Snow Lake and the Hispar La
Holiday Itinerary
Day 1: Rendezvous at the group hotel in Islamabad. Airport transfers are provided. KE Land Only package services begin with breakfast at the hotel.
Day 2: Fly to Skardu. Hotel.
Day 3: Drive to Askole in the Braldu Valley. First night camping.
Day 4: First day of trekking following the Braldu River to the 'King's Polo Ground' at the snout of the Biafo Glacier. Altitude c. 3000 metres.
Day 5: Trek on the rubble of the Biafo Glacier with views of 'Conway's Ogre' to a camp in the ablation valley at Namla. 3400m.
Day 6: Another day's trekking on the 'dry' glacier to Mango Camp in the ablation valley. 3626m.
Day 7: Today we cross the glacier to its east bank to reach the grassy oasis of Baintha. Camp. 3940m.
Day 8: Rest and acclimatisation at Baintha. Optional walk above camp for views of the latoks and back down the Biafo Glacier.
Day 9: We continue up the eastern side of the Biafo to a camp at Napina. 4215m.
Day 10: We really have the feel of being in the heart of the Karakoram as we ascend to camp on the edge of Snow Lake known as Sim Gang. c.4500m.
Day 11: Setting out at first light we cross the vast expanse of Snow Lake before starting a gradual ascent to our camp on the Hispar La. 5151m
Day 12: We descend the Hispar side of the pass to camp before the Kani Basa Glacier. 4395m.
Day 13: Excellent views of 7760 metre Kanjut Sar today as we cross a side glacier and trek down the ablation valley to Jutanmal. 4200m.
Day 14: More big peaks on view and another side glacier to cross as we continue to follow the Hispar valley to a camp before the Pumari Chhish Glacier. c.4000m.
Day 15: Descend via a crossing of the obligatory side glacier to the large meadow site at Bitenmal. 3718m.
Day 16: Our final day of trekking. We must cross one more side glacier before the snout of the Hispar Glacier. We pass through Hispar Village en route to our final camp.
Day 17: We travel by jeep to Nagar where we cross the Hunza River and join the Karakoram Highway finally arriving in our hotel in Karimabad.
Day 18: Starting early in the morning we begin the long but spectacular journey along the Karakoram Highway. We head south down the highway through the trading town of Gilgit and on to Besham for an overnight stop.
Day 19: Starting early again we continue to Rawalpindi where we should arrive for a late lunch at our hotel.
Day 20: KE Land Only package services end after breakfast. Airport transfers are provided.
