Trek
Fairy Meadows and the Nanga Parbat Base Camp
The Rakhiot face, from the gentlest approach in the range
- Region
- Raikot & Diamer
- Length
- 6 days
- Group size
- Maximum 10
- Effort
- Easy
- Season
- June to September
Nanga Parbat is 8,126 metres and has a reputation earned the hard way, but the walk to its northern base camp is the most approachable trek in this book. From the meadow at Fairy Meadows the Rakhiot face fills the whole southern sky, and the path to base camp is a long walk rather than a climb.
The trip is built for people who want a serious mountain without a serious expedition: two easy walking days, a proper rest day in the meadow, and nights in a village rather than on moraine.
This is Shina speaking country, and the Diamer side of the mountain is a very different world from Hunza a few hours north. Our guides are from the villages below Raikot and the trip is arranged through them.
Day by day
The itinerary
Day 1Arrive Gilgit+
Travel in, settle, and a briefing on the route and on local custom, which is more conservative here than in Hunza.
Day 2Raikot bridge to Tato, then Fairy Meadows+
The jeep road up from the Karakoram Highway to Tato, then a walk of two to three hours through pine forest to the meadow. Huts for the night.
Day 3Beyal and the base camp+
Out along the edge of the Rakhiot glacier to Beyal camp and on to the viewpoint at base camp. A long but gentle day, returning to the meadow to sleep.
Day 4A day in the meadow+
Deliberately unstructured. Short walks in the forest, time with the families who run the camp, and the face changing colour all day.
Day 5Down to the valley+
Back to Tato and the highway, then on to Gilgit or Chilas depending on onward plans.
Day 6Departure+
Onward travel.
The practical part
What is and is not included
Included
- Five nights: guesthouses in the valley and wooden huts at Fairy Meadows
- All ground transport including the jeep road to Tato
- All meals from dinner on day one
- Local guides from the Raikot villages
- Porters for group equipment
- A contribution to the documentation fund for every booking
Not included
- International flights and Pakistan visa
- Domestic flights to Gilgit
- Travel insurance, which is required
- Personal spending
Before you commit
Fitness, beds and kit
How hard is it
Easy. The longest day is around six hours of walking on good paths with little height gain. The meadow sits near 3,300 metres and base camp near 3,900, so there is altitude but no strain. Suitable for anyone comfortable walking a full day.
Where you sleep
Simple wooden huts at Fairy Meadows, locally owned and heated by stove, and a guesthouse in the valley either side. Bathrooms are shared and the water is glacier cold.
What to bring
- Comfortable walking boots or sturdy shoes
- Warm layers for the evenings, which are cold even in August
- A waterproof
- Modest clothing: this is a more conservative valley than Hunza
- Sun protection and a head torch
Responsible travel
Who benefits
The huts, the jeeps and the guiding are all owned and run by people from the Raikot villages. We book directly with them rather than through a Gilgit agency. A fixed share of every booking funds the recording work.
Cultures on this route
Questions
Asked often
- Is the jeep road as bad as people say?
- It is a rough single track cut into a slope and it is not for the nervous. We use experienced local drivers, and anyone who would rather walk the last stretch is welcome to.
- Can we go up to the actual base camp?
- Yes. The viewpoint at the foot of the Rakhiot face is a day walk from the meadow and is included on day three.
- Is this suitable for older travellers or families?
- Generally yes, and it is the trip we recommend to people who want the high mountains without long days. Talk to us about specific needs before booking.
- How conservative is the dress code?
- More so than in Hunza. Covered shoulders and knees for everyone, and loose clothing for women. Your guide will tell you what is comfortable where.