Join the K2 Base Camp Trek in 2024 – space is limited!
Join the K2 Base Camp Trek in 2024 – space is limited!
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There is a reason that countless magazines, online journals, and travel bloggers have declared Pakistan one of the top tourism destinations in the world – the adventure potential here is truly limitless.
That’s why our first ever tour was launched in Pakistan many years ago: we truly believe in this country, its people, and adventures to be found at every turn.
One of the first things our clients say when they have the opportunity to spend some time in the mountains of Pakistan is: “Wow, I had no idea Pakistan was so incredibly beautiful”.
Our team of highly experienced staff go above and beyond to create the ultimate adventure experience in a country that can be challenging to visit as a solo traveler – creating a fun, international travel vibe for people who don’t normally do group tours.
Through meticulous planning and amazing support from our Pakistani ground team, the stage is set for you to comfortably explore one of the most compelling countries you will ever visit in your lifetime.
We’d love to have you join our team for a truly unforgettable adventure through the mountains, cities, and small villages of Pakistan.
March – October
The weather in Pakistan can be highly variable depending on the season, geographic location, and altitude. We will be traversing through a number of different climatic zones so it is a good idea to know what to expect at each point.
*Note that our spring tours are always colder than our fall tours, especially at altitude.
Islamabad – Typically hot and humid with the potential for rain events. Average temperatures in April: High: 30°C / 87° F Low: 16°C / 61° F. / October: High: 30.5/87° F Low: 15°/59° F.
Lahore – Average temperatures in April: High: 33°C / 92° F Low: 16°C / /69° F. / October: High: 32.2/90° F Low: 19.4°/67° F.
Karimabad – Warm to cool during the day, but not humid. Colder in the spring. and potential for cloud and wind. Cooler to cold at night. Average temperatures in April: High: 15.5°C /60° F Low: 5.4°C /F /October: High: 17.5/63.5° F Low: 5°C/41° F.
Skardu – Warm to hot during the day, but not humid. Dusty, especially along the main bazaar road. Cooler and pleasant at night. Potential for wind and dust storms. July is the warmest month in Skardu. High: 23°C / 73.4° F Low: 10°C / 50° F. The sun is stronger in the mountains so temps. feel hotter than they actually are.
3,000 – 3,500 Meters – Hot, dusty, exposed during the day. Cooler at night, but not freezing typically. Potential for snow around 3500 meters, but very unlikely. Possible cloud cover developing at any elevation.
3,500 – 4,500 Meters – Daily temperatures remain warm, though mornings and evenings are cooler. Above 4000 meters temperatures can easily drop below freezing at night and in the early morning. Rain, snow, cloud cover are all possible at any time
4,500 – 5,350 Meters – Freezing temperatures at night and cool to cold temperatures during the day with periods of warm sunshine possible. Rain, snow, cloud cover are all possible at any time. Evenings at the high camps will be cold. Moses Peak can experience freezing temperatures even during the day. The coldest possible temperatures to expect hover around -10° C / 14° F. Those are extreme estimates and certainly are not the norm for this time of year.
We offer a variety of unique and comfortable accommodation options on our trips. From hotels and homestays to eco-cottages and rustic shared tents; we do our best to make sure where we sleep is part of the overall tour experience.
Here is a brief rundown of the different types of accommodation you can expect while on an adventure tour in Pakistan:
Islamabad – Nice hotel not far from the Faisal Mosque. Hot water, wifi, and an excellent buffet breakfast.
Aliabad/Mountain Story Lodge – Very cool eco-resort (the first of its kind in Pakistan). Private cottages (2 to a room). Wifi, hot water, great meals, and excellent views.
Ghulkin Village – Homestay. Hot water. No wifi/cell signal. Shared accommodation in a traditional Hunza-style communal room. Camping in tents is possible for those who snore. The best food of the trip!
Trekking – Shared, high-quality tents (2 per tent) provided by Epic.
Fairy Meadows – Beautiful, but basic wooden cabins with wood burning stoves. Hot water possible. No wifi/cell signal.
There are several major networks in Pakistan: Zong, Telenor, and SCOM. SCOM seems to work the best in Gilgit-Baltistan (and does not work at all in Punjab). Foreigners can obtain SIM cards in Pakistan but the procedure is slightly complicated.
In our opinion, it’s not worth getting a SIM card as our hotels in Islamabad and some places in Hunza should have wifi. The wifi in Hunza however comes and goes sporadically as when it is around, it is slower than molasses.
