The Laila Peak base camp trek starts at Hushe, the last village in the Hushe valley of Ghanche district, and follows the Gondogoro valley north to camps facing Laila Peak, a 6,096-metre spear of rock and ice. The walk in takes two to three days, most groups spend at least a day at the top for the view and acclimatisation, and the return takes two. Allow about a week from Skardu and back, more with spare days.
This guide covers getting to Hushe, the camps and their altitudes, the permit position for foreign nationals, the real risks on this side of the mountain, and how the trek compares with the other walks from the same village.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Start | Hushe village, Ghanche district, about 3,050 m |
| Skardu to Hushe | About 128 km by road, via Khaplu |
| Main camps | Saicho (about 3,300 m), Dalsampa (about 4,150 m), Khuispang (higher, below Gondogoro La) |
| Walking days | About 4 to 6, plus rest or view days |
| Best months | Late June to September |
| Peak | Laila Peak, 6,096 m on the 2003 Miyamori map; other sources give higher figures |
| Foreign nationals | Restricted zone: permit, licensed guide and accident insurance |
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Where Laila Peak is
Laila Peak stands on the east side of the Gondogoro glacier, roughly 15 km north of Hushe village in a straight line. It is the mountain in the photographs of the Hushe valley with a near-perfect blade shape: its north-west face is a slope of about 45 degrees rising more than 1,500 vertical metres above the glacier.
Its height is disputed. The 2003 Japanese map by Tsuneo Miyamori gives 6,096 metres, which is the figure most climbers use, while other sources list about 6,200 or even 6,614 metres. Don't confuse it with the other Laila Peak, a 5,971-metre mountain in the Rupal valley near Nanga Parbat.
The trail is the same one used by trekkers crossing the Gondogoro La, the 5,585-metre pass between the Hushe valley and Concordia on the Baltoro. That route was opened in 1986 and passes just west of Laila Peak. The base camp trek is, in effect, the Gondogoro La approach without the pass.
How to reach Hushe
Fly or drive to Skardu first. From Skardu the road runs east along the Shyok to Khaplu, about 92 km, then turns north across the river and climbs about 36 km up the Hushe valley to the village.
Online routing puts the whole 128 km at under two and a half hours. That is optimistic for the narrow, unpaved stretches above Khaplu, so plan on most of a morning and travel in a jeep or a high-clearance vehicle. Most groups sleep in Khaplu or Hushe before the walk. Hushe has only basic places to stay and camp; our Hushe valley guide covers where to stay and what the village offers.
Hushe men have worked as porters and cooks for expeditions since the 1960s, and porters, cooks and guides for the trek are hired in the village, usually through your operator.
The route, camp by camp
Operators run slightly different versions, and altitudes in their itineraries disagree by 100 metres or more. The outline below uses the figures most often quoted.
- Hushe to Saicho, about 3,300 m. A gentle half-day up the valley floor to the Saicho meadow, near the mouth of the Charakusa valley, which leads to the K6 and K7 base camps.
- Saicho to Dalsampa, about 4,150 m. The longest climbing day, up the Gondogoro valley beside the glacier's moraine. Dalsampa is a camp between two small lakes, and many groups treat it as the base camp.
- Dalsampa to Khuispang. A short but rougher stage that crosses a section of the Gondogoro glacier to the higher camp below the Gondogoro La. Khuispang is usually described as the best viewpoint for Laila Peak. Ask your guide how the crossing looks that season before deciding whether to go this far.
- One or two days at the top. For the view, short walks onto the moraine and acclimatisation.
- Back to Hushe, normally over two days by the same trail.
"Laila Peak base camp" means different places in different itineraries. Some put it at Dalsampa, some at Khuispang, and climbing expeditions often pitch their own camp on the moraine. A 2012 ski expedition described a high camp on a col at 5,400 metres as 1,200 metres above their base camp, which puts that camp at about 4,200 metres. Check exactly where your itinerary ends before comparing prices.
Permits and paperwork
Laila Peak and the upper Gondogoro valley lie in a restricted zone. Foreign nationals need a trekking permit, must hire a licensed guide, and must carry accident insurance for the whole party, so the trip has to be booked through a registered operator. Our guide to trekking permits in Gilgit-Baltistan explains how the process works.
Pakistani trekkers are not covered by the foreigners' permit rules, but should carry their CNIC and expect to give details at checkposts. Ask your operator whether a Central Karakoram National Park fee applies to the route that season; rules and amounts have changed several times, so we have not printed a figure.
Risks to take seriously
This is a walking trek, not a climb, but it reaches 4,150 metres on day two, which is a big jump from Hushe. Gain the height slowly and know the signs of trouble; our altitude sickness guide covers them.
The mountain above the camps is dangerous ground. On 28 July 2025 the German former Olympic biathlon champion Laura Dahlmeier was killed by rockfall high on Laila Peak after she and her partner turned back about 200 metres below the summit as the day warmed. Rescue crews could not reach her, and only Pakistani military helicopters could operate in the area. In 2016 Leonardo Comelli, a member of an Italian ski expedition, died in a 400-metre fall during the descent. Trekkers stay well below this terrain, but it explains why guides want camps away from the foot of the face and why the glacier crossing to Khuispang is made early in the day.
Expect no mobile signal beyond Hushe, and the nearest hospital is in Khaplu, the district headquarters. Carry a proper first-aid kit and keep a spare day in case weather holds you at camp.
Season and weather
The usable window is late June to September. The pass beyond Khuispang is easiest to cross from the last days of June, and by August melting snow increases crevasse, avalanche and rockfall danger on the upper glacier. For a base camp trek, July and the first half of August give the most settled walking. Nights at Dalsampa are cold even in midsummer, and Ghanche is one of the coldest districts in Pakistan, so bring a sleeping bag rated well below freezing.
Is it worth it, and who should go?
Yes, if you want one of the most dramatic single-mountain views in the Karakoram for a modest number of walking days, without committing to the Gondogoro La itself.
It suits fit walkers with some multi-day trekking behind them. It is not a first camping trip for a family. Among the walks from Hushe it sits in the middle: the Masherbrum base camp trek is gentler, the K6 and K7 base camp trek is a quieter alternative, and the full Gondogoro La is a serious mountaineering day. Our overview of treks from Hushe valley compares them.
Frequently asked questions
How many days is the Laila Peak base camp trek?
The walking takes about four to six days from Hushe and back, plus one or two days at the top. With the drive from Skardu each way, plan on roughly a week.
How high is Laila Peak base camp?
It depends where your itinerary stops. Dalsampa, where many groups camp facing the peak, is about 4,150 metres, and Khuispang below Gondogoro La is higher.
Do foreigners need a permit for Laila Peak base camp?
Yes. The area is a restricted zone, so foreign nationals need a permit, a licensed guide and accident insurance for the party, arranged through a registered operator.
Is the Laila Peak base camp trek difficult?
It is a moderate to demanding trek. The paths are not technical as far as Dalsampa, but the height gain on day two is steep, and continuing to Khuispang means crossing part of the glacier with a guide.
How far is Hushe from Skardu?
About 128 km by road via Khaplu. The last 36 km above Khaplu are slow, so allow most of a morning.
Can you climb Laila Peak?
Only as a serious mountaineering expedition. It has had few recorded ascents, and rockfall on the upper mountain killed Laura Dahlmeier in July 2025.
