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The Mountain Kingdom- The Northern Areas of Pakistan
Endowed with rich natural and cultural heritage, the Northern Areas are the most spectacular and fascinating region of Pakistan. It is here that the world’s three great mountain ranges; the Himalayas, the Karakoram & the Hindu Kush meet. Not only that but some of the longest glaciers out of the polar region are situated in the area. In short, the mountain region of Pakistan is a paradise for adventure lovers. The welcoming and peace-loving host communities add value to the blessed region where enormous opportunities for mountaineering, wilderness trekking, short hikes, skiing, paragliding, kayaking, culture & heritage trips, and community-based tourism exist.
The Mountain Ranges
The Karakoram is a large mountain range that stretches along the international boundaries of Pakistan, China, & India with its northwestern edge extending into Afghanistan and Tajikistan. The Karakoram Mountain range forms the northwestern extension of the greater Himalayan Mountain system and is the world’s 2nd highest mountain range that covers a total area of about 207,000 sq. km. The eastern boundary of the Karakorams is the upper Shyok River from where it extends over 322 km westwards to the Karumbar River and the Hindukush range, to the north the Shaksgam tributary of the Yarkand River and to the south, the Indus bounds the Karakorams. Here, the Nanga Parbat (8,126 meters) massif is the western anchor of the great Himalayan range which stretches in an arc 24,124 km east to Burma, a boundary and barrier, “the razor’s edge” which for centuries has determined the destiny of South Asia. Such is the setting of the Karakoram Range, this remnant of a primeval ice age, “the third pole,” with extensive glacier systems and the greatest concentration of lofty mountains in the world. The Hindukush Mountain range has hundreds of high-altitude
mountains, many above 7,000 meters including Tirich Mir (7,705 m), Noshaq (7492m) and Istoro Nal (7403m). Tirich Mir is the highest peak of the Hindu Kush mountain range.
The Mountains
Out of fourteen (14) peaks over 8,000m on earth, five (5) are in Pakistan and out of those five peaks four peaks are in Baltoro region. As per available statistics; there are more than five hundred (500) peaks over 6000m in
Karakoram, 200 peaks in Hindukush and a dozen in the Himalayan region of Pakistan. Their formation; shapes, sizes and colours provide tremendous contrast. According to legendary mountaineers including Reinhold Messner, the beauty of the Karakoram Mountains is hard to describe. K-2 (8,611 m – world’s 2nd highest) – the undisputed monarch of the sky, Nanga Parbat (8126m)-the kill mountain, Broad Peak (8,047 m) – massive and ugly; Gasherbrum-I (8,068 m) and Gasherbrum-II (8,035 m) – the Pakistani Pyramids that even Cheops would have preferred for a tomb; Muztagh Tower – deceptively sheer; Chogolisa – the “Bride Peak”, in whose eternal embrace lies Hermann Buhl, the first man to climb Nanga Parbat; the Cathedrals of Baltoro with their great knife-edge ridges; the sky cleaving monoliths of Trango Towers and the most beautiful of all – the Peak of Perfection – Paiyu, (6,600 m) first climbed by a Pakistani expedition in 1977. There are scores of over 7,000 m high peaks in the Karakoram Range and hundreds of nameless summits below 6,000 metres, mere points on the map. In the Lesser Karakorams, there are equally great peaks such as Rakaposhi (7,788 m), the dominant giant in Nagar and Hunza Valleys. Its north face is a fantastic precipice – 5,791 metres of plunging snow and ice.
The Longest Glaciers
Some of the longest glaciers outside the polar region flow in the Karakorams. The Siachin Glacier is 75 kms long followed by Biafo Glacier (68kms) Baltoro Glacier (62kms), Batura Glacier (58kms) and Hispar Glacier (53kms). The mighty Baltoro Glacier is fed by some 30 tributaries and constitutes a surface area of 1,219 sq. km. Seen from a distance, Baltoro appears smooth and beautiful but in fact, it is a chaotic tumbling mass of rock and ice, troughs and hillocks and the debris of centuries. It is a unique, remote corner of the earth. For here, in a frozen wilderness of crags, cornices and crevasses, rise towering spires of granite, great snowy peaks with fluted icy ridges and pinnacles that pierce the sky.
