The Broad Peak Expedition (8,051 m) is a guided trip lasting 42 days in Gilgit-Baltistan, northern Pakistan, topping out at 8,051 m. 4 fixed departures are open from $15,900 per person, all-inclusive from Islamabad.
Broad Peak Expedition (8,051 m) — 42 Days, Full-Board
Broad Peak is the twelfth-highest mountain on earth and the most achievable of Pakistan's five eight-thousanders — but “achievable” is not the same as safe. It shares the Baltoro approach with K2, sits barely eight kilometres from it, and is climbed by the West Spur with fixed rope on the steep sections from a base camp at about 4,850 m. The catch is the summit day: a long, exposed traverse above 7,800 m that has killed strong mountaineers and turns many more back at the false summit.
nThis is a 42-day full-board expedition run by the Balti outfit that lives under these mountains. One high-altitude porter per climber above base camp, bottled oxygen, four high camps, fixed rope, a satellite phone and weather forecasting at base camp, and established helicopter-rescue contacts for the Baltoro. We do not sell summits. Your guide's turnaround call is final and we will make it — the mountain does not negotiate and neither do we. Local hands, real safety, fair price.
n- Duration
- 42 Days - 41 Nights
- Max altitude
- 8,051 m
- Grade
- Expedition
- Days on foot
- 6–7
- Best season
- Summer ( mid-June - August )
- Group size
- Max 8
Broad Peak Expedition Price
Our full-board Broad Peak expedition is $15,900 per person — peak royalty and permits, liaison officer, Islamabad-Skardu flights, the jeep to Askole, porters, full base camp, one HAP per climber above BC, oxygen, high camps and fixed rope. A base-camp service tier for self-sufficient alpine teams starts at $7,200. Published prices run with a minimum team of four; parties of one to three are quoted privately, because the government peak royalty is charged per team rather than per climber. Forty-two days, summit 8,051 m.
nFixed Departures
Fixed departures are scheduled dates you join as part of a group, rather than arranging your own trip.
| Departure | Dates | Price | Availability | Deposit | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Expedition 01 | 10 Jun – 21 Jul | $15,900/person | 8 of 8 places | $1,590 | Book now |
| Expedition 02 | 20 Jun – 31 Jul | $15,900/person | 6 of 8 places | $1,590 | Book now |
| Expedition 03 | 8 Jun – 19 Jul | $15,900/person | 8 of 8 places | $1,590 | Book now |
| Expedition 04 | 18 Jun – 29 Jul | $15,900/person | 8 of 8 places | $1,590 | Book now |
Private & customised groups
These are private departures, priced by the size of your party rather than by a set date.
| Group size | Price | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Base Camp Service | $7,200 | For self-sufficient alpine teams. Permits, royalty, liaison officer, transport, porters and full base camp — nothing above BC. |
| Full-Board Guided | $15,900 | One HAP per climber above base camp, oxygen, four high camps, fixed rope, expedition guide, BC medic and forecasting. |
| Premium (2 HAP) | $23,500 | Two HAPs per climber, larger oxygen allocation, private BC tent, priority evacuation arrangement, guaranteed departure. |
Is this expedition for you?
Only if you have climbed high before. This is a mountaineering expedition, not a trek.
Graded Expedition.
What this mountain asks of you
The highest point is 8,051 m. At that altitude acclimatisation is not optional, and the turnaround decision belongs to your guide.
An expedition needs a Trekking & Mountaineering visa rather than a tourist visa, plus an NOC and a peak royalty. We arrange the NOC and the permits.
One thing we do insist on: travel insurance that covers helicopter evacuation.
Expedition Plan
Expedition Plan — Broad Peak (8,051 m)
<p>Forty-two days, run in phases rather than fixed daily stages: Islamabad formalities, the Baltoro approach to base camp, two acclimatisation rotations, a weather window, the summit push, then clearing the mountain and walking out. Dates below are indicative — above base camp the weather sets the schedule, not us.</p>
Day 1Arrive Islamabad
540 m
Team assembles. Kit check, insurance and documentation review, and dinner with your expedition leader.
Day 2Islamabad — Briefing & Liaison Officer
540 m
The mandatory expedition briefing and formalities, and you meet the liaison officer who travels with the team. Permit paperwork closed out.
Day 3Fly to Skardu
2,230 m
The flight up the Indus past Nanga Parbat. Weather-dependent; the schedule carries slack for it.
Day 4Skardu — Load-Out
2,230 m
Final gear check, oxygen and rope inventory, food packing and porter loads weighed. Last hot shower for six weeks.
Day 5Skardu to Askole
3,050 m
A full day by 4×4 up the Shigar and Braldu valleys to the roadhead.
Day 6Askole to Jhola
3,160 m
The approach begins — out along the Braldu to the first camp.
Day 7Jhola to Paiju
3,400 m
Up toward the snout of the Baltoro. The last trees and running water.
