The Laila Peak Expedition (6,096 m) is a guided trip lasting 16 days in Gilgit-Baltistan, northern Pakistan, topping out at 6,096 m. It is graded Expedition — steep snow and ice, prior crampon experience required — 2 days on foot approach each way. 3 fixed departures are open from $3,300 per person, all-inclusive from Islamabad.
Laila Peak Expedition (6,096 m) — 16 Days from Hushe
Laila Peak is the most photographed mountain shape in the Karakoram: a single spear of snow and granite above the Gondogoro Glacier, steep on every side. At 6,096 m it is not the biggest peak in the Hushe Valley, but it may be the most coveted, and it is a real climb. The northwest face runs at 45 to 55 degrees of snow and ice from the high camp to the summit.
This is an expedition for climbers who already know their crampons: you should be comfortable on sustained steep snow, moving on fixed and running ropes, and living in a high camp. It is not a first peak. If you want the mountain without the climb, our Laila Peak Base Camp Trek walks the same valley to the foot of the face.
You climb it with a Balti team from Hushe itself, the village at the foot of the valley that has produced generations of high-altitude porters. Sat phone at base camp, forecasting through the push, helicopter-rescue arrangements in place. Local hands, real safety, fair price.
- Duration
- 16 Days - 15 Nights
- Max altitude
- 6,096 m
- Grade
- Expedition
- Days on foot
- 2
- Best season
- Summer ( June - September )
- Group size
- Max 8
Laila Peak Expedition Price
Our full-board Laila Peak expedition is $3,300 per person — peak permit, Islamabad-Skardu flights, jeeps to Hushe, porters, full base camp on the Gondogoro Glacier, high camp, fixed rope on the northwest face and a climbing guide with high-altitude support. Base-camp-only service for self-sufficient teams is $2,400. Minimum team of two.
Fixed Departures
Fixed departures are scheduled dates you join as part of a group, rather than arranging your own trip.
Private & customised groups
These are private departures, priced by the size of your party rather than by a set date.
| Group size | Price | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Base Camp Service | $2,400 | For self-sufficient alpine teams. Peak permit, flights, jeeps, porters and a full staffed base camp on the Gondogoro Glacier — the climb itself is yours. |
| Full-Board Guided | $3,300 | High camp, fixed rope on the northwest face, climbing guide and high-altitude porter support, forecasting through the summit window. |
| Premium (2:1 support) | On request | Two high-altitude staff per climber and a private base camp tent, for teams that want maximum margin on the face. |
Is this expedition for you?
Only if you have climbed high before. This is a mountaineering expedition, not a trek.
Graded Expedition — steep snow and ice, prior crampon experience required.
What this mountain asks of you
The highest point is 6,096 m. At that altitude acclimatisation is not optional, and the turnaround decision belongs to your guide.
An expedition needs a Trekking & Mountaineering visa rather than a tourist visa, plus an NOC and a peak royalty. We arrange the NOC and the permits.
One thing we do insist on: travel insurance that covers helicopter evacuation.
Expedition Plan
Expedition Plan — Laila Peak (6,096 m)
Sixteen days: the flight to Skardu, jeeps to Hushe at the head of the valley, two days up the Gondogoro Glacier to base camp, then acclimatisation, the high camp and the face. Contingency is built in — the face is climbed when the snow is right, not when the calendar says so.
Day 1Arrive Islamabad
540 m
Team assembles. Kit check, insurance and documentation review, and dinner with your climbing guide.
Day 2Fly to Skardu
2,230 m
The flight up the Indus past Nanga Parbat. Weather-dependent; the schedule carries slack for it.
Day 3Skardu — Load-Out & Permits
2,230 m
Final gear check, rope and food packing, permit formalities completed. Last hot shower for two weeks.
Day 4Skardu to Hushe
3,050 m
By 4x4 up the Shyok and Hushe valleys to the last village, under the wall of Masherbrum. Porters hired from Hushe itself.
Day 5Hushe to Saicho
3,350 m
The walk-in begins through willow and rose thickets along the Gondogoro river to the campsite at Saicho.
Day 6Saicho to Base Camp
~4,500 m
Up onto the Gondogoro Glacier, and Laila's spear appears ahead of you. Base camp below the northwest face.
Day 7Base Camp — Setup & Recce
~4,500 m
Camp established, the line inspected through binoculars, medical baseline taken.
Day 8Skills & Rope Work
~4,500 m
A day on the glacier refreshing fixed-line drills, crampon technique and crevasse rescue with the team.
Day 9Carry to High Camp
~5,400 m
The acclimatisation carry: loads to the high camp on the shoulder, a look at the face, then back to base to sleep low.
Day 10Base Camp — Rest
~4,500 m
Full rest. Eat, sleep, and let the body catch up with the altitude.
Day 11Weather Window
~4,500 m
The forecast decides the day. The face needs settled snow, and we wait for it rather than gamble on it.
Day 12Move to High Camp
~5,400 m
Up to the high camp in the afternoon light. Early dinner, harnesses laid out, a short cold night.
Day 13Summit Day — Laila Peak
6,096 m
An alpine start onto the northwest face: 45 to 55 degrees of snow and ice on fixed and running ropes to a summit the size of a table. Down the same line to high camp or base.
Day 14Contingency Day
~4,500 m
Held in reserve for weather or a second attempt. If unused, a slow morning and the walk down begins.
Day 15Trek Out to Hushe & Drive to Skardu
2,230 m
Down the glacier and the valley to Hushe, tea with the porters' families, and the jeeps back to Skardu.
Day 16Fly to Islamabad & Departure
540 m
The morning flight out and onward connections. Assalam-o-Alaikum.
