Self-Launched Pakistan: Hike the Karakoram Mountains (Thallay La Trail)
9 days · Pakistan
G Adventures charges £2,320
No-markup version: ~£495 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched, independent version of the classic 9-day Islamabad–Khaplu–Thallay La–Shigar loop. Instead of a guided group departure you fly into Skardu, base yourself in Khaplu, hire a local Balti guide and porter team directly in Khaplu, and walk the old shepherd trail over Thallay La (approx. 4,650 m) between Dunsa and Shigar. You'll sleep in guesthouses in Islamabad, Khaplu and Shigar and overnight in tents on the trail, eat in local dhabas and with your trek crew, and use the spectacular PK-661/Serene Air sectors Islamabad–Skardu (and back from Skardu) plus shared jeeps and local buses on the ground. Costs are realistic backpacker estimates in GBP and assume you arrange your own Pakistan e-visa and Letter of Invitation and travel as a pair (some fixed costs like guides/porters split better with 2–4 people). Everything is approximate and should be confirmed locally.
Day-by-day
Islamabad: arrival and Faisal Mosque at sunset
Islamabad
Land at Islamabad International Airport (must arrive by ~15:00 if you want a relaxed evening), buy a local SIM (Jazz or Zong, ~£3–5 with data) and take a Careem/InDrive or airport taxi to a guesthouse in F-6/F-7 or the cheaper G-9/G-10 area (~£4–7). In the late afternoon visit Faisal Mosque — free entry, modest dress required — and stay for the maghrib prayer echoing over the white marble. Dinner at Melody Food Street in F-7 or the cheaper Melody Market food stalls (chicken karahi, chapli kebab, falooda) ~£4–6. Pick up cash in Islamabad: ATMs basically stop working beyond here, so withdraw enough rupees for the entire trip.
🚌Airport taxi or Careem ~£4–7; local ride-hailing around town £1–2 per trip
🛏Private room in a budget guesthouse or hostel in F-6/F-7/G-9, Islamabad (~£12–18/night)
- →Faisal Mosque at sunset
- →Melody Food Street dinner
- →Buy local SIM and withdraw cash
Islamabad to Khaplu via Skardu
Khaplu
Early morning flight from Islamabad to Skardu (PIA/PK-451 or Serene Air; ~1 hr, ~£60–90 one-way if booked ahead — flight is weather dependent, so build in a buffer day and keep the Karakoram Highway as backup). From Skardu airport take a shared jeep or local wagon to Khaplu (~2.5–3 hrs, ~£4–6 shared, ~£25–35 if you hire a private jeep). Stop en route at Keris suspension bridge for photos, and stop in Balti villages for tea with locals. In Khaplu, check into a small guesthouse near the palace, then do the easy 30–45 min evening walk up to Thoqsi Khar (the ~700-year-old hilltop mosque/fort) for sunset views over the valley.
🚌Flight Islamabad–Skardu ~1 hr ~£60–90; shared jeep Skardu–Khaplu ~2.5–3 hrs ~£4–6
🛏Family-run guesthouse in Khaplu (private room, ~£12–18/night)
- →Scenic flight over the Karakoram
- →Keris suspension bridge stop
- →Thoqsi Khar fort and mosque walk
- →Balti village tea stops
Khaplu heritage day and trek to Dunsa (3,530 m)
Khaplu / Dunsa
Morning: Khaplu Palace (Yabgo Khar) ticket ~£2–3, then Khanqah-e-Mualla, one of Baltistan's oldest mosques — both are short walks from town. Also use this morning to confirm your trek logistics in Khaplu: hire a local Balti guide (~£25–35/day) and porter(s) (~£12–15/day, 15 kg limit per porter) through your guesthouse or the Khaplu-based trekking agencies; buy food supplies for 5 days of camping at the bazaar. After lunch take a shared jeep or 4x4 to the Thallay La trailhead at Dunsa (~1–1.5 hrs) and walk ~1 hr to the first camp at approx. 3,530 m. Set up tents with your crew, cook dinner together.
🚌Shared jeep to trailhead ~£6–10; ~1 hr walk to camp
🛏Tent camping at Dunsa (own/rented tent, sleeping bag 4-season recommended; no showers on trek, crew can provide warm water)
- →Khaplu Palace (Yabgo Khar) visit
- →Khanqah-e-Mualla mosque
- →Hire local guide and porters in Khaplu
- →Short trek to Dunsa campsite
Dunsa to May Sikhpa: meadows and star-filled skies
Thallay Valley, May Sikhpa
Trek 5–6 hrs (~10 km) up the Thallay Valley from Dunsa to May Sikhpa through green meadows, alpine flowers and side streams, walking alongside villagers and shepherds heading to summer pastures. Your guide handles the route and camp logistics; you carry only a daypack. Afternoon free to rest, read, and photograph the peaks. Nights up here are extraordinarily clear — bring a headtorch and enjoy the Milky Way. Expect altitude effects above 3,800 m: walk slowly, drink lots of water, and tell your guide if you feel unwell.
