Khosar Gang Expedition

The official height of Khosar Gang is 6,400 m, often written 6,401 m, but a GPS on the summit reads closer to 6,040 to 6,046 m. The bigger figure goes back to 1899, when Fanny Bullock Workman and William Hunter Workman climbed a peak they called Koser Gunge and estimated it at 21,000 feet. Converted, that is exactly 6,401 m, and it has been repeated ever since, even though their altitude figures were often generous. Teams who have climbed it recently report around 6,040 to 6,046 m, ExplorersWeb used 6,046 m when it covered the 2022 winter ascent, and the highest contour on digital maps sits just under 6,000 m. We still list 6,400 m because that is the number climbers search for, but we plan every trip for a mountain of about 6,050 m. Either way it is a genuine 6000er, and you are still comfortably above 6,000 m on top.

Khosar Gang is in Shigar district of Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan, on the left bank of the Braldu river about 45 km north of Skardu. It is the highest mountain in the Shigar valley. The climb starts at Sildi, a small Balti village near Kashmal, two hours by jeep from Skardu on the road that carries on up the Braldu towards Askole and the Baltoro. From Sildi a four to five hour walk takes you to base camp at about 3,800 m, on a grassy shelf below the peak. Old maps spell it Koser Gunge, and Google Maps still labels it that way, while you will also see Koshar Gang and Kosar Gang. They are all the same mountain. On our trip we fly you from Islamabad to Skardu on day 2, handle the police registration there on day 3 and drive to Sildi on day 4.

Yes, for a fit beginner with some trekking experience at altitude, and it is the easiest honest 6000er we run. The route is non-technical apart from about 100 m of fixed rope on the steepest slope near the top. Lower down it is steep walking on grass, scree and a stony ridge, then snow and a small glacier higher up. You do need basic crampon, ice axe and jumar skills, and if you have not used them before we practise at base camp on day 5. The real test 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. Prior time at 5,000 m, on a trek such as K2 Base Camp or Machulo La, makes a real difference. Tell us your experience and we will say straight whether it suits you.

Our Khosar Gang expedition takes 12 days from Islamabad to Islamabad, including one spare day for weather. The climb itself, from Sildi back to Sildi, is about eight days. Day 1 is arrival and a gear check in Islamabad, and day 2 is the flight to Skardu at about 2,500 m. On day 3 we do the police registration and an acclimatisation walk. Day 4 is the drive to Sildi and the walk up to base camp at 3,800 m, followed by a rest and crampon practice day. Camp 1 at 4,800 m comes on day 6, Camp 2 at 5,200 m on day 7 and the summit on day 8. Day 9 is kept free, because a delayed Skardu flight or a storm on summit day is normal here, not bad luck. We walk out on days 10 and 11 and fly back to Islamabad on day 12.

Our price is $1,950 per person, Islamabad to Islamabad. That includes the Skardu flights, jeeps, guides, porters, meals, tents and group climbing gear. Published packages from other operators range from about $1,700 to $3,000 per person, and the gap usually comes down to how many days are spent in Skardu and whether the flights are included. A big reason this peak costs a fraction of a 7,000 m expedition is that there is no peak royalty and no liaison officer to pay for. You bring your own boots, crampons, harness and helmet, or ask us about hiring them in Skardu. International flights, travel insurance and personal expenses are not included. We run private dates for two or more people, and prices can vary, so contact us for an exact figure for your dates and group.

No, there is no peak royalty and no liaison officer for Khosar Gang. The mountain is below 6,500 m and sits in Pakistan's open zone, so it does not go through the royalty system that applies to the higher peaks. That is a large part of why it costs so much less than a 7,000 m expedition. What foreign climbers do need is a Pakistan tourist visa, which you arrange before you travel, and a registration with the police in Skardu. We handle that registration for you on day 3 of the trip, the same day as the acclimatisation walk and kit fitting, so there is nothing to chase on your own. Bring your passport and a few photocopies for it. The required permits and fees for the trip are included in our $1,950 price, so there are no extra charges to pay on arrival in Skardu.

Fanny Bullock Workman and William Hunter Workman made the first recorded ascent in 1899, calling the peak Koser Gunge. The American explorers estimated it at 21,000 feet, and the climb was hailed as a women's altitude record. That estimate is where today's official height of 6,401 m comes from. Their own account, with a drawing of the route, is in In the Ice World of Himálaya, published in 1900. The first winter ascent came in February 2022, when Denis Urubko climbed it with Anton Kravchenko, Andrew Shlyapnikov and Max Berngard. They left the normal route above the 4,800 m camp and traversed the flank, because the standard line was too icy and avalanche prone in winter. In April 2022 a spring team of Shane Roche, William Gawron and Joseph Haynes retreated because of avalanche risk. Today it is a regular summer objective for first-time 6000m climbers.