THE 8KNx3
THE WILDEST 8000m TREK ON EARTH
K2, BROAD PEAK AND GASHERBRUM NORTH SIDES
THE GORGES, GLACIERS, RIVERS & PASSES OF THE LAST 8000m WILDERNESS
THE SIZE OF THE LANDSCAPE AROUND THE YARKHAND & SHAKSGAM RIVER VALLEYS IS UNLIKE ANYTHING ANYWHERE ELSE
THE ULTIMATE TREK TO THE WORLD’S HIGHEST WILDERNESS, WITHOUT ANY CLIMBING THE NORTH SIDE OF K2, BROAD PEAK & THE GASHERBRUMS 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.
WE CAN 99% SAY YOU WON’T SEE ANOTHER GROUP ON THIS TRIP, AND NOT JUST OTHER TREKKERS – ANYBODY
TREKKING TO THE NORTH KARAKORAM 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.
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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.
THE 8KNx3
ITINERARY
DAY 01
ARRIVE KASHGAR
WE MEET AND GET OUR FEET ON THE GROUND IN KASHGAR, THE CENTRAL ASIAN TRADING HUB AS LIVELY NOW AS IT HAS BEEN FOR 2000 YEARS
DAY 02
KASHGAR
THE CITY IS A MIX OF OLD STREETS AND BAZAARS, MODERN BUSINESS AND DUSTY TRADE. THE FOOD IS GOOD AND IF IT’S YOUR FIRST TRIP TO CENTRAL ASIA THE GENERAL AMBIENCE IS EXOTIC AND EVOCATIVE WITH GREAT GAME RESIDENCES, VISITORS FROM THE ‘STANS AND GLIMPSES OF THE DESERT. THIS IS NOT THE CHINA YOU SEE ON THE NIGHTLY NEWS..
DAY 03
DRIVE YARKHAND
ONCE ROADS OUT OF KASHGAR MEANT LONELY, SLOW HOURS INTO THE DESERT, BUT NOW IT’S FAST NEW HIGHWAYS VIA GREENED DESERT AND OASIS TOWNS. IT’S STILL A TRIP DEEP INTO OTHER CULTURES.
DAY 04
DRIVE TO TRAILHEAD
DEPENDING ON THE ROUTE WE USE EITHER HIGH INTO THE PAMIR OR ALONG THE SOUTHERN TAKLAMAKAN. WE ARRIVE IN EITHER TASHKORGHAN OR HOTAN, PLACES EVEN MORE EXOTIC THAN KASHGAR, FOR A FINAL FARWELL TO CIVILIZATION BEFORE HEADING OUT TO THE MOUNTAINS.
DAY 05
THE YARKHAND
THESE DAYS THERE’S TWO WAYS IN TO K2, THE CHOICE MADE FOR US BY THE AUTHORITIES DUE TO HIGHER LEVEL PROCESSES.
DAY 06
THE ARGHIL
IT’S HERE YOU BEGIN TO REALIZE YOU’RE NOT HEADED ON A REGULAR 8000m TRIP. UNLIKE THE BUZZ AND SWATHES OF HUMANITY FOUND AROUND OTHER 8000m PEAKS, LEAVING THE ROAD HEAD IT WILL BE JUST CLIMBERS, THE SMALL SUPPORT CREW AND A CARAVAN OF CAMELS.
DAY 07
THE SHAKSGAM
THE TRAIL IS FAINT, NIGHTLY CAMPS STUNNINGLY REMOTE, THE RIVERS WIDE AS WE PASS DOWN THE MASSIVELY ERODED VALLEYS.
DAY 08
SUGHET JANGAL
UNIQUE AMONG KARAKORUM CAMPS, SUGHET JANGAL IS CLEAN, TEMPERATE & RELAXING. WE SPEND THIS TIME WITH CAMP FIRES, ENJOYING THE SOLITUDE & PREPARING FOR OUR FIRST FORAY ONTO GLACIER.
DAY 09
K2 GLACIER
THESE DAYS ARE THE HIGH GLACIER TRAVEL WE CAME FOR, STRAIGHT UP THE APPROACH TO K2.
DAY 10
TO BASECAMP
ONCE THE KINK AT THE MIDWAY POINT IN THE GLACIER IS ROUNDED, THE GREAT PEAK FILLS THE SKY LINE WITH THE NORTH RIDGE CLEARLY UP THE CENTRE.
DAY 11
BELOW K2
WE AIM TO SPEND THE FIRST NIGHT POSITIONED TO TAKE IT IN. WE KEEP ONE FULL DAY AT ITALIAN BASECAMP TO GATHER THE FULL GRAVITY OF THE LOCATION..
