Snow Lake Trek -20 Days

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Snow lake trek

Biafo Hisper La trek AKA Snow lake trek is one of the demanding and challenging treks in the world. Snow lake trek is a challenging trek among the other treks of the Karakoram range. The trek is mostly done on the famous Biafo Glacier and crosses a mountain pass into the Hisper valley of Nagar that’s why it is also called Biafo Hisper La Trek. Biafo Glacier (61km) in Shigar Valley and Hisper Glacier (60m) in Nagar Valley make the world’s largest glacier outside the polar region. Snow lake is mostly undertaken in the Shigar and Nagar valleys of Gilgit Baltistan, both were former princely states and the route we use to trek was once a passage for the invader to the Shigar valley. The track follows the icy path until a plain of snow known as the snow lake. There are many passes from snow lake but the most regular and famous is the Hisper pass crossing into Hisper village.

Snow lake trek is challenging because of the rough terrain of the Biafo glacier and rugged landscape. The glacier is porous, and full of small crevasses till snow lake but the views and landscape are not less than the heaven the view of mountain vista at snow lake is worth endurable. additionally, the beautiful lattok Group, Baintha Brak, Biafo Brak/ogre, Biacherhi peak, and dozens of peaks of above 6000m lies on the way to the snow lake. Snow lake itself is not a lake rather it is a high altitude glacial basin in the Karakorum Range at the altitude of 4900M and approximately 16km wide, located at the junction of Biafo and Hisper Glaciers. Between the Hisper la 5150m and the upper Biafo glaciers, it is spread towards Shigar valley. Snow lake and its surrounding peaks are the best stations for skiers around the world. At snow lake, the ice covering is around 80 square kilometers. Snow Lake was named in 1892 by the British explorer Matin Conway.

Snow lake trek at a Glance

The epic journey of the snow lake trek / Biafo Hisper la trek starts from Islamabad either via air or via road through Karakoram highway to Skardu. Skardu is the hub of all-mountain expeditions in the Karakoram range. Onward Skardu jeep will take the trekker to Askoli village and the participants will spend a night at the snout of Biafo River. Snow lake trek starts from the Biafo river snout and hikes along the highway of ice mix with Grassland and rocky trails to snow lake. There are complete wilderness and mountain vistas from the starting of Biafo Glacier.

We will stay at grassy campsites of Namla, Mango before reaching the rocky Baintha will soon give way to rocky terrain. It is mostly a highway of snow from Biantha crossing karfo Goro and Marfo Goro till snow lake. This is the dream destination of most participants of the snow lake trek, except the cold weather, everything around will look like paradise. Crossing the splendor of the snow lake, we will gradually climb the Hisper la and camp at the top of Hisper La (5151m). From the top of Hisper la the intoxicating beautiful views of   Biafo glacier, snow lake, the Ogre, Hisper glacier, and other snow-covered mountains of Nagar and Shigar valley is mesmerizing.

Reaching the pinnacle of Biafo Hisper la trek at Hisper la we will descent to the Hisper village passing through Khani Basa, and Shigham Baris. Shigham Baris, to Bitenmal. Bitenmal is the summer home of local nomads where you can find friendly shepherds with herds of cattle. After an overnight stay at Bitenmal we will trek to the Hisper village and drive to Hunza Valley, our snow lake trek / Biafo Hisper la trek will conclude in Hunza. After an optional excursion in Hunza, we will drive to Gilgit and Depart to Islamabad by air or by road.