Category: guided hikes

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K2 Base Camp and the Gondogoro Pass

I was planning on making this trek August 2020 …

… not much chance it’s going to happen this year. #COVID-19

Atlas & Boots was there in 2019:

My 14-day K2 base camp trek in Karakoram mountains of #Pakistan, followed by a crossing of the technical Gondogoro La Pass.

At 8,611m (28,251ft), #K2 is the second highest mountain in the world.

The K2 base camp trek route is via Concordia, the confluence of the Baltoro and Godwin-Austen glaciers at around 4,700m (15,419ft).

It is one of the few places in the world where you can see four 8,000m peaks: K2, Broad Peak, Gasherbrum I and Gasherbrum II.

Read the trip report.

K2 as seen from Concordia

Click PLAY or watch their trip on YouTube.

 

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Kilimanjaro Uncovered by Alexandra Tanbai

I read this book in preparation for our own Kilimanjaro climb scheduled for September 2020.

Alexandra penned Kilimanjaro Uncovered in real time while preparing and during her climb on the Northern Circuit, a little-known hiking route away from the crowds to the top of Kilimanjaro.

She provides valuable guidance for those interested in climbing themselves and tells a broader story of a truly life-changing experience.

Alex is a rookie mountain climber. She over-prepares. Is cautious and thoughtful about every aspect.

The book is very informative for anyone who has never done a serious multi-night tent trip.

I admire her courage in planning that big adventure on her own. I admire her  honesty and vulnerability sharing fears and problems on the trek, big and small.

Alexandra Tanbai made the summit. In fact everyone in her guided party made the top though one had a serious ankle injury. No helicopter was available for evacuation.

Less than a year after publishing Kilimanjaro Uncovered, Alexandra founded KiliGATE.com—the first and only online Kilimanjaro tour booking platform committed to responsible tourism.

Her goal—make it easy for tourists to book their climb with a responsible tour operator and promote fair porter treatment.

I do feel this book is too long.

It’s available in paperback and Kindle formats.

 

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Bhutan’s Snowman Trek

Ramblin’ Boy posted a detailed trip report on the famed Snowman / Lunana Trek.

He was guided by Yangphel, a Thimphu adventure travel agency though he had booked through the trip through World Expeditions.

Snowman is one of the best treks in the world. However, the cost to trek in Bhutan was $300 / day.

If money is no object, go for it.

…  Covering over three hundred kilometres in twenty-three days at high altitude means there is lots of time for something to go wrong –

There were 16 in our trekking party, most with a tent of their own. As well, perhaps ten locals – guides, cook team, tent team, horse handlers.  The horses made up the single largest group – there were 43 of them.  We were a village on the move! …

Narethang camp
vista on the Narethang-Tarina section
vista en route to Rerethang after crossing Tempe La, the last pass

Start on this page. Follow the links.

Bhutan’s Snowman Trek Preview:

Part 1 – Paro To Shana To Laya

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Makalu Base Camp … independently

I’m researching a possible independent trek to Makalu Base Camp, Nepal for November 2020, the 5th highest mountain in the world. (8,485m)

Makalu Base Camp

Since 2016 at least there have been simple teahouses and meals of dal bhat all the way up.

I’d carry a tent and food, as well, just in case.

Not many hikers are choosing this destination in Nepal yet. And very few are doing it independently, so far.

Click PLAY or watch a video by guides Mountain Kingdom on YouTube.

Check our Makalu Base Camp information page.

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hiking Kamchatka, Russia

There are certainly fantastic treks and volcano climbs on Kamchatka Peninsula.

Climbing Koryaksky (3456m) close to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky is quite doable, for example.

You can find a number of trekking guides with Google.

But are they reliable?

It’s possible to hike Kamchatka independently.

But we’ve not yet talked to anyone who’s hiked there. (Leave a comment below this post if you have more information on Kamchatka.)

In the meantime, check some photos from Dark Roast Blend:

Wilderness without bounds, in a typical Russian style.

