Approach: The approach from Paris to the trek starting base, Ziarat, was seven days. From the Islamabad, the 12-people group settled with the luggage in a private bus to go to Passu, a stop of the KKH on the Hunza river, and by jeep to Ziarat. The way from Islamabad to Taxila is the "Grand Trunk Road ", a road from east to west, modern with four lanes and built on the old caravan trail of the Moslem invaders which connected Kabul to Delhi then to Calcutta.

Islamabad is an artificial capital built in 1961 in the plain with the foot of the Himalayas and close to Rawalpindi with which it shares the international airport, the railway and road stations.
' Pindi straddles on "the GT Road". It is the business end  of the KKH where travellers begin the visit of Pakistan. There is plenty to do while waiting for obtaining visa, and a trekking permit of the Islamabad administration.

Taxila is with the junction of the KKH and the WP Road. Crossroads of roads of civilizations between the east and the west, one from India became the east of the Maurya empire and western Asia through Bactria, the third from Central Asia. A strategic position and the presence of water is the factors which encouraged the people to be settle permanently. Takshasila, in Sanskrit, was the cultural capital of the Maurya and Kushan empires from the 3th century BC to the 3rd century AD. The museum recalls this glorious past.

Gilgit is with Kashgar one of the major stages of the southern branch of the Silk Road. Between Gandhara, Kashmir and Central Asia, merchants and monks travelled on the silk road trails through the mountains. Monastic and trading centres were create close to Chilas and Gilgit. The study of the prehistory and the early history of the area comes from rock art sculptures along Indus and Gilgit River.

Karimabad: As at the time of the return of the previous journey in the area a stop was made in this splendid Karimabad valley. The arrival in the late morning was the occasion to make a trek in the surrounding mountains, 2,500 m high, the cultivated terraces. It was the time of potato harvest which brings important financial resources.

Shimshal: The Shimshal river takes its source at the foot of the Shimshal-pass, 4,420 m high at the mountain pasture of Shuwerth. It flows from east to west to join Hunza River a few kilometres away in the north of Passu, a place of crossing of the jeep to go up the valley as far as Ziarat.
Shimshal is the oldest village, populated by Wakhi, Persian-speaking and ismaili, in Gojal. The women look after the herds in the summer mountain pastures, they wear very coloured clothing. The village has a girl school and a dispensary of Aga Khan Foundation and a governmental boy school.
Shimshali have the right of grazing ground in the Shimshal and  Ghujerab River high valleys. They call these high pastures Pamir. Shuwerth on the edge of the lake, the Shimshal river source, is the summer main mountain pasture where the women and the children keep yak sheep and goat herds, occupy themselves by milking and making cheeses. In late  May, they go in Pamir and in early October, they go back to Shimshal village. This annual migration crosses three passes over 4,100 m high. The men accompany the migration and go back to Passu to find work as porters. They are famous for their force and their kindness.
Shimshal Pamir probably has the largest population of snows leopards in all Asia and the largest herds of Ibex and blue sheep.

The trip: Seven days were necessary to go up the Shimshal River valley to the mountain pasture of Shuverth where the base camp to the climb of Mingli-Sar was established. Shimshal village was reached in one day from Ziarat. The village is to 3,200 m high, where the group stayed one day to complete the acclimatization by a trek around before tackling the high passes and the climb.
The trail to Shuwerth follows that of Shimshali, men, women, children and herds going to the summer mountain pasture in late May. Several fords had to be crossed.
I crossed one of them very deep on the back of a Shimshali with my rucksack. The whole weighing 90 kg, my porter was hilarious, it was him who thanked me! The reputation of the Shimshali is not overrated : strength and kindness.

Mingli-Sar: The top is to 6,050 m high. It is a non-technical snow peak, the required equipment consists of cramps and ice axe for the last part. The slopes are rather steep, from 30 to 35°.
The departure was given to 2 a.m. and the top was reached at 9 a.m. and the return to the base camp before midday.
The climb was not difficult, but like for the previous peaks I climbed, it is necessary to take a rhythm compatible with one's physical capacities. The weather was splendid, the night was clear for the ascent. The last slope was covered with a lot of snow more than 60cm thick. The top was clear and the sight was splendid on the surrounding summits.
The descent raised some difficulties for the parts in the north. They were icy making the progression dangerous in the rotted ground.
The members of the group having made a successful climb were celebrated by Shimshali by receiving a crown of mountain pasture flowers and a songs and dance performance.

Zargarben valley: The Zardgarben River takes its source in the south of the Boesam-pir-Pass. It is a tributary Shimshal River. To avoid going back to Zardgarben village and to gain one-day walk, the "sirdar" decided to cut through Mai Dur. The landscape is mineral. The rise of Shodeen-Pass, 5,100 m high, was long and painful. The summit combe was marshy and it was difficult to find a stable ground. The summits around are sharp-edged marble needles.

Ghujerab valley: The crossing to the Boesam-pir-Pass, 5,090 m high, was easier and the trail is marked out by the herds.  The Ghujerab River takes its source at the foot of the north-eastern slope of the pass. The Ghujerab and Chapchingal valleys are places of mountain pasture for the Shimshali's herds. The camp was set up near two lakes in a glacier landscape surrounded by superb pyramids over +6,000 m high.
The descent of the Ghujerab River was made in splendid landscapes and down a trail made by the herds. It was crossed at Wariben early to benefit from low waters before the snow melt under the sun. Indeed the steel wire nacelle and its rope was unusable. Three fords as well as a walk in the torrent bed led the group to the base camp of the Chapchingal-Pass in a flurry of snow. The day after, the sun rose at 7 a.m. and dried the tents.
 

Koksil valley: The rise of Chapchingal-Pass, 5,150 m high was made in 3 hours 20 for 1,000 m of uneven. The last third was not easy, it is a rocky outcrop. The top is under the eternal snow.  The descent of the northern slope was in snow up to the knee. The way along Chapchingal then Koksil rivers did not pose any particular problem. The last camp of the trek was set up at the junction of the Koksil and Khunjerab rivers along the KKH.
The bus joined us the following day there.

Sost, 2,750 m high, is a border town where the trekkers find again civilization, a bed and a shower. The city has not changed since 1997 and may not change quickly.

Gigit, 1,500 m high. The trip to Gilgit with the lunch stop at Karimabad offered the spectacle from a mineral landscape at Sost to a green valley at Karimabad, then by a road having suffered rain damage we arrived at Gilgit delayed by many landslides.

Besham, 770 m high, was reached by a long and painful trail in the dust and heat. The hotel is on the bank of the muddy and noisy Indus river.

Islamabad: 690 m high, the last stage was made in 7 hours of bus after a departure at 6 a.m. The return was eventful than the previous journey in 1997.