Rush Peak and The Hunza Valley

Overview

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One of the best short treks in the Karakoram, with an ascent of Rush Peak

Introduction

This two-week itinerary enables adventurous trekkers to experience some of the best mountain scenery in Pakistan’s dramatic Karakoram Range.

The valleys of Hunza are renowned for their friendly people and breathtaking landscape. Snow-covered peaks and precipitous rock spires rise above the irrigation channels and fertile terraced fields. Our trekking route starts from the small farming settlement of Hopar, passes through flower-filled meadows in ablation valleys and involves five glacier crossings as it circumnavigates the Barpu Glacier.

The first part of the trek visits the base camp of Golden Peak (Spantik), located directly below its stunning ‘golden pillar’. The second part of the trek ascends Rush Peak, which rises above Rush Phari Lake on a ridge separating the Hispar and Barpu glaciers. This non-technical 5,098m view point offers one of best mountain panoramas in the Karakoram. Hunza’s high peaks, including Rakaposhi, Diran and Ultar are visible close by. Baintha Brak (The Ogre) and the Hispar La (pass) are visible in the middle distance. On clear days the Baltoro 8,000m peaks (K2, Broad Peak, Gasherbrum) can just be seen far to the east.

This is an unforgettable trekking journey showing the best of the Karakoram.

Join us on the Rush Peak and Hunza Valley trek

• The best 2-week trek we have designed in the Himalaya-Karakoram
• Incredible panoramic views of high-altitude peaks
• Led by David Hamilton, who has led the trek twice before

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Experience Required

To join the Rush Peak and Hunza Valley trek you need:

• A good standard of fitness gained from regular mountain walking.
• To be able to walk 6 hours per day on rough terrain carrying an 8Kg pack.
• Experience of trekking at altitudes over 4,000m is recommended, but not essential.

Additional Information

If you wish to discuss any aspect of the trek or your suitability for it, please phone +44 (0)114 276 3322 or contact us.

Dates & Prices

Date	With Flight	or Meeting in	Availability
Sat 22 Aug – Sun 6 Sep 2026	UK	Islamabad	Available Book now »
Expedition Leader Chris Pearson	£4,995	£3,995

This trek is available to book in GBP, USD and EUR.
Click to Change currency for prices on this site.

Group size: 6 – 9 people.

Single room supplement: £300

For comparison, this trek starts from £250 (GBP) per day (price Without Flights).

With Flight pricing

Our 'With Flight' price includes an Economy class return airfare from the UK. The cost is based on a group fare that we have already reserved, or individual seats that we have budgeted for. Note that in some circumstances, the earlier you book, the less expensive the airfare and the 'With Flight' price.

Know Before You Go

Jagged Globe supports the British Foreign, Development & Commonwealth Office (FCDO) ‘Know Before You Go’ campaign. We recommend that you read the FCDO Travel Advice for Pakistan on the FCDO Website.

What the price includes

• Economy class return airfares from the UK (unless Land Only).
• UK airline taxes.
• Group airport transfers (unless Land Only).
• One in-country, return flight between Islamabad and Skardu by scheduled, fixed-wing aircraft (in the event of bad weather, road transport will be provided).
• 1 nights' bed and breakfast accommodation in Islamabad on a twin-sharing basis.
• 1 nights’ full-board accommodation in a lodge on a twin-sharing basis.
• 4 nights' full-board accommodation in local hotels on a twin-sharing basis.
• 8 nights' full board accommodation in tents on a twin-sharing basis.
• Porterage of group equipment.
• Porterage of team members’ personal clothing and equipment (maximum 12Kg).
• All road transport by private vehicles.
• All costs for a Jagged Globe leader, local guide, cook staff and porters.
• Jagged Globe kitbag or lightweight fleece.

What the price does not include

• Visa fees.
• Overseas airports taxes not paid in advance through the international airline ticket.
• Airport transfers for those joining on a ‘Land Only’ basis.
• Bar bills and laundry.
• Travel insurance.
• Lunch and evening meals in Islamabad.
• Optional trips and sightseeing tours.
• Tips.

Tailor Made Trips

We can organise this trek on a ‘tailor-made’ private basis for groups of friends, families, clubs, charities or any other group. The cost of going private can be surprisingly reasonable. Please contact us to discuss the itinerary and your preferred dates. We will then send you a quote, with no obligation.

