Six peaks above 7,000m, run from Skardu by our own Balti team. Permits, oxygen, insured high-altitude porters and a turnaround policy that is actually enforced.
Six peaks above 7,000m, run from Skardu by our own Balti team. Permits, oxygen, insured high-altitude porters and a turnaround policy that is actually enforced.
The Laila Peak Base Camp Trek is a 13 days guided trip in Gilgit-Baltistan, northern Pakistan, topping out at 4,535 m. It is graded Moderate to Demanding — 3–4 days on foot each way. 6 fixed departures are open from $1,690 per person, all-inclusive from Islamabad.
Laila Peak is the mountain people mean when they call the Karakoram beautiful — a 6,096m spear of granite and ice above the Hushe Valley, with a single unbroken ice face falling roughly 1,500 vertical metres at around forty-five degrees. This 13-day trek walks you to its foot. From Skardu you drive through Khaplu to Hushe (3,050m), the last Balti village on the road, then climb beside the Gondogoro Glacier in three walking days — Saicho, Dalsampa, and a camp at about 4,535m directly beneath the spire, with Masherbrum (7,821m) filling the sky behind you.
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Be clear about what this is. It is moderate-to-demanding glacier and moraine walking, not a climb: no fixed ropes, no summit. The climb itself is a serious alpine route that has killed experienced mountaineers, and we will not sell it as a trek. What we do sell is the walk to stand under it — run by Balti guides and porters who come from Hushe itself, with a satellite phone in camp and a rescue plan that actually exists. Local hands, real safety, fair price.
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Duration
13 days12 nights
Max altitude
4,535 mhighest point
Grade
Moderate to Demanding
Days on foot
3–4 days on foot each waythe rest is travel
Group size
Max 10min age 16
Best season
June – Septemberopen June – September
Guide languages
3Urdu · Balti · English
Departures open
6next 6 Sep 2026
Laila Peak Base Camp Trek Price
Join a Laila Peak Base Camp Trek fixed departure from $1,690 per person, all-inclusive — Skardu hotels, full camping and meals on the trek, Balti guides and porters from the Hushe Valley, restricted-zone permits and 4×4 transport. Thirteen days, maximum altitude around 4,535m, beneath the finest mountain shape in the Karakoram.
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Fixed Departures
Fixed departures are scheduled dates you join as part of a group, rather than arranging your own trip. 6 dates are currently open, each capped at 10 people. Every date is the same price, $1,690 per person. A $200 deposit reserves a place. The availability column shows how many places are left on each date.
These are private departures, priced by the size of your party rather than by a set date. Pick the band that matches your group and the price per person is fixed at that rate, across 4 options. The more of you who travel, the less each person pays — from $3,690 for Solo (1 Person) down to $1,690/pp for 7-10 Persons. What each band covers is set out in the table.
Group size
Price
What it includes
Solo (1 Person)
$3,690
One trekker, private guide, porters and full camp. Your dates, your pace.
(2-3 Persons)
$2,590/pp
A private trip for a pair or a few friends, run on dates you choose.
(4-6 Persons)
$2,050/pp
The sweet spot for private groups — shared camp costs, still entirely your own trip.
(7-10 Persons)
$1,690/pp
Our best per-person rate, matching the fixed-departure price.
Can you do this trek?
Yes — if you can walk uphill for a few hours, this is well within reach.
Graded Moderate to Demanding.
3–4 days on foot each wayDays on footthe rest is travel
4,535 mhighest pointWe build in time to acclimatise.
16minimum age
What to expect
The highest point is 4,535 m, so altitude counts here. The itinerary is built around acclimatising and your guide sets a pace that gets you there comfortably.
You’re ready ifyou walk or hike now and then and can manage a few hours uphill with a day pack.
Give yourself a little longer ifit has been a while since a long walk. A few hill walks beforehand and you will enjoy it far more.
This might not be your trip ifyou would rather not sleep in a tent, or you want a glacier crossing or a high pass. Tell us and we will match you to the right one.
One thing we do insist on: travel insurance that covers helicopter evacuation.
Travel Experience
Itinerary — Laila Peak Base Camp Trek
Thirteen days from Islamabad to the foot of Laila Peak: fly to Skardu, drive through Khaplu to Hushe, then walk three days up the Gondogoro Glacier to base camp at about 4,535m — with a weather buffer built in for the Skardu flight.
13 days
Land in Islamabad, meet your guide and run the kit check over dinner. Layers, boots, permits and paperwork get sorted tonight, so nothing surprises anyone at 4,500m.
The morning flight up the Indus, past Nanga Parbat if the air is clear — one of the great short flights anywhere. Weather can push it; if it does we drive and use the buffer day. Afternoon free in Skardu.
