Assalam u Alaikum,
It all started when I came to know about Adventure Foundation of Pakistan's planned trip to Fairy Meadows and Nanga Parbat Base Camp. I registered with them and they send me the itinerary and the total cost which was Rs. 22500 per person for 7 days. I discussed it with some of my friends and they said it was too high price and suggested that we could do it in much less and also we could see lots of more areas other then just Fairy Meadows. So 5 of us decided to go to Baltistan region for 9 days.
Our initial plan was as follows.
Day1: Flight to Skardu.
Day1,2,3: Visit places near Skardu like Kachura, Shigar and maybe Khaplu.
Day4: Hire a jeep and cross Deosai and reach Astore.
Day5: Visit Tarashing in Rupal valley
Day6: Visit Rama Lake
Day7,8,9: Visit Fairy Meadows and back to Gilgit for our return flight.
Well all of this got thrashed when our flight got cancelled and there was absolutely no chance in the next three days as the previous three flights were also cancelled.
We were at the airport and discussing different alternatives. I was of the suggestion that we take the NATCO bus and go for Fairy Meadows but two other were not willing to travel on the NATCO bus so they suggested that we rent a 4WD jeep from Islamabad for our total trip. We contacted different links for a reliable 4WD Prado or Land Cruiser and finally we got one for Rs. 4700/day without fuel for the complete trip. It was a 94 model Prado and was very comfortable. So we started our journey on Sunday 3rd July early in the morning and reached back Islamabad safely on Monday 11th July.
Trip Details:
Day1: Sunday 3rd July 2011
Islamabad-Naran-Burawai.
Our initial plan was to travel from Islamabad to Chilas on the same day. But my friends wasted too much time in Balakot, Kiwai etc. that when we reached Naran it was roughly 7PM. We still thought of crossing Babusar top and reaching Chilas but the rain started when we reached Burawai (Just shy of Jalkhad). We found a low level hotel over there and decided to call it a day and start from this place early in the morning.
Night stay in Burawai.
Day2: Monday 4th July 2011
Burawai-Babusar-Chilas-Raikot-Tatu-Fairy Meadows:
We started early from Burawai i.e 6AM and reached Chilas at 12noon which included a few stops.
Jalkhad-Chilas:From Jalkhad onwards to near Chilas there is no road and you will be travelling on gravel, stones, dirt, water and glaciers etc. But it is a fun adventure. 1 hour before Chilas metalled road starts which is still in patches. Just very near to Chilas where we see the Indus river for the very first time the short route to the KKH is blocked due to land sliding. It is merely a 5 min. drive and at the most 10min. hike but due to land sliding one has to take a very long path for almost 50-60 min. to reach the same spot. It is really disappointing.
Chilas-Raikot:From Chilas to Raikot the condition of KKH is just about OK when compared to other patches on the KKH. Total time taken should not be more then 1 hour 45 min. to 2 hours. Distance wise it must be somehwere between 60-65KM.
Raikot-Tatu Village:You will have to leave your vehicle at Raikot bridge. There is a guarded parking so no worries about your vehicle.
From here you will need to rent a local jeep whose fare is Rs. 5000 fixed. When it drops you will need to tell them about your return time and date and they will pick you at that time. It is an extremely difficult and dangerous track. Specially after you change direction and move alongside the ridge. There is a 2000-3000 feet deep drop from the track to the valley where a stream is flowing.
This jeep will drop you at a point where due to land sliding a bridge is broken. It is still 3-4 KM away from the Tatu village. There is just one jeep on the other side of the broken bridge. If you are lucky then you will find this jeep(Rs. 500 one side) otherwise you will have to walk for 45-60 min. to reach Tatu village.
Tatu-Fairy Meadows:It is 2.5 to 4 hours track depending upon your physical fitness and the time of the day you are attempting the track etc. We started this track at about 6:40 PM and reached Fairy Meadows at about 9PM i.e in 2 hours and 20 min. which was very fast and a local guide who was travelling with us praised us and said we climb like the local people. It could have been even less had I not got cramped very near to the top. Most probably it was due to extreme change in weather conditions from being very hot to very cold in the night. But still I managed to reach the huts.
Most of the family people take Ponies from Tatu for the top. A horse or more of a Khachar's rate is Rs. 1500 for the hike and Rs. 2000 for both going up and down.
Day3: Tuesday 5th July 2011
Fairy Meadows-Beyal Camp-Nanga Parbat/Glacier View Point-Fairy Meadows:Pure hiking/tracking day. Gentle walk of 1.5-2 hours to Beyal camp and a further 45 min. to the view point of Nanga Parbat and glaciers.
We started late and when we reached the view point we were advised against going to the Base Camp as it would be darkness before we could reach to Beyal.
Day4: Wednesday 6th July 2011
Fairy Meadows-Tatu-Raikot Bridge-Astore-Rama:We spend 2-3 hours exploring Fairy Meadows and the reflection lake etc. Finally we started descending at about 1PM and reached to our jeeps at 3PM and down to Raikot at about 4PM. We left for Astore from Raikot bridge. We had to travel almost 20KM on the KKH towards Jaglot. There was no road and we traveled on stones and gravel and dust and just before Jaglot we tuned towards Astore. The road from this point was very good all the way upto Astore. From Astore main Bazaar we turned towards Rama and reached PTDC Rama and stayed the night there.
Day5: Thursday 7th July 2011
Rama-Rama Lake-Astore-Tarashing-Chilum:From PTDC Rama to Rama lake it is almost 3-4 KM and only suitable for 4WD vehicle. We crossed a few glaciers to reach the lake.
From Astore to Tarashing one has to travel on the Astore-Chilam road for about 20KM until one reached Gorikot from where the road to Tarashing separates. From this point it will take almost 1hour -1hour 15 min. to reach Tarashing. The road is only suitable for 4WD vehicles and no metal top.
From Gorikot to Chilum it is nearly 30KM and will take almost 1.5 hour. The road is in very good condition.
Day6: Friday 8th July 2011
Chilum-Deosai-Sadpara-Shigar-Skardu:Chilam to deosai is mud track but from Deosai to Sadpara lake is a very boring and dull travel. There are stones and gravel and the voyage seems to go on and on and on....... Roughly it will take 5 hours to reach Sadpara from Chilum with some stops as well.....
Skardu to Shigar is a very good road in fact the best that we encountered after the Naran-Jalkhad road.
Day7: Saturday 9th July 2011
Skardu-Kachura Lakes-Gilgit:
Kachura lakes are at a distance of 30KM from Skardu city on the main Gilgit road.
The road from Skardu to Gilgit is very dangerous with mountains on one side and the roaring Indus river on the other side.
Reached Gilgit late at about 0230 AM.
Day8: Sunday 10th July 2011
Gilgit-Jaglot-Chilas-Naran:
Left Gilgit late at about 12 noon and reached Naran at 12 mid night.
Day9: Monday 11th July 2011
Day9: Monday 11th July 2011
Naran-Islamabad:
Again left Naran late and reached back Islamabad at 10PM.
Jeep Rent:
We rented the jeep for Rs. 4700 per day without fuel.
Total days: 9 * 4700 = Rs. 42300
Total Fuel consumed: Rs. 20,000 (roughly 215Litres)
Total Mileage was 1600KM
Average was=1600/215 = 7.4KM/litre which was not bad for a Prado....
Total Expenditure:
Our total expenditure was Rs. 23400 per head.
More details and pics coming soon......
