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Nanga Parbat Photo Gallery - Fairy Meadows

Fairy Meadows view of the Nanga Parbat Rakhiot Face and trek to Nanga Parbat Rakhiot base Camp

01 Woman Crossing Roaring Astor River Standing On Single Wire As we drove up the Astor Valley from Tarashing towards the Karakoram Highway, I was shocked to see a woman crossing the roaring Astor River standing on a single wire, holding another wire above her.

01 Woman Crossing Roaring Astor River Standing On Single Wire

02 Karakoram Highway Snakes Above The Indus River At End Of Astor Valley On Way To Nanga Parbat Fairy Meadows After driving up the Astor Valley from Tarashing, we reached the Karakoram Highway, snaking above the Indus River, and then drive around the mountain to Rakhiot Bridge. From Rakhiot we must switch to a local jeep (union rules) for the 15km road to Tato.

02 Karakoram Highway Snakes Above The Indus River At End Of Astor Valley On Way To Nanga Parbat Fairy Meadows

03 Dangerous Jeep Road Towards Fairy Meadows This road to Tato on the way to Fairy Meadows was built by the local people, and is therefore a private toll road. The road is steep and just the width of the jeep.

03 Dangerous Jeep Road Towards Fairy Meadows

04 Dangerous Jeep Road Towards Fairy Meadows I can look over the edge of the road to Tato on the way to Fairy Meadows at the sheer drop of 1000m and think about, well, death. I especially feared if we would meet another jeep, but we didn't. This is the kind of ride they could have at an amusement park, but would be real, not manufactured. I watch the local driver and hope he had a good night's sleep and is in a good mood. My life is clearly in his hands and feet. After a drive of one hour we arrived at the small village of Tato (2300m).

04 Dangerous Jeep Road Towards Fairy Meadows

05 Fairy Meadows Campsite From Tato we hiked gradually ascending the narrow gorge of Tato River, the track clinging high on its left bank. We pass through green juniper and pine trees, and arrive at Fairy Meadows (3200m). Fairy Meadows is a spectacularly pine forested alpine meadow overlooking the Rakhiot Glacier. Its name comes from a local superstition that fairies inhabit the area.

05 Fairy Meadows Campsite

06 My Tent At Fairy Meadows Here is my tent at Fairy Meadows, but, alas, the north Rakhiot Face of Nanga Parbat was still in the clouds.

06 My Tent At Fairy Meadows

07 Sunrise On Ganalo Peak From Fairy Meadows In the morning, Nanga Parbat remained in the clouds, but the sun broke through the clouds and shone on Ganalo peak (6060m).

07 Sunrise On Ganalo Peak From Fairy Meadows

08 Nanga Parbat Still In The Clouds From Fairy Meadows I waited and waited at Fairy Meadows and slowly the clouds started to disperse around Nanga Parbat.

08 Nanga Parbat Still In The Clouds From Fairy Meadows

09 Nanga Parbat East Summit, Silver Saddle, North Peaks From Fairy Meadows Nanga Parbat came out of the clouds for just a few minutes at Fairy Meadows and I quickly took some photos with South East Peak (7530m) and Silberzacken East Summit (7597m), the large Silver Plateau snowfield, North Peak II (7785m), North Peak I (7816m) on the right stretching back towards the true summit (8125m).

09 Nanga Parbat East Summit, Silver Saddle, North Peaks From Fairy Meadows

10 Nanga Parbat North Peaks Close Up From Fairy Meadows Nanga Parbat Rakhiot Face from Fairy Meadows with the large Silver Plateau snowfield, North Peak II (7785m), North Peak I (7816m) on the right stretching back towards the true summit (8125m).

10 Nanga Parbat North Peaks Close Up From Fairy Meadows

11 Nanga Parbat East Summit, Silver Saddle From Fairy Meadows Nanga Parbat Rakhiot Face from Fairy Meadows with South East Peak (7530m) and Silberzacken East Summit (7597m), and the large Silver Plateau snowfield.

11 Nanga Parbat East Summit, Silver Saddle From Fairy Meadows

12 Looking Back Towards Fairy Meadows On Trek To Nanga Parbat Base Camp We walked from Fairy Meadows through the quiet pine covered valley and passed the Beyel camping site (3500m) after an hour. We follow the ridgeline ever upward, with Rakhiot Glacier flowing on our left side and the summit of Nanga Parbat in the clouds straight ahead. The Rakhiot Glacier stretches for about six km, sometimes with rock rubble on top and other times gleaming white.

12 Looking Back Towards Fairy Meadows On Trek To Nanga Parbat Base Camp

13 Trek To Nanga Parbat Base Camp Passing Ganalo Glacier, Chongra Peak In Clouds Above Rakhiot Glacier, Looking Back Towards Fairy Meadows We crossed the Ganalo Glacier with Chongra Peak in the clouds above the Rakhiot Glacier, and then looked back towards Fairy Meadows.

13 Trek To Nanga Parbat Base Camp Passing Ganalo Glacier, Chongra Peak In Clouds Above Rakhiot Glacier, Looking Back Towards Fairy Meadows

14 Cows Graze At Nanga Parbat Base Camp Nanga Parbat North Rakhiot Base Camp (3967m) is set in a beautiful meadow filled with Himalayan flowers and cows quietly grazing.

14 Cows Graze At Nanga Parbat Base Camp

15 Alfred Drexel Grave Nanga Parbat Base Camp We trekked for another half an hour to reach the monument to German mountaineers Alfred Drexel and Willi Merkl who died on Nanga Parbat in 1934.

15 Alfred Drexel Grave Nanga Parbat Base Camp


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