The Diamir Valley is very different in character from the Rupal side. The Diamir is wilder, narrower and drier. The people, although friendly if you are accompanied by a local (and local is LOCAL), do not welcome outsiders and definitely non guided trekkers. The Diamir side of NP is the site of the 2013 massacre where 11 climbers were killed in their tents at basecamp. All memorials have been removed from the basecamp. The massacre has not been fully solved to this day and nobody seems to know anything.
Having said that, the valley is also very beautiful. The Diamir side is the main climbing side of the mountain. It is where Tomek Markiewicz died and Elizabeth Revol was rescued by Dennis Urubko and Adam Bielecki who were climbing K2 in winter at the same time. It is definitely an interesting and adventurous place to visit.
This map is courtesy of Mat, one of my companions.
Diamir high camp for Mazeno Pass.
Descending into the Diamir Valley. Still two days away.
The Diamir porters have a lot of character!
Wild and remote
The villages on the Diamir side are simpler and wilder than on the Rupal side.
Diamir Valley is now down below us. We have to descend all the way to Diamir river and then climb back up. The heat was pretty intense! 40C and dry!
Diamir River. The brown glacial melt water was undrinkable and there was a shortage of clean water sources.
Irrigated fields in Diamir Valley.
Local School built with the financial assistance of the Reinhold Messner Foundation to commemorate his brother Gunther who died on Nanga Parbat.
People from Diamir Valley.
Working our way up the Diamir Valley
Narrow and wild trails
The Diamir Glacier
Kutgali, the highest summer pasture of the Diamir Valley. It is 2 hr away from the basecamp proper.
Our camp at Kutgali.
The Diamir Valley and Nanga Parbat.
Nanga Parbat Diamir face and the Diamir Glacier.
Diamir Glacier
Looking at remote mountains to the north east.
Early in the morning we hiked up to Camp 1 on Nanga Parbat.
Nanga Parbat basecamp proper.
Metting Dennis Urubko who was climbing a new route on the mountain was definitely interesting. He was instrumental in rescuing Elizabeth Revol on this face in the winter of 2018.
Pakistan Army helicopter looking for a missing climber who fell between camp 1 and 2 during the previous night while descending.
Hiking to Camp 1 on Nanga Parbat.
Nanga Parbat Icefall
On the Diamir Glacier
Massive Icefall right before camp 1.
This dog followed us from basecamp. It run on the glacier, over boulders, jumped across crevasses and ice outcrops. A perfect outdoor dog!
The dog waiting his turn to get across a large crevasse.
We had to put some effort to get across crevasses and the dog just jumped effortlessly!
Nanga Parbat icefall
Nanga Parbat
Two climbers coming all the way down from Camp 4.
Vicinity of camp 1.
This is the Kinshofer route on Nanga Parbat. When we arrived, everyone complained that it had significant rockfall risk and that it could be climbed only in the night.
Camp 1 and the Kinshofer Wall
Ganalo Peak 6,608m and Diama Glacier.
The steep Nanga Parbat with the summit directly above.
Looking up to the Mazeno Gap and the Mazeno Ridge on the right.
Diamir Glacier. The basecamp is on the right, on the green patch next to the to the glacier.
Nanga Parbat, Mazeno Gap and the Mazeno Ridge.
Kutgali
Diamir River
The turbulent Diamir River
Diamir Valley - dry and hot!
The village of Diamirol - the end of the Diamir Valley and the end of the Nanga Parbat trek for me.
The view of the Raikot face from the KKH.
The group and the local crew that I joined to do this fantastic trek.