• Barpu Galcier near Rush Peak
  • Rush Lake
  • Rush Lake
  • Rush Lake Trail

Rush Lake Trek

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Green Environment Friendly

Expert Local Guides

Grading: 2/5

Level: Moderate

Type:

Trekking

Activities

  • 9 Days Guided Tour
  • 5 Days Trek
  • 2 Days Jeep Travel

Accomodations

  • 4 Nights Hotel
  • 4 Nights Camp

Meals

  • 5 Dinners Plus
  • 5 Lunches
  • 9 Breakfasts and Supper

Ways to Travel

  • Fixed Departure
  • Solo/ Tailor Made/ Private
  • Guided
Snowland > Tours > Valleys > Hunza > Rush Lake Trek

Rusk Lake Trek

  • Trek across glaciers and alpine meadows to camp beside Rush Lake
  • Take in the views of Karakoram giants, including Rakaposhi, Ultar and distant K2 (8611m)
  • Marvel at the incredible natural beauty of the Hunza Valley as seen from the Eagle’s Nest

Trip Overview

The valleys of Hunza and Nagar are renowned for their friendly people and breathtaking landscape. Snow covered peaks and precipitous rock spires rise above the irrigation channels and fertile terraced fields.
Our trekking route starts from the small farming settlement of Hopar, passes through flower filled meadows in ablation valleys and involves five glacier crossings as it circumnavigates the Barpu Glacier . At over 4,694m, Rush Lake is one of the highest alpine lakes in the world. It is located about 15 km north of Miar Peak and Spantik(Golden Peak), which are in the Nagar/Hunza valley. Rush Lake can be reached via Nagar and Hopar and via the Hopar Glacier and Miar Glacier, which rises from Miar Peak.
The Rusk Peak/Rush Phari (5098m) viewpoint offers one of best mountain panoramas in the Karakoram. Hunza’s high peaks, including Rakaposhi, Diran and Ultar, are visible close by. Baintha Brak (The Ogre) and the Hispar La (pass) are visible in the middle distance. On clear days the Baltoro 8000m peaks (K2, Broad Peak, Gasherbrum) can just be seen far to the east.
This is an unforgettable trekking journey showing the best of the Karakoram.

Itinerary

You will be met by a representative of snowland and will be transferred to the Designated Hotel.
Meals Included: None
Accomodation: Hotel

Setting off after breakfast, we drive northwards via Abbottabad to Mansehra. Here, we turn away from the Karakoram Highway and head up towards the Babusar Pass through the picturesque forest and meadow landscape of the Kaghan Valley. Heading up the valley, the scenery becomes increasingly dramatic, culminating in a series of hairpin bends which lead to the pass. The monument at the top provides a great photo opportunity and there are view of snow-capped peaks including, if it is clear, Rakaposhi (7788m) which we will be much closer to at the end of the day. Dropping down to the River Indus near Chilas, our journey continues, with views of the mighty Nanga Parbat (8126m), into the Hunza Valley. We pass Gilgit and reach our hotel in Karimabad in time for dinner.
Meals Included: Breakfast
Accomodation: Hotel

We start the day with the short drive back down to the Karakoram Highway where we follow the Hunza River downstream for around 30 minutes to Murtaza Abad. Here, we turn off the highway onto a mostly unpaved road and follow the Hunza River upstream, now on its opposite bank. After 20 minutes we reach the confluence of the Hunza and Nagar rivers and follow the latter for a further hour to the collection of small hamlets known as Hopar (2750m). After a short rest we will start our trek from Hoper village. The first leg of our trek takes us across the Bualtar Glacier, which is one of the fastest moving glaciers in the world (at a rate of 20cm a day!). After leaving the village of Hopar, we soon drop down onto the glacier via a steep zig-zag path. A cairned trail leads across the glacier surface, strewn with moraine and boulders with occasional sections of exposed ice. Just how straightforward this crossing is varies considerably as is to be expected with one of the world's fastest moving glaciers. It will take anything from 60 to 90 minutes to make the crossing and we then climb across a spur between the Bualtar and Barpu glaciers. Dropping down onto the Barpu we now cross this next glacier, more easily than the former, over moraine rubble and ice for a further hour to finally reach the ablation valley beyond. An easy further hour of walking along this natural feature takes us to our wild campsite amongst sparse woods at a place known as Barpu Giram (3250m).
Meals Included: All Meals
Accomodation: Camp

Our route up towards Rush Lake now heads away from the glacier, climbing steeply on a scant trail up to the long ridge that separates the Barpu Glacier from the lower Hispar Valley. After 3 hours of continuous steep climbing, we reach a slightly more level section of ridge where we take our lunch. From here it's a further 2 hours of ascent to our camping place at Childin Hara (4333m). There are excellent views out over a wild and glaciated landscape and over the distant Hunza Valley which is dominated by the peak of Ultar.
Meals Included: All Meals
Accomodation: Camp

