June 2026 · 10 min · By Zain Karim
Concordia: The Trek Beneath Four Eight-Thousanders
Concordia is the amphitheatre at the meeting of the Baltoro and Godwin-Austen glaciers, surrounded by four of the world's fourteen 8,000-metre peaks. The walk to it is one of the great treks on earth.
The concordia trek pakistan refers to the walk up the Baltoro glacier to Concordia, the wide moraine basin where the Baltoro and Godwin-Austen glaciers meet. From a single camp you see K2 (8,611 m), Broad Peak (8,051 m), Gasherbrum I (8,080 m) and Gasherbrum II (8,035 m). Most clients combine it with a day hike up the Godwin-Austen to K2 base camp itself.
Overview
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Start | Askole (3,050 m), 7 h drive from Skardu |
| High point | Concordia 4,650 m / K2 BC 5,150 m |
| Days on trail | 12-14 round trip |
| Total trip length | 18-21 days |
| Difficulty | Hard |
Route summary
- Askole → Jhola (6 h)
- Jhola → Paiyu (7 h)
- Paiyu, rest and porter feast day
- Paiyu → Khoburtse (7 h, on glacier)
- Khoburtse → Urdukas (5 h)
- Urdukas → Goro II (6 h)
- Goro II → Concordia (5 h)
- Concordia day, K2 base camp out and back (8-10 h)
- Return Concordia → Askole over 5 days
Difficulty and altitude
Hard. The walking is long but non-technical until the glacier ice. The real demands are altitude (Concordia is higher than Everest base camp on the south side), porter logistics, and weather, three days of fresh snow can pin the camp. We require previous high-altitude trek experience or a serious training block before booking.
Season
Late June through August. Outside this window the high glacier sections are unsafe or impassable.
Cost
Our 2026 private Concordia expedition runs USD 5,200-6,800 per person for groups of 2-6, including Skardu hotels, jeeps to Askole, full camp service, porters, permits and a Skardu rest day on return. K2 base camp climbing permit not included.
Q. Do I need a permit?
Trekking only, no peak permit. The K2 BC walk is on the standard trekking permit, which we handle.
Q. What is the difference between K2 base camp and Concordia?
Concordia is the camp at the glacier junction. K2 base camp is a day walk further up the Godwin-Austen glacier. Most clients do both.
Q. Can it be done in less than 18 days?
Not safely. Helicopter shortcuts exist but the standard trek is calibrated to acclimatise correctly.
Written by
Zain Karim
Head of mountain operations
Zain has run private trips through Hunza, Skardu and the Karakoram since 2019. He spends about 120 nights a year above 2,500 m and writes about the routes he guides.
Has guided the Hunza-Skardu loop more than forty times.
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