The Gasherbrum I & II Double Expedition (8,080 m + 8,035 m) is a guided trip lasting 55 days in Gilgit-Baltistan, northern Pakistan, topping out at 8,080 m. It is graded Expedition — two 8000ers in one season — 6–7 days on foot approach each way. 2 fixed departures are open from $26,900 per person, all-inclusive from Islamabad.
Gasherbrum I & II Double Expedition — 55 Days, Two Eight-Thousanders
Gasherbrum I (8,080 m) and Gasherbrum II (8,035 m) share a base camp. That single fact makes this the most efficient double eight-thousander anywhere on earth: one week-long Baltoro approach, one base camp, one acclimatisation programme, and two summits above 8,000 m in a single season. Fifty-five days. You climb GII first — the more attainable of the twins and the right acclimatisation for what follows — then, with the altitude already in you and a weather window, you go for Hidden Peak.
nBe clear about the economics, because most operators are not. Pakistan issues one permit per peak. Two summits means two permits and two royalties, so the saving here is in logistics and time — one approach instead of two, one base camp instead of two, one set of flights — not in government fees. It is still a large saving against climbing them in separate years, and a far larger one against buying two Western expeditions. Published prices run with a minimum team of four. We do not sell summits: two eight-thousanders in one season is an ambitious objective and the turnaround call on each is final. Local hands, real safety, fair price.
n- Duration
- 55 Days - 54 Nights
- Max altitude
- 8,080 m
- Grade
- Expedition
- Days on foot
- 6–7
- Best season
- Summer ( June - August )
- Group size
- Max 4min age 21
Gasherbrum I & II Double Expedition Price
The full-board Gasherbrum I & II double expedition is $26,900 per person — both peak royalties and permits, liaison officer, Islamabad-Skardu flights, the jeep to Askole, porters, full base camp for the whole window, one HAP per climber above BC on both peaks, oxygen, high camps and fixed rope. Against $15,400 for GII and $16,800 for GI booked separately ($32,200 combined), the double saves you $5,300 and an entire extra approach. Minimum team of four; parties of one to three quoted privately. Fifty-five days, two summits above 8,000 m.
nFixed Departures
Fixed departures are scheduled dates you join as part of a group, rather than arranging your own trip. 2 dates are currently open, each capped at 8 people. Every date is the same price, $26,900 per person. A $2,690 deposit reserves a place. The availability column shows how many places are left on each date.
Private & customised groups
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 3 options. Rates run from $26,900 to On request. What each band covers is set out in the table.
| Group size | Price | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Full-Board Guided — Both Peaks | $26,900 | Both royalties and permits, one HAP per climber above BC on each peak, oxygen, high camps, fixed rope, guide, BC medic and forecasting. Saves $5,300 against booking the two separately. |
| Base Camp Service — Both Peaks | On request | For self-sufficient alpine teams: both permits and royalties, liaison officer, transport, porters and full base camp for the season — nothing above BC. Quoted on request. |
| Premium (2 HAP) — Both Peaks | On request | Two HAPs per climber on both peaks, larger oxygen allocation, private BC tent, priority evacuation. Quoted on request. |
Is this expedition for you?
Only if you have climbed high before. This is a mountaineering expedition, not a trek.
Graded Expedition — two 8000ers in one season.
What this mountain asks of you
The highest point is 8,080 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 — Gasherbrum II then Gasherbrum I
<p>Fifty-five days in phases. One Baltoro approach, one base camp, one acclimatisation programme — then GII first as the lower and more attainable summit, and Gasherbrum I second once the altitude is banked. Above base camp the weather sets the order and the schedule, not us.</p>
Day 1Arrive Islamabad
540 m
Team assembles. Kit check, insurance and documentation review for both peaks.
Day 2Islamabad — Briefing & Liaison Officer
540 m
Expedition briefing and formalities. Two peak permits filed, one liaison officer for the season.
Day 3Fly to Skardu
2,230 m
The flight up the Indus past Nanga Parbat. Weather-dependent.
Day 4Skardu — Load-Out
2,230 m
Gear check, oxygen and rope inventory for a two-summit season, food packing, porter loads weighed.
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 Paiju
3,400 m
Two stages along the Braldu — Jhola, then up toward the snout of the Baltoro.
Day 7Paiju — Rest & Porter Preparation
3,400 m
A full rest day while porters prepare glacier loads for a long season.
Day 8Paiju to Urdukas & Goro II
4,300 m
Onto the Baltoro past the Trango Towers, then out onto the ice.
Day 9Goro II to Concordia
4,650 m
Into the amphitheatre — K2, Broad Peak and both Gasherbrums together.
