Climb Broad Peak, 8051 m — 51-Day Karakoram Expedition

Broad Peak, 8051 m, stands in the Karakoram next to K2. The broad summit ridge gave the mountain its modern name, but the route remains a full expedition above 8000 m with a long stay on the glacier and in the high camps.

The approach from Askole runs through Jhula, Paiyu, Khoburtse, Urdukas, Goro and Concordia. The gradual gain in altitude starts the acclimatisation, and Base Camp on the Godwin-Austen glacier becomes the centre for rotations, rest and the weather wait.

Within days 15 to 39 the team establishes the high camps, carries food and equipment, sleeps higher and comes back down. The exact scheme depends on the fixed ropes, the snow conditions, the pace and the health of the participants. Summit day requires not only the gain in altitude but also the long upper ridge, and a turnaround may be necessary after a great deal of work has already been done.

A candidate needs more than a certificate for a 6000 m or 7000 m peak: what is required is practical self-sufficiency. That means working with an ascender and a descender, with crampons and with the oxygen system, and managing clothing, water and food under hypoxia. Psychological readiness for the wait and for abandoning an attempt is part of the admission as well.

Broad Peak belongs to the classic list of the fourteen eight-thousanders. It can be considered before K2, but it is an expedition in its own right and not a guaranteed stepping stone. Before booking, work through the standard guidance on altitude illness and on high-altitude mountaineering insurance.

Days 1–2. International flights and arrival in Islamabad.

Participants arrive in Islamabad, check into the hotel and recover from the flight. The leader confirms that the baggage has arrived and announces the time of the pre-expedition briefing. Anything done in the city happens only if there is time for it and must not interfere with the preparation. Nights in a hotel.

Day 3. Preparation in Islamabad.

We check documents, personal and high-altitude equipment, the oxygen system and the first-aid kits, and distribute the expedition load. The purpose of the day is to close every gap before leaving the capital. Night in a hotel.

Day 4. Flight to Skardu or the start of the overland drive.

In suitable weather we fly to Skardu. If the flight does not operate, we start the drive along the Karakoram Highway with a night in Chilas. The decision depends on the actual air and road situation. Night in a hotel.

Day 5. Arrival in Skardu.

We complete the flight or the overland drive and check in at Skardu. The leader checks the baggage and confirms that the local team is ready to leave for Askole. Night in a hotel.

Day 6. Drive to Askole, 3300 m.

Four-wheel-drive vehicles take us to the start of the trek. In camp we divide the load between the porters and prepare for the self-contained section. Night in tents.

Day 7. Askole — Jhula, 3200 m.

We start early so that part of the way is behind us before the heat of the day. The stage takes about 5 hours and lets us settle into a walking rhythm before the longer day to Paiyu. Night in tents.

Day 8. Jhula — Paiyu, 3450 m.

We continue along the Braldu to Paiyu; which variant of the trail is used depends on the water level and the state of the route. The stage takes about 8–9 hours, so food and recovery in camp matter particularly. Night in tents.

Day 9. Rest day in Paiyu.

We rest, dry our kit and prepare the loads for the Baltoro glacier. The day supports the gradual acclimatisation and gives the porters time to prepare food. Night in tents.

Day 10. Paiyu — Khoburtse, 3930 m.

We move onto the stony moraine of the Baltoro. For about 6 hours we walk over uneven ground with views of Paiyu Peak and the Trango Towers. Night in tents.

Day 11. Khoburtse — Urdukas, 4130 m.

A short stage of about 4 hours brings us to Urdukas. The reduced load gives time to adapt to the first night above 4000 m and to check how everyone is feeling. Night in tents.

Day 12. Urdukas — Goro, 4350 m.

We continue along the glacier to Goro. The stage takes about 7–9 hours and is walked in colder conditions. On arrival participants change into dry clothing straight away and restore their fluid and food intake. Night in tents.

Day 13. Goro — Concordia, 4650 m.

We walk to Concordia, which opens up Broad Peak, K2 and the Gasherbrum group. This long stage prepares the team for the altitude of Base Camp and lets the leader assess the pace before the mountain section. Night in tents.

Day 14. Move to Broad Peak Base Camp, 4900 m.

We cross the Godwin-Austen glacier and settle into Base Camp. We go through the layout of the camp, the radio procedure and the medical protocol, and sort the kit for the first rotation. Night in tents.

