Masherbrum is 7,821 m (25,659 ft) in height. It is the 22nd highest mountain in the world and the ninth highest in Pakistan. Although “only” a “7,000er”, technically, it is considerably harder to climb than most 8,000 m peaks.

Location of Masherbrum I Ghanche District, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan. It is the highest peak of the Masherbrum Mountains a sub-range of the Karakoram range, just south of the Baltoro Glacier.

Masherbrum is regarded as one of the hardest and most technical climbing in the world. It has some ridiculously extreme vertical angles and the ice navigation is challenging to say the least and also very prone to avalanches. It is not as straightforward as some of the more ‘standard’ 8000m peaks like Gasherbrum II.

This is because the optimum period to climb in the Karakoram is during summer fromJune to Augustwhich is when the weather is at its most favourable for high altitude climbs and is the mildest time of the year to do so.

The duration of a typical expedition: Your standard trip duration from start to finish (leaving Islamabad to returning to Islamabad) usually varies from 45-55 days which include the traveling days, trekking to base camp, few weeks on basecamp and the actual summit attempt with its preceding acclimatisation & load carrying operations.

Because of its immense difficulty and unpredictable weather, its success rate is notoriously low. It is one of the least ascended peaks for a mountain of this elevation – it’s a mountaineer's mountain.

Sure. Participants have to have plenty of experience on technical 6000m and 7000m high altitude mountains. The climbers should have very good technique to do steep ice climbing and the ability to do the crevasses rescue technique, excellent high altitude stamina required for the Black Yak Adventure.

The normal route to the top of Masherbrum is up the South Face. But all of Masherbrum’s approaches involve technical rock and mixed ice and rock climbing as well as large and extensive crevassed glaciers.

Although there are some elite climbers who have reached the summit alpine style (unassisted), most expeditions do use bottled oxygen on the upper mountain from above 7,000 meters in order to reduce the risk of HAPE and frostbite.

Quality base camps for 2-4 people (e.g. North Face etc.) kitchen equipment and satellite phones as well as medical kit are included. Climbers should bring their personal equipment. This is inclusive of: boots, harness and sleeping bags.

We have flown into Skardu and travelled by jeep into the Hushe Valley where we undertake a spectacular 2-3 days trek, supported by our expert Balti porter team to Masherbrum Base camp (4,200m).

The biggest hazards are high wind velocity, unexpected avalanches on steep face, and deep crevasse. Our guide use expert weather forecasts and fixed-roping techniques to reduce this risks.

Logistics - In our standard packages, a shared HAP ratio is factored in. Individual 1:1 Sherpa or HAP support can be hired on an additional basis for climbers seeking assistance with carrying load and ensuring safety at the summit.

The high camps are continuously communicating with the Base camp via satellite phone (Thuraya/Iridium) and the radio sets VHF 24h to guarantee that everything is under control.

Our Base camp is equipped with a well-stocked medical kit and includes life-saving drugs for high altitude illness (Dexamethasone) and high-flow oxygen. Our guides and staff are trained in high altitude first aid.

At Base Camp we will serve you variety of Pakistani and International cuisine by our professional Chefs. For the high camps, we carry weight saving and high caloric dehydrated foods along with energy dense snacks.

As noted above, we cannot cover expenses resulting from natural disasters (such as earthquakes, landslides, etc.) or from government restrictions. We strongly advise purchasing comprehensive expedition travel insurance including "cancel for any reason" coverage.

Yes. All liaison with the authorities is the responsibility of Black Yak Adventure including acquiring the formal permit for climbing, through the Government of Gilgit-Baltistan and Ministry of Tourism.

Yes. We work with Askari Aviation for helicopter evacuation. Though, your travel insurance needs to cover a minimum of $15,000 for a high-altitude heli-evacuation to Pakistan.

Local and intimately familiar with the Hushe Valley We’ve explored every slope of Masherbrum and are dedicated to providing international safety standards – this is the ultimate package for serious mountaineers.