We will take the international flight to Islamabad, Pakistan.

Accommodation: -
Meals: -

After arriving in the morning, our local chief guide will meet us at the airport and welcome us to his country. Together we go to the hotel which is in a privileged location in the metropolis of Pakistan. We will have some time before lunch to rest from the long journey. In the afternoon we have to fulfill an important aspect of our program, the registration of the whole group at the Ministry of Sports, which includes instruction by the responsible officer about the special features and rules of the K2 trek. When all the formalities have been completed, we will still have some time to change money and visit one or two places of interest in the city.

Accommodation: Hotel 4*
Meals: Dinner

The minibus trip to Skardu will starts early in the morning. Through the North West Frontier Province we pass through the Chattar plateau to Kohistan, where we encounter the mighty Indus River (once called Sindhu = "ocean"), which crosses the country from north to south and is the backbone of Pakistan. It begins in Tibet and runs through all of Pakistan to its mouth in the fertile floodplain near Karachi. Upstream we follow a desert valley above the city of Besham to Chilas. With good visibility, we will see the west side of the 8.125 m Nanga Parbat, which rises about 12 km from this location.

Duration of the transfer: Approx. 12 hours
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

The real Karakoram highway, perhaps the most famous and legendary mountain road in the world, begins in Chilas. This route, opened in 1978, largely follows the course of the historic Silk Road through the Karakoram to the Khunjerab Pass and across the Pamir to the western edge of the Taklamakan Desert to Kashgar. After crossing the Indus via the Raikot Bridge (1.200 m), we can see Nanga Parbat near Talichi from its north side and thus the notorious Diamir flank. On our adventurous journey north, we inevitably have the impression of entering the heart of the Karakoram and the soul of the country. After about 6-8 hours of driving, we leave the road at the so-called "Pamir crossing" and follow the 170 km long route along the Indus towards the east. If the road through the imposing Indus gorge is passable, we will arrive in the late afternoon in the main city of Baltistan, Skardu (2.300 m), where we move to a cosy hotel in a beautiful location.

Duration of the transfer: Approx. 10-12 hours
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After these long days of travelling, we will take it easy today. This break serves both the local expedition team and us to make final preparations for the trek to K2. If necessary, we can go shopping at the lively city bazaar. Luggage that is not essential for the trek (we can take a maximum of 15 kg) can be left at our accommodation until our return.

Accommodation: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast

We will switch to off-road vehicles, which are necessary to achieve today's goal. In addition to the admirable driving skills of our drivers, jeeps are a necessary requirement to move forward safely on the steep slopes. We first climb up the Shigar valley before moving on to the Braldu valley shortly before Dassu. From here, the approximately 80 km long slope is sometimes interrupted by landslides after periods of bad weather. If this were the case, we would have to do it like in the "old days" and the porters would have to walk through Chakpo and Hoto to Askole. This would take up to two days, and they would come from our safety days. For this we ask for your understanding as there might be delays, but our program has enough room for this. On the outskirts of Askole (3050 m), at the starting point of the trek, we will spend our first night of camping under the starry night sky of the Karakoram mountain range.

Duration of the transfer: Approx. 7 hours
Accommodation: Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Together with our porters, we will first walk to Korophon (3.100 m), located on the Biafo glacier, where we will have lunch. The Biafo is considered the third largest glacier in the Karakoram. From Korophon we have another 2 hours to the Jola camp. From the Biafo glacier, the Baltoro region is a "restricted area", so during the following days we will camp in the traditional places of the great expeditions that arrive every year to climb the most untamed mountains on earth.

Duration of the day's stage: 7-8 hours / Ascent: 150 meters
Accommodation: Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast, we walk approximately 3-4 hours to Bardumal camp (3.250 m), where we will have our lunch break. From Bardumal, our route leads to Paiju camp (3.440 m), the traditional rest camp for all Balti porters. There they prepare their chapatti rations for the long glacial stage up to Concordia. Paiju is just before the imposing Baltoro glacier. With a length of 62 km and an area of 755 km2, it is one of the most extensive glaciers outside the Polar region.

