Hello,
Here are some info about treks I have done in Northern Areas and Chitral in July-August 2012:
- Thui An Trek from Yarkhun Gol (Yarkhun valley near Mastuj) to Yasin:
I did this trek from West to East (most people do it in the reverse direction). The trek is not too difficult as it is never very steep, except when you reach the pass. You can do it in three days if you are fit and your bag is not too heavy. Take a guide or porter in Mastuj who has done the trek recently for the glacier crossing is not so obvious and the route seems to have changed during the past few years. I paid my guide (unlicensed) 1500 PKR (exchange rate, 1euro = 120 PKR) per day and then paid his transportation from Yasin back to Mastuj. We were accompanied by a policeman from Yarkhun Valley to the top of Thui An. You do not have to pay anything for this escort.
- Chitral Gol National Park:
Absolutely no overnight trekking is permitted in the national park. You can do day treks in the park as well as in the Kalash valleys but will have an escort at all time with you.
- Pakhora Pass from Upper Naltar to Pakhor village:
A very nice trek that you can do in two days if you are fit and have a long second day but three days is more comfortable. I paid my porter 5500 PKR for the whole trip inclusive of his return to Upper Naltar by passenger jeep. I found the porter in Upper Naltar village after talking to some of the hotel managers there.
- Rush Peak Trek from Hoper (Hunza / Nagyr area):
A great trek that makes it possible to see K2 in clear weather. You can do it in three days if you're fit. I paid the porter 7700 PKR for the whole trip. I found the porter through the Hilton Hotel in Hoper.
- Mazeno La Trek: Tarashing-Mazeno La-Tarashing (Nanga Parbat area):
A very good trek not described in the trekking chapter of the LP. Crossing the pass is fairly technical and is apparently a pain when it comes to porters logistics but just going to the top and back is not very difficult except for the altitude (5400 m). If the weather is clear you will enjoy great views of Nanga Parbat. You can do it in four days if you're fit. Three days might be possible if you have a long first day up to Mazeno Base Camp (8 hours walking from Tarashing). The normal fee for one porter from Tarashing is 5500 PKR. I found the porter through the Rupal Inn in Tarashing.
- Deosai Plains:
The only trek I did just by myself without any porter or guide as you just have to follow the jeep track. Start from Chilum (1.5 hour jeep from Astore). Chilum is the western entrance of the park where you have to pay a 8 USD fee. The first day is roughly 15 km ascending very moderately to the very beautiful Cheosar Lake. Second day is about 15 km (flatter) to the National park transit camp (the name of the place is "Great Water" in English, I forgot the local name) where you can sleep in a very basic tent hotel and buy cold drinks. The last stage brings you to the entrance of the park on the eastern side where you find a hotel which I have not visited. I have done this last stage by jeep but I think it is roughly 20-25 km. Skardu is quite far (55 km) from the transit camp so it would take you at least two days (the last part being not very interesting unless you take Burji La route). In August mosquitoes were not much of a problem because of the wind but June and July might be more problematic. This trek is quite pleasant but it doesn't really give a feeling of remoteness as you walk on a road and meet quite a few locals working on it (the plan is to make it metaled).
- Day treks from Skardu:
If you want to do a day trek from Skardu you can go to the Burji Nala valley. Burji La (the pass) is far, roughly 30 km, but it is a nice challenge for a trekker who wishes to test his stamina (I didn't attempt it for my part but I would be curious to know if it is possible). Or you can go to this pass in two days and back to Skardu. You're supposed to be able to see K2 from the pass in clear weather. An easier way do to the Burji Pass trek is to start from the area around the eastern entrance of Deosai Park and go down to Skardu.
A day trek from Shigar to Thalle La (pass) is not very interesting as you need more time to reach the pass.
- Trekking as a solo traveler:
Route finding is quite difficult in the described treks (except Deosai Park). Unless you have a very good map and a good topo of the trek, don't trek without a guide or porter. For all the treks it is enough to take only one porter provided you share the load equally. People will try to convince you to take two people but it is never necessary for a solo trekker taking his share of the load. The argument is that two porters will better be able to cope with the cold nights as they can take a tent. However, the only time I let myself be convinced to take a second porter on account of this reason, the two guys didn't take any tent in the end, though it is true that I had very little to carry on this trek. Ramadan is also a reason put forward to take a second porter. However you can get a good discount if you do accept to take a second porter.
- Tipping the porters:
Porters will usually take a very sullen face if you only give them the agreed price. It seems that tipping is always expected. If you really don't want to pay more than the agreed price, make it clear from the beginning that you cannot exceed your budget. The porter will be less disappointed and you may always cheer him up if you eventually decide to tip.
- Trekking during Ramadan:
All of my porters fasted at least one day during the trek. They might break their fast when they have travelled far enough from their village (on the second or third day of the trek). I was quite impressed by the endurance of these porters who abstain from water. You should make it easy on them by taking your share of the load and starting early right after they have eaten around 4am. It might be a bit more difficult to find a porter during Ramadan but I eventually never had any problem.
Cheers,
Nicolas
