The hike to Rakaposhi Base Camp is considered to be one of the most beautiful hikes you can do in Pakistan, up there with hiking in Fairy Meadows. Most people hike the Rakaposhi Base Camp with a guide in 2 - 3 days, but did you know that you can do it all in one day independently? I did it in October 2018, and I am here to let you know how I did it and how you can hike the Rakaposhi Base Camp in one day as well.
The Rakaposhi mountain is a 7,788 m high mountain in the Karakoram mountain range located in the Nagar Valley of Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan. The name Rakaposhi, meaning "snow-covered", comes from the fact that you can see the exceptional rise of its snow-covered peaks all the way from the Karakoram Highway route that goes through the Nagar Valley. You can even see its majestic wall of snow all the way from the Hunza Valley.
At 3,500 m, the Rakaposhi base camp is accessible for any hiker to climb and witness the majestic mountain up close and personal. Here is the complete guide to hiking the Rakaposhi Base Camp independently in one day:
Rakaposhi Hiking Map
The Hiking Trails
Minapin to Hapakun (2.5 hrs one way)
Length: 2.5 hours one way
Difficulty: Moderate
What I love about this hike is that the trail begins straight from Minapin. The entire hike will take approximately 7 hours without breaks, so I would recommend that you start as early as 8 AM. From Minapin, head south along the road until you come across a bridge to a hydroplant.
From there, you will have to follow a gravel path up the rocky mountain. The paths zigzag up the side of the mountain, and then the trail becomes level as you walk through thick forest.
- Diran Guesthouse (Budget)
- Roomy Yurts, Minapin Nagar Hunza (Mid-Range) 👍 Top Pick
- 3 Days Kashmir Neelam valley Tour (3 days)
- Private Tour in Kartarpur, Nankana Sahib & Sacha Sauda (12 to 14 hours)
- From Islamabad: Full Day Historical Peshawar Guided City Tour (8 to 10 hours)
You will pass through a local's village while the Minapin Glacier will start to become visible on your left. Continue walking on the flat path through the forest for about an hour, and you will begin ascending up a hill until you arrive at Hapakun campsite.
There is no mistaking the campsite. You will see one big white tent (unoccupied if you are there in October) on a vast area of grass plain where you can rest and refill your water from the nearby stream if needed.
Hapakun to Rakaposhi Base Camp (1.5 hrs one way)
Length: 1.5 hours one way
Difficulty: Hard
From here on out, it is all uphill with a steep climb that zigzags through the alpine forest for at least an hour until you emerge from the forest and are completely exposed. You will start to see Rakaposhi looming in the background as you come out of the forest.
Continue and climb up the path until you have reached a ridge where you will be able to get a panoramic view of the mountain range and the glacier beneath it.
I'll be honest with you, the Minapin glacier is probably one of the most beautiful glaciers I have ever seen. Its psychedelic pattern just captivated me more than any other glacier.
I spent almost 2 hours just walking around the ridge, taking photos of the glacier and the beautiful mountain range behind it. The view from the ridge makes the trip worthwhile.
By the time you arrive at the ridge, it should be around 12 PM. You can either stay here for the next 2 hours or continue onward to the base camp, which is only 15 minutes away from the ridge. If by 2 PM, you have not reached the ridge, I would recommend you turn back, as you will likely be hiking in the dark on your way down. And as I told you, when the sun sets, the temperature can go below zero, so please turn back if you have not reached the ridge by 2 PM.
From the Rakaposhi base camp back to Minapin, it is all downhill, so it will take you around 2.5 hours to descend. I started heading down at 2 PM and arrived back at my guest house at 4:30 PM, all in one day, independently.
And there you have it. You can hike from Minapin to Rakaposhi base camp and back in 8.5 hours, including a 2-hour break at the top. This allows plenty of time to get some nice photos of the beautiful Rakaposhi mountain and its mesmerizing glacier.
More Minapin Activities
If you are looking for more activities to do here, be sure to check out some of the available tours and day trips:
- 3 Days Kashmir Neelam valley Tour (3 days)
- Private Tour in Kartarpur, Nankana Sahib & Sacha Sauda (12 to 14 hours)
- From Islamabad: Full Day Historical Peshawar Guided City Tour (8 to 10 hours)
Where to Stay in Minapin?
When to Go?
The best time to hike Rakaposhi is from May to October when the trails are clear of snow, and you are more likely to have a nice, clear day.
I did the trek in October, and the trail was completely empty with no one walking the trail, nor did anyone occupy any of the camps en route, which is perfect since I was doing a one-day hike anyway.
The weather in October can be a bit windy, especially on Viewpoint Ridge, and may drop below zero at night. So, it's a good thing I made it a day hike instead of a multi-day hike like most people do.
What to Pack for Rakaposhi Base Camp Hike?
When it comes to hiking, great preparation goes a long way. Here are some things to prepare before you make the trip:
- Good Sturdy Shoes: The trails are pretty tame with no requirement for technical gear (unless there is snow), so normal sturdy shoes should be enough for the trail. These Timberland Shoes are my go-to hiking boots in most situations.
