Fairy Meadows Trek: A First-Timer’s Guide

Fairy Meadows is the easiest way to stand in front of an eight-thousand-metre mountain. The meadow sits at around 3,300 metres, facing the Rakhiot face of Nanga Parbat, and reaching it takes a jeep ride and a short hike rather than a long expedition.

The journey starts at Raikot Bridge on the Karakoram Highway. From there, local jeeps climb a narrow track cut into the mountainside to the village of Tatto. It is a thrilling ride; the drivers do it every day and only they are allowed to. From the end of the road, a well-used path climbs gently through forest to the meadow in two to three hours. Horses are available for anyone who prefers to ride or wants their bags carried.

Accommodation is in simple wooden cabins and camps, with shared meals and limited electricity, so bring a power bank and a warm layer for the evenings. Two nights is ideal: it gives you a full day to walk on to Beyal Camp and the base-camp viewpoint, where the glacier and the north face fill the view.

You do not need trekking experience, just reasonable fitness and comfortable shoes. Go between June and September, when the path is clear of snow, and set an alarm for sunrise: the first light on Nanga Parbat is the reason everyone makes the trip.