K2/Everest Training Climb on Gasherbrum - Pakistan

Our full-service expedition includes:

• British, American, or European leader/coordinator
• Expert Sherpa from Nepal
• All internal / domestic flights (weather dependent), buses, jeeps, and porters
• 50 Kg personal baggage transport to base camp
• Three meals each day
• Permit fees and liaison officers
• Group emergency equipment and satellite phone
• Private tents in basecamp (no sharing)
• Full base camp with dinning tent, showers, bathroom, and solar charger
• Double occupancy tents above base camp
• Two nights stay in Islamabad hotel on arrival and two nights prior to departure in a double room. Private rooms are available for a small additional fee.

What is not included?

• International flights to Islamabad and back home
• Mountain climbing rescue and travel insurance
• Personal climbing/trekking equipment and clothing
• Gratuities for staff
• Pakistan visa

• Day 1 - Arrive Islamabad. Transfer to hotel for overnight
• Day 2 - Free day at Islamabad 508 m (1,667 ft.);
• Day 3 - Fly to Skardu
• Day 4 - 5 - Organising and paperwork in Skardu. Hotel. 2,230 m (7,316 ft.)
• Day 6 - Drive by Jeep to Askole. Camp. 3,039 m (9,970 ft.)
• Day 7 - Trek to Jhola. (3,170 metres / 10,400 ft.)
• Day 8 - Trek to Paiyu. (3,666 metres / 12,028 ft.)
• Day 9 - Rest Day in Paiyu
• Day 10 - Trek to Khuburtse. (3,800 metres / 12,467 ft.)
• Day 11 - Trek to Urdukas. (3,950 metres / 12,959 ft.)
• Day 12 - Goro II. (4,300 metres / 14,108 ft.)
• Day 13 - Concordia. (4,550 metres / 14,928 ft.)
• Day 14 - Broad Peak basecamp (4,900 metres / 16,076 ft.)
• Day 13 to Day 24 - Glacier training and climbing
   
  • Camp 1 is at 5,100 metres (16,732 ft.)
  • Camp 2 is at 6,200 metres (20,341 ft.)
  • Camp 3 is at 7,100 metres (23,294 ft.)
     
• Day 25 - Follow the Upper Baltoro Glacier to Ali Camp (4,800 metres/15,748 ft.)
• Day 26 - Cross the Gondogoro La (5,585 metres / 18,323 ft.) to Huisprung
• Day 27 - Trek down the Gondogoro Glacier to Dalsan (4,150 metres / 13,615 ft.)
• Day 28 - Trek down the Gondogoro Valley to Saitcho (3,350 metres / 10,991 ft.)
• Day 29 - Last day of trekking to Hushe Village (3050 metres / 10,007 ft.)
• Day 30 - Drive beside the Hushe River and follow the Shyock and Indus rivers to Skardu (2,230 metres / 7,316 ft.)
• Day 31 - De-briefing at Tourism Department. Showers, laundry, shopping. Hotel
• Day 32 - Islamabad / Chilas. Hotel
• Day 33 - Final paperwork, shopping, farewell dinner in Islamabad. Hotel.
• Day 34 - Fly Home

Climbing:

• Climbing harness
• 5 meters (16 ft.) of 6mm accessory cord
• Figure 8 abseil/belay device (tube style devices, i.e. ATC will not work on fixed lines)
• Full size ascender (i.e. PetzlAscention)
• 2 locking carabiners, 1 large and 1 small
• 4 non-locking carabiners
• Ice axe with leash
• Steel crampons with anti-balling plates
• Trekking poles
• Abseiling/Rappelling Gloves

Upper Body:

• 2 cotton t-shirts
• 2 synthetic t-shirts
• 2 long sleeve synthetic shirts
• Light-weight soft shell jacket
• Medium weight insulatingjacket (fleece, down, or synthetic)
• Hard shell jacket with hood, waterproof and breathable (Gore-Tex or similar)
• Heavy down coat
   
  • For 6,000m peaks a very warm down coat with hood or an 8,000m coat with hood
  • For 7,000m peaks an 8,000m coat with hood
  • For 8,000m peaks an 8,000m down coat with hood or an 8,000m suit can be used instead

Hands:

• Lightweight poly-liner gloves
• Mid-weight soft shell gloves – water/wind resistant
• Heavy- weight waterproof gloves – Gore-tex shell with removable liner
• Expedition weight mittens -Gore-tex over mitt matched polar fleece mitt liner

Head:

• Helmet
• Warm hat that covers your ears
• Balaclava
• Face mask
• Baseball hat or brimmed sun hat
• Glacier sunglasses with side shields
• Ski goggles with light and dark lenses
• Glasses with clear lenses to protect your eyes while climbing to the summit on windy nights. (cost less than 10 dollars in Kathmandu)
• Headlamp with extra batteries and bulbs
• Buff/neck gaiter
• Bandana or head scarf (optional)

Lower Body:

• Synthetic underwear
• Hiking shorts
• Hiking pants
• 2 pair lightweight thermal bottoms
• Medium or expedition weight thermal bottoms
• Polar fleece or soft shell pants
• Waterproof/breathable pants with full side zips (Gore-Tex or similar)
• Heavy insulating pants
   
  • For 6,000m peaks: Down or synthetic pants will full zips
  • For 7,000m peaks: 8,000m down pants
  • For 8,000m peaks: 8,000m down pants or a 8,000m suit can be used instead

Feet:

