Masherbrum Expedition 7821m Pakistan information.
Climbing A Mountain In Pakistan
Pakistan occupies about 880,000 square kilometres of land, it stretches from the Arabian Sea to the high mountains of Central Asia. Pakistan is a country of contrasts: expansive dusty plains to the high snowy peaks of the Karakoram and the Himalayas in Gilgit Baltistan. Here the world’s three Great mightiest mountain ranges meet: the Karakoram, the Handukush and the Himalayas. This region is home to some of the world’s most breathtaking mountains.
Five of the fourteen highest peaks of the world are here, the mountains of the mountain K2 (8611), the Magnificent Nanga Parbat (8126), Hidden Peak(8080 ), Broad Peak (8047 ), and Gasherbrum II ((8035m ). Gilgit Baltistan (northern areas) has also the largest Glaciers outside the polar glaciers. The scope for Climbing a Mountain in Pakistan is virtually unlimited. Climbing Holidays will depend on what type of climbing you would like to do, how much experience you have, Which season you would like to go, How many days you have available, etc. We have been organizing Expeditions in the Karakoram for 40 years so we have the expertise to help you organise your next Climbing trip. Our expert Advisors will be happy to assist you. In Pakistan, we have to apply for climbing permits for many Peaks, so if you know which mountain you want to climb then please let us know in good time so we can arrange this for you.
Climbing & Trekking Permit
Once you have decided which mountain you want to climb we can start the preparations and apply for the necessary permits. A climbing permit is required to climb peaks which are above 6,500 meters, and a trekking permit is required for some areas, one of which is the Central Karakoram National Park area(CKNP). We have extensive details of all peaks, permit fees, rules and regulations regarding climbing in Pakistan. We will take care of everything so you can focus on your Climbing.
Royalty Fees
At the beginning of each year, the Gilgit-Baltistan Council publishes the official royalty fees for the upcoming summer and winter climbing season. This notification is publicly available and makes a distinction in terms of the mountain, trekking and waste disposal fees for various areas and the two seasons. We have to apply for the Permits that’s why we need a deposit from you. The royalty fees for the permits are paid to the Gilgit-Baltistan Government and they are not refundable. Please contact us for more details.
Government Clearance
All particulars about your expedition including the details of all members must be sent to us so that we can get the government clearance for the approval of your climbing permit. Additional members can still be added or changed at a later date if needed but it is best to send everything well in advance to prevent any delays at the start of your expedition. We currently advise you to apply not later than 3 months in advance as unfortunately, we have noticed that the time for clearance is taking longer each year.
Helicopter Rescue Bond.
Each expedition has to obtain a helicopter rescue bond of US$10,000/- from Askari Aviation www.askariaviation.com to be allowed to commence the expedition. If these rescue services are not used, the bond will be refunded after the end of the expedition minus the administration charges from Askari Aviation. We can assist with these arrangements if needed.
Liaison Officer.
To all peaks between 6,500 meters to 8,611 meters, the Government of Pakistan sends Liaison officers with expeditions. All his expenses like food, accommodation and transportation are borne by the expeditions. In addition to the above-mentioned standard kit, the Liaison Officer is paid a daily allowance in Rawalpindi / Islamabad as well as in the mountains for his food. A part of his cost, sharing the cook, insurance, and provision of two porters for his stuff & food while trekking up & one porter while Trekking down is paid by us.
EnvironmentÂ
All expeditions are required to submit an environmental undertaking which states that they will take their garbage with them after the end of the expedition. The Liaison Officer will have to certify that the team has left the mountain clean, if this has not been done satisfactorily fines will be imposed. A separate environment waste management fee is charged to each expedition member for maintenance of the mountain environs which is non-refundable.
Expedition Cargo & Climbing Gear.
