There is no road to Concordia and no pack animal that will cross the Baltoro. Everything on a Karakoram trek — tents, food, fuel, kitchen, your duffel — is carried on someone’s back.
How the loads work
Your personal allowance on trek is 15kg, carried by porters, plus whatever you take in your own daypack. On top of that the crew carries the group equipment: tents, the dining and kitchen tents, stoves, fuel and food for the whole party for the whole route.
Why the cap is enforced
- Load limits are a safety measure for the porters, not an administrative detail.
- Every kilo over the allowance is a kilo carried over moraine and glacier for up to two weeks.
- Overloading is how people get hurt, and it is the part of this industry with the worst reputation.
- Our crew carry proper equipment and clothing for the altitude they are working at — that is a cost we build into the trip, not an optional extra.
What that means for your packing
Split your kit before you fly: a trekking duffel that moves with you and a base-camp bag that does not. Leave the third fleece and the heavy tripod. If you are close to the limit, we will tell you before departure rather than at the trailhead.
The bit people miss
Tips are not included in any of our trips and they are not a formality. The crew is the reason the trip works, and we will tell you what is customary rather than leaving you to guess.
