A climbing permit is a permit that gives you legal access to certain climbing activities. Many government agencies require climbing permits for some mountain expeditions. They are necessary as they allow people to control crowds on mountains and protect the natural and cultural resources.
Being a Canadian citizen, all my mountain expeditions were directed in Canada. I didn’t need a Pakistani climbing permit until 2021, when a dear friend of mine, residing in Gilgit Baltistan at the time, decided to plan a trek to K2 and explore the breathtaking city of Skardu. He was part of a tour operator working in Gilgit Baltistan, which made things convenient. He planned out the entire trek, including the food plan, the necessary equipment, routes, etc.
I was a little concerned at the start because I was unaware of the legal work required for the trek. Fortunately, he was well-versed in the whole process. He guided me regarding the issuance of the climbing permit in Pakistan and how I should proceed. We reached out to the Gilgit Baltistan Council Secretariat about the matter.
Reaching Out to The Organization:
The Gilgit Baltistan Council Secretariat is a government organization designated for this job. There are two types of permits that you can issue through the Gilgit Baltistan Council Secretariat: climbing permits and trekking permits. Though in Pakistan you do not need a permit to trek in open areas, these permits allow you to explore all peaks over the height of 6,500m. All such peaks, regardless of being in open or restricted areas, require a permit.
The first step is submitting an application to the Gilgit Baltistan Council Secretariat located at Attaturk Avenue, sector F-5/2, Islamabad. For this job, you would need a tour operator registered with the Departments of Tourist Services, Government of Pakistan. I was able to submit my application very easily through my friend. For your convenience, I have generated a list of all the documents that I needed at the time, along with some necessary updates:
List of The Documents Required For Climbing Permits:
- Application form for tour operators on their letterhead.
- Application form for a mountaineering expedition Name list of members of the expedition.
- Route map of the proposed peak or trek.
- Passport copies of members of the expedition Visa application form (duly filled) for foreign climbers and trekkers.
- CV of Expedition members.
- A Copy of license of tour operator company.
- Copy of the paid royalty fee receipt.
- A Copy of the paid trekking fee receipt.
- Copy of the waste management fee receipt.
Verification of Your Application:
In the second step, your application will be received by the Gilgit Baltistan Secretariat, and after necessary verification, it will be forwarded to the concerned government departments and agencies for obligatory clearances.
For me, this whole process took about 4 weeks, but your time may vary from 4 to 6 weeks depending on the department and the clearances required.
Royalty Fee:
The third step is the payment of the royalty fee. There is no royalty fee for mountains below 6500 m, and it usually depends on the season, location, and time of the year. I was required to deposit a royalty fee of 1200 US $ for my trek to K-2. It can range from 900 to 7200 US $ for a team of 7 members with about 120 to 1200 US $ for each additional member. The Gilgit Baltistan Council deposited the amount directly into the bank account. Below I have mentioned the necessary details you would require to fulfill this step:
Necessary Details For Possessing Climbing Permits:
- Account Title: The Gilgit Baltistan Council Secretariat
- Account # 1975-7
- Bank: National Bank of Pakistan
- Address of Bank: S Block, Pak Secretariat, Islamabad
Trekking Fee:
Next, I had to pay the trekking fee. Trekking agencies demand not only trekkers but also mountaineers trekking to the base camp of the mountains to pay the trekking fee. I paid 50 US $ for a month of treks in the restricted areas. The details for the Trekking Fee Payment are the same as those for the Royalty Fee.
Management Fee For Climbing Permits:
For the third and final payment required before obtaining my permit, I had to cover the waste management fee. I distinctly remember paying approximately 50 US dollars for a month of trekking. However, in areas situated within the Central Karakoram National Park (CKNP), the fee can escalate to 68 US dollars. Following this, I deposited the cash directly into the bank account of the Central Karakoram National Park (CKNP).
Conclusion:
Soon after the successful completion of all these formalities I was able to receive my permit from the Gilgit Baltistan Council Secretariat by my tour operator’s aid. He recommended me to keep track of my application through the Tourism Section of the Secretariat throughout the process. I would suggest the same.
I hope this article will help clear the process. However, I would still recommend checking the necessary websites like Department of Tourist Services for any other updates regarding the process. You can also apply for mountaineering trekking visa online here. Additionally, you can use the helpline and email provided on the websites to personally contact and clear up any issues.