HUGE LANDSCAPES
WITH NO SIGNS OF
HUMAN ACTIVITY
IS STANDARD ON
THE NORTH SIDE OF
THE KARAKORAM
.
K2 ITALIAN BASECAMP
THE ULTIMATE TREK TO THE WORLD’S HIGHEST WILDERNESS, WITHOUT THE CLIMBING THE NORTH SIDE OF K2 IS STILL AN INCREDIBLE PLACE TO VISIT. WHETHER YOU WANT TO SEE WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT BEFORE COMITTING TO AN ASCENT, WANT TO SEE THE MEANING OF REAL WILDERNESS OR JUST WANT THE 10% DISCOUNT THAT WE OFFER WITH MULTI-TRIP BOOKINGS, TREKKING TO K2’S ITALIAN BASECAMP ON THE NORTH SIDE IS IN A CLASS OF IT’S OWN.
THE SIZE OF THE LANDSCAPE AROUND THE YARKHAND & SHAKSGAM RIVER VALLEYS IS UNLIKE ANYTHING ANYWHERE ELSE, AND UNLIKE THE KHUMBU & BALTORO, UNINHABITED. WE CAN 99% SAY YOU WON’T SEE ANOTHER GROUP ON THIS TRIP, AND NOT JUST OTHER TREKKERS – ANYBODY.
TREKKING TO K2’S ITALIAN CAMP IS NOT AN ORDINARY OFF-THE-SHELF TREK LIKE YOU FIND TO MOST 8000m PEAKS. THIS IS STILL A TRIP INTO A REMOTE PLACE WHERE LOGISTICS ARE ARRANGED TO EACH TRIP INDIVIDUALLY & SIMPLY HEADING OFF YOURSELF & RELYING ON TEA HOUSES IS NOT AN OPTION. TREKKING TO THE ITALIAN BASECAMP STILL INVOLVES EVERY NIGHT IN A TENT, CAMELS FOR RIVER CROSSINGS, GLACIER TRAVEL & EXPEDITION SUPPORT.
GASHERBRUMS, BROAD PEAK & K2 – THE KARAKORUM NORTH SIDE GRAND CIRCUIT
EVEN LESS TREKKED TO THAN K2’S NORTH SIDE BASECAMP ARE THE EASTERN BASES OF BROAD PEAK & THE GASHERBRUMS. ADDING AN EXTRA 10-14 DAYS TO THE SCHEDULE, ONCE ACCLIMATED WE CAN EXTEND TO COVER ALL THREE CAMPS IN A GRAND CIRCUIT.
THOUGH NOT AS LONG, BROAD PEAK & THE GASHERBRUMS EAST SIDES HAVE GLACIERS TO THEIR 5000m BASES, ACCESSED AS INDEPENDANT SIDE TRIPS OUT FROM OUR MAIN EXPEDITION BODY, CARRYING OUR OWN LOADS FOR THE 2-3 FORAYS AND MOVING LIGHTLY OVER THE GLACIAL TERRAIN.
BEFORE NOW, VERY FEW KNEW ABOUT THESE EAST FACE APPROACHES & CAMPS, LET ALONE HAD VISITED THEM, MAKING THIS A RARE OPPORTUNITY FOR PRISTINE TREKKING. WITH NO PRESET STAGES OR ESTABLISHED CAMPS, WE GET TO SEE HIGH ALTITUDE WILDERNESS HOW IT EXISTS BEFORE BEING BUILT UP FOR TOURISM – SOMETHING UNSEEN FOR DECADES NOW IN MOST 8000m AREAS.
EVEN COMPARED TO OUR TIBET TRIPS, WE TAKE HAVING MINIMAL IMPACT SERIOUSLY IN THESE AREAS. WE MAKE NO AGENDA OUT OF IT BUT OPERATE WITH A ‘ZERO TRACE’ PROTOCOL ONCE WE GET INTO AREAS THAT TRADITIONALLY EVEN HUNTERS & HERDERS DON’T VISIT. ONCE YOU’VE EXPERIENCED TRUE UNTOUCHED HIGH ALTITUDE WILDERNESS IT’S AN EASY DECISION TO MAKE.
