Snowlake & Biafo Hispar La Trek Trip Highlights Traverse of the Biafo & Hispar Glaciers in the Karakoram Mountains Walking on world’s longest Glacier Crossing of Hispar la 5000m Pass Beautiful Hunza Valley TRIP AT GLANCE 5-6 NIGHTS HOTELS , 14 NIGHTS CAMPING, 13-14 DAYS STRENUOUS TREKKING MAX. ALTITUDE – 5150M / 16,400FT Key Destinations:Islamabad-Skardu-Shigar-Braldu-Baltoro Glacier-Biafo Glacier-K2-Hispar Glacier- Hunza -Karakoram Highway TREK BACKGROUND The interconnected Biafo and Hispar glaciers, with a combined length of 120 kilometres, provide an unlikely natural highway that cuts through the heart of the Karakoram Range. Starting out from Askole on the approach to the Baltoro and K2, this long and relatively committing glacial traverse is undertaken annually by just a handful of expeditions. This trekking holiday does just that in a 3 week experience for budding explorers. Walking either on the glaciers themselves, or through flower-carpeted ablation valleys, we encounter challenging as well as more straightforward trekking conditions. A highlight of the trip is the camp on the Hispar La (5151m), where we can watch the afternoon shadow creeping across Snow Lake to the mighty Ogre (7285m) and turn to see the sun setting over the mountains of Hunza and the distant Hindu Kush to the west. Stunning scenery and a genuine sense of adventure in a high mountain wilderness are key attractions of this magnificent trekking holiday inh the karakoram. TREK OVERVIEW BEST TIME : MID-JUNE - MID-SEPTEMBER 2018 Date Day Activity Mode Time Height Accommodation 01 Arrive Islamabad and Transfer to Hotel Van 1 hour 635m Guest House 02 Fly to Skardu or Drive to Chilas Van 11 hrs 1,280m Hotel 03 Drive to Skardu from Chilas-In case of flight Van 8hrs 2,450m Hotel cancellation or Rest in Skardu 04 Drive to Askole Jeep 5 hours 3,000m Camp 05 Trek to Namla Trek 6-8 hrs 3,400m Camp 06 Trek to Mango Trek 5 hours 3,626m Camp 07 Trek to Biantha Trek 6 hours 3,940m Camp 08 Acclimitisation at Biantha Rest - 4,000m Camp 09 Trek to Napina Trek 3-4hrs 4,215m Camp 10 Trek to Edge of snow Lake to Sim Gang Trek 4-5hrs 4,500m Camp 11 Climb Hispar La Trek 8 hours 5,151m Camp 12 Trek to Kani Basa Trek 5 hours 4,395m Camp 13 Trek to Jutmal Trek 6 hours 4,200m Camp 14 Trek to Pumari Chihish Glacier Trek 5 hours 4,000m Camp 15 Trek to Bitmal Trek 4-5hrs 3,718m Camp 16 Trek to Hispar Village Trek 6 hours 3,250m Camp 17 Drive to Karakoram Highway and Gilgit Drive 4-5hrs 1,500m Hotel 18 Fly to Islambad or Drive to Islamabad Jeep 12hours 1,280m Hotel 19 Contingency Day for road travel 20 Fly Back to Home - - DETAILED ITINERARY Day 1: Arrive Islamabad and Transfer to Hotel On arrival transfer the group to hotel/ Guest House, in Rawalpindi Islamabad (the airport is situated mid- way between Islamabad and Rawalpindi). TEMPERATURE 42°C ACCOMODATION ISTANCE KM ELEVATION MEALS : NIL D 25 IME GUEST T 30 635 M HOUSE/HOTEL DRIVING MINUTES Day 2: Fly to Skardu or Drive to Chilas from Islamabad (Mini Van 480 km) a) Weather permitting, we take a spectacular flight to the high mountain region of Baltistan in the north east. On a clear day we should be able to see Nanga Parbat (8124m) and K2 (8611m) towering above all other mountains. (It is quite possible adverse weather in Islamabad or Skardu may affect our flight plans and make it necessary to drive by the Karakoram Highway to Skardu, a journey of approx two days). b) In case of cancellation of flight drive 10-12hrs by air conditioned coach/car to Chilas (480km) on the Karakoram highway. TEMPERATURE 35°C ACCOMODATION ISTANCE KM ELEVATION MEALS : D 15 IME HOTEL T 1 2450 M BREAKFAST DRIVING HOURS Skardu Airport-Photo by Imad Brohi Day 3: Drive to Skardu from Chilas-In case of flight cancellation (Drive 275 km) a) Preparations for our trek (Briefing) and depending on our time of arrival into Skardu, there may be time to visit the town.Skardu is the regional capital of Baltistan, lying at the edge of a broad floodplain that is the confluence of the Shyok, Indus and Basha Rivers. b) If we are driving the road journey today will be 7-8 hrs to Skardu (275km). On route are spectacular views of Nanga Parbat (8125m) TEMPERATURE 35°C ACCOMODATION DRIVING ISTANCE IL ELEVATION MEALS : D :N IME IL HOTEL T N 2450 M BREAKFAST Day 4: Drive to Askoli 3000m(Approx 6-7 hours) We will travel by jeep with our crew and supplies along the Shigar and Braldu valleys to Askole. Villages in Shigar have changed little