A Journey to Snow Lake: Trekking to One of the Last Great Places on Earth

A view of Snow Lake in all her glory

A trek to Snow Lake is not for the faint of heart, even for Pakistan where things rarely go to plan, a trip to Snow Lake is extreme. Once you leave Askole, the last village in Baltistan, the only people you will see are your travel mates, guides & porters until you reach Hispar on the other side of the pass. But I have always believed that with great difficulty, comes great reward. Every person has their individual reason for going into nature and disconnecting - Snow Lake is the ultimate destination for that. 

In a world increasingly crowded with non-stop information being thrown at you, a journey to Snow Lake will leave you feeling refreshed and connected to nature in a way that you may not have thought possible.

Leaving All Signs of Civilization in Askole

After making final preparations in Skardu, your group will make their way to Askole, the last sign of civilization for close to two weeks. They will camp and then set off early the next morning towards the Biafo glacier, your home for the next week. This trek is likely different than any you’ve done before - there are no tea houses, no restaurants, not even toilets to greet you along the way. Once you are on the Biafo, or what we affectionately call the glacial highway, you are on a daily march towards the great Snow Lake over ice, rocks & morraine. You’ll see porters navigating the terrain in plastic slippers, mules packed jumping over crevices like it is second nature and trekkers looking around in awe in every possible direction. Each day as we march on further from civilization, you will be met with more peace. The weather can be extreme out here and that is all part of the journey - we will feel mother nature in all her glory. Expect sunny days, windy days, rainy days, snowy days and everything in between. 

Making it to Snow Lake

Snow Lake shot via drone from above in near perfect weather

Depending on weather conditions & the group pace, we should make it to Snow Lake around day 5 or 6 of trekking. The long days spent on the Biafo will pay off with our first steps into one of the most pristine environments left on earth. As Sir Martin Conway, the first foreign visitor to the area proclaimed upon reaching Snow Lake “beyond all comparison the finest view of mountains it has ever been my lot to behold..." The basin itself is 16km wide and along with the Hispar glacier combines to create a 100km long glacial system that is one of the largest outside of the polar regions. We will set up camp here and enjoy the silence and beauty that surrounds us. In a world with many crowded places, you will feel nearly alone in this magnificent place. Adventure favors the bold, and here being bold will pay off. As we camp we will start to prepare for our early morning crossing of Hispar La the next morning. 

Crossing Hispar La: Uniting the Great Kingdoms of Baltistan & Gilgit

Porters roped up making their way across Hispar La

Although Snow Lake may have been our initial destination, crossing Hispar La will provide an additional challenge taking us over a 5150m crevassed pass uniting the two ancient kingdoms. Prepare to leave the valleys of Baltistan behind as we cross the pass and make it to Hunza. Depending on weather conditions, the pass can vary in its degree of difficulty. We’ve done it in a full white out where you couldn’t see more than 5 meters in front of you and when there wasn’t a cloud in the sky and the Karakoram was visible in all of her glory. We will rope up for safety as we make our way over the pass and have magnificent views upon reaching the top of both Baltistan and Gilgit. You will feel a sense of satisfaction that few before you have experienced. Upon making it over, we will start our trek towards Hispar village. 

From Hispar to Hunza

Setting up camp in a beautiful meadow approaching Hispar village and Hunza

After days spent on the glacier with little green in sight, crossing into Gilgit will provide us with green meadows, fresh streams and even wildflowers in season. Day by day as we get closer to Hispar village, the terrain will become more and more green and the beauty of Hunza will start to emerge. We will begin to pass shepherds tending to their Yaks & herds and settlements. From Hispar, we will take Jeep’s to Aliabad in central Hunza Valley to celebrate our successful crossing of the pass. Reaching Aliabad and having a hot shower, we will be able to reflect on the incredible journey we have just taken. 

Final Thoughts

There are many places in the world to visit, many mountain ranges to traverse & many people to meet - but there is nothing in the world like Snow Lake. If you are craving an adventure like no other, where you truly feel like you are at the end of the earth, then join us to Snow Lake. We can promise you peace that is increasingly hard to find in this noisy world, connection with nature & an adventure that few before you have taken. If you are keen to join us this summer, reach out now and check out the full itinerary here.