SIM cards cost about 2000 PK rupees with a data plan.
All foreigners need to obtain SIM cards from the various company’s main offices. You will need your passport, visa, and to give your fingerprints in order to get a SIM.
Keep in mind that this trip is a chance for our guests to unplug and fully embrace a proper digital detox.
The internet situation in Pakistan is spotty at best, so please have realistic expectations regarding wifi and internet speeds/access.
Pakistan’s country dialing code is +92. It’s timezone is GMT+5 (check the current time there now).
Despite its poor reputation for safety in the Western media, Pakistan is a very safe place for foreign tourists to visit. Pakistani people are among the most welcoming people we have encountered in our years of travel. The odds of being a victim of any sort of crime or act of aggression are relatively low.
Regardless, EBT vets its local partners and hotels thoroughly to ensure that all points of contact are as secure as possible. Since our first-ever organized adventure tour in Pakistan in 2016, we have built up an extensive network of trusted resources.
Our experienced team of guides provides support on challenging treks and prioritizes group safety, hazard awareness, and accident prevention as our standard operating procedure. In case of emergency, EBT trip leaders are equipped with a satellite communication device, which can contact outside emergency first responders from any place in Pakistan.
Being a part of an adventure or trekking tour in Pakistan requires a lot of energy output each day and a big part of our job is keeping everybody well-nourished, happy, and energized.
Here’s what you can expect from daily meals:
Breakfast – Typically includes omelet/fried eggs, fried Pakistani bread (paratha), jam, butter, and chai/coffee. Sometimes we have a delicious hot porridge as well. Want to win the heart of your guide? Bring a pound of your favorite coffee from your country to share with the group.
Let your guide know if you are able/keen to bring some coffee 🙂
Lunch – We typically provide a hearty lunch. Usually a mix of daal, mixed vegetables, a meat dish, salad, chapati, rice, etc.
Dinner – Is always the main event of the day and will be a mix of vegetables, rice, noodle dishes, daal, meat (mutton or chicken), chapati, and local specialties depending on where we are.
Technically, alcohol is illegal in Pakistan. In 99.9% of the country, alcohol is not available or sold anywhere. However, for non-muslims and foreigners especially it is legal to buy and drink alcohol. Your EBT guide can advise you on the proper way to import and consume alcohol in Pakistan if needed.
All individuals who intend to travel to Pakistan trip MUST apply for a Pakistani tourist visa or a trekking and mountaineering visa, depending on the trip you are doing. Nowadays, most nationalities can apply for a visa under the new Evisa scheme.
Epic Backpacker Tours will issue every guest a Letter of Invitation (LOI) to Pakistan and other supporting documents (Pakistani guide licenses, accommodation reservation documents, NIC numbers (Pakistani tax id #), etc needed to apply for the visa.
The Evisa process is much quicker than applying directly at a Pakistani consulate/embassy. However, you can still apply at an embassy if need be.
Once all the required paperwork is submitted online, the Evisa is typically granted within 1 – 6 weeks depending on the type of visa being applied for. Our Discover the Hunza Valley and Trekking Amongst Giants tours require only a Pakistani standard tourist visa. Visiting K2 Base Camp will require a Trekking and Mountaineering sub-visa though, which usually takes more time to process.
We recommend to all clients to apply for their Pakistani visas around 3 months in advance.
The official currency of Pakistan is the Pakistani rupee. It usually fluctuates around 200-250 to the USD but has in recent years weakened considerably (check the current exchange rate here).
ATMs are common in Islamabad and Lahore but less common (or nonexistent) once we head to Gilgit-Baltistan. We have experienced issues finding working ATMs once we leave the cities and we recommend that you change/withdraw your money before we head up into the mountains.
We also recommend that instead of relying on your ATM card, bring foreign cash and change it at the airport or in the city (if the money changer is open at the airport). USD, Euro, and British Pounds are all fine. Make sure to bring notes that are free from any defects. The money changers like PERFECT bank notes.
Pakistan is a cash-based economy and you will not be able to use your debit/credit card to purchase things.
The following plug types can be found in Pakistan:
In our experience, Type C plugs are the most common in Pakistan.
Voltage is 230 at 50 hertz.
Note that power outages are common in the more mountainous communities, including in Hunza and Skardu. Whilst on a trekking tour in Pakistan, you can charge your gear using the camp generator at the end of the night. While Epic does provide a generator, we highly recommend that everyone invest in a good portable solar panel while trekking in Pakistan as they are usually more convenient.