Insurance

You will need a travel insurance policy that caters for the activities you will undertake on your trip with Jagged Globe. It is a requirement of our booking conditions that you have such a policy. For a list of insurers who specialise in mountaineering, trekking and skiing, please see our Travel Insurance page »

Itinerary

Here is an outline itinerary for this trip. A more detailed day-to-day itinerary is available as a downloadable PDF »

Typical Itinerary

Day 1:	Fly to Islamabad
Day 2:	Arrive Islamabad, fly to Skardu (2,500m) Those joining on a ‘land only’ basis should arrange their international flight home to arrive no later than 0400hrs today. Alternatively, you should arrive on ‘Day 1’ and we can book you an additional hotel night – please contact us for prices and booking. Overnight local hotel.
Day 3:	Drive to Karimabad (2,300m) We drive west on the recently upgraded Indus Highway to the junction of the Indus and Gilgit rivers at Jaglot. Here we turn north onto the Karakoram Highway (KKH) through an arid landscape to the regional capital, Gilgit. Continuing north we reach the green and fertile fields of Hunza dominated by the icy bulk of Rakaposhi. Overnight Hotel. (7-8 hrs). Altitude gain: 50m.
Day 4:	Sightseeing in Karaimabad (morning) Drive to Hopar (afternoon) (2,850m) We spend the morning walking around the picturesque streets of the village and visit the historic old fort. After lunch an exciting jeep journey takes us through the fields of the Hunza and Nagir Valleys before the road narrows to a mountain track leading to the roadhead at Hopar where we stay in a simple lodge on the outskirts of the village. Overnight Lodge (90 min drive). Altitude gain: 550m.
Day 5:	Trek to Hamdar Camp (3,340m) Porters are assembled to carry our luggage during the trek. Leaving Hopar we cross the Bualter Glacier and trek South East on the grassy hillside high above the Barpu Glacier. After 4 hours we reach the small shepherd?s settlement of Hapukun and one hour later reach Hamdar. (5 hrs). Altitude gain: 490m.
Day 6:	Trek to Sumayer Bar Camp (3,595m) The trail crosses an exposed cliff by a cleverly made path and drops down to the edge of the Miar Glacier that takes less than an hour to cross. On the far side we climb into the heavily forested ablation valley and follow this for two hours to reach a lovely campsite surrounded by trees. (5 hrs). Altitude gain: 255m.
Day 7:	Trek to Girgindil Camp (3,810m) A short day of trekking over some more difficult ground to reach Girgindil. We follow the wooded Sumayer Bar ablation valley as far as possible before the trail moves onto the Barpu glacier. We cross this by the shortest route to reach the Eastern side and climb up a loose moraine slope to reach the pleasant campsite at Girgindil. (3-4hrs). Altitude gain: 215m.
Day 8:	Trek to Shuja Basa Camp (4,200m) The first hour is the most difficult as we negotiate a bulge in the glacier before regaining the ablation valley at Makphon Pari less than a kilometer from Girgindil. From here the trail follows an ascending line (steep in places) over slopes covered in small bushes and trees. It is easy to lose the best line and sometimes the bushes hide the trail. The white ice pinnacles of the Barpu glacier are always visible below and the wall of ice cliffs stretching from Spantik to Malubiting grows larger as we approach it. The campsite of Shuja Basa is located on a level site where two glaciers join and has great views in all directions. (4-5 hrs). Altitude gain: 390m.
Day 9:	Rest Day / optional trek to Spantik Base Camp (4,600m) The start of the route to Spantik base camp is not obvious. A narrow track crosses a very steep hillside for 200m and then a large 'hidden' valley opens out giving some of the most pleasant and enjoyable trekking of the whole trip. This undulating terrain leads gently upwards to the campsite used by the small number of expeditions that have attempted Spantik's Golden Pillar. This remote site is a beautiful spot and is seldom visited by trekkers. (3-5 hr round trip). Altitude gain: 0m (option to walk 400m higher).
Day 10:	Trek to Bericho Kor Camp (3,300m) The longest trekking day of the trip. At the outset it appears to be mostly downhill starting at 4,600m and dropping to 3,300m, but there is quite a lot of up and down involved and it feels like a long day. Several fast flowing streams cut across the path and these have eroded deep gullies that can be tricky to cross. It is also necessary to climb down to the edge of the glacier at a few places, followed by the inevitable climb back up to the ablation valley. The shepherd's settlement at Chukutans is a great place for a lunch stop and marks the start of a much improved path that runs all the way to Bericho Kor. (7-8 hrs). Altitude loss: 900m.