We will take care of all the formalities to clear your expedition cargo & safely store it before your arrival. Any charges incurred at clearance (during export or import) of your equipment will not be paid by us. All non-consumable equipment that you bring in will be duty-free if you take it back with you. You are not allowed to trade in it. The consumable goods are similarly duty-free as long as they are used for the purpose they have been brought in for. The unconsumed materials have to be re-exported. We have a selection of well-maintained climbing materials which we are renting out to expeditions and items for sale like different variations of climbing rope and gas canisters.
Base Camp Staff & High Altitude Porters.
There will be a complete kitchen team to take care of you and your expedition members at your base camp and of course on the trek to and from Base Camp. The number of staff depends on the number of climbers. However, for our normal expeditions ranging from 10-15 members, we provide one head cook, one assistant cook and one or two helpers who take care of base camp services. We are also able to arrange experienced high-altitude porters to assist you during your climb, kindly inquire well in advance so that we can hire the best High Altitude Porters for you.
Cancellation.
In case you have to cancel your expedition plans or want to postpone your trip, the royalty fee will be forfeited. It cannot be carried forward to a future trip or be refunded. The royalty is refunded if the government cancels a permit for some reason. Cost related to our services will be (partially) refunded based on our Terms & Conditions.
What is Included?
- Liaison with the Ministry of Tourism in Islamabad for the climbing permit process, providing measurements of the appointed Liaison officer for his prescribed kit
- Process of import/export permit from the Ministry of Tourism
- Clearance of cargo before arrival of the team and its storage
- Assistance upon arrival/departure. Official Briefing/Debriefing
- Hotel accommodation in Rawalpindi/Islamabad, Chilas and Skardu
- All meals during the trek and at B.C. as per itinerary. Porterage of 75 kg per person of expedition equipment and high altitude food etc. to the B.C. and 50 kg per person on return from BC
- Road transfers between the airport/hotel and within the city as per itinerary
- Sleeping tents, mattresses, mess, kitchen and toilet tent with tables/field stools and camping ground fees. Kitchen equipment, crockery, cutlery, fuel and related community gear
- Wages and basic kit of guide, sirdar, cook and assistant(s)
- Insurance of our field staff and low-altitude porters (except helicopter rescue)
- Porterage at airports, hotels, toll taxes parking fees etc
- Mail handling/forwarding to BC/overseas except for postage charges
- confirmation of domestic air tickets
- Hiring of HAPs, mail runner(s) and any other crew as per requirement
- The team arranges the wages and kit.
What’s not included?
- International, airport tax, excess baggage charges.
- Surface transfers in case of flight cancellations to the kick-off point.
- Liaison Officer kit and equipment, allowances, travel, hotels, meals and insurance and his expenses of any kind.
- High altitude porters/any crew above BC.
- Tents, sleeping bags, personal and climbing equipment of any kind beyond
- base camp including high altitude food and oxygen.
- Medications, ground evacuations and helicopter rescue charges of any kind.
- Room services, laundry, beverages, phone/communication bills and items of a personal nature.
- Insurance liability of member (s) and other under force majeure conditions.
- Climbing Permit, Pollution and Environmental fees or any other fee requirement
- by the Government of Pakistan.
MEAL PLAN
Fully inclusive of all meals throughout, from lunch on Day 1 to breakfast on the last Day.
ACCOMMODATION
During this trip, the group will spend 2-3 nights in Islamabad at a good standard hotel. The group will also have a night in a tourist standard hotel in Skardu before and after the trekking. Accommodation at each of these hotels is twin-sharing with en-suite facilities. Whilst on trek there will be a share base camping in 2-person tents. If you are travelling by yourself you will be paired with another single client of the same sex. It is possible to hire a single tent while on trek for an additional cost. Please note single tent hire does not include single rooms in hotels. For the hotel nights, single rooms are available for a supplementary cost. Additional hotel nights in Islamabad are also available. For hotel prices and single supplement costs please contact our Advisers. Hotel rooms are subject to availability and prices may vary.
Health & Vaccinations.
