08 Nov 2024
Our 3-week trip to Pakistan doing the K2 Base Camp and Gondogoro La Pass with Trango Adventures was nothing short of exceptional. The agency provided a high standard of service, covering every detail and the trip was extremely well organized.
Highlights:
Outstanding food: The meals were fantastic throughout the trek, far exceeding our expectations for such a remote journey. We got 3 hot meals every day, even for lunch in the middle of the glacier.
Guides:
Our Guide Essa and High Altitude Guide Ali was not only well-informed but also incredibly warm and attentive. They shared a wealth of knowledge about the region and looked out for everyone on the team.
Porters and Cooking Team:
The entire team including Porters, Cooking Team, Mule Porters were unbelievably welcoming and kind. It felt like being surrounded by friends rather than just a hired crew. Everyone was so hardworking and without them these kind of treks wouldn`t work at all.
Quality Equipment: The equipment provided, especially the tents, was in excellent condition, which made a huge difference in comfort along the route.
Attention to Dietary Needs: I need to eat gluten free and the guide along with the cooking team made sure this was taken into account for every meal, which I really appreciated.
Weather and Season: We had incredible luck with the weather, and since we traveled out of season, it added a real sense of adventure. We were the first group to cross Gondogoro La so late in the season, which added a unique challenge - alpine experience certainly helped here. (and the experience and determination of the guides and Porters)
Tips for Future Travelers:
- Be sure to understand tipping practices and bring enough local currency, as it wasn`t always clear when and how much to tip. Trango Adventures was very transparent in advising us on this (we should have asked before leaving on the trek) and our guide kindly helped us out when we ran low on rupees.
- We highly recommend being physically fit and well-trained to fully enjoy the experience. While the crew takes excellent care of you, you will be in the wilderness for 14 days at high altitude. Weather conditions can change really quickly out there and besides the tents and camps there are no shelters like Teahouses/sheds like on other famous treks (like Everest Base Camp). This adds to the unique sense of adventure. However the trails are rugged, objective risks like rockfalls/weather changes exist and we don't suggest this trek for beginners without any mountain experience.
Conclusion: This was a trip we will never forget - a guided adventure through one of the world's most breathtaking and remote landscapes, with a fantastic agency and genuinely wonderful people. Highly recommended for anyone seeking an unforgettable experience in Pakistan!
Thank you Trango Adventures for this experience!! We will be back :)