Named for the immense bulk of the peak, Broad Peak (local name Falchen Kangri) stands omnipotent. The climbing will not be especially steep but the remoteness of the setting will make this an especially rewarding experience. Whether this is your first 8000m peak or your third, the nature of climbing in this region will have its own unique flavor.
We establish our base camp and spend a day of rest, acclimatizing and sorting equipment. We will establish three camps on the mountain making our summit bid towards the end of July, this being the more stable weather period in the region.
The route involves climbing through a rocky gully to Camp I (6000m) then by following a large snow face we reach Camp-II at around 6500m. A final camp is placed at 7200m from where we make the summit bid.
Fixed ropes protect the steeper sections of the route, which are mostly lower on the climb.
We arrive in Islamabad and have a briefing with the Pakistani government’s Ministry of Tourism who issue the climbing permits. We then fly to a mountain village called Skardu or if the weather is inclement we travel by road through the Indus gorge. Skardu is the parting point from civilization, where we will be accommodated in a Hotel.
Jeeps take us to the road end at Askole, the last village in the valley. Askole is the beginning of the trek to base camp and each night we camp out as we travel up the valley with our Balti porters providing entertainment and color to the otherwise stark and barren countryside. Our expedition cooks provide wholesome and high-quality food along the trek and while at base camp. We will cook our own meals while on the mountain.
Our next camp is Paiju, the last campsite before the beginning of the Baltoro glacier then the route to Broad Peak follows the opposite (true left) side of the Baltoro, passing spectacular views of the Trango group, trekking for a further 6 days to reach the base camp.