Day 8Paiju — Rest & Porter Preparation
3,400 m
A full rest day while porters prepare loads for the glacier. Acclimatisation walk.
Day 9Paiju to Urdukas
4,050 m
Onto the Baltoro, the Trango Towers on the left, camp on the grass ledge above the ice.
Day 10Urdukas to Goro II
4,300 m
A full day on the glacier, Muztagh Tower ahead. Camp on the ice.
Day 11Goro II to Concordia
4,650 m
Into the amphitheatre — K2, Broad Peak and the Gasherbrums together.
Day 12Concordia to Broad Peak Base Camp
4,850 m
Up the Godwin-Austen to base camp beneath the West Spur. Camp established.
Day 13Base Camp — Puja & Setup
4,850 m
The puja, dome and kitchen up, oxygen and rope staged, medical baseline taken. The expedition proper starts here.
Day 14Rotation 1 — Camp 1
~5,800 m
First carry and night at Camp 1 on the spur, then back to base camp.
Day 15Rotation 2 — Camp 2
~6,300 m
Second rotation, sleeping higher at Camp 2 and stocking the route, then descend to rest.
Day 16Base Camp — Rest & Recovery
4,850 m
Full rest at base camp. Eat, sleep, and let the body build red cells. Weather models reviewed daily.
Day 17Rotation 3 — Camp 3
~7,000 m
The final acclimatisation push to Camp 3 on the upper spur before dropping back down.
Day 18Base Camp — Weather Window
4,850 m
Waiting. This is most of an 8000m expedition and it is the part nobody photographs. We move when the forecast says so.
Day 19Summit Push — Camp 4
~7,400 m
Up through the camps to the high camp on the col, oxygen from here for most climbers.
Day 20Summit Day — Broad Peak
8,051 m
An alpine start in the dark, up to the col and along the exposed summit ridge past the false summit to the main summit at 8,051 m. Long, cold and serious. Turnaround time is set before we leave camp and it is not negotiable.
Day 21Descend & Clear the Mountain
4,850 m
Down through the camps, stripping the route and carrying everything off. We leave the mountain as we found it.
Day 22Base Camp — Contingency
4,850 m
Held in reserve for a second summit attempt or bad weather. If unused, we start out early.
Day 23Base Camp to Paiju
3,400 m
Off the ice and back down the Baltoro.
Day 24Paiju to Askole
3,050 m
The last walking stage to the roadhead.
Day 25Askole to Skardu
2,230 m
The long 4×4 down the Braldu gorge. Hot food, a bed, and the first cold drink in six weeks.
Day 26Skardu to Islamabad & Departure
540 m
Fly out, debrief, and onward connections. Assalam-o-Alaikum.
What’s included in the price
Every fixed departure is all-inclusive from Islamabad. This is exactly what your $15,900 per person covers, and the handful of things it does not — so there is nothing to settle at the trailhead.
Included in the price
- Peak royalty
- Peak permit
- Liaison officer and all government fees
- Islamabad-Skardu flights
- Hotels in Islamabad and Skardu
- The 4×4 to and from Askole
- Full base camp for the permit window — dome
- Kitchen
- Dining and toilet tents
- BC cook and staff
- All meals
- Porters in and out
- Satellite phone
- Weather forecasting and BC medical kit
- Full-board tier adds: one high-altitude porter per climber above BC
- Four high camps with tents
- Fuel and food
- Share of fixed rope and communal hardware
- Bottled oxygen allocation
- Expedition guide
- Helicopter-rescue coordination
Not included
- International flights
- Pakistan visa fees
- Your personal climbing equipment and down suit
- Mountaineering and evacuation insurance (mandatory
- Arranged by you)
- Summit bonuses and staff tips
- Personal oxygen beyond the stated allocation
- Helicopter costs themselves
- A summit. We do not sell one and we will not imply one. Weather
- Snow conditions and your own condition decide the outcome
- The guide’s turnaround call is final
Resources
Free guides from our local team, so you arrive ready.
- Trekking gear list what to pack
- Trekking medicine & altitude staying well up high
- Maps, books, visa & permits planning your trip
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 holds a guide licence from DTS Gilgit-Baltistan and the Federal DTS, renewed each year, and worked at least five years in the region before applying for it. Most also hold Wilderness First Aid.
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 $15,900 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
More About the Broad Peak Expedition
Booking & Payment
Minimum team size is four climbers. The Gilgit-Baltistan peak royalty is charged per team, not per person, so a party of one to three carries a materially higher cost per climber. We will still run it — just ask, and we will quote you privately and honestly rather than hide a supplement in the headline price.
A deposit of 10% confirms your place. 50% is due at 120 days before departure and is used to file the peak permit and royalty; the balance is due at 60 days.
Places are confirmed only once the permit application is filed in your name. Book through our website or directly on WhatsApp — we will want to talk to you before we accept a booking.
Cancellation Policy
Peak royalty, permit and liaison-officer fees are paid to government months in advance and are non-refundable once filed, whatever the reason for cancellation. This is different from our trekking terms and we want it understood before you pay.
