Rush Lake, at around 4,700m above the Hopper glaciers in Nagar, is one of the highest alpine lakes in the world, with Spantik and Malubiting filling the skyline. Here is who runs the trek and what they charge in 2026.
I compare operators with a published price and flag what is bundled. It is a challenging high-altitude trek but non-technical.
About the Rush Lake Trek
Most itineraries run 12-14 days door to door (the lake leg itself is a few days from Hopper); the lake and Rush Pari viewpoint sit near 4,700m. Challenging mainly for the altitude.
- 4-6 days
- ~4,700m
- Challenging
- Jul-Sep
How I compared these packages
I did this the way I'd want a friend to do it for me. I went through every Rush Lake Trek operator I could find, read each itinerary, and lined them up on the things that actually decide your trip - what's included, the porters and meals, the route, and the real 2026 price. 3 of 5 below publish a price you can hold them to; the rest quote per group, and I've said so plainly rather than guess. Prices are per person, usually land-only and group-based, with permits, flights, insurance and tips often on top. Every operator here is judged on the same yardstick. Operator links are nofollow. Where an operator has a genuine public rating I've shown it (Tripadvisor, Trustpilot and similar, with the review count and a link) - Google Maps ratings aren't publicly queryable, so I don't show those; an operator with too few public reviews shows a dash rather than a number.
At a glance - operators compared
| Operator | Length | From (2026) | Reviews | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PakVoyager | 13 days | $1,144 | 5.0 ★ Google (4) | link |
| Hunza Guides Pakistan | 12 days | $1,775 | 4.6 ★ Google (29) | link |
| Karakoram Trails | 14 days | $2,700 | — | link |
| Mountain Tiger | 12 days | Quote only | — | link |
| Karakorum Expedition | 12 days | Quote only | — | link |
What stood out to me
- 馃挵 Lowest published price - PakVoyager (from $1,144)
- 馃帓 Most inclusive - Karakoram Trails, where flights, permits and full board are bundled
- 馃Л Most support - Karakoram Trails (from $2,700), the premium, higher-ratio option
Want a second opinion before you book?
I'll sanity-check any quote, plan your route and season, and share vetted guide, porter and jeep contacts - free, with my trip planner or a quick message.
Plan my trek →Every operator, reviewed
Includes: mid-level hotels (Islamabad, Chilas, Karimabad) plus camping on trek sections; group size 3-12; peak 15,400 ft
Excludes: No exclusions list published on the page.
Itinerary, day by day
| Day 1 | Arrive Islamabad airport, transfer to hotel |
| Day 2 | Drive Islamabad to Chilas, 8-9 hours |
| Day 3 | Drive to Karimabad, village walks, Rakaposhi views |
| Day 4 | Trek Hopper to Barichokor, 5-6 hours |
| Day 5 | Trek toward Rush Lake, camp 4694m near Barpu/Hispar ridge |
| Day 6 | Rest at lake; optional Rush Peak summit |
| Day 7 | Return trek to Phahiphari |
| Day 8 | Continue descent toward Hamdar |
| Day 9 | Trek back to Karimabad |
| Day 10 | Hike Karimabad to Haiderabad, 3-4 hours |
| Day 11 | Drive back toward Chilas via KKH |
| Day 12 | Drive Chilas to Islamabad |
What's good
- Camp altitude (4694m) and lake height (15,400ft) stated explicitly
- Small group capped at max 12 persons
- Includes optional Rush Peak summit day
- Affordable starting price from $1,144
Could be better
- No inclusions/exclusions list published on page
- Porter allowance and limits not stated
- No flights mentioned; long road days (8-9 hrs) instead
- No local vs foreign pricing breakdown
Includes: domestic flights, road transfers, hotels, camping, professional guides, support staff, porter (15kg), first aid, camping equipment - ALL INCLUSIVE
Excludes: International airfare/taxes, tips for drivers/porters/staff, single supplement, sleeping bag and personal expenses.
Itinerary, day by day
| Day 1 | Welcome at Islamabad airport, hotel, afternoon city tour |
| Day 2 | Drive to Naran then continue to Chilas |
| Day 3 | Drive to Karimabad via Thalichi, Rakaposhi viewpoint |
| Day 4 | Jeep to Hopper, meet porters, trek Barichokore |
| Day 5 | Trek to Chidin Harai, steep tough climb |
| Day 6 | Trek to Rash Lake (4690m), Karakoram views |
| Day 7 | Free day or climb Rash Peak (5098m) |
| Day 8 | Trek descent toward Karimabad |
| Day 9 | Continue descent to Karimabad |
| Day 10 | Local sightseeing, Baltit Fort, Attabad Lake |
| Day 11 | Sightseeing, Passu Glacier |
| Day 12 | Drive back toward Islamabad, museum visit |
| Day 13 | Continue drive to Islamabad |
| Day 14 | Transfer to Islamabad airport for return flight |
What's good
- Marked 'ALL INCLUSIVE' incl. domestic flights and transfers
- Porter for 15kg personal luggage explicitly included
- Provides D3V sleeping, toilet and shower tents
- Licensed professional guide; transparent USD/EUR pricing
- Honestly flags Day 5 as a steep, relentless tough climb
Could be better
- Group size not specified on the page
- Sleeping bag not included; must bring own
- Tips for drivers, porters and staff extra
- Single supplement charged for solo travellers
Group-size pricing: 12d $1,775 路 14d $1,935 路 15d $2,015.
Includes: licensed guide, airport transfers, hotel (twin) and trekking tents (twin), all logistics/tents/non-personal gear, support staff (cook, assistants), porters
Excludes: Travel insurance, Pakistan visa, international airfare, gratuities, and personal/miscellaneous expenses.