🚌On foot ~5–6 hrs, porter-supported
🛏Tent camping at May Sikhpa (~3,900–4,000 m)
- →Karakoram valley trekking
- →Shepherd village interaction
- →Stargazing
May Sikhpa to La Brangsa High Camp
Thallay Valley, La Brangsa
A shorter, moderate day — around 5 km / 3–4 hrs to La Brangsa High Camp, mostly on green pasture with one small stream crossing. Take long rests, watch yaks and goat herds on the summer pastures, and chat with shepherds. Arrive early afternoon, set up camp, then relax — the porters will usually be up for a cricket knockabout or a game of volleyball. Early dinner and early night to prep for the pass.
🚌On foot ~5 km / 3–4 hrs
🛏Tent camping at La Brangsa High Camp (~4,200 m)
- →High pasture trekking
- →Cricket with porters
- →Yak and goat herd spotting
Thallay La crossing and descent to Bukhma
Thallay La / Bukhma
Start right after sunrise. Climb ~620 m of steep trail to the Thallay La summit (around 4,600–4,700 m depending on route line) — the old trade pass between the Khaplu and Shigar kingdoms. Allow 3–4 hrs up, take real time at the top for photos and rest, then descend ~3–4 hrs to the Bukhma campsite. This is the hardest day of the trip; pace it, use poles, and let your guide set the rhythm. Celebratory dinner cooked by your crew — ask the porters for a proper Balti-style meal.
🚌On foot ~7–8 hrs including the pass
🛏Tent camping at Bukhma
- →Thallay La summit (~4,650 m)
- →Descent to Bukhma camp
- →Celebration dinner with trek crew
Bukhma to Shigar, then Shigar Fort
Shigar
Final trekking day: ~14 km mostly downhill (5–6 hrs) through mountain flowers, glacial streams and jagged snow-capped ridges to Shigar. Settle up with and tip your guide and porters (a few thousand rupees each is customary and hugely appreciated), then check into a guesthouse in Shigar and visit Shigar Fort (Serena Shigar Fort — entry to the restored fort/museum ~£2–3, coffee in the courtyard is pricier but lovely). Shigar's apricot orchards and old wooden mosques are worth an hour's wander.
🚌On foot ~14 km / 5–6 hrs
🛏Guesthouse in Shigar (private room, ~£14–20/night)
- →Final trekking day on the Thallay La trail
- →Tip the porter team
- →Shigar Fort visit
- →Shigar old town wander
Shigar/Skardu to Islamabad: truck art and Melody Food Street
Islamabad
Morning flight from Skardu back to Islamabad (book the sector in advance; if weather cancels flights, fall back on the road via the Karakoram Highway, which takes 12–14 hrs — keep a spare day in your plan). From the airport, take a taxi/Careem to Taxila (~1 hr, ~£8–12 round trip) to see the Gandharan ruins and the truck-art workshops — a chai stop in a truck-art-inspired cafe is the classic move. Then head back to Melody Food Street for a final feast and a last cup of doodh patti.
🚌Flight Skardu–Islamabad ~£60–90; taxi/Careem to Taxila ~£8–12
🛏Private room in a budget guesthouse or hostel in Islamabad (~£12–18/night)
- →Taxila and truck art workshops
- →Gandharan ruins
- →Melody Food Street farewell dinner
Islamabad departure
Islamabad
Depart any time. Use Careem/InDrive or a metered taxi to the airport (~£4–7). If your flight is late in the day, use the morning for the Pakistan Monument or the Saidpur Village craft area — both cheap and close to the city centre.
🚌Airport taxi or ride-hailing ~£4–7
🛏N/A — departure day
- →Optional Pakistan Monument or Saidpur Village visit
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£495 | £2,320 |
| Duration | 9 days | 9 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,825 per person (79%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£495
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Self-Launched Pakistan: Hike the Karakoram Mountains (Thallay La Trail) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £495 per person for 9 days in Pakistan. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £2,320 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £495 — a saving of roughly £1,825 (79%) per person.
How long is the Pakistan trip?+
This itinerary runs 9 days, covering 9 day-by-day stops through Pakistan.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, hiking, culture trip through Pakistan, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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