A walk up to Kharpocho Fort above the Indus and time in the bazaar for anything still missing from your kit. Final gear check, permit paperwork, and a full briefing on the glacier days ahead.
Roughly seven to eight hours by 4×4 east along the Shyok, through the old palace town of Khaplu, then up rough track to Hushe — the last village on the road, and home to many of the porters who carry on K2 and Broad Peak.
A short walk above the village to let the body catch up, with Masherbrum (7,821m) standing at the head of the valley. Meet the porters, sort loads, sleep low before we start climbing.
Four to five hours of easy walking through pasture and apricot ground along the Hushe River, crossing the Charakusa River on a wooden cantilever bridge. Saicho is a green camp with the granite walls closing in on both sides.
Steeper today — four to six hours climbing onto the edge of the Gondogoro Glacier. The valley opens up and Masherbrum and the surrounding spires come into full view. First properly cold night.
Five to six hours up the Gondogoro Glacier and its moraine to camp directly beneath the spire. This is real glacier walking — roped where it matters, crampons where the ice demands it, and a guide who knows the crevasses. Then you look up, and stop talking.
A day to be here rather than pass through. Dawn light on the northwest ice face is the photograph everyone comes for. Strong, well-acclimatised parties can push further up toward the Gondogoro La (5,585m) for the view back down the glacier — conditions and your guide decide that, not the schedule.
Back down the moraine and off the glacier, losing altitude fast. A long day on tired legs, but warmer air and the smell of vegetation come up to meet you.
Four to five hours out to Hushe, then the 4×4 back down the Shyok to Skardu. Hot shower, a proper bed, and the first cold drink in a week.
Held for the Skardu flight, which is genuinely weather-dependent. If the sky is open this is a free day — Shangrila, Upper Kachura or the Manthal Buddha Rock. If it is not, you will be glad it is here.
Morning flight back to Islamabad and onward connections. Assalam-o-Alaikum — and come back for the Gondogoro La crossing.
What’s included in the price
Every fixed departure is all-inclusive from Islamabad. This is exactly what your $1,690 per person covers, and the handful of things it does not — so there is nothing to settle at the trailhead.
Included in the price
Islamabad-Skardu flights (or overland transport if the flight is cancelled) and all 4×4 ground transport in Baltistan
Hotels in Skardu on a twin-share basis and a full camping setup on the trek — tents
Mats
Dining and toilet tents
Kitchen crew
All meals on the trek plus hotel breakfasts
English and Balti-speaking guide
Porters
All trekking and restricted-zone permit fees
A satellite phone in camp
Not included
International flights
Pakistan visa fee
Lunches and dinners in town
Personal trekking gear
Tips for guides and porters
Travel insurance
Anything not listed under Services Included
Any attempt on the summit of Laila Peak. That is a separate mountaineering expedition with its own permit
Team and pricing — talk to us about it directly
Why Karakoram Venture
Because the people who take you up this mountain are from it. Our guides grew up in these valleys, and they are our own team — not a booking desk handing you to whoever is cheapest that week. Every one of them is certified by the Alpine Club of Pakistan, holds Wilderness First Aid, and has between five and twenty years on high-altitude ground. They work in Urdu, Balti and English.
Because the safety is real, and we will name it rather than imply it. A satellite phone travels in every camp, we hold established helicopter-rescue contacts for this region, and we tell you exactly which travel insurance to carry. Budget operators cut precisely these things, because you cannot see them on a web page.
Because the price is honest. Local infrastructure is why $1,690 per person covers the trip from Islamabad rather than a stripped-down base rate. Exactly what it includes — and the handful of things it does not — is set out above.
How to book this trip
Four steps from here to the mountains
1Pick your dateA fixed departure above, or private dates you choose.
2Send the requestThe form on this page, or WhatsApp. Name, party size, date.
3Pay $200 per personThat holds your place. We reply within 24 hours.
4Balance 30 days beforeThen we take over: flights, hotels, permits, crew.
No card details on this page. Nothing is charged until you confirm.
More About the Laila Peak Base Camp Trek
Booking & Payment
A deposit of $200 per person confirms your place. The balance is due 45 days before departure
Book through our website
An authorised agent
Or directly on WhatsApp
Cancellation Policy
Cancel 45+ days before departure: deposit held as credit
Balance refunded
Cancel 21-44 days before: 50% of the trip cost is refundable
Cancel under 21 days before: non-refundable. If weather or snow conditions close the route
We help you rebook
Permits & Documentation
Laila Peak sits in a restricted zone. Foreign trekkers need a permit
A licensed guide
Accident insurance covering the whole party — this is not a route you can walk independently
You need Pakistan's Trekking & Mountaineering visa, which is different from a plain tourist visa
The area may require an NOC. These rules change
So we confirm the current requirements with you rather than guess
Health & Fitness
Moderate to demanding. Three walking days each way on moraine and glacier
A camp at about 4,535m
Cold nights
Weather that turns fast. No ropework or technical climbing is required
But sound acclimatisation is not optional
Minimum age 16. You should be comfortable walking five to six hours on rough ground on consecutive days. Travel insurance with helicopter-evacuation cover is required
Important Notes
Carry at least 2 recent passport-size photos for verification and documentation.
