K2 (Chogori) Base Camp Trek 2026 /2027

Visit Kharpocho Fort

A short, easy walk up from town. Panoramic views of the Indus River and Skardu valley. Best visited before sunset.

Walk Skardu Bazar

Pick up dried apricots, local nuts, and Balti handicrafts. A good first feel for the town and its pace.

Katpana Cold Desert (optional)

One of the world's highest cold deserts, just a short drive from the airport. Sand dunes with a mountain backdrop. Worth a stop if energy allows.

Rest and acclimatise

At 2,228 m, some guests feel mild altitude effects. A quiet afternoon in town goes a long way before the bigger days ahead.

Jeep safari through Shigar Valley

The valley is lush with apricot and walnut orchards. A brief stop at Shigar town is possible, home to the 17th-century Shigar Fort, now a Serena heritage hotel.

Drive the Braldu River gorge

The road narrows dramatically after Dasso. Sheer canyon walls, river crossings, and hair-raising switchbacks. An experience in itself before the trek even starts.

Arrive in Askole and meet the porter team

Your porters and cook team will be assembled here. Evening camp briefing covers the days ahead, kit check, and what to expect on the Baltoro Glacier.

Overnight at Askole campsite

Basic but well-run village campsite with toilet facilities and a clean water source. First night under canvas. Sleep early.

Trek the Braldu Gorge

Another long riverside day with sheer canyon walls pressing in from both sides. The scale of the valley increases steadily. Depending on river levels, the route follows the lower bank or a higher traverse above the waterline.

First close views of the Trango Towers

The Trango group includes some of the tallest sheer rock faces on earth. They grow larger throughout the day and stop most trekkers in their tracks at least once. Worth taking your time here.

Spot the Baltoro Glacier snout

On a clear day the tongue of the Baltoro comes into view as the valley opens up near Paiju. Your first look at the glacier you will be walking on for the next several days.

Porter bonfire at Paiju camp

Paiju is one of the last grassy campsites before the glacier begins. Evenings here often end with the porters singing around a fire. A genuinely memorable part of the trek that no itinerary can fully prepare you for.

First steps on the Baltoro Glacier  - one of the longest glaciers outside the polar regions; rocky and uneven underfoot but the views make the slow pace worthwhile

Cross the Liligo Glacier - a challenging mid-day crossing; the glacier has expanded significantly in recent years, so the route requires a detour guided by your team

Trango Towers and Uli Biaho Tower views - at their most dramatic from the glacier surface; the Great Trango Tower at 6,286 m holds some of the world's longest vertical rock faces

Camp at Khoburtse - small rocky site on lateral moraine with front-row views of the Trango group; one of the most striking campsites on the entire route

Full day on the Baltoro Glacier medial moraine - rocky, uneven surface throughout; no trail as such, the route changes with the glacier each season

Views of Masherbrum (7,821 m) - known as K1, it dominates the southern skyline all day; one of the most beautiful peaks in the Karakoram and often overlooked compared to its famous neighbours

Ice seracs on the Baltoro - towers of glacial ice formed by crevassing and pressure; the trail passes around and between them; scale here is genuinely hard to process

First sightings of Gasherbrum IV - at 7,925 m it appears ahead as the valley curves; the opening act for the full Concordia panorama that comes tomorrow

Trek the Godwin Austen Glacier to K2 Base Camp - cleaner walking than the Baltoro; route crosses ice and moraine with K2's Abruzzi Spur visible above as you approach

Broad Peak Base Camp (4,844 m) - a working expedition camp during climbing season; a chance to meet climbers attempting one of the world's fourteen 8,000 m peaks

Art Gilkey Memorial - named for Art Gilkey, who died on K2 in 1953; the plaques cover decades of expeditions and dozens of nationalities; one of the most moving places in the mountains

K2 Base Camp at 5,155 m - the end of the line for trekkers; K2 rises 3,456 m directly above; spend the night here if conditions allow, one of the most extraordinary places any trekker can sleep

Trango Towers growing larger ahead — on the ascent these spires were behind you; on the descent they return as the dominant view, now towering above rather than sitting level

The changed perspective on familiar terrain — same glacier, entirely different visual experience; the light falls from the opposite side and reveals features of the ice and moraine that were invisible on the way up

Biale Peak visible from the descent route — a rarely seen peak that only reveals itself from certain points on the return; one of the small rewards of retracing a glacier route

First night off the glacier in days — Khoburtse sits on solid moraine; the difference in warmth and sleep quality compared to camping on ice above 4,000 m is immediately noticeable

Trek the Braldu Gorge downstream - easier going than the ascent with the descent helping pace; the same canyon walls, dramatic rock faces and river noise, but now pointing toward home

River crossings along the Braldu - water levels vary by season and time of day; sandals or waterproof boots useful for shallow crossings; your guide leads all crossing points

The gorge in the other direction - same landscape, different perspective; peaks and faces you did not notice on the way in show themselves on the return

Arrive at Jhola for the final river camp - the sandy riverside site feels comfortable now after the glacier camps; one more night on the trail before Askole and the jeep

Jeep drive through Shigar Valley - the same orchards and canyon walls as the drive in; worth one last look at the Karakoram before the valley widens back into Skardu

Hot shower and hotel check-in - after nearly two weeks camping on glacial terrain, this needs no further description

Fresh food in Skardu - grilled trout from Satpara Lake, local Balti dishes, fresh bread from the bazar; the town is small but the food after two weeks on trek is outstanding

Rest and recover - the body takes longer than expected to wind down after sustained high altitude; sleep as much as needed, eat well, and take the evening slowly