Thalle La Trek: Khaplu to Shigar

The Thalle La trek crosses a pass of about 4,572 metres between the Thalle valley, west of Khaplu, and the Shigar valley, near Skardu. A fit, acclimatised party walks it in about three days from the end of the jeep track; most organised trips allow four or five with a spare day. It is one of the few passes in Baltistan with no glacier on it, which makes it the usual first multi-day crossing for trekkers new to the Karakoram.

This guide covers the route stage by stage, the height question, season and paperwork. For the villages and the drive in, see our Thalle valley guide.

Why Thalle La is a good first crossing

Most of Baltistan's famous passes, the Gondogoro La above all, involve glacier travel, fixed ropes and pre-dawn starts. Thalle La does not. The route follows an old foot and pony road through pastures and herders' settlements to a single col, and the trail is clear enough that trekking guidebooks describe a guide as optional for experienced parties.

That history is the point of the trek. Between 1891 and 1947 the British preferred this route between Skardu and Khaplu because it offered grazing for their pack animals. A road built up the Thalle valley in 1985 ended its role as a link between the two valleys, and today it is used mostly by herders, yaks and a few trekking parties.

The route, stage by stage

Most parties walk east to west, from the Khaplu side to Shigar, often as the return leg after time in Hushe. The times below are walking times from published trekking route notes, without long stops.

1. Doghoni to Khasumik and Thalle Brok. Leave the Skardu to Khaplu road at the Doghoni bridge and cross the Shyok to Doghoni, at the mouth of the valley. A jeep track climbs the valley to the large village of Khasumik and on to the open pasture of Thalle Brok. Most groups now drive this section. See our Thalle valley guide for the villages.
2. Thalle Brok to Olmo, about 1 hour. Olmo, at roughly 3,450 m, is the highest permanent settlement in the valley.
3. Olmo to Dubla Khan, about 2 hours. A herders' settlement at roughly 3,750 m where the trail splits. The north-west branch goes to the harder Tusserpo La; take the south-west branch for Thalle La.
4. Dubla Khan to Thalle Camp, about 1 hour. Another herders' settlement beside a clear stream, at about 3,850 m, and the usual high camp.
5. Thalle Camp to the pass, about 2 hours. The trail follows the stream through pasture, then turns rocky near the top. A large cairn marks the pass. To the east are the snow peaks on the ridge between the Thalle and Hushe valleys; to the west, the peaks above Shigar.
6. Pass to Daserpa, about 4 hours. A permanent snowfield on the west side gives an easy descent when the snow is soft, then dzo pastures lead to herders' huts at Daserpa, about 3,500 m.
7. Daserpa to Baumaharel, about 1 hour, through stands of cedar to the huts where the Thalle La stream meets the main Bauma valley.
8. Baumaharel to Shigar, about 4 hours, down the Bauma valley on a good trail to Shigar town.

A sensible plan for most people is: drive to Thalle Brok or Olmo and camp; walk to Thalle Camp on day two; cross to Daserpa on day three; walk out to Shigar on day four. That keeps the height gain gentle and leaves a day spare.

How high is Thalle La?

Trekking guides give 4,572 m, which is 15,000 feet and has the look of a rounded figure. An OpenStreetMap survey point marks the saddle at 4,840 m, and satellite elevation data for that point reads about 4,825 m. Plan for a pass of 4,600 to 4,800 metres rather than trusting the lower number.

Either way, you sleep at about 3,850 m and climb well over 4,500 m on the crossing day, high enough for altitude sickness to be a real risk if you drive up from Skardu and go straight at it. Spend a night at Olmo or Dubla Khan on the way up, drink plenty and turn back if anyone has a worsening headache or vomiting. Our altitude sickness guide covers the warning signs.

When can you cross?

The working season is late June to September. Early in the season, expect plenty of snow on the east side of the pass, and more still on the Tusserpo La. July and August are the most settled months; by late September nights at Thalle Camp are cold and fresh snow becomes more likely. Early-season snow is where the "easy" pass becomes slippery, so carry trekking poles and boots with good grip.

Permits, guides and porters

Thalle La is generally treated as an open-zone trek, which means foreigners do not need the special trekking permit and liaison officer required on restricted routes such as K2 base camp. Rules change, so confirm with a licensed operator before you go, and carry your CNIC or passport for checkpoints.

Gilgit-Baltistan's Directorate of Tourist Services asks trekkers to hire licensed guides and to tell local authorities their route and expected return. We would follow that here: the route is remote and there is no mobile signal on the pass.

On porters, older guidebooks note that the 60 km from Shigar to Doghoni was three stages in British times, while porters now ask for as many as seven. Agree the number of stages and the daily rate before you set off.

Getting to the start and back from the finish

To the Khaplu side. Doghoni bridge is on the main Skardu to Khaplu road, roughly 80 km from Skardu and around 15 km short of Khaplu. Jeeps can be hired in Khaplu or Skardu for the track up the valley. Our Skardu to Khaplu guide covers the main road.

From Shigar. Shigar is about 30 km from Skardu on a paved road; our Skardu to Shigar guide covers transport back. Finishing in Shigar also means you can end with a night at the fort; see our guide to places to visit in Shigar.

You can also start from Shigar, which is easier to reach from Skardu, but you then climb the longer western side and its snowfield.

What to carry

• A tent, stove and all food. There are herders' huts but no shops or lodges after the last villages.
• Warm layers and a proper sleeping bag. Thalle Camp is close to freezing at night even in summer.
• Sun protection. The snowfield and high pastures reflect a lot of light.
• Water purification and cash. Streams run past grazing animals, and there are no ATMs beyond Khaplu and Skardu.

Is the Thalle La trek worth it?

Yes, for fit walkers who want a real high crossing, two different Balti valleys and nights in herders' summer settlements, without glacier skills. It also works as an acclimatisation trek before something bigger in Hushe or on the Baltoro.

It is not for anyone who has never camped, and with the drives a week from Skardu is realistic. If you want both valleys without the walking, our comparison of Shigar and Khaplu covers visiting each by road, and our Skardu and Deosai tour includes Shigar and Khaplu.

Frequently asked questions