The ground steepens as soon as we leave camp, the track climbing through a boulder field for half an hour or so to reach a more level ridge-top trail. We gain height steadily and after around an hour of walking we reach Rush Lake (4694m) and set up camp. The lake is unusual in its ridge-top location and attracts a number of migrating bird species. We may also spot one or two yaks or dzos (yak-cow crossbreeds) grazing on the lakeside pasture. This is a lovely and rarely-visited Karakoram gem and we have the afternoon free to enjoy the far-reaching breath-taking views, notably across to Malubiting (7458m) and down into the Hispar Valley almost 2000 metres below. After lunch, there is the option to hike further up the ridge to the viewpoint known as Rush Phari Peak (5098m) which includes a steep and quite rocky final approach. From the summit, there is an incredible 360-degree mountain panorama. All the high peaks of Hunza can be seen; from Ultar to Diran and Rakaposhi, while to the south, the 'Golden Pillar' of Spantik (7027m) catches the eye. On a clear day, we will be rewarded with views towards the Baltoro giants of K2 (8611m) and Broad Peak (8047m). This optional and extremely rewarding afternoon hike will add 3 to 4 hours to the day's trek.
Meals Included: All Meals
Accomodation: Camp

We have an early start and after breakfast at our lakeside camp, we drop down directly southwards to the Sumaiyar Bar Glacier. It is 1100 metres of descent to the grazing ground, known as Phahi Phari, and this takes around 3 hours, depending on our fitness. From here, we follow a trail beside the glacier for an hour or so until we are beyond its confluence with the Barpu Glacier. We then drop down onto the ice to make the glacier crossing which can take up to 2 hours. Here, we are well above the crossing point that we used at the beginning of our trek and we encounter different conditions. The central part of the glacier is easy going on level white ice, which is not at all slippery on account of the gravel that is melted into its surface. The edges of the glacier, in contrast, are more broken up and we have to take care to find the best route. Microspikes may be useful here. Reaching the west side of the glacier, we continue along the ablation valley between the main hillside and the lateral moraine. This gives very pleasant walking. Eventually the trail traverses the hillside itself high above the glacier and there is a degree of exposure here. However this is the route that the local people use to bring their cattle to the high pastures and the trail is reasonably well maintained. Approximately 2 hours beyond the glacier crossing, we reach the seasonally inhabited settlement of Hamdar (3400m), where there is a collection of stone-built houses and an area of cultivated land surrounded by extensive pasture. From our camp here, there are brilliant views back across the Barpu Glacier to the Golden Pillar of Spantik at the head of the valley. In the evening, if we are lucky, our porters and the local herdsmen will get together for a session of singing and dancing.
Meals Included: All Meals
Accomodation: Camp

We will make an early start for the trek out to Hopar, descending the western margin of the Barpu Glacier on a good trail used by the people of Hopar, as they travel between the main village and their summer shepherding and farming camps. We will reach the Bualtar Glacier by mid-morning and recross it to Hopar. At the village we say farewell to our porters and crew, we drive back to the Karakoram Highway and further to Gilgit for overnight stay.
Meals Included: All Meals
Accomodation: Hotel

We will drive to Islamabad from Giglit via Karakoram Highway
Meals Included: Breakfast
Accomodation: Hotel

After breakfast you will be transferred to the airport for your return flight
Meals Included: None

Gallery

Photos

Weather

Spring and fall temperatures range from 50°F to the high 70°’s F. In springtime, there is a fair chance of rain.

 

Feb Mar Apr May June
High Low High Low High Low High Low High Low
Hunza 56 38 57 40 68 47 57 21 22 24
Naran 56 38 57 40 68 47 57 21 22 24

Map/Location

Accommodation

Envoy Continental Hotel

Envoy Continental Hotel is situated in the splendidly magnificent capital city Islamabad. Elegantly designed interior and edgy exterior paired up with unparalleled luxury and soothing ambiance forms a perfect stay experience. Moreover, carefully curated cuisine can be relished inside the sophisticatedly designed restaurant. The hotel has an easy access to airport and all the major tourist destination in Islamabad. With years of experience the hotel offers outstanding service and a wholesome experience.

Grand Islamabad

Grand Islamabad is situated in the E-11/1 Sector which is at the foothills of Margala Hills and 40 minutes drive from the New Islamabad International Airport. The calm and quite atmosphere adds to the Serenity of this property and guests tend to enjoy this unique aura of our Sector. This area along with its beauty also has a cultural heritage as Buddha Caves and Shah Allah Ditta village are just round the corner. The Hotel is best suited to serve the Corporate as well as the leisure guests and the 50 beautifully appointed suites provides an exceptional standards of comfort to the guests.

