Baltistan & Skardu
K2 Base Camp & Concordia Trek
Walk into the throne room of the mountain gods
from $3,800 / person
- Duration
- 20 days
- Difficulty
- Strenuous
- Season
- June – August
- Group size
- 4-10 trekkers
The trek to Concordia and K2 Base Camp is one of the great walks on earth: roughly 90 km up the Braldu gorge and the Baltoro Glacier to the only place where four 8,000-metre peaks — K2, Broad Peak, and Gasherbrum I and II — stand around a single icy junction. No other trek anywhere passes so much vertical granite: Trango Towers, Cathedral Spires, Masherbrum and Gasherbrum IV line the route like a sculpture gallery.
This is a full-service expedition, not a casual hike. We run it with licensed guides, an experienced Balti porter and kitchen team, quality expedition tents, dining and toilet tents, and all government permits and briefings handled for you. Built-in acclimatisation, a 1:6 staff-to-trekker safety margin, satellite communication and a clear evacuation protocol are standard.
You need genuine fitness and mental stamina — up to 7 hours a day on rough moraine for two weeks, camping between 3,000 and 5,000 m — but no technical climbing skills on the standard Baltoro in-and-out route. For most trekkers, the morning K2 reveals itself across Concordia repays every step several times over.
Day-by-day itinerary
- 1
Arrive Islamabad — expedition briefing
Meet the team in Islamabad for the welcome briefing, document checks and a final gear review. Overnight in a comfortable hotel.
- 2
Fly Islamabad → Skardu
Take the scenic mountain flight to Skardu at 2,230 m. If weather cancels the flight, we begin the two-day overland contingency drive — buffer days later in the itinerary absorb the change.
- 3
Skardu — permits & preparation
Complete the official trekking briefing and permit formalities, meet your guide and porter team, and make final purchases in the bazaar. Easy acclimatisation walk to the Kharpocho Fort viewpoint.
- 4
Drive Skardu → Askole via Shigar (3,000 m)
A long, spectacular jeep day through Shigar Valley and up the Braldu gorge to Askole, the last village before the great glaciers. First night under canvas.
- 5
Trek Askole → Jhola (3,200 m)
Begin walking through dry gorge country past the snout of the Biafo Glacier, crossing the Dumordo River to camp at Jhola. Around 6–7 hours.
- 6
Jhola → Paiju (3,450 m)
A long day up the widening Braldu valley with first views of the Trango Towers, Paiju Peak and — far ahead — the snout of the Baltoro Glacier. Camp in the willow grove at Paiju.
- 7
Paiju — acclimatisation & rest day
A vital rest day while the porters prepare for the glacier. Short acclimatisation walks, gear drying and the traditional porter celebration evening.
- 8
Paiju → Khoburtse (3,800 m) — onto the Baltoro
Climb onto the Baltoro Glacier's rubble-covered ice and weave between melt streams beneath the Trango group and Cathedral Spires to camp at Khoburtse.
- 9
Khoburtse → Urdukas (4,050 m)
A shorter day to the grassy ledges of Urdukas — the last green of the trek — with a full-frontal panorama of the Trango Towers across the glacier.
- 10
Urdukas → Goro II (4,250 m)
Walk the glacier's spine past Masherbrum (7,821 m) appearing to the south and Gasherbrum IV's shining wall ahead. Camp on the ice at Goro II — a cold, starry night.
- 11
Goro II → Concordia (4,600 m)
The day the trek is named for: round the corner beneath Gasherbrum IV into Concordia, where K2 finally appears at the head of the Godwin-Austen Glacier with Broad Peak alongside. Two nights amid the amphitheatre of giants.
- 12
Concordia → K2 Base Camp (≈5,000 m)
Trek up the Godwin-Austen Glacier past Broad Peak Base Camp to K2 Base Camp beneath the mountain's colossal south face. Visit the Gilkey Memorial with respect, then return towards Concordia or camp near Broad Peak BC.
- 13
Return to Concordia — reserve day
Walk back to Concordia with time built in as a weather and acclimatisation reserve — used for a second K2 attempt, photography, or simply absorbing the greatest mountain skyline on earth.
- 14
Concordia → Goro II
Begin the return down the Baltoro with the afternoon light now behind the Gasherbrums. Camp at Goro II.
- 15
Goro II → Urdukas
Descend to Urdukas' grassy terraces — green again after days on ice — with sunset on the Trango Towers from camp.
- 16
Urdukas → Paiju
Leave the glacier at its snout and return to Paiju's shaded campsite. Legs are tired, but the air is thicker every hour.
- 17
Paiju → Jhola
Retrace the Braldu valley in a long but straightforward day, recrossing the Dumordo River to camp at Jhola.
- 18
Jhola → Askole — trek ends
The final walking day back to Askole, where the jeeps wait. Celebration dinner with the porter team who made it all possible.
- 19
Drive Askole → Skardu
Jeep back down the Braldu gorge to Skardu for the trek debrief, a hot shower and a proper bed.
- 20
Fly Skardu → Islamabad — departure
Morning flight to Islamabad (overland contingency if required) with onward connections or an optional extra night in the capital.
What’s included
- All trekking permits, government fees and the official Skardu briefing
- Licensed high-altitude guide plus full Balti porter and kitchen crew
- All domestic flights Islamabad–Skardu and Askole jeep transfers
- Quality expedition tents, dining tent, toilet tent, tables and chairs
- Full board on trek — three hot meals daily plus snacks and hot drinks
- Hotel nights in Islamabad and Skardu with breakfast
- Satellite communication device and comprehensive first-aid kit with the team
- Porterage of 12 kg of personal gear per trekker
- Environmental and camping fees along the Baltoro
Not included
- International flights and Pakistan visa fees
- Travel and high-altitude rescue insurance (mandatory, must cover 5,000 m+)
- Personal trekking gear: boots, sleeping bag, down jacket, trekking poles
- Tips for guide and porter team (budget guidance provided)
- Drinks, snacks and meals in Islamabad and Skardu beyond breakfast
- Costs arising from early exit or personal evacuation
K2 Base Camp & Concordia Trek — frequently asked questions
How fit do I need to be for the K2 Base Camp trek?
You should comfortably handle 6–7 hours of rough walking on consecutive days with a daypack, and train for at least three months beforehand — hill walking, cardio and leg strength. The route is non-technical, but the Baltoro's moraine, altitude and two weeks of camping demand real endurance.
Do I need a permit or climbing experience for K2 Base Camp?
No climbing experience is needed for the standard trek — it's a walk, not a climb. A trekking permit and government briefing are mandatory for this restricted zone, and we arrange all of it, including the licensed guide the rules require.
What is the altitude profile, and is altitude sickness a risk?
The trek rises gradually from Askole at 3,000 m to about 5,000 m at K2 Base Camp over eight walking days, which is a sensible acclimatisation rate. Our guides monitor everyone daily, carry oxygen and medication, and the itinerary includes rest and reserve days. Mandatory insurance must cover helicopter evacuation.
Why June to August only?
These months offer the most stable weather, snow-free lower trails and running water along the Baltoro. Earlier, river crossings and snow block the route; later, autumn storms close in quickly. Even in season, expect some weather days — that's why reserves are built in.
