Frequently Asked Questions

Your place is confirmed with a non-refundable deposit paid at registration. The remaining balance is due 120 days before the expedition start date, unless your confirmation documents say otherwise. If the balance isn't received by that deadline, your place may be released and payments made to date forfeited. Your written booking confirmation sets out the amounts and how to pay.

All deposits and balance payments are non-refundable, and places can't be transferred once paid, because permits, flights and logistics are committed well in advance. This also applies if an expedition ends early or doesn't reach the summit because of weather, route conditions, government restrictions or other events outside our control, and if you withdraw for personal or medical reasons. The full terms are on our Refund & Cancellation Policy page. For this reason we strongly recommend buying trip-cancellation insurance as soon as you book.

The full list is on each expedition page. As a rule, the price covers airport transfers, four nights in Islamabad on a twin-share, bed-and-breakfast basis, a welcome dinner, all government climbing permits and royalties, domestic transport and jeep transfers as per the itinerary, full base camp services and meals, and an expedition medical kit. High-altitude guides or porters and supplemental oxygen are included on some expeditions and available on request on others. Not included: international flights, Pakistan visa fees, lunches and dinners in Islamabad, extra hotel nights, insurance, personal climbing gear, the customary high-altitude guide summit bonus, and tips for base camp staff and porters.

Group expeditions share logistics costs and suit climbers who enjoy a team environment. Private expeditions give you a dedicated guide team, more flexible scheduling and your own pace on summit day, at a higher cost. Alpine-style ascents are a separate format for experienced climbers. We're happy to advise on which suits your experience and goals.

Most foreign nationals need a visa, which is generally applied for online through the Government of Pakistan's official online visa portal. Mountaineering expeditions also require a climbing permit, which your operator arranges. Visa rules change, so always verify current requirements before travel. See our Insurance & Visa Guide for the step-by-step process.

Every climber must carry three kinds of cover: travel insurance covering cancellation and trip interruption; high-altitude medical and rescue insurance, including helicopter evacuation; and accident and repatriation cover. Your policy must explicitly cover mountaineering to the full height of your objective, as many standard travel policies exclude high-altitude climbing. See our Insurance & Visa Guide for details.

Every expedition starts and ends at Islamabad International Airport, where our team meets you and transfers you to your hotel; return transfers are included too. For K2, Broad Peak and the Gasherbrums we fly on to Skardu (weather permitting) and then drive by jeep to the trailhead. For Nanga Parbat we drive the Karakoram Highway to Chilas, and for Terich Mir we fly or drive to Chitral. All of these transfers are part of your expedition.

8,000m expeditions demand excellent aerobic endurance, the strength to carry a loaded pack for many hours on consecutive days, and prior experience at high altitude. As a general guide, you should be comfortable with long, steep days carrying 15–20 kg. Experience matters as much as fitness: for K2 we expect at least one 8,000m summit and two or more 7,000m peaks, and Nanga Parbat is for climbers with several 8,000m summits. Gasherbrum I calls for at least two 6,000–7,000m peaks and one 8,000m summit, while Gasherbrum II, Broad Peak and Terich Mir suit climbers with at least one 6,000m or 7,000m peak behind them. See our Fitness & Training Guide.

For a climber who already has mountaineering experience, a structured training period of around 9 to 12 months is common. Climbers without prior high-altitude experience typically need to build up over several years, often starting with a 6,000m or 7,000m peak or a mountaineering course.

It depends on the expedition. On K2 and Gasherbrum II the package includes three oxygen cylinders per climber and two per high-altitude guide or porter, plus masks and regulators. Nanga Parbat includes three cylinders per member and three per guide, and Gasherbrum I includes five per member and three per guide. On Broad Peak and Terich Mir, oxygen is an optional add-on that must be requested when you book. Our founder, Abid Baig, has often climbed without supplemental oxygen, but we will always help you plan the approach that is safest for you. See our Safety & Risk Management page.