Muztagh Tower rises to 7,273 meters in the heart of the Karakoram Range, positioned within the captivating Baltoro Glacier region of Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan . The name "Muztagh" comes from local languages, meaning "Ice Mountain"—a fitting description for a peak perpetually wrapped in ice and snow . Known for its steep slopes and icy faces, the mountain's towering presence creates a dramatic profile against the skyline, making it one of the most recognizable peaks in the range .

The mountain's fame began with a photograph. In 1909, the pioneering Italian photographer Vittorio Sella captured an image of Muztagh Tower during the Duke of Abruzzi's expedition to K2. Taken from the upper Baltoro Glacier, the twin summits were perfectly aligned, creating the illusion of a slender, impregnable tooth . The photograph so captured the imagination of the climbing world that in 1941, it was featured in a mountaineering book with the caption "The Last Citadel"—a peak that might never be climbed .

Nearly fifty years later, Sella's photograph inspired two expeditions to race for the first ascent . In 1956, a British team led by John Hartog, with legendary climbers Joe Brown, Tom Patey, and Ian McNaught-Davis, approached from the west side via the Chagaran Glacier . Simultaneously, a French team led by Guido Magnone, with Robert Paragot, André Contamine, and Paul Keller, attacked the mountain from the east . Both teams found the slopes less steep than Sella's view had suggested, and on July 6, 1956, the British team reached the summit via the Northwest Ridge—five days before the French completed their own ascent from the east side . The doctor François Florence waited for both parties at Camp IV for 42 hours without a radio, not knowing if they were alive or dead .

Since that historic first ascent, only a handful of expeditions have climbed one or both summits. British climbers in 1984, a Swedish team in 1990, and a Russian team in 2012 are among the few who have succeeded . The Russian route, named "Think Twice," earned a Piolet d'Or (Golden Ice Axe) in 2013—mountaineering's highest honor—a testament to the technical difficulty and commitment required .

We know the porters who carry loads with quiet dignity, the cooks who produce hot meals at 4,600 meters, and the guides who have spent decades in the Baltoro region. Our 40-day itinerary builds in the flexibility the mountain demands—contingency days for weather windows that open and close, and the simple truth that on Muztagh Tower, success requires technical mastery, patience, and sound judgment.

MUZTAGH TOWER EXPEDITION (7,273m)

MUZTAGH TOWER EXPEDITION (7,273m)

Trip Stats

Overview

Trip Highlights

Day by Day Itinerary

Arrival in Islamabad

Ministry Briefing and Preparations

Fly to Skardu

Skardu: Preparation and Briefing

Final Preparations in Skardu

Skardu to Askole (3,050m)

Trek Askole to Jhola (3,170m)

Trek Jhola to Paiju (3,380m)

Rest Day at Paiju

Trek Paiju to Khuburtse (3,800m)

Trek Khuburtse to Urdukas (4,130m)

Rest Day at Urdukas (4,130m)

Trek Urdukas to Goro II (4,300m)

Trek Goro II to Muztagh Tower Base Camp (4,600m)

Rest, Training & Puja Ceremony at Base Camp

Climbing and Acclimatization Period (20 days)

Base Camp Clean-up and Rest

Base Camp to Urdukas

Urdukas to Paiju

Paiju to Jhola

Jhola to Askole

Askole to Skardu

Skardu Debriefing and Celebration

Fly Skardu to Islamabad

Contingency Day in Islamabad

Departure

What's Included

Included

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