Climb Gasherbrum I and II — 50-Day Karakoram Expedition

Gasherbrum I, 8080 m, and Gasherbrum II, 8034 m, are two separate summits of the Baltoro Muztagh massif in the Karakoram. They share the expedition logistics as far as Base Camp, but their upper routes, their technical character and their requirements of a candidate are different.

The approach starts in Askole and runs through Jhula, Paiyu, Khoburtse, Urdukas, Goro and Concordia. From there the team reaches the Gasherbrum Base Camp at about 4800 m. The walk in serves as the first acclimatisation and at the same time tests each participant’s condition before the high-altitude terrain begins.

Within days 13 to 42 the leader builds the rotations, establishes the camps and chooses the order of the objectives. A successful attempt on Gasherbrum II does not mean an automatic departure for Gasherbrum I: after the first summit, recovery, weather, the state of the route and the team’s remaining resources are all reassessed.

Even the comparatively «accessible» Gasherbrum II remains an eight-thousander with glacier crevasses, avalanche hazard, cold and hypoxia. Gasherbrum I demands a higher degree of technical self-sufficiency. Before participation is confirmed, a candidate submits their climbing history and discusses with the leader whether a double objective is realistic.

Both summits belong to the list of the fourteen eight-thousanders. Preparation should be supported by the standard material on altitude illness and on insurance for high-altitude expeditions. Neither an insurance policy nor a guide guarantees a rescue at every point on the route.

Day 1. Arrival in Islamabad.

A member of the team meets the group at the airport and arranges the transfer to the hotel. The mandatory briefing takes place in the afternoon, followed by an introduction to the leader, a check of documents and a safety briefing. Night in a hotel.

Day 2. Drive to Chilas.

We start the overland journey along the Karakoram Highway beside the Indus. This long drive is part of the confirmed logistics and calls for conserving energy before the trek. Night at the confirmed accommodation.

Day 3. Drive to Skardu.

We complete the road journey to Skardu. After checking in, the leader goes through the baggage, the documents and the readiness of the local team so that nothing delays the departure for Askole. Night in a hotel.

Day 4. Drive to Askole, 3050 m.

Four-wheel-drive vehicles take us about 6–7 hours to the start of the trek. In Askole we meet the porters and distribute the expedition load. Night in tents.

Day 5. Askole — Jhula.

The first walking day follows the Braldu through Korofon to Jhula and takes about 5 hours. A moderate start allows you to test footwear, rucksack and walking pace. Night in tents.

Day 6. Jhula — Paiyu, 3584 m.

We follow an undulating and in places narrow trail to Paiyu. The stage takes about 4–5 hours and continues the gradual gain in altitude before the Baltoro. Night in tents.

Day 7. Rest day in Paiyu.

We recover, dry our kit and prepare the loads for the glacier section. The day is also used by the porter team to prepare food. Night in tents.

Day 8. Paiyu — Khoburtse, about 3900 m.

We move onto the stone-covered moraine of the Baltoro and walk about 5–6 hours to Khoburtse. The uneven ground demands attention and a steady pace; loud assurances about a «non-technical glacier» do not remove the risk of injury. Night in tents.

Day 9. Khoburtse — Urdukas.

We continue along the moraine to Urdukas. This short stage helps you adapt to a night above 4000 m and conserves energy before Goro. Night in tents.

Day 10. Urdukas — Goro.

We move to Goro in roughly 5 hours. Altitude and cold both increase, so on arrival participants change into dry clothing and pay attention to food and water. Night in tents.

Day 11. Goro — Concordia.

We climb to Concordia, where K2, Broad Peak and the Gasherbrum group open up. The day lets the leader assess the pace and each participant’s reaction before Base Camp. Night in tents.

Day 12. Move to the Gasherbrum Base Camp, 4800 m.

We settle into Base Camp, go through the communications system and the medical protocol, and sort the kit for the first rotation. This is where the independent climbing part of the expedition begins. Night in tents.

Days 13–42. Rotations and attempts on Gasherbrum I and II.

The team establishes and stocks the high camps, completes acclimatisation nights and comes back down to recover. The order of the summits, the number of rotations and the summit windows are decided by the leader according to the weather, the route and each participant’s condition. After the first attempt, readiness for the second objective is assessed separately; a shared Base Camp does not mean an automatic clearance. Nights in tents.

Day 43. Base Camp — Goro.

Once the high-altitude section is over we pack the loads and start the descent to Goro. Fatigue after the rotations makes attention on the glacier all the more important. Night in tents.

Day 44. Goro — Khoburtse.

We continue down the Baltoro to Khoburtse. Losing altitude helps recovery, but the moraine remains a place where injuries happen. Night in tents.

Day 45. Khoburtse — Paiyu.

We leave the main glacier section and return to Paiyu. In camp we check the state of everyone’s feet and plan the effort for the final stage. Night in tents.

Day 46. Paiyu — Askole.

We finish the walking section in Askole. The team collects and checks the baggage before the road stage. Night in tents or at the confirmed accommodation.

Day 47. Drive to Skardu.

Four-wheel-drive vehicles take us back to Skardu; the stated driving time is about 6 hours. After checking in, participants recover and prepare their baggage. Night in a hotel.

Days 48–49. Return to Islamabad.

We return to the capital by the confirmed air or overland variant. How the two days are distributed depends on the weather and on the transport. On arrival we check into the hotel and prepare for the international flight.

Day 50. End of the trip.

At the agreed time there is a transfer to the airport. Participants check in themselves. Choose the return ticket with the full schedule and the possible delays of mountain logistics in mind.

• 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 8080 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