Day 11:	Trek to Chidin Harai Camp (4,370m) If Day 10 is the longest there is no doubt that Day 11 is the steepest. The trail rises in a series of zigzags directly behind camp gaining 700m up a dry and dusty path with few places to stop and rest. The trail leads directly to the crest of the ridge that separates the valley of the Barpu Glacier from the Hispar to the North. The trail turns Southwards and follows the broad crest of this ridge over less steep group for a further 350m to reach the campsite at Chidin Harai (4-5hrs). Altitude gain: 1070m.
Day 12:	Ascent of Rush Peak (5,098mm) An early start is required to get a good chance of clear skies and the best views of the more distant peaks. We start walking at about 06.00hrs and should reach the top about 3 hours later. The trail is easy for most of the way, ascending grass covered slopes and passing along the shores of Rush lake (4,660m). The final 150m of the climb is the only section with any difficulties. The summit cone is composed of large blocks of stone that need to be climbed with care (4-6hrs round trip). Altitude gain: 0m (option to walk 728m higher).
Day 13:	Trek to Hoper (morning) Drive to Karimabad (afternoon) The descent to Bericho Kor follows the same path that was climbed on Day 11. The ground is steep and dusty as the path is very ?direct? dropping 700m in a very short distance. The route then follows the ablation valley on the East side of the Barpu glacier passing several large flat areas of grassland surrounded by trees. After 2 more hours walking we reach Tagaphari and strike out across the Barpu glacier for the last time. This crossing only takes 30mins and is followed soon after by a crossing of similar length over the Bualter glacier. A final steep climb up a moraine slope leads to the village of Hoper where we have lunch. (5-6 hrs trekking). Altitude loss: 1593m. We then climb aboard waiting jeeps for the short drive to Karimabad. Overnight hotel.
Day 14:	Drive to Naran We drive south on the KKH leaving the Hunza valley towards Gilgit. At Jaglot we reach the junction of the Indus and Gilgit rivers. Soon after there are good views of Nanga Parbat (8,126m). The road continues southwards through the rocky barren landscape of Indus Khoistan to reach the town of Chilas. Here we leave the KKH and climb a mountain road to cross the Babusar Pass (4,173m) and descend into the beautiful landscape of the upper Kaghan valley. A few hours later we reach the tourist town of Naran where we spend the night. (9-10 hrs) Overnight Hotel.
Day 15:	Spare day in Islamabad/Rawalpindi The road continues to descend through the forested foothills of the Karakoram to Mansehra where we join the recently constructed motorway for the final stage of the journey to Islamabad (7-8 hrs). Overnight Hotel.
Day 16:	Fly home Flights normally depart for the UK in mid-morning. Those joining on a ‘land only’ basis should arrange their international flight home to depart today.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Every effort will be made to keep to the above itinerary, but as this is Adventure Travel in a remote mountain region, we cannot guarantee it. Weather conditions, road conditions, vehicle breakdowns, internal flight delays, the availability of porters and the health of trekkers can all contribute to changes. The Trek Leader and our local agent will try to ensure that the trip runs according to plan, but an easy going nature will be an asset!

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Reports & Reviews

First Trek: 2007
Total: 3 trips

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Team Member Reviews

There are currently no team member reviews for this trip.

Leader Reports

• Rush Peak and The Hunza Valley 2023
  “It's easy to have an enjoyable and successful expedition to the mountains when the sun shines every day. Especially in an area of dramatic and beautiful scenery with no other groups present. This is the third time that I have...”
  report added 12/Sep/23
• Rush Peak and The Hunza Valley 2008
  “With the re-launching of this trek in 2023, we're re-publishing the trip reports from 2007 and 2008. The 2007 conditions were entirely snow free, while the 2008 trip had a lot of snow.. Rush Peak and the Hunza Valley 30...”
  report added 11/Oct/22
• Rush Peak and The Hunza Valley 2007
  “With the re-launching of this trek in 2023, we're re-publishing the trip reports from 2007 and 2008. The 2007 conditions were entirely snow free, while the 2008 trip had a lot of snow.. Reconnaissance Report 29 August...”
  report added 11/Oct/22