Because it may be the last great adventure destination left!
Nepal, Patagonia, New Zealand; all of these locations have been done time and time again and are on the verge of being spoiled by over-tourism.
Pakistan, on the other hand, is still quite raw and relatively untouched by foreign tourists. It’s one thing to have some of the most gorgeous scenery in the world; it’s quite another to find it almost completely empty.
Simply put, there are a TON of unexplored areas to find and adrenaline-filled opportunities to try out here. Travel to Pakistan now before it becomes the next big holiday destination and is potentially ruined.
We offer several kinds of trips in Pakistan! All feature to varying extents a mix of active, cultural, culinary, and immersive activities, among other kinds of fun.
One thing is for sure though: all of our adventure tours in Pakistan feature some sort of hiking or physical outlet (because we love to be active even while on holiday). Some feature more hiking than others.
Our K2 Base Camp itinerary is the most physically demanding itinerary we currently offer (13+ days of walking). Our Discover the Hunza Valley itinerary is less intensive (6 days of walking) and would be better suited for more casual adventurers. The Trekking Amongst Giants tour is somewhere in between the two aforementioned.
You can expect the following when trekking on almost any of our Pakistani adventure tours:
Despite their sheer proximity to one another, the Karakoram and Himalaya mountain ranges are quite different from one another.
The Himalaya, which are many adventurers’ first forway into big mountain territory, are generally broader, more dispersed, and more vegetated (at lower elevations). Crucially, the Himalaya have two main trekking seasons, post and pre-monsoon.
The Karakoram, which many people mistake for the Himalaya (they’re actually geographically separate) are much more dramatic on the other hand. The topography is far more rugged and features more sheer, often precarious profiles, giving the Karakoram a more “mangled” appearance overall. There is only one trekking season, the summer, and temperatures can swing wildly during this period.
Crucially, there is little to no teahouse-style trekking in Pakistan, which is a staple of the Nepalese Himalaya. Trekkers in Pakistan must self-sufficient and be able to make camp for long periods of time.
Even though different itineraries entail different levels of physical demand, being in decent shape is usually enough to take part in one of our Pakistani trekking tours.
Participants should be able to do the following:
We have unique packing lists for each one of our adventure tours in Pakistan. Refer below for a link to our most popular:
Our team members are experts on all things adventure in Pakistan!
If you’re interested in traveling to Pakistan but still have unanswered questions, feel free to give us a shout anytime. We’re ready and able to assist you in any way possible when it comes to planning your next big trip.
So ask away!
Chat with us now!
Chat with us now!
Adventure Guide
Hailing from the Toronto region of Eastern Canada, with a background as a former standout athlete (hockey of course) and a love of mountain adventure, Clark is a welcomed addition to the Epic team.
In addition to being a keen photographer and adventurer, Clark brings his brilliant sense of humor, leadership skills, and positive attitude to everything he puts his mind to.
When he is not leading trips, he is working on taking over the hard apple cider game in Canada as a skilled craft brewer.
Meet him during : K2 Base Camp Trek
Adventure Guide
Noeimi grew up in the mountains of German-Speaking Switzerland where she naturally developed a deep love and respect for mountain environments.
She is a talented photographer, aspiring climber, and speaks at least 5 languages fluently including Arabic (and probably a few more that we don’t know about), which she taught herself in a matter of months by watching YouTube videos.
Noemi has spent the last several years traveling, hiking, and photographing her way around many different countries in the Middle East, South and Central Asia, and Europe, and we could not be more stoked to welcome her to the Epic team!
Meet her during : Discover the Celestial Mountains | Island Peak Climbing Expedition
Adventure Guide
As our man on the ground in Mongolia, there is not much this legend can’t do. As a native the Bayan-Ölgii province of the Western Mongolia Altai, Syerik has been working as a guide and tourism entrepreneur…
for the past several years and is one of the rising stars in Mongolia adventure travel industry.
He is currently building a beautiful Ger (Yurt) camp near his hometown where he will host Epic Mongolia team members on our trip as well as other travelers from around the world!
“
He is the perfect guide for your trip to Mongolia. Serik did an amazing job giving us a well rounded experience in the Altai NP region and down in the Gobi…
The food was fantastic and Serik gave us many opportunities to learn about the Kazakh culture in that region including traditional meals. (I can’t recommend enjoying the milk tea enough!)
– Coastal
Head of canine operations
Choriza started off life as a care-free vagabond on the streets of Madeira Island without any place to call home. From the moment we met her, we knew this dog was just different, and it was pretty much love at first sight.
