K2 (Chogori) Base Camp Trek 2026 /2027

Welcome to Pakistan! Arrive in the vibrant capital, where modern charm meets culture. Stroll through markets, visit iconic sights, and get your first taste of adventure. A perfect warm up before the mountains call.

Accommodation: Grand Islamabad / Similar

Board the spectacular domestic flight from Islamabad to Skardu through the heart of the Karakoram. On a clear day, you'll fly past the colossal mass of Nanga Parbat (8,126 m) the world's 9th highest mountain. Arriving in Skardu, the gateway to the K2 trek, The afternoon is free to explore or rest.

Note: if flight got cancelled due to weather then we drive towards Skardu and stay overnight in Chillas

Hotel: Qayam Skardu or Shangri-la Chillas (if flight is cancelled)

If your flight is canceled, you will travel from Chillas to Skardu and once you reach skardu it will allow you for an acclimatization day before the trek begins. This day is essential for adjusting to the altitude and preparing for the adventure ahead. During your time in Skardu, you can enjoy the scenic beauty of the region, with options for light walks around town and visits to local sites

our staff will handle all necessary government documentation and trekking permits, a process that can occasionally take two days, which is why extra days are built into the itinerary.

Hotel: Qayam Skardu / Similar

The K2 base camp trek officially begins today. Embark on a classic Karakoram jeep safari from Skardu, weaving through the spectacular Shigar Valley and following the braided channels of the Braldu River upstream to Askole, the last inhabited village before the glaciers begin. Beyond Askole, there are no roads, no villages, and no mobile network. Set up camp and prepare for the wilderness ahead.
 

Overnight: Tents (Twin Sharing dome tent sharing) 
Drive: 6/8 hrs 
Distance: 130 KM (Jeep) 

The first full day of trekking on the K2 base camp route. With all kit loaded onto your porters' backs, head out into one of the world's last great wildernesses. The trail crosses the moraine at the snout of the Biafo Glacier, a 63 km river of ice descending from the central Karakoram peaks toward the Braldu Valley. 
 

Time: 5-8 hrs 
Distance: 20 KM 
Accommodation: Twin-sharing dome tent camping 
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Follow the Braldu Gorge along the river bank, with imposing views of the Trango Towers (6,286 m) and Cathedral Peaks. some of the world's most dramatic rock formations rising vertically from the valley floor. The terrain is dry and exposed; sun protection is essential. As altitude increases, the first views of the Baltoro Glacier snout appear on clear days. 
   
Distance: 19.8 km  
Time: 6/7 hours

A vital acclimatization day at Paiju, built into the itinerary to help your body adjust to the altitude before ascending onto the glacier. Porters use this day to bake fresh bread, a Karakoram trekking tradition. An optional acclimatization walk toward Paiju Peak Base Camp is highly recommended; the views of the Baltoro Glacier opening up from the ridge above camp are magnificent. Spend the evening under a sky ablaze with stars in the heart of the Karakoram.
 

Trek: 6/7 hrs 
Grade: Strenuous 
Overnight: Tents
Accommodation: Twin-sharing dome tent camping 
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner 

Today marks a dramatic shift, you step fully onto the Baltoro Glacier, one of the world's longest glaciers outside the polar regions. The trail climbs continuously up and down over glacial moraine with stunning, ever improving views of the Trango Towers Group and Uli Biaho Tower. Cross the glacier to Liligo, then follow the rocky lateral moraine to camp at Khoburtse. The Karakoram landscape here is raw, primeval, and deeply impressive.

Distance: 14.7 km 
Time: 5/7 hours 
Accommodation: Twin sharing dome tent camping 
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner 

A shorter but spectacular day. Cross two small glaciers to reach the grassy terraces of Urdukas, a campsite perched 100 m above the Baltoro Glacier beside an army checkpost. As you crest the moraines, the Trango Towers burst into full view, a wall of vertical granite that is one of the most photographed mountain landscapes in the world. Rest and acclimatize at this classic campsite, used by mountaineering expeditions since the early 1900s.

Distance: 6.4 km  
Time: 4/6 hours 
Accommodation: Twin-sharing dome tent camping 
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner 

A defining day on the K2 base camp trek, walking directly on the medial moraine of the Baltoro Glacier itself. To the south, the immense pyramid of Masherbrum (7,821 m) dominates the horizon. The route climbs and descends over rocky moraine punctuated by massive ice seracs towers of glacial ice several stories tall. Camp at Goro II, the confluence of the Baltoro and Younghusband Glaciers. Temperatures drop dramatically at night at this altitude, this is real high mountain wilderness.