Duration of the day's stage: 6-8 hours / Ascent: 220 meters
Accommodation: Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

A day of rest is foreseen for the carriers, an essential day to which they are entitled. The camp equipment and food are sorted and re-organised. Everything has to be in order as the next day we will cross the huge Baltoro glacier for several days. This day also serves as a reserve day, so that we can acclimatize properly. The surroundings and the imposing tongue of the glacier near the camp offer an impressive view. We will have the opportunity to do one or two exploratory walks in the fascinating surroundings and for the bravest among us, numerous cold water streams offer "refreshing" opportunities for swimming.

Accommodation: Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Yesterday was good for us without much physical effort, and now we are heading towards the tongue of the Baltoro glacier and from here directly towards the ice. The enormous Trango Towers soon appear in front of us, at 6.286 meters, one of the most difficult rock climbs in the world. In the early afternoon we arrive at the Robutse camp, which is located on a huge side moraine. After a long rest, we walk from here to the Urdukas camp beautifully situated at an altitude of 4.000 metres above sea level; in the Balti language, the name of this place means "falling rock". From our camp we already have a fantastic view of the world of the ice giants of the Karakoram.

Duration of the day's stage: 7-8 hours / Ascent: 560 meters
Accommodation: Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We continue to move forward on the Baltoro. The giants of the region are getting closer and closer to us and offer us an incomparable mountain spectacle. Almost with reverence we approach them with the slow pace of our ascent. The path is not very difficult from a technical point of view, but the fact that it goes up and down constantly makes it very tiring. After crossing a few streams we arrive at Gore 1 camp, where we enjoy lunch. From here the fantastic rock and ice pyramid of Masherbrum (7.821 m) and the 7.276 m high Muztagh Tower look close enough to touch. The peaks of Broad-Peak (8.051 m), Gasherbrum 2 (8.034 m) and Gasherbrum 4 (7.932 m) shine in the distance. Surrounded by this fabulous mountainous landscape, we walk after our break to the Gore 2 camp, which is located directly on the glacier.

Duration of the day's stage: 6-7 hours / Ascent: 400 meters
Accommodation: Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

In the morning light with the first rays of sun, the surrounding snowy mountains are illuminated and the shining glacier in the vicinity of our camp is transformed into a sea of light. The atmosphere during the first hours of the day is magical and unique. Marvelled by this scenery, we will enjoy our breakfast in the dining tent. Then we tie on our boots and load our backpacks to head without much difficulty to the legendary point of confluence called Concordia. Shortly before reaching our destination today, if visibility is good, our final objective, K2, appears for the first time. We pause, this moment is overwhelming and will remain with us in our memories for the rest of our lives. We set up our tents in the middle of the huge ice field of Concordia.

Duration of the day's stage: 4-5 hours / Ascent: 250 meters
Accommodation: Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Concordia is also known as the heart of the Karakoram. Above the Baltoro glacier, you can see the west face of Gasherbrum 4. In the northeast corner, between the Baltoro and Godwin Austen glaciers, is the 6.256m high Marble Peak. In front of it, framed by the Baltoro, Alto Baltoro and Vigne glaciers, is the 6.010 m high Mitre Peak as "guardian of the valley above Concordia". The view to the north, we see the Godwin Austen glacier and then the 8.611 m high pyramid of K2. From there if we follow in a clockwise direction we reach the top of Broad Peak and the western mountains of the Gasherbrum group (G4, G5, G6 and G7), behind which are hidden the eight thousand meter peaks of Gasherbrum 2 and Gasherbrum 1. The 7.312 m Baltoro Kangri Towers on the upper Baltoro glacier in the south and the numerous six thousander peaks between the upper Baltoro and Vigne glacier are dominated by the 7.665 m high Chogolisa with its horizontal peak. Looking westward across the Baltoro we see Mitre Peak, Masherbrum, the Trango Group, the Muztagh Tower, Marble Peak and finally the mountains west of the Godwin Austen Glacier, which include Skil Brum. We feel like we are in a seven and eight thousand meter mountain ballroom, nowhere else in the world is it possible to experience such a spectacle. On this stage, we will spend the day and rest, using one of the reserve days.

