Khurdopin Pass Trek: Route, Difficulty and Season

The Khurdopin Pass trek is a glacier crossing at roughly 5,800 metres that links Shimshal, in upper Hunza, with the Snow Lake basin and then Hispar or Askole in Baltistan. Operators describe it as an extreme expedition-style trek, with 20 to 26 days on the itinerary depending on the finish, and they run it in the summer window from about June to October. It is not a route to attempt on your own, and it is not an upgrade from an ordinary trek such as Rakaposhi Base Camp.

This guide covers the route, the days it takes, why it is hard, the season, and how to tell whether it suits you. If you are looking at a Shimshal trek for the first time, our Shimshal Pass trek guide describes a far gentler walk from the same village.

Where is Khurdopin Pass?

Khurdopin Pass sits on the Karakoram divide at the head of the Khurdopin glacier, between the Shimshal valley on the Hunza side and the Snow Lake basin on the Baltistan side. Snow Lake is the huge glacier basin at the top of the Biafo and Hispar glaciers, and our Snow Lake trek guide covers that side of the crossing.

The pass has a real history of exploration. Eric Shipton and Scott Russell found it in 1939, but news of the outbreak of war sent them back down the Hispar before they could descend the far side. A full crossing to Shimshal came decades later, helped by Shimshali porters.

The route

Operators run it in two main directions. Both start with the jeep road up the Shimshal valley and a few days of walking on the Khurdopin glacier.

1. Shimshal to Khurdopin base camp. A week or more of walking up from the village, over moraine and glacier ice, with camps such as Chagchage and Pasth Halga named on some itineraries.
2. Khurdopin Pass. A single hard day over the top, at about 5,800 metres, using crampons, ice axe, harness and helmet.
3. Snow Lake. The descent lands you in the Snow Lake basin, at about 5,000 metres, one of the most remote glacier basins in the Karakoram.
4. The exit. Either west along the Hispar glacier to the Hispar valley, or south down the Biafo glacier to Askole. The Biafo glacier guide and Hispar glacier guide describe those two exits.

Published itineraries run from about 20 days (Shimshal to Skardu) to 23 days (to Askole via Biafo) and up to 26 days for Shimshal to Hispar, each counting road travel from Islamabad and some contingency days. Treat those as planning figures; the actual schedule depends on weather and the state of the glacier.

How hard is it?

It is one of the hardest treks in Pakistan, and operators say so plainly. The hazards named on their own pages are falling seracs, plenty of crevasses, overhanging ice, very changeable weather and blizzard conditions. You carry personal mountaineering equipment for the crossing, and porters and guides from Shimshal are part of the plan.

What that means in practice:

• You need glacier experience, including roped travel and crevasse rescue, before you arrive. This is not a place to learn.
• The days are long and the camps high. Snow Lake is around 5,000 metres, and much of the trek is spent above 4,000.
• There is no quick exit. Once you are past Khurdopin base camp, retreating takes days. Read our note on helicopter rescue for trekkers and check that your insurance covers evacuation at this altitude.
• Shimshal is remote. The road from Passu is a jeep track, and you should not count on mobile signal once you leave the village.

The Khurdopin glacier itself

The Khurdopin is a surging glacier. It surged in 2016 and 2017 and dammed the Shimshal river, forming a lake in the valley; the river later cut an outlet through the ice before it could burst catastrophically. The valley watches it closely, and there is an early warning system along the slopes.

For trekkers this is a reason to go with people who know the current state of the ice rather than relying on an old trip report. Conditions on the lower glacier can change from one season to the next.

Best season

Operators quote June to October. Ask your operator which weeks they prefer in a given year, since glacier conditions and weather decide it. Our trekking season guide for Gilgit-Baltistan explains how the summer window works across the region.

Permits and guides

Operators' pages state that a government-licensed guide is mandatory and that Shimshal Nature Trust fees apply. Foreign trekkers give passport copies and photographs in advance. Rules on permits and fees change, so ask your operator to confirm what applies in the year you go; our permit guide for Gilgit-Baltistan covers the general picture.

Prices vary widely. One operator lists a 20-day Shimshal, Khurdopin and Snow Lake trip at around EUR 6,200 per person, but treat any such figure as an example of scale, not a quote.

Is it for you?

It suits experienced mountaineers and long-distance trekkers who have done glacier trips before, are comfortable above 5,000 metres, and can spend three weeks away with a couple of buffer days.

It does not suit first-time high-altitude trekkers, families, or anyone on a two-week holiday. If you want the Snow Lake or Shimshal experience without the technical pass, look at the Shimshal Pass trek, or a Hunza itinerary from our Gilgit and Hunza pages.

Frequently asked questions