Polish cyclist begins final push to K2 base camp from Karachi

Polish cyclist Paweł Małaszko, 46, has embarked on the final stretch of his extraordinary journey to become the first person in history to cycle from Karachi to the K2 base camp.

On Sunday, Małaszko began the last phase of his solo expedition from Skardu, aiming to reach the base camp of the world’s second-highest mountain entirely by bicycle and without any external support.

“This is a challenging expedition. My goal is to cover this entire route on a bike without additional support. If I succeed, I will be the first man in history to do so,” Małaszko.

The adventurer has already cycled over 3,250 kilometers across Pakistan — starting from the shores of the Arabian Sea in Karachi and making his way through diverse terrains to reach Skardu. His journey is part of an ambitious personal project, the ‘K2 Base Camp Bike Expedition’, which seeks to spotlight Pakistan’s natural beauty and promote adventure tourism.

Earlier this month, the Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Court granted a special permit to Małaszko, allowing him to proceed with the expedition amid a legal dispute between tour operators and the GB tourism department that had temporarily halted the issuance of mountaineering and trekking permits to foreign nationals.

“I am an athlete and avid traveler, deeply engaged in extreme cycling adventures,” Małaszko said, adding that this project has been one of the most meaningful of his life.

As he pedals toward the K2 base camp, Małaszko’s journey has garnered attention both locally and internationally, with adventure enthusiasts applauding his determination and the symbolic significance of his route — traversing Pakistan’s vast landscapes, from sea to summit.