Cancel 120+ days before departure: everything except the filed permit costs is refunded. 60-119 days: 50% of the remaining balance. Under 60 days: non-refundable.
If we cancel the expedition for operational reasons, you receive a full refund with no deductions, or a free transfer to the next season. If it is cancelled by events beyond anyone's control (extreme weather, natural disaster, a government travel advisory or a road or flight closure), you receive a free transfer to new dates or a credit valid for 24 months, plus a refund of every cost we can recover; non-recoverable permit costs are itemized and deducted.
Permits & Documentation
Broad Peak requires a peak permit and royalty paid to the Gilgit-Baltistan authorities, a government liaison officer who travels with the team, and accident insurance for every member. One peak per permit — a second summit needs a second permit and a second royalty.
You need Pakistan’s Mountaineering visa, not a tourist or trekking visa. High-altitude porters must carry insurance to Rs 2,000,000, which we hold. We file all of it; you supply passport, photographs, climbing CV and insurance certificate.
Health & Fitness
This is an 8,000 m expedition, not a trek. Prior experience above 7,000 m is required and we will ask for your climbing CV. You must be competent on fixed rope with jumar and figure-of-eight, in crampons on 45-50 degree snow and ice, and able to look after yourself at altitude in bad weather.
Minimum age 21. A full medical, including a recent cardiac assessment, is required before we accept a booking. Insurance must cover mountaineering above 6,000 m and helicopter evacuation — standard travel insurance will not do it.
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 a Broad Peak expedition cost with you?
Full-board guided is $15,900 per person — royalty and permits, liaison officer, all transport, full base camp, one HAP per climber above BC, oxygen, four high camps and fixed rope. A base-camp service tier for self-sufficient alpine teams is $7,200, and a premium tier with two HAPs per climber is $23,500. Western operators run the same mountain at $18,000 to $52,000; the difference is brand and guide ratio, not the ground team — the HAPs and BC staff are Pakistani either way. Ours are ours.
Is there a minimum team size?
Is Broad Peak really the “easiest” 8000er?
It is the most achievable of Pakistan's five, and that phrasing has killed people. The route is not technically extreme by 8000m standards, but the summit day is long and exposed above 7,800 m with a traverse to the main summit past a false summit that has turned back very strong climbers and caught out others who pushed on late. Treat it as a serious 8000er, because it is one.
What experience do I need?
Prior experience above 7,000 m, and we will ask for your climbing CV before accepting a booking. You need to be competent on fixed rope with jumar and descender, solid in crampons on 45-50 degree snow and ice, and able to function and make decisions at altitude in bad weather. If you have not been above 7,000 m, start with Spantik — ask us and we will tell you honestly where you are.
How long is the expedition and why so long?
Forty-two days. Roughly a week each way on the Baltoro approach and out, and the rest at and above base camp for acclimatisation rotations and — mostly — waiting for a weather window. The waiting is the expedition. Anyone selling you Broad Peak in three weeks is selling you a low summit chance.
Do you use bottled oxygen?
An oxygen allocation is included at the full-board and premium tiers, and most climbers use it from the high camp upward. If you intend to climb without oxygen, tell us at booking — it changes the plan, the HAP arrangement and the risk profile, and we will discuss it with you directly rather than by email.
What is the guide-to-climber ratio?
One high-altitude porter per climber above base camp on the full-board tier, two per climber on premium, plus the expedition guide and full BC staff. HAP insurance to Rs 2,000,000 is carried by us, not by them — that is not universal in Pakistan and it should be.
Can I combine Broad Peak with K2 or a Gasherbrum?
Physically yes — they share the Baltoro and the same base-camp region. Administratively it costs more than people expect: the rule is one peak per permit, so a second summit means a second permit and a second royalty. Talk to us and we will price the combination properly rather than imply a discount that does not exist.
What permits and visa do I need?
A peak permit and royalty paid to the Gilgit-Baltistan authorities, a government liaison officer with the team, and accident insurance for everyone. You travel on Pakistan's Mountaineering visa — not a tourist visa and not the trekking visa. We file all of it; you provide passport, photographs, climbing CV and your insurance certificate.
What happens if I cannot summit?
You come home safely, which is the actual objective. There is no refund for an unsuccessful summit — no operator anywhere offers one, because the cost is incurred whether you top out or not. What we do guarantee is that the turnaround decision gets made on conditions and on your state, not on how much you paid.
Why book a Pakistani operator instead of a Western one?
Because you are already climbing with Pakistanis. The HAPs, cooks, porters and BC staff on every Broad Peak expedition are Pakistani, whoever sold you the trip. Booking direct removes a layer of margin, puts the money in Baltistan, and gets you the team that lives under this mountain. What you should demand in exchange is the safety system — sat phone, forecasting, insured HAPs, rescue contacts, a real turnaround policy. Ask us to show you ours, and ask anyone quoting cheaper to show you theirs.
