KARAKORAM | AUGUST TO SEPTEMBER 2028
Expedition Nangma Valley Pakistan
On foot into the Nangma valley, climbing granite below Amin Brakk.
The story of this expedition
You fly from Brussels to Islamabad and on to Skardu, on the edge of the Karakoram. By road we follow the Indus and the Shyok to Kanday, the last village in the Hushe valley, where the road ends. From there you walk into the Nangma valley with local porters, to a base camp at around 4,000 metres between granite towers and walls. From base camp we climb the granite, with Amin Brakk at 5,850 metres towering over the valley.
From Kanday, the last village in the Hushe valley, we walk into the Nangma valley. The path runs past fields and apricot trees, over moraines and through meadows to a base camp at around 4,000 metres. Local porters carry the heavy gear, you carry your own pack. Expect five to six hours of walking a day with serious height gain. Behind every bend in the valley another granite wall appears.
The Hushe valley is Balti country. The villages are built of stone and wood, between terraced fields of barley and apricot trees. The porters and the cook come from these villages and have known the valley since childhood. You drink salt tea, eat chapati straight from the pan and quickly notice how hospitable people are here.
Granite towers and walls surround base camp, with Amin Brakk at 5,850 metres as the eye-catcher. We leave the summit to big wall teams who spend weeks on it. We climb the lower walls and slabs around it: multi-pitch routes with cracks, slabs and belay ledges high above the valley. The X Guides set up the routes and manage the rope, you climb, belay and abseil.
We deliberately choose August and September: the climbing season in the Karakoram, with dry granite, long days and the valley free of snow.
The story of
this expedition
You fly from Brussels to Islamabad and on to Skardu, on the edge of the Karakoram. By road we follow the Indus and the Shyok to Kanday, the last village in the Hushe valley, where the road ends. From there you walk into the Nangma valley with local porters, to a base camp at around 4,000 metres between granite towers and walls. From base camp we climb the granite, with Amin Brakk at 5,850 metres towering over the valley.
From Kanday, the last village in the Hushe valley, we walk into the Nangma valley. The path runs past fields and apricot trees, over moraines and through meadows to a base camp at around 4,000 metres. Local porters carry the heavy gear, you carry your own pack. Expect five to six hours of walking a day with serious height gain. Behind every bend in the valley another granite wall appears.
The Hushe valley is Balti country. The villages are built of stone and wood, between terraced fields of barley and apricot trees. The porters and the cook come from these villages and have known the valley since childhood. You drink salt tea, eat chapati straight from the pan and quickly notice how hospitable people are here.
Granite towers and walls surround base camp, with Amin Brakk at 5,850 metres as the eye-catcher. We leave the summit to big wall teams who spend weeks on it. We climb the lower walls and slabs around it: multi-pitch routes with cracks, slabs and belay ledges high above the valley. The X Guides set up the routes and manage the rope, you climb, belay and abseil.
We deliberately choose August and September: the climbing season in the Karakoram, with dry granite, long days and the valley free of snow.
Self-sufficient,
but never alone
From the moment we set off, we are off grid. We filter water from mountain streams, cook our own expedition food and sleep in tents, at base camp and along the way in the valley.
You learn to belay, abseil and climb multi-pitch routes, and to walk with a pack at altitude, guided by an experienced X- Guide whom you meet well in advance during the preparation programme.
Safety & guidance
Safety is the foundation of every Element X expedition. Our X Guides are professionally trained, hold WFR certificates and have years of experience in extreme conditions.
Every expedition has satellite phones, GPS tracking, safety procedures, an evacuation plan and local support in Pakistan.
Before departure we also carry out a thorough risk analysis and prepare everything down to the last detail.
Guided by real expedition leaders.
You step into nature, away from the
beaten track, but always with the certainty of experienced guidance
and safety first.
Safety & guidance
Safety is the foundation of every Element X expedition. Our X Guides are professionally trained, hold
WFR certificates and have
years of experience in extreme conditions.
Every expedition has satellite phones, GPS tracking, clear safety procedures, a detailed evacuation plan and local support in Pakistan.
Before departure we also carry out a thorough risk analysis and prepare everything down to the last detail.
Self-sufficient,
but never alone
From the moment we set off, we are off grid. We filter water from mountain streams, cook our own expedition food and sleep in tents, at base camp and along the way in the valley.
You learn to belay, abseil and climb multi-pitch routes, and to walk with a pack at altitude, guided by an experienced X-Guide whom you meet well in advance during the preparation programme.
We let no one step into the unknown unprepared.
An expedition of this calibre starts months in advance. The preparation programme consists of an individual phase and a group phase.
Individual phase
Starts immediately after registration. You receive an inspiration pack with practical tips, insights and exercises to start moving like an expedition member. You gather your expedition gear using the packing list (do not buy anything yet: bring what you already have to the kick off). And you share your medical information, because the best preparation is a plan for when things go wrong.
Group phase
Starts 3 to 6 months before departure with the kick off: a full day on which you meet your team, taste the expedition atmosphere and take the first steps as a group. There we plan the follow-up moments together and the WhatsApp group starts. Training includes, among other things: getting to know the group and roles, physical screening and analysis, a personalised training schedule, technical and resilience training, gear, nutrition and sleep setup, and a final check.
As seen in
Imagine: granite walls rising hundreds of metres straight up, a tent camp in a meadow at their foot, your hands in a crack in warm rock and a silence broken only by a stream.
On Expedition Nangma Valley you walk into a valley you can only reach on foot: where the granite sets the days, where the people of Baltistan welcome you with tea, and where Amin Brakk towers over camp every morning.
Imagine: granite walls rising hundreds of metres straight up, a tent camp in a meadow at their foot, your hands in a crack in warm rock and a silence broken only by a stream.
On Expedition Nangma Valley you walk into a valley you can only reach on foot: where the granite sets the days, where the people of Baltistan welcome you with tea, and where Amin Brakk towers over camp every morning.
Frequently asked questions
No. You do not need to be a top athlete. Through our preparation programme (screening, training schedule and targeted training) we build your level up to expedition level in 3 to 6 months.
Very safe. We work with WFR-certified expedition leaders, satellite communication, evacuation plans and clearly outlined safety protocols.
The full expedition programme, gear, workshops, guidance, all local costs and meals are included, plus the full 3 to 6 month preparation programme. Flights, personal clothing and insurance are not included.
Frequently asked questions
No. You do not need to be a top athlete. Through our preparation programme (screening, training schedule and targeted training) we build your level up to expedition level in 3 to 6 months.
Very safe. We work with WFR-certified expedition leaders, satellite communication, evacuation plans and clearly outlined safety protocols.
The full expedition programme, gear, workshops, guidance, all local costs and meals are included, plus the full 3 to 6 month preparation programme. Flights, personal clothing and insurance are not included.
Ready for the Nangma valley?
Taking an option is free and without obligation; your spot is only confirmed after the intake.
Koen De Leeuw
Expedition leader | Element X
“Nangma is known among climbers for its granite: solid, rough and full of cracks your hands trust straight away. We leave the summit of Amin Brakk to big wall teams who spend weeks on it. Every day we climb a wall that asks a little more of you than the day before.”
SIGN UP FOR
EXPEDITION UPDATES!
Stay one step ahead of the adventure! Sign up
for our updates and receive the latest news and exclusive information about our transformative expeditions in the wilderness.
SIGN UP FOR
EXPEDITION UPDATES!
Stay one step ahead of the adventure! Sign up for our updates and receive the latest news and exclusive information about our transformative expeditions in the wilderness.