The Khosar Gang Expedition (6,401 m) is a guided trip lasting 10 days in Gilgit-Baltistan, northern Pakistan, topping out at 6,401 m. 3 fixed departures are open from $2,200 per person, all-inclusive from Islamabad.
Khosar Gang Expedition (6,401 m) — Your First 6,000er, 10 Days
Khosar Gang stands directly above the Shigar Valley, an hour and a half from Skardu, and at 6,401 m it is the most accessible real summit in Baltistan. The route is snow slopes and straightforward glacier — no technical rock, no steep ice — which makes it the honest answer to a question we hear every season: what should my first 6,000er be?
This one. It is close enough to reach in a day from town, high enough to mean something, and simple enough that we can teach the rope and crampon work you need at base camp on the way up. What it still demands is fitness and respect: summit day starts in the dark, crosses 1,000 m of ascent on snow, and tops out above two-thirds of the oxygen you were born to.
You climb with Balti guides from Shigar and Skardu who use this mountain as their training ground, the same staff who work our Spantik and 8,000 m expeditions. Summit Khosar Gang, and Spantik is your next rung. Local hands, real safety, fair price.
- Duration
- 10 Days - 9 Nights
- Max altitude
- 6,401 m
- Grade
- Expedition
- Days on foot
- 1
- Best season
- Summer ( June - September )
- Group size
- Max 10
Khosar Gang Expedition Price
Our full-board Khosar Gang expedition is $2,200 per person — peak permit, Islamabad-Skardu flights, hotels, jeeps to the Shigar roadhead, porters, staffed base camp, high camp, group climbing gear and a climbing guide. Base-camp-only service is $1,400. Minimum team of two; skills training at base camp is included.
Fixed Departures
Fixed departures are scheduled dates you join as part of a group, rather than arranging your own trip.
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 | $1,400 | Permit, transport, porters and a staffed base camp for climbers who bring their own rope skills and gear. |
| Full-Board Guided | $2,200 | High camp, group climbing equipment, skills training at base camp and a climbing guide on summit day. |
| Private Team | On request | Your own dates, your own team, higher staff ratio — quoted to group size. |
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 6,401 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 — Khosar Gang (6,401 m)
Ten days: fly to Skardu, a short jeep stage into the Shigar Valley, one day to base camp, then acclimatisation, skills, a single high camp and the summit — with a contingency day where the mountain gets a vote.
Day 1Arrive Islamabad
540 m
Team assembles. Kit check, documentation review, and dinner with your climbing guide.
Day 2Fly to Skardu
2,230 m
The flight up the Indus past Nanga Parbat, and an afternoon in the bazaar for last supplies.
Day 3Skardu to the Shigar Roadhead & Trek to Base Camp
~4,300 m
Jeeps through Shigar — fort, orchards, the old mosque — to the roadhead, then a steady day on foot up to base camp.
Day 4Base Camp — Skills Day
~4,300 m
Crampons, ice axe, rope work and glacier travel taught and drilled on real ground. Nobody goes higher until the team moves well.
Day 5Acclimatisation Carry to High Camp
~5,300 m
Loads up to the high camp site on the snow shoulder, then back down to base to sleep low.
Day 6Base Camp — Rest
~4,300 m
Full rest. Eat, sleep, and let the body catch up with the altitude.
Day 7Move to High Camp
~5,300 m
Up to the high camp in the afternoon. Early dinner and an early night — the alarm goes off at 1am.
Day 8Summit Day — Khosar Gang
6,401 m
A headtorch start and a long, steady snow climb to the summit as the sun rises over the Karakoram — K2 to Nanga Parbat on a clear morning. Down to base camp the same day.
Day 9Contingency — Trek Out & Drive to Skardu
2,230 m
Held in reserve for weather. Otherwise down to the roadhead, jeeps to Skardu, and a hot shower.
Day 10Fly to Islamabad & Departure
540 m
The morning flight out 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 $2,200 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 permit and government fees
- Islamabad-Skardu flights
- Hotels in Islamabad and Skardu
- Jeeps to the Shigar roadhead
- Porters
- Staffed base camp with kitchen
- Dining and toilet tents
- Cook and all meals
- Satellite phone
- Weather forecasting
- Full-board tier adds: high camp with tents
- Fuel and food
- Group climbing equipment (rope
- Pickets)
- Skills training and a climbing guide
Not included
- International flights
- Pakistan visa fees
- Personal kit (boots
- Crampons
- Axe
- Harness — rentable in Skardu
- Ask us)
- Evacuation insurance (mandatory)
- Staff tips and summit bonuses
- A summit. Weather and your own condition decide
- The guide's 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 $2,200 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 Khosar Gang Expedition
Booking & Payment
Minimum team size is two. A deposit of 10% confirms your place and files the peak permit. Balance is due 45 days before departure.
Book through our website or directly on WhatsApp.
Cancellation Policy
Permit and government fees are non-refundable once filed.
Cancel 60+ days out: full refund less filed permit costs. 30-59 days: 50% of the remaining balance. Under 30 days: no refund.
If we cancel the expedition for operational reasons, you receive a full refund with no deductions, or a free transfer to another departure. 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
Khosar Gang requires a peak permit from the Gilgit-Baltistan authorities. We file and manage it.
You need Pakistan's Mountaineering visa, not a tourist visa. We provide the letter of invitation; allow several weeks.
Health & Fitness
No previous climbing experience is required — skills are taught at base camp — but strong hill fitness is. Summit day is 1,100 m of ascent on snow above 5,300 m.
Minimum age 18. Evacuation insurance covering trekking and climbing to 6,500 m is mandatory and arranged by you.
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 Khosar Gang expedition cost?
Full-board guided is $2,200 per person: peak permit, Islamabad-Skardu flights, jeeps, porters, base camp, high camp, group climbing equipment and a climbing guide. Base-camp-only service for independent climbers is $1,400.
Is Khosar Gang a good first 6,000 m peak?
Yes — it is the one we recommend. The route is non-technical snow and glacier, the approach is short, and we teach crampon and rope skills at base camp. You need strong hill fitness, not a climbing CV.
How high are the camps?
Base camp sits at about 4,300 m, a day above the Shigar Valley roadhead, with one high camp at about 5,300 m. Summit day climbs roughly 1,100 m on snow to the top at 6,401 m.
When does it run?
June to September. At ten days door to door it fits inside a two-week holiday, including the Skardu flights and weather margin.
What visa do I need?
Pakistan's Mountaineering visa, since Khosar Gang is a permitted peak. We file the peak permit and provide the letter of invitation.
What comes after Khosar Gang?
Spantik (7,027 m), our entry 7,000er on the Chogo Lungma — the same team, one rung higher. Then the Gasherbrums. That ladder is how our climbers build toward the 8,000ers safely.