• Boots
   
  • For 6,000m peaks: Plastic or composite double boots (Koflach, La SportivaSpantik, etc) Modern waterproof, single boots designed for 4-5,000m peaks may be suitable if they can be worn with 2 pairs of socks and vapor barrier lines and/or they are equipped with overboots
  • For 7,000m: Plastic or composite double boots (Koflach, La SportivaSpantik, etc)
  • For 8,000m peaks: 8,000m boots - One-Sport Millet Everest boots or equivalent
     
• Sturdy leather walking boots
• Trainers, running shoes and/or sandals
• Down booties (optional)
• 3 pair med-heavy poly or wool socks
• 2 pair poly or wool liner socks (optional)
• Vapor barrier liner socks (optional)
• 2 pair lightweight trekking socks
• Cotton socks for in town

Sleeping:

• Down sleeping bag
   
  • For 6,000m peaks: -18C or 0F
  • For 7,000m peaks:-23C or -10F (If you sleep cold consider -29C or -20F)
  • For 8,000m peaks: -29C or -20F (If you sleep cold consider -40C or -40F)
     
• An additional down sleeping bag for basecamp for the following climbs: Everest, Lhotse, AmaDablam, Manaslu, Cho Oyu, Shishapangma, Broad Peak, K2, Gasherbrum I and II, Spantik, K2/Broad Peak Everest training climb. For Mastagata a second sleeping bag is optional, but highly recommended.
   
  • Down base camp sleeping bag should be rated to -10C or 15F (If you sleep cold consider -18C or 0F)
     
• 2 closed cell foam kari-mats (sleeping pads) for use in basecamp and high altitude (these can be purchased inexpensively in Kathmandu)
• High quality inflatable sleeping pad designed for cold weather (Thermarest)
• Patch kit for inflatable pad

Rucksack and Travel Bags:

• Medium rucksack/backpack (50-70 litres / 3000-4500 cubic inches, can be used as carry-on bag)
• Waterproof rucksack cover (optional)
• 2 large (120+ L / 7500+ cubic inch) duffle kit bags for clothing and equipment
• Small luggage locks for duffel kit bags

Personal Hygiene:

• Female or male hygiene supplies
• 2 tubes lip sun cream
• Large tube skin sun cream (min factor 30)
• Anti-mosquito cream
• Toothpaste/brush
• Hand sanitizer gel (small-medium bottle)
• Bar of soap small towel
• Hand wipes
• Face Mask
• Hand sanitiser
• Disposable gloves
• Disinfectant wipes

Medical:

• Small personal first-aid kit. (Simple and Light) Aspirin, first-aid tape, plasters (band-aids), personal medications, etc.
• Blister repair kit
• 10 anti-diarrhea pills
• 20 anti-headache pills
• 10 cough and/or cold medicine
• Anti-altitude sickness pills: Diamox, Acetylzolamide
• 10 Stomach antibiotics: Ciprofloxacin, etc.
• 5 Azithromycin tables
• Steri pen or bottle of water purification tablets
• Cough sweets/lozenges (Halls/Stepils)
• Earplugs
• Extra prescription glasses/contact lenses and supplies

Personal Food:

• Snack food/daily energy food
   
  • Everest training Nepal/Tibet, AmaDablam, Baruntse: 2-4kg (4.5-9lbs)
  • Spantik, Cho Oyu, Shishapangma, Mustagata, Manasu: 2-5kg (4.5-11lbs)
  • Broad Peak, K2, Gasherbrum I/II, K2/Everest training, Everest, Lhotse: 3-6kg (6.5-13lbs)
     
• Dehydrated meals (freeze-dried dinners) for summit attempt
   
  • Everest training Nepal/Tibet, AmaDablam: 2 meals
  • Spantik, Cho Oyu, Shishapangma, Mustagata, Manasu, Baruntse: 3 meals
  • Broad Peak, K2, Gasherbrum I/II, K2/Everest training, Everest, Lhotse: 5 meals

• Small roll of repair tape
• Sewing repair kit
• Cigarette lighter
• Small box matches
• Compass or GPS
• Battery powered alarm clock/watch
• Camera with extra cards and extra batteries
• Nylon stuff sacks for food and gear storage
• 2 water bottles (1 litre) wide-mouth Nalgene
• Pee bottle (1litre or larger)
• Plastic cup and spoon
• Small folding knife
• Binoculars (optional)
• 4 large, waterproof, disposable rubbish sacks
• Passport, 2 extra passport photos, flight ticket, flight itinerary
• Separate photocopies of passport and relevant visa pages, proof of insurance
• Dollars, pounds, or euros cash
• Bank/ATM/Cash and credit cards
• Bathing suit/swim suit (you never know)
• Paperback books, playing cards, ipod/mp3 player, musical instruments, extra batteries, etc.
• Travel clothes for basecamp and in town
• Umbrella (optional)
• Small solar panels for personal electronics (optional)

Please fill out an application and return it to us with your refundable ten-percent deposit to hold your place on the team.
 

• Application for US Team Members : PDF Form or MS Word Doc
• Application for all other Team Members :  PDF Form or MS Word Doc

In addition to your application, we will need the following at least two months before the trip begins:  

• Completed Payment
• Oxygen order (if any)
• Sherpa order (if any)
• Trip Registration form
• 1 Passport sized photo
• A scan of your passport identification pages
• Complete flight itinerary
• Proof of travel, accident, and repatriation insurance. We strongly recommend Global Rescue, with at least $50,000 worth of helicopter rescue insurance.
• Trip cancellation/interruption insurance is recommended

Please contact us with any questions you may have.