Laila Peak(6,096m) Expedition

Welcome to Pakistan. Most international flights arrive at Islamabad International Airport in the mornings. Your guide will meet and greet you at the airport, then transfer you to the group hotel. The rest of the days is free to recover from your journey. Later in the day, when everyone has arrived, we will have a group briefing about Laila Peak Expedition. Depending on the time available to us, there may be an option to do some sightseeing in Islamabad. Islamabad is a purpose-built City in 1961 as the new capital of Pakistan.

 Today, you will travel to Islamabad Airport to take a spectacular mountain view flight to Skardu, the capital of Baltistan. It’s a 45-minute long flight that offers a breathtaking view of the Himalaya and the Karakoram mountain range. Enjoy the breathtaking view of the world’s 9th highest peak, Nanga Parbat (8,126 meters), K2 (8,611 meters), and Gondogoro pass. Check into your hotel, followed by a free afternoon to explore the traditional local markets. In Skardu, you can explore the local Bazar, historical forts, scenic lakes, or visit the ancient rock inscriptions. One of which is the 8th-century Manthal Lord Buddha Rock, which shows traces of Buddhist monks and pilgrims who influenced the area before the arrival of Islam.
Note: Islamabad to Skardu flight is subject to weather. In case of flight cancellation, you will be driven on Karakoram Highway to Chilas for a night stay and continue your journey to Skardu next morning. Islamabad to Chilas distance is 461 km, 8-9 hours drive.

Today you will visit the official tourism department office for a short briefing about your Laila Peak expedition. After the briefing, you will meet your porters, chef, high altitude porters, and your guide. Depending on the time we have left, you might want to visit the remains of Kharpocho Fort (built early 1,700), which overlooks the Skardu town and has a great view of the Indus River. If you are into photography, then Kharpocho is a perfect location to take photos of Skaradu town at sunrises and sunsets. (We can arrange this for you). On the way to Kharpocho, you have the option to visit a small village called an organic village, where they grow all their crops organically. Night stay in Skardu.

After breakfast, you will have a reasonably early start from Skardu, crossing the Indus and Shyok River to begin an exciting 4-hours long jeep ride up to Hushe village, through Khaplu, and many small and picturesque villages in the lower Hushe Valley. En route, you will cross several streams and small mountain valleys. These streams are fed by meltwaters from the glaciers high above the valleys and can become impassable by the afternoon as the hot sun goes to work. Your early start from Skardu means that you should not have any problems in this respect. Hushe village is located at 3,050 meters above sea level. You will arrive in Hushe village early afternoon, have lunch, and set up your camp in a field just below the village with the huge bulk of Masherbrum (7,821 meters), dominating the valley to the north.

Today will be your first trekking day of the Laila Peak expedition. After organizing all the equipment and supplies, your porters load up for the journey ahead towards your next camp, Saicho. It will be a smooth trek until Saicho, easy walk with the pleasant view of the Masherbrum Peak (7,821 meters). You will arrive at Saicho campsite by lunchtime, the rest of the afternoon is free, dinner, and overnight in the camp.

After breakfast at Saicho, start trekking towards the base camp of Laila Peak (4,535 meters), a pleasant 4-5 hours trek. You will arrive at the base camp early in the afternoon, set up your camp close to Gondogoro Glacier, from here you have a beautiful view of Masherbrum Peak( 7821m), dinner, and overnight in the camp.

Your non-guided climbing session of the Laila Peak will begin from today onwards. You will have twenty days for acclimatization and climbing the mountain. Laila Peak can be climbed in fewer days from an advanced base camp at (5,765m), on the east side of the Gondogoro Glacier, with approximately 1,500 meters ascent, climbing is mid-grade with an inclination of 55 degrees. The lower section of the climb is mixed giving way progressively more ice towards the summit. During the climbing period of Laila Peak Expedition, our staff will remain at the base camp to help and assist you. Our experienced chef is trained to make nutritious dishes, which plays a vital role in climbing mountains.

Once the climbing session of the Laila Peak expedition is completed, pack all your gears, clean the campsite, and trek towards Saicho camp for a night stay.

 An early start ahead, a short and enjoyable final trek back to Hushe village, where you are welcomed once again by the villagers, young and old. This walk to Hushe can be done in less than three hours, and on completion, you can celebrate your success with the porters and hand out their tips as a token of your appreciation for their hard work throughout the trip. We often give away spare kits that we no longer needed as a way of thanks.

Time to say Good-Bye to your porters and other staff today. Most of your porter is from Hushe village, so they will stay here. Your jeeps will be waiting for you so you will set off on the drive down the valley to Khaplu. Khaplu is the district headquarter of the valley. You will have the option to stop over in Khaplu for lunch, do short sightseeing of Khaplu fort and, visit the historical Chaqchan mosque before heading out to Skardu.
From Khaplu, your journey becomes considerably smoother and much faster as you now drive on the tarmac road, first following the Shyock to a confluence with the Indus, then along this major river back to Skardu. Arriving in the Balti capital, you check into your hotel and enjoy your first hot shower in weeks. Tonight, you will enjoy the comfort of a real bed.

After breakfast, you will be driven to Skardu airport to take a mountain view flight back to Islamabad. Skardu airport is a 40-minutes drive from your hotel, along a good road lined with poplar trees. Boarding your plane, you have an exciting flight out of the valley, once again passing by Nanga Parbat.

After Breakfast, you will be transferred to Islamabad International Airport for your flight back home. End of “Laila Peak expedition.”