30-Day Muztagh Ata Trek from Islamabad with Karakul Lake and Hunza

• Arrive at Islamabad International Airport, meet your tour guide, and transfer to the hotel.

• Reach the hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.

• Take a 7-hour drive along the Karakoram Highway to reach Bisham.

• Arrive at the hotel in Bisham for dinner and an overnight stay.

• Take a 9-hour drive to Gilgit.

• Arrive at a hotel in Gilgit for dinner and an overnight stay.

• Drive to Hunza from Attabad Lake and then continue to Sust.

• Arrive at a hotel in Sust for dinner and an overnight stay.

• Cross the Chinese border to reach Tashkurgan.

• Arrive in Tashkurgan for dinner and an overnight stay.

• Drive to Karakul Lake through breathtaking scenery of high mountain pastures and snow-capped peaks.

Overnight stay in Karakul.

• Take a short drive to Subash Village and begin walking to base camp, with camels carrying the team's equipment.

• Trek over a level plain and then climb steadily through barren hills to reach base camp in about 4 hours.

• Arrive at base camp for dinner and an overnight stay.

• Base camp is at an altitude of approximately 4,350 m (14,500 ft), so time is needed to adapt to the altitude. The grassy site is tucked between a moraine and the foot of the steeper slopes of the mountain - a great place to relax now and recover later.

• Enjoy some fresh food and prepare for the next day's trek.

Overnight stay at base camp.

• Climb Muztagh Ata.

  • We use three camps above base camp.

  • The first camp is likely to be close to the snow line. In this case, we will use pack animals to transport all expedition supplies to Camp 1.

  • Above this point, all team members will need to participate in load-carrying between camps. In addition to putting the necessary supplies in place, this also provides essential acclimatization and fitness for the summit attempt.

  • Camp 1 is at about 5,350 m, reached by a steep, stony ascent from base camp, and sits right on the edge of the glaciers that blanket the upper 2,000 m of the mountain.

  • From Camp 1, the route is a steady ascent up a snowy and sometimes icy slope through an area of crevasses and a small "valley" in the glacier. This is the steepest part of the whole route.

  • Above the "valley," a long and unrelenting ascent leads up to Camp 2, a small shelf in the glacier at about 6,100 m. There will probably be 2 or 3 ascents to Camp 2, carrying loads for this camp and the one above. This is great for acclimatization and for skiers, as there is an 800 m run back to Camp 1 with an empty sack.

  • It is possible to fix a camp virtually anywhere on the upper part of the mountain. The leaders will choose where to site camps, taking into account prevailing conditions and the activities of other parties on the mountain. In recent years, the next camp has been placed at 6,450 m. Alternatively, teams may use Camp 3 at 6,800 m. Issues such as acclimatization, load-carrying, snow conditions, sleeping comfort, and average group speed will be considered when deciding what approach to use.

  • The route to the summit is straightforward from 6,800 m to 7,400 m. A long gradual slope slowly eases, becoming gentler and gentler. Finally, with the ground appearing almost level, the small rise to the summit rock appears.

Overnight stay at a camp.

• Climb Muztagh Ata from day 10 to 24.

• Descend from the summit and cross the Pakistan border to arrive in Hunza Valley.

Overnight stay in Hunza.

• Spend the day in Upper Hunza and explore the valley at your leisure.

Overnight stay in Hunza.

• Drive to Besham City from Hunza.

• Arrive at a hotel in Besham for dinner and an overnight stay.

• Drive back to Islamabad from Besham.

Overnight stay in a hotel in Islamabad.

• Spend the day at your leisure.

Overnight stay in a hotel in Islamabad.

• Travel to Islamabad International Airport for your flight back home.