DAY 12
RETURN SUGHET JANGAL
DROPPING BACK TO THE SHAKSGAM RIVER VALLEY FLOORSO LONG AS THERE’S NO ISSUES, COMING DOWN IS MUCH FASTER THAN GOING IN WAS AND MOST PEOPLE FEEL STRONG WITH THE HARD WORK BEHIND THEM.
DAY 13
REST DAY SUGHET JANGAL
DAY 14
TOWARDS BROAD PEAK
WE TREK THE 50kms OVER TO THE BASE OF BROAD PEAKS GLACIER AT A PACE MADE EASY AFTER THE ALTITUDE OF K2’S ITALIAN CAMP
DAY 15
THE SHAKSGAM VALLEY
DAY 16
BROAD PEAK
THE BOTTOM OF BROAD PEAK’S GLACIER IS STARK & MARTIAN LIKE, ACROSS MASSIVE FLOOD PLAINS. WITH OUR GEAR READY FROM THE ITALIAN CAMP FORAY, WE NEED ONLY MINIMAL REORGANIZATION TO PREPARE FOR THE TRIP UP THE BROAD PEAK GLACIER.
DAY 17
BROAD PEAK BASE CAMP
WE USE THE SAME CAMP TO ACCESS BOTH BRAOD PEAK & GASHERBRUM I, SO WE SPEND THE TIME MAKING IT COMFORTABLE..
DAY 18
BROAD PEAK BASE CAMP
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DAY 19
BROAD PEAK GLACIER
WE SKIRT THE SOUTHERN SIDE, TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE BASE OF THE SURROUNDING PEAKS TILL WE ARE ACROSS FROM BROAD PEAK ITSELF
DAY 20
BROAD PEAK GLACIER
THE CHINA SIDE OF BROAD PEAK IS COMPLEX, SITTING PARALLEL TO THE MAIN GLACIER WITH SMALLER GLACIERS CHANNELLING INTO AROUND THREE HUGE RIDGES.
DAY 21
RETURNING TO THE SHAKGAM VALLEY
TREK TO BOTTOM OF THE GASHERBRUM GLACIER.
DAY 22
BASECAMP
WE HAVE AN EASY DAY IN CAMP BEFORE MAKING THE SHORT HOP AROUND THE RIDGE TO THE START OF THE GASHERBRUM GLACIER
DAY 23
GASHERBRUM GLACIER
FOLLOWING THE NORTH SIDE OF THE ICE FLOW, WE SKIRT THE 6000m PEAK THAT DIVIDES THE TWO APPROACHES TO THE MOUNTAIN TILL WE ARE RIGHT BENEATH THE MAIN FACE.
DAY 24
GASHERBRUM GLACIER
DIFFERENT TO THE COMPLEX RIDGES OF BROAD PEAK OR THE ELEGANT LINE OF K2’S NORTH RIDGE, THE WEST FACE OF GASHERBRUM I IS A SINGLE ENORMOUS WALL OF ICE, COMPARABLE TO THE NUPTSE FACE IN NEPAL IN SCALE – MINUS ANY HUMAN ACTIVITY.
DAY 25
RETURN BASECAMP
FOLLOWING A DAY TO BE OVERWHELMED BY BY THE SIGHT, WE RETURN TO THE SHAKSGAM VALLEY FOR THE LAST TIME, WELL ACCLIMATED FOR AN EASY RETURN TO THE ROAD
DAY 26
RETURN TO ROAD
SO LONG AS THERE’S NO ISSUES WITH RIVER CROSSINGS, COMING DOWN IS MUCH FASTER THAN GOING IN WAS.
DAY 27
RETURN TO ROAD
THE VALLEYS ARE NOTICEABLY GREENER, SOMETIMES WITH ANIMALS AND HERDERS IN THEM.
DAY 28
RETURN TO ROAD
DAY 29
RETURN TO ROAD
DAY 30
DRIVE TO KASHGAR
WITH NO SUPPLIES TO BUY, REDTAPE TO FINALIZE OR LOGISTICS TO ADJUST, WE DON’T LINGER BETWEEN THE ROAD HEAD AND KASHGAR.
DAY 31
KASHGAR
DECOMPRESS AND ABSORB KASHGARS EXOTIC ATMOSPHERE. EATING AND REORGANIZING FOR THE TRIP HOME
DAY 32
FLY OUT
THE LAST VIEWS OF WESTERN CHINA AS YOU TAKE OFF OUT OVER THE DESERT ARE OFTEN WHERE THE NEXT TRIP STARTS TO FORM.