  
Distance: 11.9 km  
Time: 6/8 hours 
Accommodation: Twin-sharing dome tent camping 
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

The day every K2 trekker lives for. Ascending continuously up the rocky moraine of the upper Baltoro, more and more 8,000m giants emerge ahead with every step. Then dramatically Concordia opens up: the legendary junction of the Baltoro, Abruzzi, and Godwin Austen Glaciers. Within a 12 km radius, 41 peaks over 6,500 m surround you. Four exceed 8,000 m: K2 (8,611 m), Broad Peak (8,051 m), Gasherbrum I (8,080 m), and Gasherbrum II (8,035 m). K2  the Savage Mountain dominates everything. The 360 degree panorama at Concordia is the greatest mountain view on Earth.

Distance: 11.7 km  

Time: 5/7 hours 

Accommodation: Twin-sharing dome tent camping 

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner 

The crown jewel of the entire trek. Rising early, cross the Godwin Austen Glacier on a rocky trail leading directly toward K2. As you walk, K2 appears to grow impossibly tall above you. After approximately 3 hours, Broad Peak Base Camp (4,844 m) appears on the right  with stunning views. Continuing up the glacier, just before K2 Base Camp lies the Art Gilkey Memorial, a deeply moving collection of plaques, tin plates, and mountaineering mementos honoring those who lost their lives on K2. 

A short scramble brings you to this powerful place. Then: K2 Base Camp itself at 5,155 m, with K2 soaring 3,456m directly above your head. Tonight you sleep at the foot of the Savage Mountain one of the most extraordinary nights any trekker can experience.

K2 BC: 5,155m
Gilkey Memorial: 5,230 m 
Broad Peak BC: 4,844 m  
Time: 0–12 hours round trip (full K2 BC + Gilkey)
Accommodation: twin-sharing dome tents 

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner 

After a memorable morning at K2 Base Camp, begin the descent back along the Godwin Austen Glacier toward Goro I. The return trek is relatively easy, mostly descending. K2 slowly recedes behind you as the views of the broader Karakoram panorama open up. A long but satisfying day with a sense of accomplishment in every step.

 
Distance: 15.9 km  
Time: 6/7 hours 
Accommodation: Twin-sharing dome tent camping

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner 

Descend back along the Baltoro Glacier toward Khoburtse. Although it is the same trail, experienced Karakoram trekkers will tell you the views on the return are entirely different, the light falls differently, the perspective shifts, and the mountains reveal new faces. The Trango Towers come back into view with full force as you approach camp.

Distance: 13.8 km  
Time: 5/7 hours 
Accommodation: Twin sharing dome tent camping 
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner 

Descend the lateral moraine via Liligo back to the relative comfort of Paiju campsite. This is the last section on the glacier moraine before returning to stable ground, and the sudden reappearance of trees and green grass at Paiju after days of ice, rock, and sky, it is a deeply welcome sight. Celebrate the completion of the glacier trek section with your fellow trekkers.

Distance: 14.7 km  
Time: 5/7 hours 
Accommodation: Twin sharing dome tent camping 
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner 

Follow the Braldu Gorge back downstream toward Jhola. The walking is easier on the return as you descend with the valley. There may be some river crossings depending on water levels. The dramatic rock walls of the gorge, so familiar on the way in, now carry the feeling of a journey almost completed.

Distance: 19.8 km  
Time: 5/7 hours 
Accommodation: Twin-sharing dome tent camping 
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner 

The final day of trekking on the K2 base camp route. Walk back up the riverbank and across the bridge to Askole village, completing the full Baltoro circuit. Your feet have covered approximately 160 km of glacial terrain since Askole. Congratulations! you have done it. Jeeps are waiting to begin the long drive back towards civilization.

Distance: 20km trek  
Time: 5/7 hrs trek
Accommodation: Twin-sharing dome tent camping (Askole) 
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner 

Transfer by jeep back through the Shigar Valley and Braldu Gorge to Skardu. After nearly two weeks in remote glacial wilderness, the return to hot showers, hotel rooms, and fresh food feels extraordinary. Rest, recover, and celebrate the completion of one of the world's great treks.

Distance: 127 km 
Time: 6/8 hours 
Accommodation: Twin sharing rooms in Skardu 
Meals: Breakfast

Take the morning domestic flight from Skardu back to Islamabad, with final views of the Karakoram from the air. Transfer to your Islamabad hotel for a well-deserved rest. Important note: domestic flights in the Skardu region are occasionally cancelled due to mountain weather conditions. In this event, your group will drive to Chilas for an overnight stop (a full 8–10 hour drive). A contingency day is built into the itinerary for exactly this scenario.

This day is a built-in contingency buffer for domestic flight delays from Skardu. If your flight operated successfully on Day 19, this is a free day in Islamabad perfect for visiting Faisal Mosque (one of the largest mosques in the world), the Lok Virsa Museum, Daman-e-Koh viewpoint over Islamabad, or exploring the F-6 and F-7 food and shopping districts. If your flight was cancelled on Day 19, today will be a drive day from Chilas to Islamabad.

Your guide will transfer you to Islamabad International Airport according to your departure flight timing.