K2 Expedition: Conquering the Savage Mountain (8,611 m)

Today is set aside for formalities. We complete the paperwork connected with the expedition permit, attend the official briefing and meet the government liaison officer assigned to the team. There is also time for a thorough gear check with your Sherpa guide, last purchases in Islamabad's markets and repacking into porter loads for the Baltoro. If you have any doubts about your equipment, now is the moment to raise them, as the choice in Skardu is more limited. Overnight at the hotel.

An early flight of around one hour takes us north over the mountains to Skardu, the main town of Baltistan, passing close to Nanga Parbat on a clear morning. Flights depend on good visibility and are sometimes cancelled. If that happens, we travel by road along the Karakoram Highway instead, a journey of about two days with an overnight stop, and the spare days in this itinerary are designed to absorb such delays. Overnight at a hotel in Skardu.

A day in Skardu gives your body time to adjust and lets our partner's team finalise the logistics: weighing and labelling porter loads, buying fresh food and confirming the jeeps. You can wander through the bazaar, walk up to Kharpocho Fort for views over the Indus, or simply rest. Skardu is the last town before the mountains, so your Sherpa guide runs a final check of your high-altitude boots, down suit and climbing hardware. Overnight at the hotel.

We travel by 4x4 jeep up the Shigar valley and into the narrow Braldu gorge, a drive of around 6-7 hours on a rough mountain road with some airy sections. Askoli is the last permanent village on the way to the Baltoro, a cluster of Balti stone houses among barley fields and apricot trees. Our camp crew sets up the tents, the porters are registered and loads are shared out ready for an early start. Overnight in tents.

The trek begins. We follow the Braldu valley east from Askoli, crossing the rubble-covered snout of the Biafo Glacier and continuing on dusty trails above the river to the campsite at Jhula, near the bridge over the Dumordo river. The walking is not steep, but the valley can be hot and exposed, so carry plenty of water and use sun protection. Expect around 6-7 hours on foot. Overnight in tents.

Today's walk continues up the Braldu valley with the first views of Paiju Peak and the granite spires that guard the lower Baltoro. The trail is mostly gentle, with a few short climbs and stream crossings. Paiju is a shaded campsite with trees and fresh water close to the snout of the Baltoro Glacier, and one of the most pleasant stops on the whole approach. Around 6-7 hours of walking. Overnight in tents.

A rest day at Paiju is a long-standing tradition on the Baltoro. The porters bake bread and prepare for the glacier stages, and we use the time to rest, drink plenty and take a short acclimatisation walk on the slopes above camp. Your Sherpa guide checks how everyone is adapting to the altitude and helps you reorganise kit for the colder, higher days ahead. It is also a good chance to wash clothes and charge devices in the sun. Overnight in tents.

Beyond Paiju we climb onto the Baltoro Glacier itself, crossing its stony snout and following the moraine up the southern side. The walking is long and uneven, but the scenery is outstanding: the Trango Towers, Uli Biaho and the Cathedral group rise across the ice, some of the finest rock architecture in the world. Urdukas camp sits on grassy terraces above the glacier with wide views. Allow 7-8 hours. Overnight in tents.

From Urdukas the trail moves out onto the middle of the Baltoro, following a band of moraine over stony ice. Masherbrum towers to the south, and Gasherbrum IV comes into view at the head of the glacier. Goro II is a camp on the open ice, and it turns cold quickly once the sun drops, so keep warm layers to hand. The walk takes about 6-7 hours with steady height gain. Overnight in tents.

One of the great days of the approach. The route continues up the glacier past Mitre Peak to Concordia, the vast junction where the Baltoro meets the Godwin-Austen Glacier. K2, Broad Peak, the Gasherbrums and Chogolisa surround the camp in a panorama few places on Earth can match. Expect 5-6 hours on moraine and ice, with time in the afternoon to rest and photograph the evening light. Overnight in tents.

We turn north up the Godwin-Austen Glacier, walking straight towards the huge south face of K2. The trail passes below Broad Peak Base Camp before reaching K2 Base Camp on the moraine at around 5,000 m. The route is not difficult, but at this altitude the 5-6 hours on the move feel long, so pace yourself and drink often. Our kitchen and camp crew will be setting up the dining, storage and individual tents as you arrive.

