Experience the K2 and Gondogoro La Trek from Islamabad

Summary: Before deciding which local company to travel with I checked a number of reviews, websites and reached out to some travelers who had been in Pakistan with Trango and given the overwhelming positive feedback, I decided to travel with them and I am truly happy of my choice. Before the travel: excellent assistance for all questions and support for the info to obtain the visa. Clear and consistent information and all questions answered in short response time. During the travel: their service is really all inclusive, no hidden costs, no surprises, from pick up at the airport to drop off for the return including ALL meals. The hotels they select were good, they also offer additional services like city tours and equipment rental. Although it might be easier to rent on site, I’d warn you the equipment is not state of the art. It’s functional and serves the purpose, but they have bulky sleeping bag, old style heavy harnesses, so I would strongly suggest to carry your own. Mattresses and jumar are good. The staff we had during the trip deserves an extra 5*. Professional, experienced and friendly. The chef porter was taking such good care of our little group almost as if we were good friends, all the porters were super friendly and helpful, the cook and help cook went above and beyond. Amazing how they managed to always get incredibly good quality food ready with the little means they had. Hot water was always available. Our guide was very friendly and helpful but we missed more details on what we were visiting, some history and what to expect especially for the Gondogoro La passing. Compared to other companies which charge more, going in parallel to us, I honestly did not see a difference and felt the service we got was excellent. I guess bigger companies play more on things like all tents are identical and they give you more gimmicks but that’s really not a reason to charge that much more! Also camping spots are the same for everyone. Trango is fantastic value for the money you pay and they treat you like valued customers and not numbers. Notes on the trek: you do need to be really fit. We were lucky as no one of us got really stomach sick, which seems to be exceptional and I attribute this to the care in food. The landscapes are stunning, a sort of a dream and the experience is authentic, you have to be ready to take 14 nights in a tent at altitude with a variety of weather. But for nature and mountain wilderness (well.. except the crowded camps) this is a blessing! If you can physically afford it, do the Gondogoro La pass as you’ll see another marvelous valley and it is less monotonous than going back the same way. Phones have NO line. Locals could only use them in Askole and Concordia.it seems agencies do NOT have satellites (maybe limitations are there as there are military areas). They find ways to communicate as there’s constant back and forth and everyone knows everyone else, but don’t rely on satellite. In the end I can only highly recommend Trango. We came as customers, we left with new friends.

Summary: I was with Ernie A group from Calgary Canada and I need to say that everything He saying regarding the guides,[ IT'S NOT TRUE ] the guide and assistant guide were excellent and did a super great Job and for myself I couldn't ask for better, unfortunately if your body CAN NOT handle this type of trekking and you are very picky about everything they do, you should not blame the guides, [ Iqbal, Habib, and the rest of the staff I give them 10 out of 10 ] This is a demanding trek and if you are NOT physically fit you will have issues . Talking about food yes it was almost the same every day, but the cooks did an excellent job considering the conditions and the equipment they had .

Summary: While exploring the possible companies that offer the K2 Base Camp Gondogoro La trek, Trango Adventures was the most responsive. The management, guide, kitchen staff, and porters did their best to provide us excellent services and for us to have epic experiences during the whole duration of the trek. Moreover, as a female traveler, I felt safe all throughout the trek. I appreciate how the locals, including our crews, are respectful of our boundaries. I was part of a small but diverse group from different countries. The local crews played a crucial role in reaching our goal. We built rapports as we shared stories (despite the language barrier) and snacks with them. Sulaiman, the head porter, would always readily share his dried apricots and hard bread with us. Meanwhile, seeing all the majestic mountains, particularly K2 and Broad Peak, was truly breathtaking. Sleeping on a glacier was also a first time for most of us. Personally, crossing the Gondogoro Pass plus the descent was the most difficult. In spite of this, I feel that I was properly taken care of and guided by the crew and the group. Another highlight of the trip was the interactions with the hardcore mountaineers who have climbed those eight-thousanders. Given the opportunity that I could explore more of Northern Pakistan, I would definitely contact Trango Adventures again.🙂