You should contact your doctor or travel clinic to check whether you specifically require any vaccinations or other preventive measures. You should be up to date with routine courses and boosters as recommended in the UK e.g. diphtheria-tetanus-polio and measles-mumps-rubella), along with hepatitis A and typhoid. Malarial prophylaxis is discretionary for this trip. Malaria exists in the area around Islamabad. However, incidences of urban transmission of malaria are extremely low. In Skardu and the mountains, there is no malaria risk. On holidays to more remote areas, you should also have a dentist check-up. A good online resource is Travel Health Pro.
INSURANCE
We highly recommend that you have adequate travel insurance for your trip with Trango Adventure Pakistan. We recognise the complexity and variety of choices in the insurance market and know that many of you either have your preferred insurer or have annual multi-trip cover in place already. If this is the case, please ensure that your insurer is aware of your Adventure itinerary and can agree to cover the activities being undertaken.
Trango Adventure does not provide any advice on travel insurance, although it is highly recommended that you have travel insurance which covers the activities which you are likely to be undertaking on your holiday.
It is strongly recommended that suitable cancellation insurance is purchased at the time of booking as all deposits (Royalty Fees) for Expedition are non-refundable and non-transferable.
Suggested insurance companies include:
Expedition Or Treks
Treks Only
Mountain guide and supporting staff
The group will be led by an experienced Mountain Guide. During the trek, the group will be accompanied by a full support crew, an assistant Guide a cook and a kitchen crew, as well as porters to carry all equipment and personal trek bags.
Altitude
This holiday involves going to very high altitudes. During your trip, you will be spending at least one night above 4,000 metres and/or trekking to 5,000 metres or above. This is not something that you should worry about; the human body is quite capable of adapting to a very wide range of altitudes, but we must follow some simple rules to acclimatize successfully. Before coming on this holiday you should read the advice on trekking at high altitude on our website which can be viewed via the link below. Unless you have previous experience of trekking above 4000 metres you should consult one of our trekking experts before embarking on this holiday.
Climate.
From mid-June to August, we can expect to encounter temperatures as high as 30°C at Skardu and 25°C at Hushe and Askole. In June and early July, there will be a good covering of snow on the slopes leading to and from the Gondogoro la and we may also encounter snow on the upper part of the Baltoro. Above 4000 metres snow can fall at any time of the year. At any time of the season, the night-time temperature above 4000 metres is likely to drop to freezing or below and at our highest camps may reach minus 10 or 15°C. The weather is generally good throughout the summer season, with clear skies and little rain or snow. However, weather in mountainous areas is difficult to predict, and short-lived storms can occur at any time of the year.
- Trekking in Pakistan. Isobel Shaw.
- Karakoram Highway. King
- In the Throne Room of the Mountain Gods. Galen Rowell.
- K2 Triumph and Tragedy. Jim Curran.
Passport & Visas.
A passport with 6 months remaining validity at the end of your stay is generally required for visits to countries outside the EU. The information that we provide is for UK passport holders. Please check the relevant embassy or consulate for other nationalities. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the correct travel documents and visas for your holiday. Visa requirements and charges are subject to change without notice. If you are travelling outside the EU you should have at least 2 blank pages in your passport for each country that you visit.
VISA PAKISTAN.
All nationalities require a visa. The visa fee is approximately $80 and you must apply for it before departure. To obtain a visa for Pakistan you will require a letter of introduction from an approved agency which will be provided by Trango Adventure. For some treks, you will also be required to submit a copy of the group ‘Restricted Area’ permit which will be provided by Trango. Visa applications can be made ONLINE or in person at the Pakistan consulate/Embassy in your home country.
Equipment List
We will send you a detailed list of items close to your Holiday departure. As a general rule, you should always try to keep the weight of your equipment to a minimum. Anything not required on the trek can be left at the group hotel in Islamabad or Skardu.
If you would like to know more about “Masherbrum Expedition 7821m Pakistan”, then please contact our travel advisers at info@trangoadventure.com
