Shimshal Pass Trek
Shimshal Pass 4,735 meters high, is located east of Pasu on the Karakoram Highway. The dramatically beautiful territory of Shimshal is home to some of the finest trekking in the Karakoram. Lying between the Karakoram Highway, the Chinese border and the northern margin of the Karakoram Range, this is a rugged and remote area including several interconnecting valleys and 9 peaks above 7000 meters. The pass is not part of Khunjerab National Park, but the Shimshal community has set an organization called SNT (Shimshal Nature Trust) which overlooks the entire region and takes care of its own land. It is a community based organization and is registered with the Government of Pakistan. Annually, in the month of July, there is a festival in Shimshal Pass, where locals partake in a yak race, followed by singing and dancing. This yak race is the only one of its kind, and is a unique event.
K-2 Base Camp Trek
K2 Base camp trek stands among the major treks and offers a backbreaking, challenging but rewarding trekking experience among the most famous trekking routes in the world. It begins from the mountains of Skardu, crossing a beautiful valley ‘Shigar,’ and drives you the road ahead and lastly dwell before getting into the Galen Rowell. At the trek, Concordia 4720 meters is known as the setting point of Godwin-Austen and Baltoro Glacier and offers you stunning views. This corridor of ice leads to the colossal peak of K2 8,611 meters (28,251ft) high, the world’s second-highest peak. This incomparable trek traverses some of the most humbling scenery on the planet. What begins following icy rivers boldly goes to the guts of the glacier before leading to the granite pyramidal mountains including Paiju 6,610 meters (21,686ft) high, Uli Biaho 6,417 meters (21,053ft) high, Great Trango Tower 6,286 meters (20,623ft) high and ultimately K2.
Fairy Meadows Trek
Fairy Meadows (or fairy tale meadows), and locally known as Joot, is a grassland near one of the base camp sites of the Nanga Parbat, located in Diamer District, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan. At an altitude of about 3,300 meters (10,800 ft) above sea level, it serves as the launching point for trekkers summiting on the Rakhiot face of the Nanga Parbat. Fairy Meadows is approachable by a 12 Kilometers long jeep-able trek, starting from Raikhot Bridge on Karakoram Highway to the village Tato. Further from Tato, it takes about three to four hours hiking by a 5 Kilometers trek to Fairy Meadows. In 1995, the Government of Pakistan declared Fairy Meadows a National Park.
Ansoo Lake Trek
Ansoo Lake is situated in Kaghan Valley Mansehra District of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. It is located near Malika Parbat in the Himalayan range at the altitude of 4,245 meters (13,927 ft). This lake is considered to be one of the most beautiful lakes of the world. The name “Ansoo“ comes from its tear-like shape (the Urdu word Ansoo means teardrop). The lake also resembles a human eye with a central ice island resembling the iris and a ridge resembling an eyebrow, which becomes even more prominent when ice melts on the “eyebrow“ during the summer. This ridge was partially destroyed in the 2005 Kashmir earthquake. The lake is said to have been discovered in 1993 by Pakistan Air Force pilots who were flying low in the area. Earlier, the lake was not even known to the locals. This lake can be reached by two different routes. First one is short but steeper trek from Saiful Mulook Lake. It takes more than 7 hours for a round trip to Ansoo lake starting from Lake Saiful Mulook. The trek is covered with snow in most parts of the year. The best time to trek is from July 10 to August 15. The optimal time to set off for the lake from Saiful Mulook is around 06:00am in the morning, in order to return before sunset. Horses and guides can also be hired from the Lake Saiful Mulook. The second trek to Ansoo Lake begins in a village named Mahandri, located about 40 Kilometers (25 miles) to the south of Naran. Turning left from Mahandri Bazar, a jeep track leads to Village Manoor. This valley offers picturesque views. Vehicles cannot proceed further from here. 6 to7 hours of trek brings one to a green meadow called “Dher.“ From here the trek becomes steeper. After 3 to 4 hours of trek from Dher at a height of about 14,000 feet, Ansoo Lake becomes visible.
Snow Lake Trek
Snow Lake, or Lukpe Lawo, is a high-altitude glacial basin in the Karakoram mountain range in Gilgit-Baltistan. It is not a lake as it is just a name given to it, due to intense amount of snow there. Snow Lake is located 4,877 meters (16,000 feet) above sea level, and is approximately 16 Kilometers (10 miles) wide. The basin lies at the head of the Biafo and Hispar glaciers, which spread down from the Hispar Pass in opposite directions, forming a 100 Kilometers (61 mile) river of ice that is among the world’s longest continuous glacier systems outside of the Polar Regions. The journey to Snow Lake normally begins in Skardu, which can be reached by plane or jeep from Islamabad. From Skardu, a jeep takes travellers through the Braldu Gorge to the village of Askole. The trek from Askole initially proceeds towards K2, then turns northwest up the Biafo Glacier to Snow Lake.
Ahmed Raza is a frequent traveler and loves cricket. He is a graduate in Journalism and works as Assistant Travel Editor for Kluchit.com
