Khosar Gang Expedition

Khosar Gang is the highest mountain in the Shigar valley and one of the peaks Pakistani climbers most often choose for a first summit above 6,000 metres. The roadhead is two hours from Skardu. There is no royalty to pay, the normal route needs one short section of fixed rope, and a fit trekker with a day of crampon practice can realistically stand on top. That combination is rare in the Karakoram, and it is why most Khosar Gang expeditions run in July. This page explains where the mountain is, why its height is quoted two ways, what the climb actually involves, and how we run it.

Where is Khosar Gang?

Khosar Gang rises on the left bank of the Braldu river in Shigar district, Gilgit-Baltistan, about 45 km north of Skardu. The climb starts at Sildi, a small Balti village near Kashmal, on the jeep road that continues up the Braldu towards Askole and the Baltoro. Old maps spell it Koser Gunge, and Google Maps still labels it that way; you will also see Koshar Gang and Kosar Gang. They are all the same mountain.

6,400 m or 6,046 m? The height question

Most operators sell this peak at 6,400 or 6,401 metres, and so do we in the page title, because that is the figure climbers search for. It is not what a GPS reads on the summit. Teams who have climbed it report roughly 6,040 to 6,046 metres, ExplorersWeb used 6,046 m when it covered the first winter ascent, and the highest contour on digital maps sits just under 6,000 m.

The larger number has a traceable source. In 1899 Fanny Bullock Workman and William Hunter Workman climbed a peak they called Koser Gunge and estimated it at 21,000 feet. Converted, 21,000 feet is 6,401 metres, which is exactly the "official" height that is still repeated today. Their altitude figures were often generous. So when you book, plan for a mountain of about 6,050 m, and be pleased that you are still comfortably above 6,000.

How hard is Khosar Gang?

It is the easiest honest 6000er we operate, and that is not the same as easy. The lower mountain is steep walking on grass, scree and a stony ridge. Higher up you move onto snow and a small glacier, and summit day includes about 100 metres of fixed rope on the steepest slope. Nothing requires technical ice climbing. What decides whether you summit is altitude: you go from Skardu at about 2,500 m to a summit above 6,000 m inside a week, and that is where people turn back.

You need to be comfortable walking uphill for six hours with a pack, and you should know how to use crampons, an ice axe and a jumar on a fixed line before you arrive. If you have not done that, we teach it at base camp. Prior altitude to 5,000 m, on a trek such as K2 Base Camp or Machulo La, makes a real difference.

The route from Sildi to the summit

From Sildi a four to five hour walk climbs to base camp at about 3,800 m, on a grassy shelf below the mountain. Camp 1 sits near 4,800 m, reached in four to five hours up grassy slopes and then a long stony ridge. Camp 2, at about 5,200 m, is a shorter three hour move along an easier ridge that can hold snow early in the season. Some teams skip Camp 2 and go for the top from 4,800 m, which makes a much longer summit day; we keep both camps because they buy a better night's sleep and a better chance.

Summit day leaves Camp 2 in the dark. Expect five to six hours up snow slopes and the fixed-rope section to the top, then three to four hours back to camp. Descending the rope carefully matters more than speed.

What you see from the top

The summit sits in the middle of Baltistan, so the panorama is huge on a clear morning. The peaks of the Shigar and Braldu valleys fill the foreground, and the Baltoro giants, K2 and Broad Peak among them, sit on the far eastern skyline more than 80 km away. Some operators promise all five of Pakistan's 8,000ers. We would call that possible on a perfect day rather than a promise, because haze in July often softens the distant peaks.

Best time to climb Khosar Gang

July and August are the season. The snow on the upper mountain has settled, the ridges are mostly clear, and the Skardu flights run most reliably. June is possible but the ridge to Camp 2 can still carry deep snow. September brings clearer air and colder nights, with fewer groups. Outside summer the mountain is a different proposition: a spring team in April 2022 turned back because of avalanche danger, and the first winter ascent needed Denis Urubko's team and a new line.

A 12-day Khosar Gang expedition plan

We run the climb as a 12-day trip from Islamabad. It has one spare day, because a delayed Skardu flight or a storm on summit day is normal here, not bad luck.

• Day 1: Arrive in Islamabad, briefing and gear check.
• Day 2: Fly to Skardu (about 2,500 m).
• Day 3: Skardu: police registration, acclimatisation walk, kit fitting.
• Day 4: Drive to Sildi (2 hours), walk to base camp at 3,800 m.
• Day 5: Rest at base camp, crampon and fixed-rope practice.
• Day 6: Climb to Camp 1 at 4,800 m.
• Day 7: Move to Camp 2 at 5,200 m.
• Day 8: Summit of Khosar Gang, return to Camp 2.
• Day 9: Spare day for weather.
• Day 10: Descend to base camp.
• Day 11: Walk out to Sildi, drive to Skardu.
• Day 12: Fly to Islamabad.

Permits and cost

Khosar Gang is below 6,500 m and sits in Pakistan's open zone, so there is no peak royalty and no liaison officer. Foreign climbers need a Pakistan tourist visa and a registration with the police in Skardu, which we handle on day 3. That is a large part of why this 6000er costs a fraction of a 7,000 m expedition.

Published packages from other operators range from about $1,700 to $3,000 per person, depending on how many days are in Skardu and whether flights are included. Our price is $1,950 per person, Islamabad to Islamabad, including the Skardu flights, jeeps, guides, porters, meals, tents and group climbing gear. You bring your own boots, crampons, harness and helmet, or ask us about hiring them in Skardu.

What it takes, and who it suits

This is the mountain for a strong trekker who wants a first real summit, or a climber who has done Kilimanjaro, Island Peak or a 5,000 m pass and wants the next step. It is a good test before a 7,000er such as Spantik. If you want a 6000er with no rope at all, Minglik Sar in Shimshal is gentler but far more remote.

Go With Guide Pakistan runs Khosar Gang with Balti guides who know the Shigar valley and this route. Tell us your dates and your experience, and we will tell you straight whether it is the right first 6000er for you. For the full planning detail, read our Khosar Gang expedition guide for 2026 and 2027.