Trekking in Pakistan
Following shepherd’s track, originating from the villages in the valleys, the trekking paths reach out to the most remote areas and amazing places, leading the trekkers to discover the wild and extreme natural environment of northern Pakistan. The combination of the unique natural environment, with the largest concentrations of high mountains in the world and the biggest and most spectacular glaciers outside the polar region, together with richness of the history, cultural heritage and hospitality of the locals, make northern Pakistan a perfect place abode to trek. For more information, please visit https://visa.nadra.gov.pk/list-of-treks/
THE SILK ROUTE & THE KARAKORAM HIGHWAY
For many centuries, caravans have braved these tortuous mountains treading precariously along paths providing shortcuts between the great towns of Central Asia and the rich markets of South Asia. However, the trails were hazardous, angry rivers horrifying to contemplate, and Nature’s storms caused even the most intrepid to quail on the high passes and in the desolate gorges. In 1947, travel in and out of Northern Pakistan could have been described almost as it had been 15 centuries earlier by the Chinese pilgrim Fa Hien in 400 AD; “The way is difficult and rugged, running along a bank exceedingly precipitous. When one approaches the edge of it, his eyes become unsteady, and if one wishes to go forward in the same direction, there is no place on which he can place his foot, and beneath are the waters of the river called the Indus.” Thus, the traders of yore had travelled over this route for centuries and carried silk, tea and porcelain from China to be bartered for gold, ivory, jewels and spices from South Asia.
It is against this backdrop that Pakistan and China joined hands in 1967 to construct a 900km, “Karakoram Highway” on the alignment of the ancient Silk Route. For its sheer mountain grandeur and the breath-taking panorama of beauty, few places on earth can match the superb landscape through which the Karakoram Highway snakes. A fantastic and unforgettable spectacle is the passage of the Highway along the Batura glacier, rated as the world’s seventh-largest glacier. The Khunjerab Pass, which the Highway crosses, and the nearby Mintaka Pass, lie astride the fabulous ancient Silk Route that led from Europe to Asia and over which history’s most famous tourists once travelled. These include the Venetian trader Marcopolo, after who has been named the wild Marcopolo sheep, in the 13th century, the Chinese Monk Fa Hien in the 4th century and the Central Asian historian, Abu Rehan Al-Beruni in the 11th century.
Today, the Karakoram Highway connects Islamabad with Kashgar, western China via Abbottabad, Mansehra, Thakot, Besham, Pattan, Chilas, Gilgit and Hunza across the 4,733 metres high Khunjerab Pass. The Highway, built by Pakistani and Chinese engineers, has been described as a marvel of civil engineering and even as “The Eighth Wonder of the World”.
Mountaineering and Trekking Permit Issuance Process
Since 1954, when the Karakoram Range of Pakistan was opened to expeditions for climbing and trekking, the
mountains and glaciers of the north have become an international playground. There are hundreds of peaks still lying un-climbed. This is a great challenge for mountaineers and climbers the world over.
How to get a permit for mountaineering/trekking
All applications for mountaineering and trekking permits have been linked with the visa application. Those who wish to obtain a permit will first submit an application for a visa. Please visit the online visa portal https://visa.nadra.gov.pk
Mountaineering
In the visa categories, choose mountaineering if the peak of your choice is 6500m or high.
After submitting your visa application the following with a licensed tour operator in Pakistan. The tour operator will process your permit application with the concerned authority. Documents required for the process of mountaineering permit application include:
The tour company will submit the above and other required documents to the concerned authority for a mountaineering permit. After the security clearance, royalty fees and environment fees will be deposited by your local Tour Company in Pakistan.
Note: the minimum processing time for a mountaineering permit is 30 days but it is advised to submit an application at least 45 days in advance.