There is a place in the world so remote and so wildly beautiful, that very few decide to go there and those who do, carry the enchantment for the rest of their lives. Land of towering volcanos and magnificient Pacific coastline, as boundless and pristine as the Canadian North, but far less known and definitely less travelled. Life is harsh there, and ghosts of communist past are never too far behind.

With the exclusive permission of “Kamtravel” – Kamchatka photography site, we give you some examples of its exhilarating terrain:

Petropavlovsk-Kamchatski lies in the shadow of Avacha volcano

more photos – Dark Roasted Blend: Kamchatka – Magnificient Russian Far East

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Trek the 8000m peak base camps

Emma and Trevor — from New Zealand & Australia — conceived ProjectBase8000.

Great idea!

The objective is to be the first non-mountaineering trekkers to hike to all the base camps of the world’s 14 highest mountains by 2020.

They are all over 8,000m, located in the Himalayan and Karakoram ranges – Nepal, Pakistan and Tibet, China.

They want to help raise funds & awareness for the Australian Himalayan Foundation.

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support Inca Trail porters

American human rights activist and hiking guru Marinel de Jesus moved to Peru full-time.

Right now she’s fundraising to put together a documentary on mistreatment of porters on the Inca Trail.

KM 82 is the documentary that will tell the porters’ stories directly to the world and reveal the inequities behind the trekking tourism industry.

The women porters have recently become a part of the trekking industry and we want to support their voices to ensure that porter conditions improve and that they can work safely on the trails.

Details on indiegogo.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

The Inca Trail is one of the world’s best hikes. But this is one of many problems which makes us prefer the Salkantay Trek to Aguas Calientes followed by a visit to Machu Picchu. Salkantay can be done independently carrying your own backpack. For the Inca Trail you must be guided.

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I’m hiking Nepal November 2019

by BestHike editor Rick McCharles

I’ve hiked most of the major trails you can do independently in Nepal.

What next?

  1. The Royal Trek
  2. Khopra Ridge Trek
  3. Makalu Base Camp

I’m flying to Pokhara, bypassing polluted Kathmandu this time.

After getting some dental work done there, my plan (so far) is …

The Royal Trek

  • maximum altitude 1730m
  • foothills of Annapurna, north of Pokhara
  • great views of Fishtail, when weather permits
  • independent hiking using teahouses (but carrying a tent)
  • 3-4 days
  • I’d warm-up with a dayhike to Sarangkot
Fishrail (Machhapuchhare)

Khopra Ridge Trek

  • maximum altitude 4660m
  • bus from Pokhara to Nayapul to start
  • independent hiking using teahouses (but carrying a tent)
  • 5-8 days
  • I might actually join a guided Khopra trip with INDIAHIKES
Khopra Ridge on Annapurna

Makalu Base Camp

  • maximum altitude 5,250m
  • Makalu Barun National Park and Conservation Area
  • flight from Kathmandu to Tumlingtar and jeep to Num to start.
  • Makalu is the 5th highest mountain in the world
  • independent hiking using teahouses (but carrying a tent)
  • 13-16 days
Makalu Base Camp

This is a first draft. I’m certain it will change. Because I’m doing this trip independently and solo I can change on a whim.

Leave a comment if you have any advice.

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climb Mt Kenya in 2020

Mount Kenya is the second-highest in Africa, after Kilimanjaro.

It’s about  150 kilometres (93 mi) north-northeast of the capital Nairobi.

I’m looking at using Mt Kenya as an acclimatization hike immediately prior to Kilimanjaro.

Mt Kenya takes 5 days and reaches a high point of 4985 metres over a trek of about 50 kilometres. 

So far I’ve been talking to Adventure Alternatives and have been very happy with their response. And they’ve been quite flexible to help me fit in this climb just before Kili.

My rendezvous with the Kili group in Arusha is September 7th.

DETAILS – Mount Kenya Traverse 

30th August – 3rd September

Price starts at £1,095pp ($1355) plus extras. Much less expensive than Kili.

Mt Kenya

Click PLAY or watch it on Vimeo.

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