She gave up the dog street life in favor of joining her new dad Chris to become a full-time member of the Epic family towards the end of 2022.
These days she can be found listening in on the fringes of important Epic business meetings while half-asleep on the couch. She is a keen hiker, lover of mud, rare steak, and might just be the sweetest little dog we have ever seen.
Adventure Guide
An experienced trek leader and
IFMGA aspirant ski guide, avid alpine climber, devoted adventure photographer.
Organized and guided trekking expeditions, climbs and ski tours in Tajikistan’s Pamirs, Patagonia, Peru, Morocco, Nepal, Kyrgyzstan, Georgian and Russian Caucasus and Kamchatka.
A full member and meets the organiser of the British Alpine Club. Visited over 40 countries, lived in the UK for four years. Certified first-aider.
“
We joined Andrew on a fantastic trip to the Fann Mountains in Tajikistan, pure nature and magnificent scenery! Andrey was super prepared and led us safely up and down numerous passes and through some rough and icy cold rivers. Thank you for a very memorable trip, your planning and prep was excellent!
– Monika Steinlechner
Meet him during : Trekking in the Fann Mountains
Adventure Guide
Our man in Nepal, Sandip is what we like to call a “Swiss Army Knife”. There is not much Sandip can’t do when it comes to helping Epic to run our expeditions smoothly in Nepal.
His tireless work ethic, passion for all things trekking in the Himalayas, and smart decision-making mean that Sandip is a truly invaluable member of our team.
Sandip is passionate about showing visitors to his country an amazing time, and he goes above and beyond to make sure that happens.
His company Himalayan Masters is Epic’s trusted partner in Nepal and one of the country’s top new tour agencies.
“
We really enjoyed the entire journey, and I would like to say that Sandip is truly professional. He guided us and he is a hardworking person, providing us with the best service and taking care of each one of us. Plus, he is super funny! The kind of professionnal you always want to find on your path for your explorations!
– Alexandra Ruth
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Our flagship Pakistani adventure tour. Road trip with some hiking and cultural immersion.
A trekking-style tour that features some very remote locations, inlcuding a K2 viewpoint.
Adventure Guide
João has born in the mountains of Madeira Islands in Portugal. Nature lover, writer, musician, guide, for him, a day without contact with outdoor vibes is a nightmare.
With a degree in Cultural Studies in Portugal and a Master of Arts in Global Cultures and Creativity in the U.K.
João found out what really matters in life can be found on the trails, and in the contact with people from different backgrounds and cultures.
Guiding, crazy trekking missions, and sharing observations about the natural world, – these are some of João’s passions.
After trekking to K2 Base Camp and exploring all over Northern Pakistan, he fell in love with the country and the local people. His experiences resulted in his desire to share these feelings with the world.
João is one of the most experienced guides at Epic and his skillset and positive mindset in the mountains is second to none
When not in Pakistan, João is guiding and exploring in the Madeira Islands trails – discovering some of the hidden treasures on his Portuguese Island.
“
João I can not thank you enough for the off the beaten paths and views you keep giving. Definitely one of the most challenging and amazing hikes we did 1200m meters all the way up to Fanal forest and circling back to the hidden village. Wow!
– Jeffery
Meet him during : Lost World of Europe | Discover the Hunza Valley | K2 Base Camp Trek
Adventure Guide
Sohail is the newest addition to the Epic Backpacker Tours team and we are beyond stoked to have him on board. As a veteran of the Karakoram and a native of Karimabad in Hunza, there is not much Sohail can’t do in the mountains.
Besides having the ability to speak more languages than we can count, Sohail has explored every corner of Gilgit Baltistan and logs more trekking miles
in a year than most people will do in a lifetime. As of the summer of 2022, Sohail has summited Gasherbrum 1, Gasherbrum 2, and K2 – three of Pakistan’s five 8000-meter peaks. Sohail guides several trips including our annual bespoke expeditions but specializes in Hunza Valley tours.
“
Chris and Sohail, and the team at Epic are FANTASTIC! Highly recommend anyone to do a tour with ‘Epic’. They have the perfect balance of fun, excitement and wild adventures, tied in with being super professional and ensuring your safety/health in a foreign environment. Don’t waste a moment and book a tour with these guys as the value for money is UNREAL!