Day 10Concordia to Gasherbrum Base Camp
~5,000 m
Onto the Gasherbrum glacier to the base camp that serves both peaks. This camp is home for six weeks.
Day 11Base Camp — Puja & Setup
~5,000 m
The puja, full camp built for a long stay, oxygen and rope staged for two objectives, medical baseline.
Day 12Rotation 1 — Camp 1
~5,900 m
First carry and night at Camp 1, then back to base camp.
Day 13Rotation 2 — Camp 2
~6,400 m
Sleeping higher and stocking the route shared by both peaks.
Day 14Base Camp — Rest & Recovery
~5,000 m
Full rest. The acclimatisation you build here has to serve two summits.
Day 15Rotation 3 — Camp 3
~7,000 m
The final acclimatisation push before the first summit attempt.
Day 16Base Camp — First Weather Window
~5,000 m
Waiting for the GII window. We move when the forecast says so.
Day 17Summit 1 — Gasherbrum II
8,035 m
Up through the camps and an alpine start to the summit of GII at 8,035 m. The lower and more attainable twin, climbed first by design.
Day 18Base Camp — Recovery
~5,000 m
Down, eat, sleep. Recovering properly between two eight-thousanders is the whole game and it cannot be rushed.
Day 19Base Camp — Second Weather Window
~5,000 m
Waiting again, this time for Hidden Peak. Some seasons give two windows; some give one.
Day 20Summit 2 — Gasherbrum I
8,080 m
The harder twin, on committing ground, with the altitude already banked from GII. Turnaround time is set before we leave camp.
Day 21Descend & Clear the Mountain
~5,000 m
Down through the camps, stripping both routes and carrying everything off.
Day 22Base Camp — Contingency
~5,000 m
Reserve days for a second attempt on either peak, or weather. On a two-summit season these earn their place.
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 & Departure
540 m
The 4×4 down the Braldu gorge, then 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 $26,900 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 $26,900 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 Gasherbrum I & II Double 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 both peak permits and royalties; 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
Two peaks means two permits and two royalties. Pakistan issues one permit per peak — there is no combined eight-thousander permit, and any operator implying otherwise is misleading you. Both royalties, both permits and the liaison officer are included in the price. The saving on this trip comes from sharing one approach, one base camp and one set of flights, not from government fees.
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
Two eight-thousanders in one season is an ambitious objective and we screen for it. Prior experience above 7,000 m is required and a previous 8,000 m summit is strongly preferred. You must be solid on fixed rope, confident in crampons on steep mixed ground, and — the part people underestimate — able to recover well enough between summits to go again. We will ask for your climbing CV and we do turn people down.
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 the Gasherbrum I & II double expedition cost?
Why is the saving not bigger?
Because Pakistan issues one permit per peak. Two summits means two royalties, and those are the largest fixed cost on the trip — they do not combine, discount or transfer. What you genuinely save is logistics: one week-long Baltoro approach instead of two, one base camp instead of two, one set of flights, one liaison officer, one porter train. We would rather show you that maths than advertise a discount that does not exist.
Why climb Gasherbrum II first?
Because it is the lower and more attainable twin, and summiting it is the best acclimatisation available for Gasherbrum I. Doing it the other way round wastes the altitude you have banked and puts the harder mountain on tired legs. If the weather only offers one window, you will have taken the summit with the higher chance of success.
What if we only summit one?
That is a realistic and common outcome, and it is not a failure. Two eight-thousanders in one season depends on getting two weather windows in a short Karakoram season, and some years only give one. There is no partial refund — both permits and royalties are filed and paid regardless — and we say that plainly up front rather than let you assume otherwise.
Is there a minimum team size?
Yes — four climbers for the published price. The peak royalty is charged per team ($12,000 for a team of up to seven) rather than per climber, and on this trip that applies twice. Parties of one to three are quoted privately so you can see exactly what the two royalties are doing to the number.
How long is it and why 55 days?
Fifty-five days. One approach and exit, a full acclimatisation programme, two summit pushes and recovery in between, plus contingency. Anyone offering two eight-thousanders in under seven weeks is selling you a low chance on the second one.
What experience do I need?
Prior experience above 7,000 m is required and a previous 8,000 m summit is strongly preferred. Beyond the technical bar, you need the recovery capacity to go again after a summit — that is what separates people who get both from people who get one. Send us your climbing CV and we will be honest with you.
What permits and visa do I need?
Two peak permits and two royalties paid to the Gilgit-Baltistan authorities, a government liaison officer with the team, and accident insurance for everyone. These are restricted-zone peaks and you travel on Pakistan's Mountaineering visa — not a tourist visa and not the trekking visa. We file all of it.
