Itinerary, in outline

This is our itinerary, in outline:

Day 1 - 5: Paris - Islamabad - Gilgit - Karimabad - Shimshal

Depending on whether we can get a direct connecting flight from Islamabad to Gilgit, this might go much quicker. If we don't fly, we will take the Karakoram Highway up north. I have done this trip in 1993 and it is a pretty exciting drive along the Indus. Not for the fainthearted. But I'd rather take the plane. Condition of the road to Shimshal remains to be seen as well. The village has only been opened to road traffic very few years ago.

Day 6 - 11: Shimshal to the snout of the Braldu glacier

First part of the trek, over the Shimshal Pass (4755m). The Shimshal Pass is a vast plateau where the Wakhi from the epynomous valley have their summer pastures. Theirs is the largest "cheptel" of Northern Pakistan: 1000 yak and thousands of cattle. The trek to the pass is not to be underestimated. David Hamilton, with whom I was in the Hushe Valley in 1993, did a Shimshal to Hushe ski expedition in 2004 and wrote of this first part of his journey: "I had foolishly assumed that the trip would not really start until we unpacked the skis at the snowline. I had underestimated the difficulty of the trek along the gorge of the Pamir-I-Tang river and over the Shimshal Pass. The heavily laden porters made light work of the faint paths crossing the steep cliffs and unstable scree slopes. The experiences mountaineers in the party found the trek amongst the hardest they had encountered anywhere in the Himalayas." Sounds promising ...

Day 12 : to the snowline on the Braldu glacier

Tough day of 12-15 km on the open, stony Braldu glacier. This is likely going to be one of the most testing days of the journey. We take our leave of the porters at the snowline. From here onwards we will move independently, on ski, with the pulkas. 

Day 13 - 17: on the Braldu glacier to Lupke La pass (5544m)

Our progress will be heavily dependent on the conditions. All going well, we can cover 10km per day. But it is equally likely that only half will take us 8 hours of hard work. 

Day 18-19: reserve days. 

If we are lucky we might take the opportunity to climb a 6000+ peak in the Lupke La area. Otherwise we will need our time to descend the steep slopes of the pass to the Sim Gang glacier.

Day 20-22: Snow Lake (5000m)

We will spend a few days moving over this vast plateau, confluence of several glaciers surrounded by mighty granite towers 2000 m high. 

Day 23-24: Descent of Biafo Glacier

Here we get to less exotic surroundings, the Biafo glacier being part of many classic treks departing from Askole. 

Day 25: Descent to Askole

A team of porters will help us to get down to Askole. Long day. 10 hours. 

Day 26-29: Askole - Skardu - Islamabad - Paris - Brussels