Days 15–39. High-altitude rotations and the summit attempt.

The team establishes and stocks the high camps, completes acclimatisation nights and returns to Base Camp to recover. The leader sets the number of rotations, the oxygen strategy, the time of departure and the turnaround time according to the actual conditions. A summit attempt is made only with sufficient acclimatisation and an acceptable window; reserve time does not guarantee a second departure. Nights in tents.

Days 40–42. Descent and clearing the high-altitude section.

After the attempt, participants and guides come back down through the high camps, bring down the equipment that can be recovered and recover in Base Camp. Against a background of fatigue, the technical descent demands no less concentration than the climb. Nights in tents.

Days 43–46. Return to Skardu.

The group leaves Base Camp and returns to the road logistics by the confirmed variant, including the stated crossing of the Gondogoro La in safe conditions. Whether the pass can be used depends on the weather and the state of the route; the final decision rests with the leader. Once the trek is complete we drive to Skardu. Nights in tents and in a hotel according to the actual stage.

Days 47–51. Return to Islamabad and the end of the trip.

We return to Islamabad by the air or the overland variant, recover and prepare the baggage for the international flight. How the days are distributed within this period depends on the weather, the flights and the road. At the agreed time there is a transfer to the airport; buy the return ticket only once the full 51-day schedule is confirmed.

• Mountain Guide trek leader with a substantial climbing record, for groups of 3 participants or more
• High-altitude food and fuel
• High-altitude group equipment
• Oxygen mask, regulator and cylinders (2 per person plus a medical cylinder)
• Meeting and seeing off at the airport
• 3 nights in Islamabad with breakfast
• 2 nights in Chilas or Besham
• 2 nights in Skardu
• Transport Islamabad – Skardu – Islamabad
• Jeeps Skardu – Askole (Hushe) – Skardu
• Wages for the local guide, the cook and the trekking porters
• Local taxes and insurance for the guides and porters
• Meals on the trek
• Road and bridge crossing fees
• The mandatory briefing and debriefing at the Pakistan Ministry of Tourism
• All the necessary documentation and permits
• Tents and sleeping mats on the trek
• Airport–hotel–airport transfers

• Lunches and dinners in the towns
• Personal expenses, tips and drinks
• Medical insurance, medical costs and the cost of rescue operations
• Hot showers
• Any costs arising from political instability or natural disasters
• The Pakistan visa and international flights
• Any costs arising from change to the itinerary

The expedition can be arranged for a closed group of friends, a club or a corporate team, with no outside participants joining. Dates, the make-up of the guiding team and any extra services available on the route are agreed individually. For a private team we can separately confirm a Russian-speaking leader from the Mountain Guide team, the ratio of high-altitude guides to participants, the oxygen plan and the level of personal support. These are fixed in the offer before payment. The schedule can only be changed in ways that do not cut the compulsory acclimatisation, the high-altitude rotations or the weather reserve. Every member of a private group is still screened in advance on technical and altitude experience. The price depends on the number of participants, the dates you choose, the make-up of the team and any extra services confirmed.

Document requirements depend on your nationality and can change. Check them before you buy non-refundable tickets, and again before you fly. The first name and surname on every booking must match the spelling in your passport exactly. Mountain Guide does not sell air tickets and does not arrange entry visas, but it does provide the booking confirmations it holds and the documents issued by the host team.

Documents

• A valid passport
• A visa or other entry permit for Pakistan, if one is required for your nationality
• International and domestic air tickets, or e-ticket receipts, for the trip
• Medical insurance covering high-altitude mountaineering, a maximum altitude of at least 8051 m, search and rescue, and emergency evacuation
• Your insurance policy number and the insurer’s 24-hour emergency contact details
• Your booking confirmation for the trip and the organisers’ contact details
• A summary of your altitude and technical experience, for the pre-selection
• Application forms, photographs and passport copies in the format the host team requests for permits
• Documents for a participant under 18, where these apply
• Digital copies of your passport, visa, tickets and insurance on your phone and in cloud storage
• Waterproof wallet for your original documents

The documents needed for local permits, and the deadline for sending them, are confirmed for each departure. Carry the originals of your passport, insurance and permits in your hand luggage.