– Borgan
Meet him during : Discover the Hunza Valley
Adventure Guide
Pedro’s been traveling all around the globe since 2009. His keen interests in documentary photography, rural life, and local people from different ethnic groups have been the focus of many of his professional projects.
Since 2012, he has developed his passion for travel and awesome shared experiences into a full-time adventure photography tour leader position.
Pedro has found himself continuously going back to the Middle East, with his likely favorite destination being Iran. Pedro will be leading his 11th tour in Iran with EBT this coming spring 2020
When Pedro’s not traveling the world with Epic Backpacker Tours, you’ll find him based in the western south of Portugal planning he’s next adventure missions, logistics and working out his photos in local exhibitions.
“
I loved the combination of hiking, camping around breathtaking scenery mixed with the cultural aspects. The guide (Pedro) is knowledgeable and work very hard to make the trip as memorable as possible. All in all an epic adventure with some extremely epic individuals! Go for it, you won’t regret it!
– Coastal
Adventure Admin / Marketing
After fleeing from the corporate fashion world in Paris towards the start of 2020, Diane has been working as a web developer and graphic designer remotely from various bases across the globe
She brings all of her incredible design and organizational power to Epic Backpacker Tours and is responsible for many of the beautiful behind-the-scenes design elements.
Diane has been to Iran and to Pakistan twice including all over Gilgit Baltistan and KPK.
Head of Operations | Guide
A veteran of Pakistan travel, Ralph is an experienced guide, photographer and writer who specializes in documenting remote locations.
Not one to simply go where everyone else does, he insists on exploring new and lesser-known areas.
Together with Epic Backpacker Tours, he shows people parts of Pakistan that most other operators don’t even know about. He is particularly fond of the village of Barah, which he believes will become just as famous as Hunza one day.
“
Just got back from EBT’s Trekking Amongst Giants 15 day tour. The experience was first class. Ralph, our head guide, ensured that the entire trip ran smoothly and relatively on time (a bonus for anyone travelling in Pakistan). We had so many unforgettable days on the tour and the trekking was well-planned, safe but also a rewarding challenge.
– Calvin
“
Traveling to a non-tourist destination can be a little intimidating but EBT takes all of the worry and trepidation away. From the pre-trip call to meeting the wonderful staff in person you can tell that you are dealing with a company that has a passion for what they do each and every day. Ralph, Zahid, and Khan were supportive, kind, and always willing to go the extra mile to make sure that everyone on the trip was getting what they wanted out of the experience.
– Katrina
Meet him during : Trekking Amongst Giants | Discover the Celestial Mountains | K2 Base Camp Trek
Founder | Adventure Guide | Director
Since he started exploring the world, Chris has been seeking out every shade of adventure in various parts of the globe and had visited more than 70 countries along the way.
Over the last 10 years, Chris has logged more than 7000 trail miles across five continents and climbed multiple 6000 + 7000 meter peaks in Pakistan and Nepal.
A few years back, a distant dream and a deep passion for the mountains and the people of Pakistan led Chris to co-found Epic Backpacker Tours at a time when foreign adventure tourism in Pakistan was almost nonexistent. Since then, Chris has guided more than 20 expeditions to various parts of Northern Pakistan.
Chris believes in using photography and powerful adventure experiences to dismantle negative stereotypes regarding what mainstream media considers “dangerous” countries while facilitating unique and meaningful memories in the mountains for countless people from around the globe.
For him, an ideal start to the day begins with a steaming cup of good coffee, the beam of a headlamp, alpine boots, and a camera in hand.
He lives in Madeira Island when not leading expeditions in far-flung lands.
Chris also works as a writer and photographer on his blog Off the Atlas – an adventure travel blog all about Pakistan.
Read this interview our staff did with Chris to learn more about him!
“
Chris believes in Pakistan and its people, and he believes in the value of journeys shared with others and family cultivated on the road. Honesty and integrity are at the heart of what he does, and this really shines through in his work as a guide. He also makes great coffee – whether at 5am in an empty guesthouse or half way up a Himalayan peak.”
– Will De Villers
“
Pakistan is a magical country! Had 3 of the best weeks of my life thanks to Epic Backpacking Tours with owner, and one of our awesome guides, Chris. From detailed itinerary, preparation with an equipment list, and visa assistance. To amazing food, great porters, helpful guides, and great accommodations. Epic really hit home run after home run. […]
Their desire for adventure and amazing trip is just as high as yours. Bring a good pound of coffee for the trip. French press coffee every morning and no average tin coffee, plus you’ll be in your guides good books.
– Clark Tyler
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