A valid passport (foreign nationals) or CNIC (Pakistani nationals) is mandatory for booking and travel.
Keep your original passport or CNIC with you throughout the tour for security checks and hotel check-ins.
Foreign nationals need a valid passport and the correct visa; any NOC and trekking/restricted-area permits are arranged by Karakoram Venture.
Special Information
Professional and experienced Tour Manager available from start to end of the trip.
Delicious and fresh daily meals included from Day 1 until departure.
No complimentary meals provided on flights or during transit stops.
Follow updated state travel policies carefully for a hassle-free journey.
Transportation Details
Comfortable and spacious A/C Coaches for long trips and intercity travel.
Sturdy 4x4 jeeps for mountain roads and sightseeing (up to 7 pax per vehicle).
Reliable 4x4 vehicles (Land Cruiser / Prado) for off-road and high-altitude excursions.
Arrival & Departure Guidelines
Day 1: Report at the designated airport on time as per schedule.
Final Day: Depart after successfully completing the full itinerary.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does the Laila Peak Base Camp Trek cost?
Our fixed departures start from $1,690 per person, all-inclusive — restricted-zone permits, Skardu hotels, full camping and meals on the trek, Balti guides and porters from the Hushe Valley, and all 4×4 transport in Baltistan. Private and small-group rates are higher per person; see the pricing table above. Nothing extra gets sprung on you at the trailhead.
How long is the trek, and what does the schedule look like?
Thirteen days, twelve nights start to finish. That covers Islamabad to Skardu, an acclimatisation day, the jeep day through Khaplu to Hushe, three walking days up to base camp, a full day at base camp, two days back out, and a weather buffer in Skardu for the flight home.
Is this the trek to base camp, or the climb to the summit?
The trek. You walk to a camp at about 4,535m directly beneath the peak. Climbing Laila Peak is a completely different undertaking — a sustained ice face of roughly 1,500 vertical metres at around 45 degrees, for experienced alpinists only, and it has killed strong mountaineers. We run that as a separate expedition and we will not blur the two to make a booking easier.
How hard is it? Do I need mountaineering experience?
Moderate to demanding. It is glacier and moraine walking with no fixed ropes and nothing technical, but the days are five to six hours on rough ground, the nights are cold, and 4,535m is real altitude. You do not need mountaineering experience; you do need genuine fitness and proper acclimatisation. If this is your first Karakoram trek, tell us and we will say honestly whether it fits.
What is the maximum altitude?
Laila Peak Base Camp sits at roughly 4,535m. Laila Peak itself rises to about 6,096m above you, and Masherbrum (K1) at 7,821m dominates the valley behind. Parties who push toward the Gondogoro La viewpoint on the base-camp day go higher again — the pass itself is 5,585m.
When is the best time to trek to Laila Peak?
June to September, with July and August the prime window. Earlier in the season the upper glacier holds heavy snow; later the weather closes in. June and July give the longest days and the cleanest views of the spire.
Do I need a permit or a special visa?
Yes to both. Laila Peak is in a restricted zone, so foreign trekkers need a permit, a licensed guide, and accident insurance for the whole party. You also need Pakistan's Trekking & Mountaineering visa, which is not the same as a tourist visa, and the area may require an NOC. We arrange the permits and confirm the current visa requirements with you before you book.
Can we cross the Gondogoro La as well?
Not on this itinerary. Crossing the 5,585m Gondogoro La is a Class 4 crossing on crampons, harness and fixed ropes, and it needs the full acclimatisation profile of the Baltoro approach. If that is what you want, book our K2 Base Camp & Gondogoro La Trek, which comes over the pass from Concordia and descends this same valley. On the Laila trek we walk up toward the pass for the view only, and only if conditions allow.
How do we get to Hushe?
Fly Islamabad to Skardu, then roughly seven to eight hours by 4×4 east along the Shyok River through Khaplu and up the Hushe Valley. Hushe is about 140km from Skardu and is the last village on the road. The Skardu flight is weather-dependent, which is why this itinerary carries a buffer day.
How do you handle safety?
Every trip carries a satellite phone, runs with Balti guides and porters from the Hushe Valley who know this glacier, and has established helicopter-rescue contacts for the region. We advise on the right travel insurance, we brief altitude properly, and we turn parties around when conditions say so. Local hands, real safety, fair price.
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