Expeditions to the Karakoram eight-thousanders run in the summer high-altitude season. The exact dates depend on permits, on base camp being operational, on the state of the glacier, and on the time needed for the approach, acclimatisation and waiting for a weather window. The trekking section can bring heat, dust, rain and a sharp drop in temperature on the Baltoro glacier. Weather at base camp changes quickly, and in the high camps the decisive factors are strong wind, deep cold, snow, poor visibility and the state of the fixed ropes. The longer schedule builds in rotations, recovery and reserve, but it does not guarantee that a safe window will appear. The expedition leader decides on setting out, on the use of oxygen, on continuing the summit push and on turning back, based on the actual conditions and on your own condition. Exact temperatures cannot be promised reliably in advance. The final set of clothing, footwear and high-altitude equipment is agreed with the guide before the trip.

The town nights are in hotels in Islamabad, Skardu and the other places named in the itinerary for each expedition. Check the number of nights and the type of accommodation against your booking confirmation. A single room and any extra nights are paid separately unless they are part of the package option you choose. On the Karakoram approach, at base camp and in every high camp, participants sleep in tents. Base camp has a kitchen and a shared dining space; in the high camps everyday comfort is stripped right back and participants use high-altitude tents and their own sleeping systems. Meals on the trekking and expedition sections, high-altitude food, fuel and the kitchen arrangements are part of the confirmed services. Breakfasts are normally included in the towns; lunches and dinners are paid separately, as set out under “What’s not included”. Tell us before booking about any allergies, dietary restrictions and foods you do not eat. Whether a special diet can be provided in the high camps depends on logistics and is confirmed separately.

Showers and toilets. Town hotels have the usual facilities. On the trek and at base camp the toilet and washing facilities are basic; a hot shower depends on the site and may cost extra. There is no shower in the high camps, and the toilet is as basic as it gets.

Power and charging. Charging is available in the hotels. Whether you can charge devices at base camp depends on the equipment the team actually carries, and is confirmed before the trip. Above base camp there are no ordinary sockets; you need power banks, spare cells and batteries.

Internet and phone signal. Coverage in town tells you nothing about conditions in the Karakoram. On the approach and in the camps the internet can be unreliable or absent. The working communication plan for the expedition is agreed before departure, and you should warn family in advance that there may be long gaps without messages.

Laundry and drying. Plan your laundry for the towns. There is no proper laundry on the trek or at altitude, and drying depends on sun and wind. You need enough underwear, socks and gloves, and dry bags to keep clothing dry.

Self-sufficiency. Once you are on the trail there is no way to buy or replace personal equipment quickly. Everything critical is checked before you leave Skardu.

You bring all of your own personal equipment. Before the trip, agree your footwear, sleeping bag and technical kit with the guide, taking the season and the actual state of the route into account.

Documents

• Passport
• Air tickets or e-ticket receipts
• Medical insurance covering the stated activity and the maximum altitude of the trip
• We recommend keeping digital copies of your documents on your phone and in cloud storage

Personal equipment

• Rucksack of 70-80 litres
• Sleeping bag with a comfort rating of -20 to -30 °C
• Sleeping mat
• Trekking poles, which must have baskets of at least 70 mm
• Steel crampons
• Classic ice axe with a steel pick, or a technical ice tool
• Climbing harness
• 5 karabiners
• Cow’s-tail lanyards
• Ascender
• Helmet
• Ice screw on its own karabiner
• Descender
• Mug, spoon and bowl
• 5 metres of 5-6 mm accessory cord

Clothing and footwear

• Triple mountaineering boots
• Trekking boots
• Trainers (for the towns)
• Waterproof shell: jacket and trousers. The market runs from simple 5,000/5,000 membranes through to Gore-Tex garments
• Fleece top and bottoms
• Base layer, top and bottoms
• Down jacket with a hood. Thick and warm
• Down trousers
• Warm mittens
• Spare mittens
• Thick gloves
• Thin gloves
• Bandana (as well as sun protection in the valley, it can keep your throat or face warm in the cold)
• Warm hat
• Warm trekking socks for summit day

Other items

• LED head torch with at least 12 hours of battery life
• Sunglasses
• Ski goggles
• Vacuum flask, 1 litre. Preferably without a push-button lid
• Windproof face mask for the lower face (a scarf will do at a pinch)
• Gaiters
• Sun cream and lip balm
• Chemical hand warmers (not compulsory, but they can be very useful)
• Personal first-aid kit
• Elastic bandage and/or a support brace