What’s included in the price
Every fixed departure is all-inclusive from Islamabad. This is exactly what your $3,300 per person covers, and the handful of things it does not — so there is nothing to settle at the trailhead.
Included in the price
- Peak permit and government fees
- Islamabad-Skardu flights
- Hotels in Islamabad and Skardu
- Jeeps to Hushe and back
- Porters for the approach
- Full base camp on the Gondogoro Glacier — kitchen
- Dining and toilet tents
- Cook
- All meals
- Satellite phone
- Weather forecasting through the window
- Full-board tier adds: high camp with tents
- Fuel and food
- Fixed rope on the face
- Climbing guide and high-altitude porter support
Not included
- International flights
- Pakistan visa fees
- Personal climbing equipment
- Mountaineering and evacuation insurance (mandatory)
- Staff tips and summit bonuses
- A summit. The face needs the right snow and we will not push it when it is wrong. The guide's turnaround call is final
Resources
Free guides from our local team, so you arrive ready.
- Trekking gear list what to pack
- Trekking medicine & altitude staying well up high
- Maps, books, visa & permits planning your trip
Why Karakoram Venture
Because the people who take you up this mountain are from it. Our guides grew up in these valleys, and they are our own team — not a booking desk handing you to whoever is cheapest that week. Every one of them holds a guide licence from DTS Gilgit-Baltistan and the Federal DTS, renewed each year, and worked at least five years in the region before applying for it. Most also hold Wilderness First Aid.
Because the safety is real, and we will name it rather than imply it. A satellite phone travels in every camp, we hold established helicopter-rescue contacts for this region, and we tell you exactly which travel insurance to carry. Budget operators cut precisely these things, because you cannot see them on a web page.
Because the price is honest. Local infrastructure is why $3,300 per person covers the trip from Islamabad rather than a stripped-down base rate. Exactly what it includes — and the handful of things it does not — is set out above.
How to book this trip
More About the Laila Peak Expedition
Booking & Payment
Minimum team size is two climbers. A deposit of 10% confirms your place and files the peak permit. Balance is due 60 days before departure.
Book through our website or directly on WhatsApp. Places are confirmed once the permit application is filed in your name.
Cancellation Policy
Permit and government fees are non-refundable once filed.
Cancel 90+ days before departure: full refund less filed permit costs. 30-89 days: 50% of the remaining balance. Under 30 days: no refund.
If we cancel the expedition for operational reasons, you receive a full refund with no deductions, or a free transfer to another departure. If it is cancelled by events beyond anyone's control (extreme weather, natural disaster, a government travel advisory or a road or flight closure), you receive a free transfer to new dates or a credit valid for 24 months, plus a refund of every cost we can recover; non-recoverable permit costs are itemized and deducted.
Permits & Documentation
Laila Peak requires a peak permit from the Gilgit-Baltistan authorities. We file and manage it.
You need Pakistan's Mountaineering visa, not a tourist or trekking visa. Allow several weeks for processing; we provide the letter of invitation.
Health & Fitness
This is a technical climb. Previous experience on steep snow with crampons and axes is required — we will ask about your climbing background before accepting a booking.
Minimum age 18. Mountaineering and evacuation insurance covering climbing to 6,500 m is mandatory and arranged by you; we help you check the policy actually covers it.
Important Notes
Carry at least 2 recent passport-size photos for verification and documentation.
A valid passport (foreign nationals) or CNIC (Pakistani nationals) is mandatory for booking and travel.
Keep your original passport or CNIC with you throughout the tour for security checks and hotel check-ins.
Foreign nationals need a valid passport and the correct visa; any NOC and trekking/restricted-area permits are arranged by Karakoram Venture.
Special Information
Professional and experienced Tour Manager available from start to end of the trip.
Delicious and fresh daily meals included from Day 1 until departure.
No complimentary meals provided on flights or during transit stops.
Follow updated state travel policies carefully for a hassle-free journey.
Transportation Details
Comfortable and spacious A/C Coaches for long trips and intercity travel.
Sturdy 4x4 jeeps for mountain roads and sightseeing (up to 7 pax per vehicle).
Reliable 4x4 vehicles (Land Cruiser / Prado) for off-road and high-altitude excursions.
Arrival & Departure Guidelines
Day 1: Report at the designated airport on time as per schedule.
Final Day: Depart after successfully completing the full itinerary.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Laila Peak expedition cost?
Full-board guided is $3,300 per person: peak permit, all transport from Islamabad including the Skardu flights, porters, full base camp, high camp, fixed rope on the face, and a climbing guide with high-altitude support. Base-camp-only service for independent teams is $2,400.
How hard is Laila Peak?
It is a genuine technical climb, not a trekking peak. The northwest face is 45 to 55 degree snow and ice, climbed with crampons, axes and fixed rope from a high camp at about 5,400 m. You need previous experience on steep snow; we will ask about it before accepting a booking.
When is the season?
June to September. The approach from Hushe takes two days up the Gondogoro Glacier, so the 16-day schedule holds real weather margin for the summit window.
What visa and permits do I need?
A peak permit for Laila Peak and Pakistan's Mountaineering visa, not a tourist visa. We file the permit and handle the formalities; allow several weeks for the visa.
Can I just trek to see Laila Peak instead?
Yes. Our 13-day Laila Peak Base Camp Trek reaches the foot of the northwest face with no climbing involved, and it is one of the finest short treks in the Karakoram.
Do you guarantee the summit?
No. The face needs settled snow and a clear window, and the guide's turnaround call is final. The 16 days carry contingency for a second attempt when conditions allow.
