Leisurely Paced K2 Base Camp Trek

Leisurely Paced K2 Base Camp Trek Packing

Please consider which season you are travelling in and pack appropriately. All clothes should be lightweight, durable

and easily washable. Please do not bring any military or camouflage-style clothing as it can be dangerous to wear and

occasionally illegal. Nights can be cold, so it is a good idea to bring at least one pair of warm trousers or jeans plus thinner

sweaters / fleeces which you can layer.

In general, Trekking region is not as conservative as other regions, and you do not have to worry about keeping your legs or

shoulders covered on a day to day basis. However, when visiting religious sites, you will need to cover up. We recommend

having long trousers to cover up for this.

The Closest Airport to Concordia & K2 Base Camp

The closest airport to Concordia & K2 Base Camp is the airport in Skardu. This airport is a national airport, but,

there are no direct flights from anywhere except Islamabad to here, and even those are limited.

Almost all routes to Skardu require a layover in Islamabad, and often due to flight times, an overnight. Also,

flying in and out of this airport can be hair-raising, due to its geographical location high in the mountains.

Flights can only  depart  during the day when visibility is clear and the weather is favorable, so flight delays

and cancellations are common.

Fly to Islamabad

Flights to Islamabad International Airport in Islamabad operate regularly from many around the world

and it is easy to find direct flights. If you are coming from outside of Pakistan, you are definitely stopping in

Islamabad before heading to Skardu. You  will need to go through Immigration and Customs and will need to

retrieve your luggage even if your flight to Skardu is  immediately afterwards.

If your flight lands in Islamabad after 9 AM , you will need to spend the evening in Islamabad. We recommend

heading to the Islamabad city which takes about 35 minutes by taxi as there is no hotel close to airport.

From Islamabad to Skardu

From Islamabad, nonstop flights from Islamabad to Skardu cost anywhere from $100 to $200 and run every day

of the week. The flight is only 50 minutes long. We do recommend booking few weeks before departure as there is

a high demand  and low supply. They seem to cancel flights less often and have more options if you need to move

your flight.

Another way to get to Skardu from Islamabad is by the road. Hop on a bus from Rawalpindi Pirwadah

Bus station to Skardu, There are many buses leaving to Skardu each day on KKH.

From China.

Crossing Khunjerab Pass from Tashkurgan, China to Pakistan (From April to November –

Monday -Friday  except Holidays)

To do this crossing from China, you have to have your visa for Pakistan  in advance by online or through the

embassy consulate in your country. https://vepakistan.com/pakistan-visa-information/ you cannot get a Visa

in Tashkurgan or Kashgar for Pakistan.

ALso, there is no stop to purchase food/snacks/drinks along the way (Tashkurgan to Sost); so ensure that you

take enough snacks /food/drink with you to last you this 4+hr drive You can to take a local bus to make this

crossing. You can take a private car, higher in prices to bus but smoother  and quicker. The bus that goes from

China to Pakistan is run by the Xinjiang Province Govt; whereas the bus from Pakistan to China is run by

NATCO, a Pakistani govt service. The bus tickets cannot be bought in advance. You can only purchase them on the

day of travel. The purchase of the  bus ticket and the start of the bus route for this border crossing bus is NOT at the

bus stop in Tashkurgan town. INstead, go to the  Customs/ Immigration building on the outskirts of Tashkurgan

(towards Pakistan, about 2km outside Tashkurgan downtown); and buy the tickets (RMB 225 each, cash) at the

small building at the far end of the parking lot of the Customs/Immigration  building.

The Bus is supposed to leave at 11:30AM Beijing time (9:30AM Uyghur time). However, the departure time can

be late as all travellers have to clear through Chinese Customs and Immigration.. you need to keep your luggage

with you, as the bus is not allowed to be loaded until it is cleared by Chinese Customs.

Eighth; There is a bathroom on the edge of the parking lot of the Customs building. Once you are

through Customs/Immigration formalities, you cannot go anywhere unescorted (since you have

officially left China). So bathroom visit here once you have cleared Customs/Immigration has to

be escorted to the bathroom at edge of the parking lot. No other restrooms are provided/

Once you board the bus and leave, there is one Chinese soldier will join the bus and escort it all the way to the

Khunjerab Pass Police border post. Along the way, there are multiple Chinese police posts where your passport

/visa will be checked. There are NO bathroom facilities on the way; jungle bathrooms are your only choice.

At the border, the bus simply crosses over into Pakistan without stopping on the Chinese side, crosses over from

right hand drive to left hand drive, and stops on the Pakistani side for a jungle bathroom break, and to take pictures.

In Pakistan, the Pakistan Customs/Immigration is in Sost, which is another 60+kms away. Along the way, you

have  to cross a Khunjerab National Park; for which foreigners are required to pay US$6 each (cash only, US$’s

only). Pakistani and Chinese nationals dont pay anything. So make sure you have the cash on hand.

In Sost you need get clear through Pakistani Customs and Immigration. Foreigners have a separate line, and takes

much longer than Pakistanis and Chinese nationals. Make sure your Passpost+ Visa are totally in order as they check

everything very carefully. We can arranged your pick up from here for the rest of trip in Pakistan.

If you want to travel your own,  you can take a mini bus/van during the day time to Hunza Aliabad, (approximately

takes 2 hours travel time) and from there another bus onward to Gilgit ((approximately takes 3 hours travel time)).

From Gilgit you can catch a van to reach Skardu during day time only which takes 5+ hours.

From India

Cross Wahga Border to Lahore and Islamabad by Bus:-

Take a taxi, rickshaw from Amritsar to Wahga Border. The ridetakes 45 minutes to 1 hour to reach Wahga Indian

side. Cross the border by foot. (open from 10 am to 5 pm daily) Walk across the Border, After immigration at

Pakistan side Take a bus or Rickshaw on to Lahore city which takes around 1 hour. From Lahore there are many

buses leave for Islamabad after every 30 minutes. There is also train service from Lahore to Islamabad. From

Islamabad you can fly to Skardu or take a bus to reach Skardu.

Peshawar / Taxila City Tour

Experience the sights of Peshawar with a qualified English speaking guide. See some ancient sites nestled within the city,

places that have remained the same for centuries. But don’t just see them; get a valuable insight from a knowledgeable

local guide. You will be amazed. Peshawar has more surprises than you can imagine.

Luxury Hotel Upgrades

Islamabad has a few accommodation options. if you feel you would like to upgrade to luxury style, we can assist with

booking alternative hotels.

Pre-Acclimatization

Just a few hours drive from Skardu is the beautiful Deosai National Park at a height of 4500. We offer two

pre-acclimatisation trips to either the Deosai National Park or Thaley La Shiar. An ideal opportunity to pre-acclimatise

prior to your K2 Trek. Click on the image below for trek trip notes or contact our office for more information.

Kosre Gunge (6400m) Climbing

Add a privately guided climb of Kusre Gunge to your trip. A superb entry into Karakoram climbing, Kosre Gunge is mostly

non-technical with some basic snow climbing skills required to achieve the ascent.

Private Treks

We are also able to offer Privately Guided Treks where you have the services of a professional experienced guide as well as

your own porter support team to work exclusively with you on the trek to ensure your needs are best met. VE have been

fortunate to work with many privately guided groups over the years with exceptional results.