After a long time, mountaineering springs are returning in full swing in beloved homeland Pakistan. With this growing trend, a large number of Pakistani tourists are also attracted towards it. Many of them are wondering where to start mountaineering in Pakistan and how to do it as a sport.
Mountaineering is considered an Extreme Adventure sport and is a healthy activity as well as mentally and physically challenging.
Sure, you’ll encounter danger and hardship in mountaineering. Sometimes despite the hardships, it offers a sense of comfort and spiritual companionship.
British mountaineer George Mallory, who is considered in mountaineering circles to be the first man to climb Mount Everest, said,
“What we get from this adventure is just sheer joy”.
George Mallory
Before you can find joy or freedom in the mountains as a climber, you must prepare for the mountains with technical, physical, and mental training. Just as you have to take the first step to climb a mountain, you also have to take the first step to becoming a mountain climber. But you have to start somewhere.
Thus, these first steps are your hiking and trekking, but the formal start would be with technical training. So now the question arises about how and where to get the training. There are many expert climbers and trainers in Pakistan from whom you can get this training and start your hobby practically.
Mountaineering Schools in Gilgit Baltistan
Zahid Rajput runs an organization called Choghori International in Skardu. He is considered to be the most expert trainer in Pakistan for mountaineering training, often conducting basic and level 2 courses at Hopper Glacier and Manthukha waterfalls in winter.
Shams Alpine Mountaineering & Trekking (Pvt) Ltd. in Hunza is a trekking and mountaineering expeditions company run by Pakistan’s world-renowned mountaineers Qudrat Ali and Shaheen Baig. They conduct basic mountaineering training on the Malangutti Glacier Shimshal, Hunza.
In basic training, you will learn about the equipment used in mountaineering. How to use it, how to travel on a glacier, different types of knots that are used during mountaineer, and techniques for climbing and descending the mountain. Learn how to rope for climbing and other basics and practice them.
Where to start mountaineering?
After that complete your technical gear and then do some trekking with an experienced team and technical validation. Practice your skills on less difficult peMangalangalak Sar of Shamshal, Khosar-Gang of Shigar, and Rupal Peak of Astore is the best peaks to start with.