in over five hundred years; farms with fields of barley, wheat and vegetables surrounded by stone walls and stands of poplar, willow and apricot trees. The apricot is a very important crop in the north, having a multitude of uses to the Balti and Hunzakut people. Villagers greet us as we pass through on the rugged dirt and stone road that leads to Baltoro. As we approach, the landscapes become desert like and once within the sheer valley of the Braldu, it is necessary to cross the river several times by suspension bridges. At various points the road may have collapsed due to erosion and we will transfer the gear across on foot to a vehicle on the other side. TEMPERATURE 30C DRIVING TIME ELEVATION DISTANCE 140 ACCOMODATION MEALS : BLD 6-7 HOURS 3000 M KM CAMPING Day 5: Trek to Namla After considerable organisation of equipment, supplies and porter loads for the journey ahead, we commence trekking towards Jhola. The valley opens out to reveal the Biafo Glacier flowing for more than fifty kilometres from the Hispar La pass to the Braldu. We have our first taste of moraine walking as we cross the snout of the glacier and descend to our lunch spot beside the river. We also experience the harsh, stark environment that forms the base of these great mountains. The walk from Askolie to Namla is on an easy gentle plain first and then becomes difficult as we get on to the snout of Biafo Glacier. This will take about 6 to 8 hours. The first sight of the pinnacles of the Paiyu Group is stunning ASCENT 500M DESCENT ELEVATION ACCOMODATION MEALS : BLD DISTANCE 14 KM HIKING HOURS 100M 3400 M CAMPING 6-8 HOURS Day 6: Hike to Mango After breakfast and packing away the camp, we leave the pastoral tranquillity of our little ablation valley and return through the gap in the lateral moraine to climb up again onto the Biafo Glacier. We follow moraine ridges running up the middle of the glacier separated by runs of bare ice. This is a fascinating landscape with high peaks all around and the further up the glacier we get, the easier becomes the underfoot conditions. We continue trekking moving from one moraine ridge to another to secure the easiest progress and after around 3 hours we will make a stop to eat our lunch and take time to really enjoy our situation. After lunch we continue on the glacier for a further 2 hours until having turned the first 'corner' and almost at the next, we find a route through the contorted ice to the valley side and climb up to a pleasant green ablation valley offering magnificent views down valley towards the Braldu. ASCENT 300M DESCENT ELEVATION ACCOMODATION MEALS : BLD DISTANCE 5 KM HIKING HOURS 85M 3626 M CAMPING 5-6 HOURS Day 7: Trek to Biantha From the camp we descend to the glacier and once more negotiate a way through a jumble of boulders to reach the easier going of the central moraine ridges. Today we reach the 'miracle highway' of white ice which stretches off into the distance. The ice is not at all slippery as the surface is covered in tiny weathered ridges and is also filled with the grit of the rocks it has ground in its scouring passage through the mountains. After the last couple of days walking over the rocks and screes of the moraine, this is delightful walking and we begin to make rapid progress up the glacier. Today we cross the glacier to its north-east side and once again for our night's camp we will climb down off the glacier and make our way through the lateral moraine to the valley side where we pick up a trail which leads eventually to our camp at Baintha. This is a splendid camping place, with lush grassland, an abundance of flowers and birds and the chance to spot shy ibex on the mountain slopes above the camp ASCENT 730M DESCENT ELEVATION ACCOMODATION MEALS : BLD DISTANCE: 10KM HIKING HOURS NIL 3940 M HOURS CAMPING 6 Day 8: Acclimatisation Day Today is a day for acclimatisation before we go higher up the glacier. Baintha is the perfect place to stop for the day, especially since beyond here there is absolutely nothing in the way of greenery for some considerable distance. This rest stop also allows our porters the opportunity to bake a supply of Balti bread and chapattis to last them over the coming days. We can use this day to rest and catch up on laundry or diary entries. Or, for those with energy to spare, there is the very worthwhile option of following a trail up above the camp for fantastic views down the glacier and of the Latok group of mountains.