Nanga Parbat EXPD |50 Days

Trip Overview

Nanga Parbat is truly an awesome spectacle.It is the nineth highest mountain in the world and the second highest in Pakistan after K2. The south face is the largest in the world extending over four kilometres above base camp. To date there have only been five ascents from the south. Nanga Parbat means “Naked Mountain” in Hindi/Urdu and is with reference to the south face’s exposed rock buttresses. The north face is equally intimidating. In contrast to the south face’s steep rock and ice the snowy north face is guarded by a broad barrier of seracs that extend the width of the mountain. Climbers before the Second World War were convinced that the only way to climb the mountain was from the north via a long arc extending over Rakhiot Peak (7010m), between the two summits of Silberzacken and finally to the summit of Nanga Parbat thereby avoiding a more direct ascent of the north face. The route was dangerously prone to avalanche and exposed to bad weather. 31 people died attempting to climb the mountain leading to it acquiring the infamous name of the “Killer Mountain”.

Nowadays it is not such a killer and there are other peaks that could inherit the nickname (eg Ultar or Batura I). Hermann Buhl’s summit route has only been repeated once (Slovak, 1971) to this day. His ascent marked only the third 8000m ascent after Annapurna I (1950) and Everest and was the only first summit of all the 8000ers to be done without oxygen and of course solo. Most attempts nowadays are via the Westerly Diamir face which is generally considered to be the easiest and safest with the Kinshofer Route the normal route. Nanga Parbat as of 2005, had received 263 ascents by 261 individuals (Messner and SP Member Qudrat Ali have climbed it twice) at a price of 62 deaths. Sixteen women have summited the mountain.

Outline Itinerary

Day 01    Arrival in islamabad,Transfer to hotel.
Day 02    Islamabad:Briefing at the Ministry of Tourism.
Day 03    Drive to Chilas via Karakiram Highway.
Day 04-05:   Drive to Halale by jeep and trek to B.C.
Day 06–45:   40 days for acclimatization and climbing
Day 46-47:    Trek down to Halale and drive by jeep to Chilas.
Day 48   Drive  to Islamabad. Overnight at hotel.
Day 49:    Farewell meeting at Alpine Club of Pakistan.
Day 50   International Flight to home Country.