- Weather-proof Jackets: Prepare layers as it can get cold the further you climb. It gets exceptionally windy when you approach the ridge before the base camp, so a weatherproof jacket is recommended. Also, the weather changes fast up there, so prepare a rain jacket and weather-proof pants as well. Here are jackets I recommend you get for the trip: fleece jacket and the beautiful orange Columbia outer-shell jacket.
- Prepare Lunch and Snacks: You will be hiking all day from 8 AM to 4 PM, so be sure to prepare lunch and snacks to sustain your energy beforehand. You can ask your guest house to cook you lunch and borrow their food container for the hike. Water can be refilled from the water stream at Hapakun campsite, so having 2 liters of water should be enough. I always carry my 2-liter hydration pack, which I recommend so you don't have to stop to stay hydrated.
- A Daypack: You will need a daypack to carry all your gear with you when you are out and about. During this trip, I use the classic Herschel Supply's Little America Backpack to carry everything with me. It is light with good capacity and stylish as hell.
How to Get to Minapin?
From Gilgit, you can take a public van from the north bus station (location shown below) to Minapin. The van is scheduled to leave at 3 PM, but they will often wait until it's full. The trip will take around 2 hours and it will cost you around 200 PKR. The bus stop is not much of a bus stop as there is no waiting room and seating for you to wait. I had to ask a shop nearby to allow me to sit in their warehouse for 3 hours waiting for the van to come.
You can also hitchhike your way to Minapin. To be honest, it will be much, much faster and more efficient if you just hitchhike. I did wait for the van all day, and I still arrived at 8 PM.
Now that we have all the information we need, it's time to start planning your trip! Here are some resources to help you get going:
Are you planning to travel independently? Be sure to check out my guide on How To Plan A Backpacking Trip here.
Further Reading for Pakistan
I hope this guide will help you plan your trip to Pakistan. I have written a ton more articles about Pakistan, and here's a selection of them to help you further plan your Pakistan trip.
- Looking for a complete itinerary and travel guide for Pakistan? One Month Travel Itinerary for Pakistan.
- If you do not have one month to spare, you can spend 2 weeks traveling the Karakoram Highway from Islamabad to Sost. Here's a complete travel guide and a 2-week itinerary for traveling the Karakoram Highway.
- Lahore is a beautiful city full of stunning Mughal and British architectures that have stood the test of time. If you are looking for things to do in Lahore, here’s 7 amazing things to do in Lahore.
- Islamabad is the new capital city of Pakistan, built with a modern mindset in mind, and it shows. Here’s 6 best things to do in Islamabad.
- Are you ready to go hiking in Pakistan? First, you will have to get to Gilgit-Baltistan and here's a complete travel guide on how to get to Gilgit from Islamabad.
- Fairy Meadows and Nanga Parbat, the 8th highest mountain in the world, are probably the most accessible 8000+ mountains out there. Here's a complete hiking guide to Fairy Meadows and Nanga Parbat Base Camp.
- The Hunza Valley is one of the most beautiful valleys in Pakistan. The capital city of the Hunza Valley is Karimabad, which is a perfect base for you to explore the Valley. Here's 5 awesome things to do in Karimabad, Hunza Valley.
- You can also watch my travel videos about South Asia here: Sri Lanka travel video, Nepal travel video, and Pakistan travel video.
- Want to know where to go after Pakistan? How about exploring the Golden Triangle in India, doing some trekking in Nepal, going off-the-beaten-path, or exploring Sri Lanka by train?
- For all articles about Pakistan, visit Pakistan Travel Guide page.
- Looking for more travel guides for South Asia? You can find more on my South Asia Travel Guide page.
- For more of my travel guides, visit my Destinations page.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links.
15 Comments
Hi, have you some foto sw ridge of Rakaposhi
Hey Paul,
Unfortunately, no. It was cloudy and about to rain by the time I arrived up there at the ridge so I didn't explore further.
Yes i have ..
Everything is perfectly described but the rate which you mentioned for Diran guest house is too low . They costs about 60-70$ in season and in off season they charged 30-40$
Hi, I would really appreciate if you can mention some other mountain base camp treks like the rakaposhi, that can be done independently as you did. Also is it possible to go further independently from such base camps - for example to and further from nanga parbat base camp? Thank you ever so much
Hi good day
There's a question floating in my mind. 1. Do we need any permit/grant to climb the Rakaposhi Base Camp? 2. Is the track easy to identify? Thank you.
Hi, I think I can do only one hike in my trip. Either Rakapokshi hike or fairy meadows. Which one would your recommend me. I'm travelling with a couple of 60 year olds who are not used to hikes.
Hi,
how tough is hike, i am average hiker. can i do it in 1 day.how much elevation you gain from minapin to bc.
can you guide.
regards
The hike is moderate. If you start early enough you should have ample of time to go all the way to the base camp and back. You can always turn back as well if you are not there by 2 - 3 PM. Either way, I think it is worth a shot. The view along the way is already pretty stunning. :)
How did you hitchhike around Pakistan? were there specific places you went and waited for someone to give you a ride or did you use a hitchhiking app?