Hotel de Papae

Hotel de Papae is one of the top-rated hotels in Islamabad, known for its luxurious amenities and impeccable service. However, what sets us apart from other Islamabad hotels is our unique feature of providing real-time weather updates of Islamabad on our website. This allows guests to plan their activities and stay informed about the weather condition of Islamabad during their stay. With our commitment to providing the best possible experience to our guests, Hotel de Papae is truly a standout hotel in Islamabad.

Shangrila Hotel Chilas

Shangrila Hotel Chilas offers up to a 100 spacious rooms which are uniquely designed to include luxurious amenities. Most of these rooms over look the indus river and provide a comfortable night for all our guests. Our management offers hospitality at its best with a peaceful atmosphere in a beautiful natural environment cut away from the distractions of polluted city life. Excursions to beautiful surrounding lakes and rivers can be arranged during your stay. Chilas is known for its famous Buddhist carvings some dating back to 2000 BC.​

Camps

We use North Face tents on our all trips. These are thoughtfully designed with features to help make the camping adventure a better experience.  These tents offer reflective guylines to help protect against high winds.  Some of the freestanding tents even offer extra living or storage space in a vestibule area with easy-open back exits and dividers to offer quick accessibility to the outside. Many of the tents offer attachment points to hang lamps, clothes, and gear.

Dates & Price

* Guaranteed status denotes minimum trip numbers have been met, however the trips operation will be subject to there being no COVID-19 restrictions or other government travel advisories. Please contact us for further information.

Dates Availability Price
Jul 20, 2025 - Jul 28, 2025 Available From$900 Book Now
Dates Availability Price
Jul 20, 2026 - Jul 28, 2026 Available From$1000 Book Now
What's Included
  • Visa invitation letter and supporting documents
  • All Domestic flight with Airport Transfers
  • Hotel Accommodation in Islamabad, Skardu, Chilas on twin sharing basis
  • Trekking permit and Waste Management Fee
  • Government Licensed Guide, Porters, cook
  • 15 Kg baggage allowance during trekking
  • All Camping Fee
  • Camping Gear : Dome Tent, Kitchen and Mess Tent
  • Satellite phone for emergencies
  • Storage service for baggage in Skardu (for leaving a bag behind in Skardu before going on the trek)
  • Free refills of boiled drinking water on the trek
  • All meals (breakfast, lunch & dinner) and beverages/water during meals
  • First aid medicine kit (basic)
  • All road transfers including airport transfers
What's not Included
  • Personal travel insurance (Recommendation/Rescue Partners:
  • Visa to Pakistan (five supporting documents will be offered)
  • Personal equipment (e.g. trekking shoes, down jacket, walking sticks etc)
  • Extra nights in Islamabad (hotel check in/out is 12pm) - additional USD 50 per night
  • Additional trek weight/baggage: USD 11 per kg
  • Early Windup/Return Costs (e.g. early return from trek due to any reason)
  • Costs due to Force Majure (e.g. earthquake, landslide, floods, etc)
  • Personal mountain equipment (crampon, mountaineering boot, ice axe, harness, two carabiners, helmet etc)
  • Tips/gratuities for guides, porters, staff etc
  • Miscellaneous (minibar, bottled water, phone calls, laundry, souvenir etc)
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Notes:

FAQs

The duration of the trek can vary, but it typically takes around 7 to 10 days. This includes acclimatization days, trekking, and potential rest days.

The ideal trekking season for Rusk Lake Trek is during the summer months from June to September when the weather is more stable, and the passes are generally free of snow.

This trek is considered Moderate and suitable for everyone who is physically fit.

Central Karakoram National Park (CKNP) Fee is required for the Rush Lake Trek.

While it's possible for experienced trekkers to attempt the trek independently, many choose to hire local guides and porters for assistance. Guides are familiar with the terrain, and porters can help carry heavy loads, making the trek more manageable.

Proper trekking gear, including sturdy hiking boots, warm clothing, a good sleeping bag, and camping equipment, is essential. Additionally, equipment for high-altitude trekking, such as ice axes and crampons, may be required.If you plan to climb Rusk Peak

Accommodation is typically in tents during the trek, as the route goes through remote and uninhabited areas. Trekkers need to be prepared for camping in a variety of conditions.

Yes, altitude sickness is a concern due to the high elevations involved. Adequate acclimatization days are built into the itinerary, and trekkers should be aware of the symptoms and take necessary precautions.

The trek offers stunning views of Karakoram giants, including Rakaposhi, Ultar and distant K2 (8611m).

We can offer customized itineraries or combine the Rusk Lake Trek with other treks in the region, allowing trekkers to explore additional areas of the Karakoram Range.

Trekking to Rusk Lake independently is technically possible, but it comes with significant challenges and considerations. Here are some key points to keep in mind:

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