Trekking Peaks

High-pass treks in Pakistan cross glaciated alpine passes that link one great valley system to the next, rewarding fit trekkers with summit-scale panoramas without the full apparatus of a mountaineering expedition. The classic high pass trek in Pakistan is the Gondogoro La (5,585m), a glacier pass deep in the Karakoram that opens onto a horizon of eight-thousand-metre peaks. Alongside base camp routes such as Rakaposhi and pass crossings like Shimshal, these treks combine a multi-day approach through some of the country's most spectacular scenery with a demanding crossing on snow and ice.

The Gondogoro La trek is usually combined with the K2 Base Camp and Concordia trek, crossing the glacier pass on the return leg so that trekkers walk out beneath K2, Broad Peak and the Gasherbrums. A crossing at this altitude requires fixed ropes, crampons and an ice axe, an early alpine start, and an experienced guiding team to fix the ropes and manage the route. The reward is one of the finest high-mountain viewpoints on Earth, taking in four of the world's fourteen eight-thousanders in a single sweep.