and Aswan by road, rail and a boat on the Nile. Egypt is a country rich in history and unique landscapes and this trip provided an opportunity to feel immersed in a way that wilĺ leave an indelible memory of the vistas and unique artefacts. In addition interaction with local people and an excellent Egyptian guide made the experience interactive so that I gained an intimate experience of the country that more circumscribed trips cannot provide.
Read more

Uzbekistan

5.0
Details
Value5.0
Guide5.0
Activities5.0
Lodging5.0
Transportation5.0
Meals5.0
I recently travelled on a Premium Intrepid trip to Uzbekistan. I was pleasantly surprised by the comfort level of the accommodation. It was a wonderful trip with like minded travellers from different parts of the world. Our guide Lorba was passionate about sharing the history of her country and religion. She was also skilled at reading the mood of the group and adjusting our itinerary as necessary.
I was excited to visit a country on the Silk Road and it exceeded my expectations.
Read more

Terrific tour & an exceptional guide in Egypt

5.0
Details
Value5.0
Guide5.0
Activities5.0
Lodging5.0
Transportation5.0
Meals5.0
I chose to use Intrepid due to a highly positive recommendation by a friend's wife who used them years ago.
My destination was Egypt, but they also handled my flights to Botswana prior to the tour as well.
All flights went like clockwork and the tour was terrific.
The sites were amazing, but our guide's affable demeanor and extensive knowledge ensured that every step of the way was both educational and enjoyable. Moreover, he extended his support beyond the tour, tracking our well-being until we safely returned to our respective countries which added an extra layer of depth to the journey.
I will be most definitely be using Intrepid again and can highly recommend.
Read more

My review would be five stars plus except for the poison apples

4.0
Details
Value4.0
Guide4.0
Activities4.0
Lodging4.0
Transportation4.0
Meals4.0
My review would be five stars plus, except for the failure to warn travelers in a timely manner about the poison apple trees, which I stood under barefooted for ten minutes and which cause a quick and painful death in the consumption of even a single tiny apple...
The certified guide in the Galapagos on day two of our trip told me that recently a tourist couple without permits ate the apples and quickly died a painful death..so Intrepid needs to warn its customers that even touching the apple or the tree itself triggers a painful rash or worse...
Read more

Amazing Intrepid Madagascar Tour

5.0
Details
Value5.0
Guide5.0
Activities5.0
Lodging5.0
Transportation5.0
Meals5.0
First Intrepid Madagascar tour of 2023--and it was fantastic! Wonderful guide (Bruno), lots of lemurs and hiking and incredible landscapes. Started on the beach with sailing in a pirogue (and starfish diving), baobab arboretums, plus a hike through rice fields, lunches hosted by local villagers, visit to silk weavers and paper-making workshop and aluminum casters and marquetry crafters.... what didn't we do in 2 weeks?! Eye-opening experiences, in one of the last pristinely natural places on earth.
Read more

Vietnam- Saigon to Hanoi

5.0
Details
Value5.0
Guide5.0
Activities5.0
Lodging5.0
Transportation5.0
Meals5.0
This trip was amazing. I had been looking forward to it for almost 3 years, and it exceeded my expectations! Vietnam is an incredible country, and this trip gave me a hunger to come back for more. Our guide, Thán, was wonderful. He couldn't do enough for us and was always 'on the clock'. Very knowledgeable and passionate about his job. This was an amazing, unforgettable experience.
Read more

Details

Flight & Transport Inclusions

All internal ground transport Private Vehicle,Plane

Group Size

Small Group - 24 max

Maximum Number of People in Group: 12

Accommodations

Hotel (6 nights),Full Service Camping (3 nights)

Guides

All group trips are accompanied by one of our group leaders. The aim of the group leader is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. Intrepid endeavours to provide the services of an experienced leader however, due to the seasonality of travel, rare situations may arise where your leader is new to a particular region or training other group leaders. Your leader will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense, you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the places visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious, and social aspects. At Intrepid we aim to support local guides who have specialised knowledge of the regions we visit. If you are interested in delving deeper into the local culture at a specific site or location then your leader can recommend a local guide service in most of the main destinations of your trip.

Age Notes :

Min. Age: 18

Max Age: 99

Additional Information

Finish point

  • Ramada by Wyndham
  • 1 Club Road Murree Road, Islamabad, Pakistan 44000
  • Islamabad
  • PAKISTAN

Trip ID#:

intrepid-HQXP

×
Great Choice!

Now, Unlock Member Savings

Our Travelstride Select trips allow you and your travel companions to save up to $700. You wouldn’t want to miss that, right?

or
or
Provide email and password

With your FREE membership you get to:

  • Save up to $700 per person!*
  • Access private deals and offers
  • See personalized trip recommendations
  • Save favorite trips
*See Member Savings Program details
Already a member?

We respect your privacy and take great care to protect your information. By joining you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

×

You could save $ 600 per person on this trip!

TripSaver
Flexible travel vouchers redeemable on thousands of trips like this one!
×
×
×
Sign in to Save Trips
Welcome back! We're so happy to see you. ? Forgot Password?
Don't have an account? Join
  • Bookmark trips you like
  • Share with your travel companions
  • Track price changes
  • Access private discounts on trips you save
×
Sign in to see your results

TripFinder is a member-only feature. Don’t worry, it’s free!

With a membership you:

  • Save up to $700 per person!*
  • Access private deals and offers
  • See personalized trip recommendations
  • Save favorite trips
*See Member Savings Program details
×
Activate your free Travelstride membership

Just use the email address and password provided in the email we sent.

? Forgot Password?

With your free membership you:

  • Save up to $700 per person!*
  • Access private deals and offers
  • See personalized trip recommendations
  • Save favorite trips
*See Member Savings Program details
×
To Follow, sign in or sign up (it's free) ? Forgot Password?
Don't have an account? Join
member benefits

By signing in, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use

First name is required!
Last name is required!
First name is not valid!
Last name is not valid!
This is not an email address!
Email address is required!
This email is already registered!
Please enter valid email address
Password is required!
Enter a valid password!
Please enter 6 or more characters!
Please enter 32 or less characters!
Passwords are not the same!
Terms and Conditions are required!
Email or Password is wrong!
Please select the captcha checkbox!
Please select the valid captcha!
Something went wrong! Try again later!

"Oh the places you'll go."
Dr. Seuss
x
x
Download your brochure

Enter your email to get the "" brochure.

x
Brochure successfully sent!

We've sent the "" brochure to "". Check your inbox!