The first days at Base Camp are deliberately unhurried. We hold a puja, the Buddhist ceremony Sherpa climbers perform to ask for safe passage before setting foot on the mountain. Your Sherpa guide then reviews fixed-rope technique, ascender and descender handling, crampon work on the glacier and, if it forms part of your plan, the supplementary oxygen system. Meanwhile our climbing team scouts the lower route and starts carrying ropes and equipment towards the first camp.

K2 is climbed in stages. On the Abruzzi Spur, the standard south-east ridge, we establish Camp 1 (around 6,050 m), Camp 2 (around 6,700 m) above the steep rock of House's Chimney and Camp 3 (around 7,200 m), returning to Base Camp to recover between rotations. Our Sherpa team fixes and checks the ropes, and on each rotation you sleep at the highest camp reached before descending. The aim is at least one night close to 7,000 m before the summit push.

With acclimatisation complete, we rest at Base Camp and study the forecasts for a stable window with light winds. A summit push usually takes four to six days up and back: through the high camps to Camp 4 on the Shoulder (around 7,600-7,900 m), then a night start up the Bottleneck couloir and the exposed traverse beneath the serac to the summit at 8,611 m. We descend as far as is safe the same day, and spare days allow a second attempt if needed.

We pack up Base Camp, making sure nothing is left behind on the glacier. Before leaving there is time to visit the Gilkey Memorial near Base Camp, where climbers who did not return from K2 are remembered. The walk back down the Godwin-Austen Glacier to Concordia takes around 4-5 hours, with Broad Peak on one side and the Gasherbrums ahead. In the evening, there is a last chance to see K2 glowing in the sunset. Overnight in tents.

We retrace our steps down the Baltoro, this time with the big peaks at our backs and the effort of the climb behind us. With weeks of acclimatisation on our side the walking feels easier, although the moraine is still rough underfoot and needs care. We pass Goro II and continue to the grassy terraces of Urdukas for the night. Allow 7-8 hours. Overnight in tents.

A final day on the Baltoro Glacier takes us down to its snout and back to the trees at Paiju. The thicker air makes a noticeable difference, and the first green vegetation for weeks is a welcome sight. Expect 6-7 hours of walking, mostly downhill on uneven moraine. With the glacier stages over, the mood in camp is relaxed and there is sometimes singing among the porters in the evening. Overnight in tents.

We follow the Braldu valley downstream on the trail we walked on the way in, with views back towards the granite towers above Paiju. The going is easy, but the valley warms up quickly after the cold of the glacier, so we start early, carry water and wear sun protection. Around 5-6 hours of walking brings us to camp at Jhula beside the Dumordo river. Overnight in tents.

Our last trekking day crosses the Biafo snout once more and follows the river down to Askoli, the first village since we left. Depending on the state of the road, the jeeps may be able to meet us a little way above the village and shorten the walk. Allow 5-6 hours. In the evening we thank the porters and camp crew, whose hard work made the expedition possible. Overnight in tents.

Jeeps carry us back down the Braldu gorge and the Shigar valley to Skardu, a journey of about 6-7 hours. After weeks in tents, a hot shower and a proper bed feel like real luxury. Depending on current procedures, part of the expedition debriefing may take place here. The evening is free to relax and enjoy a meal in town with the team. Overnight at a hotel in Skardu.

We take the morning flight back to Islamabad, weather permitting. If the flight is cancelled, we switch to the road and drive back along the Karakoram Highway, which takes about two days, so this day and the next act as a buffer. Once in Islamabad, the rest of the day is free to rest, shop for souvenirs or visit the Faisal Mosque and the viewpoints of the Margalla Hills. Overnight at the hotel.

This day is held in reserve for delays on the flights or the road. If it is not needed, we complete the expedition debriefing with the liaison officer and the authorities, and you are free to explore Islamabad or neighbouring Rawalpindi with its busy bazaars. It is also a chance to look back on the K2 expedition with the team, return any borrowed equipment and pack for the journey home. Overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast, our partner transfers you to Islamabad International Airport in good time for your onward flight, while members of the Sherpa team return to Kathmandu. We hope you leave with lasting memories of the Baltoro and of K2, and we look forward to climbing with you again, whether in the Karakoram or in the Nepal Himalaya.