Itinerary, day by day
| Day 1 | Arrive Islamabad International Airport |
| Day 2 | Drive to Chilas on Karakoram Highway |
| Day 3 | Drive to Karimabad along Hunza River |
| Day 4 | Drive Hopper, trek to Bericho Kor (3300m) |
| Day 5 | Trek to Chidin Harai (4440m) |
| Day 6 | Trek to Rush Lake (4694m) |
| Day 7 | Free day or climb Rush Peak (5098m) |
| Day 8 | Trek to Phahi Phari (3450m) |
| Day 9 | Trek to Hamdar (3300m) |
| Day 10 | Trek to Hopper, drive to Karimabad |
| Day 11 | Free day in Hunza valley |
| Day 12 | Drive to Besham |
| Day 13 | Drive to Islamabad |
| Day 14 | Fly home |
What's good
- Every trek stage labelled with precise altitudes
- Licensed guide plus cook and assistant staff included
- All meals and trekking tents/gear bundled
- Acclimatisation buffer with free day in Hunza
Could be better
- Stated maximum group size of 40 is very large
- Premium price ($2,700) versus rivals
- No flights bundled; ends with road days then fly home
- Travel insurance and visa excluded
Includes: Islamabad-Gilgit return flights, luxury transport, porter/mule, hotels + camping at Rush Lake, kitchen staff, heated tents, medical kits, farewell dinner
Excludes: International airfare, Pakistan visa fee, trip-cancellation insurance, and ~8 other personal items.
Itinerary, day by day
| Day 1 | Arrive Islamabad, airport pickup |
| Day 2 | Fly to Gilgit, rest and explore |
| Day 3 | Drive Gilgit to Hoper village |
| Day 4 | Trek across Barpu Glacier to Barpu Giram |
| Day 5 | Trek 4-5 hours to Chidin Harai |
| Day 6 | Walk to Rush Lake, 2-3 hours trek |
| Day 7 | Free at Rush Lake or climb Rush Peak |
| Day 8 | Trek down 4-5 hours to Baricho Kor |
| Day 9 | Trek to Hoper, drive to Karimabad |
| Day 10 | Drive back to Gilgit |
| Day 11 | Fly to Islamabad |
| Day 12 | Free rest day Islamabad, farewell dinner |
| Day 13 | Departure home |
What's good
- Domestic flights Islamabad-Gilgit both ways included
- Smallest trek group, capped at 7 max
- Luxury Prado transport and 3 meals daily
- Twin-sharing tents, medical/first-aid kit, porters/mules included
Could be better
- Page shows $0; actual pricing not displayed
- Glacier crossing on Day 4 adds technical difficulty
- Trip-cancellation insurance excluded
- Deposit required 50 days ahead
Includes: licensed guide/leader, Islamabad airport transfers, domestic flights + road transport, hotels and camps, support staff, porters, equipment, govt trekking permit fees
Excludes: Travel insurance, visa costs, international return flights, tips, miscellaneous expenses and souvenirs.
Itinerary, day by day
| Day 1 | Arrival in Islamabad |
| Day 2 | Islamabad to Gilgit |
| Day 3 | Gilgit to Karimabad |
| Day 4 | Karimabad to Hoper to Barfu Giram |
| Day 5 | Barfu Giram to Gutenz |
| Day 6 | Hutenz to Rush Lake |
| Day 7 | Rush Lake, free day to explore |
| Day 8 | Rush Lake to Barpu Giram |
| Day 9 | Barpu Giram to Hoper to Karimabad |
| Day 10 | Karimabad to Bisham |
| Day 11 | Bisham to Islamabad |
| Day 12 | Fly to next destination |
What's good
- All domestic flights and transfers included
- Government trekking permit fees bundled
- Full crew: guide, cook, support staff, porters
- All meals in Pakistan and accommodation covered
Could be better
- No pricing listed anywhere on the page
- Needs minimum 6 participants for fixed departures
- Flights subject to weather, road backup only
- Travel insurance and international flights excluded
What's usually included - and what's not
On most of these treks the operator price includes guides and support staff, porters, camping equipment, in-trek meals and the trekking permit. It usually excludes international flights, travel insurance, personal climbing or trekking gear, tips for the crew, and on restricted peaks the government royalty fee. Always get the itemised inclusions, porter weight limit and the payment and cancellation terms in writing before you pay.
How to choose your operator
- Published vs quote - a real posted price is easier to compare; for quote-only operators, get it itemised.
- What's bundled - permits, domestic flights and porters are where cheap quotes cut corners.
- Group size - most headline rates assume a group; confirm the solo or small-group rate.
- Crew welfare - porter weight limits, wages and insurance say a lot about an operator.
- Local vs down-country - Baltistan and Hunza-based crews know the routes and logistics best.
Plan this trek deeper
My free local guides go beyond the operators - use them to decide what you want, then book or customise:
Nearby treks, peaks & base towns
Operators - want your trek reviewed here?
If you run this trek and publish real prices, get in touch to have your itinerary assessed and added. Every operator is judged on the same criteria.
Get your trek listed →FAQ
How much does the Rush Lake trek cost in 2026?
Published prices range from about $1,144 to $2,700 per person depending on length and inclusions; several operators are quote-only.
How hard is the trek?
Challenging - steep ascents and high altitude (~4,700m), but no technical climbing.
How many days?
12-14 days from Islamabad including the Hunza/Nagar drive; the core lake trek is shorter.
Best time?
July to September.