Accommodation: Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today we are heading towards the K2 base camp. For many mountain lovers, a visit to this place used by the K2 climbers will undoubtedly be the highlight. We leave early in the day and soon find ourselves in a maze of cracks and rivers of meltwater. After overcoming the difficult terrain where the two glaciers meet, we finally reach easier terrain and follow the central moraine of the Godwin Austen Glacier, named after the topographer who first determined the height of K2 in 1860. The ascent requires all our concentration and is tiring, but the view of the mountain whose pyramid of rock and ice rises to the sky directly in front of us, drives us to continue. Approx. 3 hours after having passed the base camp of the imposing Broad Peak, we arrive at the moraine where the traditional base camp of the "normal route" of K2 is located. Here you can literally feel the atmosphere of the great expeditions. It is the beginning of many stories, legends, successes and tragedies. During the climbing season, the best extreme climbers in the world meet here, right at the base of the mountain. Then we walk to the Gilkey monument. The names of those who perished while climbing K2 are immortalized on countless plaques, an impressive and also sad place full of history. From here we return to Broad Peak Base Camp, where we spend the night.

Ascent: 9-10 hours / Ascent: 520 meters / Descent: 320 meters
Accommodation: Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We will descend using the same route as we used the day before until Concordia.

Duration of the day's stage: 3-4 hours / Descent: 200 meters
Accommodation: Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We say goodbye to the heart of the Karakoram, and begin our return journey. Passing through the Gore 2 camp, which we already know from our up trip, we arrive in the afternoon at Gore 1. Here we camp in the shadow of the imposing Masherbrum (7.824 m).

Duration of the day's stage: 4-5 hours / Descent: 350 meters
Accommodation: Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Our path leads us through Urdukas to Khuburse. From here we enjoy once again the view of the legendary Trango Towers.

Duration of the day's stage: 5-6 hours / Descent: 270 meters
Accommodation: Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Our descent continues. It seems as if we are almost flying to our goal due to the excellent physical condition we achieved thanks to our acclimatization in the previous days. But the spectacular mountain scenery encourages us to, time and again take a break and enjoy the incredible scenery and take some photographs.

Duration of the day's stage: 4-5 hours / Descent: 540 meters
Accommodation: Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

In the first part of today's stage we will cross a river. To take advantage of the low water level in the morning hours, we will leave early. The landscape is now gradually changing and becoming greener. We are still one day away from civilization when we arrive at our nice camp in Kurofong in the early afternoon. We are aware that this is the last night we will be sleeping in our tents and that our fantastic trek us coming to an end. We will have mixed feelings like joy, satisfaction and a little bit of melancholy that comes over us when we get into our warm sleeping bags after dinner.

Duration of the day's stage: 4-5 hours / Descent: 240 meters
Accommodation: Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Passing the Biafo glacier, we arrive at the original starting point of our trek (around midday) that took us to giants of the Karakoram. The off-road vehicles that will take us back to Skardu are already waiting for us at Askole. But before we leave, we say goodbye, in a small ceremony to the local support team, who have assisted us with so much warmth and energy over the past days and weeks. We are fully aware that the successful and safe execution of our expedition is largely due to them. The time has come, we get into the vehicles and drive through the Braldo and Shigar valleys to Skardu, where we enjoy the first hot shower after 14 days and a delicious dinner.

Duration of the day's stage: 3 hours / Descent: 150 meters
Duration of the transfer to Skardu: Approx. 5 hours
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast we will drive to the airport. Flight to Islamabad.

Accommodation: Hotel 4*
Meals: Breakfast

Free day in Islamabad. This is necessary to complete the formalities at the Ministry of Sports, which are related to the end of the walk in the "restricted zone". The rest of the day is free, perhaps for a walk in the Rajah Bazaar. Its winding streets are lined with rickshaws, donkey carts and tricycle taxis. During dinner we say goodbye to our local expedition leader.

Accommodation: Hotel 4*
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

After breakfast we will drive to the airport. Flight back home.

Accommodation: -
Meals: Breakfast

We return back home.