Trekking
There are two category trekking routes in Pakistan that foreign visitors are allowed a visit. For trekking routes in restricted area, a trekking permit is required. While applying for a visa, please choose a restricted area, if the
intended trekking route is a restricted area. Or choose an open area if the intended route in an open zone. If you are climbing a peak which is less than 6500m, you will need to choose trekking category in the visa application. Note that no permit is required if you are climbing a peak below 6500m in an open area as permit existing policy.
After submitting your visa application the following with a licensed tour operator in Pakistan. The tour operator will process your permit application with the concerned authority. Documents required for the process of mountaineering permit application include:
The tour company will submit the above and another required document to the concerned authority for a trekking permit. After the security clearance, trekking and environment fees will be deposited by your local Tour Company in Pakistan.
Note: the minimum processing time for a trekking permit is 30 days but it is advised to submit an application at least 45 days in advance.
Procedure for Domestic Tourists
Pakistani nationals will apply for both trekking and mountaineering permits through a designated tour operator having a license issued by the Department of Tourist Services (DTS)
PERMIT FEES (MOUNTAINEERING AND TREKKING)
Mountain Royalty Fees for Foreign Climbers
| Sr.No | Height of Mountain | Royalty Fee for Max 07 Members Group-US $ | For each additional member(exceeding 07 members) – US $ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8611m (K-2) | US $ 12,000.00 | US $ 3,000.00 |
| 2 | 8001-8500m | US $ 9,500.00 | US $ 3,000.00 |
| 3 | 7501-8000m | US $ 4,000.00 | US $ 1,000.00 |
| 4 | 7001-7500m | US $ 2,500.00 | US $ 500.00 |
| 5 | 6501-7000m | US $ 1,500.00 | US $ 300.00 |
| 6 | Upto 6500m | Free | Free |
Mountain Royalty Fees for Pakistani Climbers
| Sr. | Height of Mountain | Per Person |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8611m (K-2) | Rs. 30,000 |
| 2 | 8001-8500m | Rs. 25,000 |
| 3 | 7501-8000m | Rs. 20,000 |
| 4 | 7001-7500m | Rs. 15,000 |
| 5 | 6501-7000m | Rs. 10,000 |
| 6 | Upto 6500m | Free |
Environment Fees
| Sr. | Visitors’ category/Zone | Per Person Environment Fee – US $ | Euismod |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Foreign Expedition in the restricted zones (for all peaks above 6500M) | US $ 200 per person per peak | Aenean |
| 2 | Foreign Expedition in the open zones (for all peaks above 6500M) | US $ 100 per person per peak | Aenean |
| 3 | Foreign Trekkers in the restricted zones | US $ 150.00 per person per trek | Aenean |
| 4 | Foreign Trekkers in the open zones | US $ 60.00 per person per trek | Aenean |
| 5 | Pakistan National Expeditions (for all peaks) |
Rs. 3000/- per person per peak | Aenean |
Note: Locals residing in CKNP buffer zone, stakeholders, researchers and students are exempted from the fees
Issuance of Permits:
After receipt of all clearances from concerned departments, Department of Tourism Gilgit Baltistan issues permits after completion of following codal formalities by the concerned tour operator:
Information regarding the status of applications, while they are being processed can be obtained from Department of Tourism Gilgit-Baltistan, Evacuee Trust Complex, F-5/1, Islamabad (+92-51-2726976)
Important Links:
Online Visa:https://visa.nadra.gov.pk/mountaineering-trekking/
Eligible Countries: https://visa.nadra.gov.pk/electronic-travelauthorization-eta
Registered Tour Operators: https://visa.nadra.gov.pk/list-of-touroperators/
List of Peaks:https://visa.nadra.gov.pk/list-of-peaks/
List of Treks: https://visa.nadra.gov.pk/list-of-treks/
Tourism Department, Gilgit-Baltistan: https://visitgilgitbaltistan.gov.pk/
PTDC: https:// tourism.gov.pk/
Green Trekking Guidelines:https://stfp.org/publications/
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