Live Your Best Lives
K2, the world's second-highest mountain, is also known as the "Wild Man Mountain." Because it was the second peak in the Karakoram range to be explored, it's abbreviated as K2. Located on the border of China and Pakistan, K2 stands at 8,611 meters, lower than Mount Everest at 8,848 meters, but more dangerous and challenging.
K2 can also be reached from Xinjiang, China, but because the route is more dangerous, hikers typically begin in Skardu, Pakistan. Much of this route follows glaciers, and along the way, hikers will encounter four peaks over 8,000 meters and 20 peaks over 7,000 meters.
In addition, the Karakoram Mountains are the most developed area of mountain glaciers in the world. There are many world-class glaciers concentrated here, and you can see various ice towers, ice mushrooms, ice caves, glaciers, etc. up close.
Skardu in northern Pakistan is a hiker's paradise, offering a variety of routes ranging from 3 to 18 days. The K2 Base Camp trek is the most challenging, covering nearly 200 kilometers over 13 days. The trek reaches the base camps of four peaks over 8,000 meters (K2, Gasherbrum I, Broadbeach, and Gasherbrum II), camping at altitudes above 5,000 meters. The most dangerous section involves crossing the Baltoro Glacier and crossing the Gondogoro La Pass at 5,620 meters. This route is challenging and demands extensive high-altitude hiking experience and a strong stamina.
Far fewer people have climbed K2 than Mount Everest. Italians Lino Rachedri and Achilles Compagnoni first reached the summit in 1954.
While those attempting K2 have a chilling 25% chance of dying during the climb, hikers can avoid those fatalities by taking a spectacular hike to K2 Base Camp, which begins near the town of Skardu and takes two weeks round trip.
From here, the trail crosses the long Baltoro Glacier and crunches along an even more dramatic mountain road to a meeting point with the shimmering Concordia Glacier, a 4,500m ice bowl surrounded by many of the world's highest peaks, including Brunei IV, Mitre Peak, Broad Peak, Chogolisa, Crystal Peak and K2 itself.
In the 1970s, American photographer Galen Lowell jokingly called Concordia the "Main Temple of the Mountain God." A short walk from Concordia takes you to K2 Base Camp, where you'll find breathtaking close-up views and the Gilkey Memorial, a memorial to those who died on the slopes of the Savage Mountain.
English name: K2 Base Camp Trail
Location: Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan, on the southern slopes of the Karakoram Mountains, on the Pakistani-controlled Kashmir side
Best time for hiking: June to September
Mileage: 200 kilometers
K2 Base Camp Trek: K2 Base camp and Gondogoro La Circuit;
8000m base camp trek: Grand base camp and Gondogoro La;
Difference: The former does not camp at the K2 base camp, while the latter requires camping at two base camps at an altitude of about 5,000 meters.
Day 1 Skardu (2240m) - Askole (3050m)
Day 2 Askole-jula (3170 meters above sea level)
Day 3: Jula-Paiju (3400 meters above sea level)
Day 4 Paiju-khoburtse (3830 meters above sea level)
Day 5 Khoburtse-urdukas (4060 meters above sea level)
Day 6 Urdukas-Goroll (4310 meters above sea level)
Day 7 Goroll-Concordia (4600 meters above sea level)
Day 8: Concordia-K2 base camp (4965 meters above sea level)
Day 9 K2 base camp-concordia (4600 meters above sea level)
Day 10: Concordia-Gasherbrum (5040m)
Day 11 Gasherbrum - Ali camp (4950m)
Day 12: Ali camp - Gondogoro la (5620m) - Khuspang (4690m)
Day 13 Khuspang-Saicho (3450 meters above sea level)
Day 14: Saicho-Hushe-Skardu (2240m)
1. Most of the hiking route is on the glacier, which is rocky and sometimes you will camp on the glacier, so it is recommended to bring hiking shoes and a thick sleeping bag.
2. There are no people living on the hiking trails and no places to charge, so be sure to bring enough spare batteries or generators for your mobile phone, camera and other devices.
3. The hiking to K2 Base Camp is quite difficult. Most of the hiking section is on the glacier. The road conditions are very poor and it requires a lot of physical strength.
Hiking in high altitude areas may also cause altitude sickness, so hikers must have good endurance and physical strength and be able to adapt to high altitudes and long-term hiking. It is not recommended for people with particularly severe altitude sickness or cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases that are not suitable for plateaus to participate.
4. K2 Base Camp is located near the Chinese border and the India-Pakistan ceasefire line, forming a military controlled area. Trekking requires a permit, which can be difficult to obtain. It's best to contact a Pakistani trekking company before departure, find a guide, and have them handle the permit. You'll need a scanned copy of your passport, a travel application form, and a color ID photo.
5. Pakistan is a Muslim country. It is prohibited to bring in items that violate Islamic teachings, such as alcohol, pork and pork products. Ladies should not wear overly revealing clothing when going out. It is best to be accompanied by a man. When in Rome, you should adapt to local customs and abide by local customs.
6. During the holy month of Ramadan in Pakistan, smoking, drinking and eating are not allowed in public places on the streets from sunrise to sunset. Therefore, you should try to avoid crowds when drinking, eating and smoking during the day, otherwise it will be regarded as disrespecting religious customs.
7. There are no supplies along the way to K2 Base Camp, and it is easy to get lost on some sections, so it is not recommended to hike alone.
8. There are Pakistani consulates in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Hong Kong, but obtaining a tourist visa is difficult. To save time, you can apply for a Pakistani business visa, which costs approximately RMB 1,000 per person.
