Patundas Expedition

YOUR DESIRED MOUNTAIN AWAITS

Introduction

Patundas trek can be done in one day but it would be very difficult given the incline. I think the best duration is three days as we did. This means you can camp at Patundas Lower Camp just across the Passu Glacier on day one. Then do the steep climb to Patundas Camp One in the morning.

This trek needs to be done with a guide. Crossing the glacier is simply not possible without the local knowledge of the guides. The incline of 2000m in just two days will also push many people to their limits. The terrain is rocky, gravel, glacier, and grass throughout the journey without any technical elements other than the glacier.

The Patundas Meadows Trek starts near Borath Lake, which is in-between Ghulkin Village and Passu Village. My accommodation before the trek was at a local homestay in Ghulkin Village and then we had a 30-minute drive to the trailhead, just beyond Borath Lake.

Itenaray

Our staff will meet you at the airport and then transfer you to the group hotel in Islamabad. The rest of the days are free to recover from your journey. Later in the day, we will have a group briefing about Nanga Parbat Base Camp Trek.

Today, you will leave the purpose-built Capital City Islamabad behind and start your journey towards the North on the famous Karakoram Highway. You will pass through many lush green valleys and small towns to a luxury hotel in Naran or Chilas Town. Spend the night in Chilas. Chilas is a small town that is a getaway to Nanga Parbat and fairy meadows.

After breakfast, we continue our journey towards Fairy Meadows. We will reach the last village of the valley. After the Jeep ride, you will be hiking for 2-3 hours to reach Fairy Meadows. Arriving at The Fairy Meadow, we will spend the night in tents or comfortable log cabins with wood burners to keep us warm. The Fairy Meadows is the perfect place to chill out and unwind; watch the clouds dance past the mighty Nanga Parbat, the glacier snaking through the valley below, and explore the cool woods surrounding our log cabins. From Fairy Meadow, you can see the most beautiful mountain in Pakistan and the ninth-highest mountain in the world, Nanga Parbat.

Wake up to a breathtaking view of Nanga Parbat. Have breakfast and trek to Nanga Parbat base camp. After walking for kilo-meters after Fairy Meadows, you will arrive at Beyal Campsite, which is much quieter and has an even better view of Nanga Parbat than the previous camp. After Beyal, the trail gets tougher, although more rewarding. From an alpine forest, it becomes an arid but impressive landscape surrounded by snow and ice blocks.

After the night at the Nanga Parbat Base Camp, we will Trek back to Fairy Meadows. At Fairy Meadows, You can fill in your journals, sketch, paint, rest or take photographs of the Beautiful mountain at different times of the day. Sunrises, sunsets and full moons are amazing in fairy meadows.

We will return to Raikot Bridge, where we will pause for lunch before rejoining the Karakoram Highway and continuing the journey to Naran. On the way to Naran, we drive along the Indus River on the Karakoram Highway and cross the famous Babusar Pass. Naran is a nice small tourist town with nice hotels. We will have a Hot Shower and a real bed to sleep in tonight.

Today is a free day to explore the capital city of Pakistan, Islamabad. It is a purpose-built City built in 1961 as the new capital of Pakistan. The Marghala hills surround this lush green city. The main attraction is the Faisal Mosque, Marghala Hills, and the local Bazars. We will visit the Faisal mosque and local Markets in the morning, then head toward Marghala Hill in the afternoon. This attraction remains open seven days a week, 24 hours a. Parliament house and other main buildings can only be viewed from outside.