Pakistan
Tour Highlights
Islamabad
Glaciers
Karakoram Highway
Ganish Village
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Trekking
High Mountains
Did you know that it took almost 20 years to complete the Karakoram highway, it extends for about 800 km through some of the most rugged and inaccessible terrain in Asia; it runs through or near the Pamirs, Hindu Kush, Kunlun Mountains, and Karakoram Range.
Itinerary
Day 1:
Arrival in Islamabad
Arrive in Islamabad. Meet guide & transfer to hotel /guesthouse. In the morning take rest to recover from the long flight, in the afternoon Rawalpindi / Islamabad city tour. Sightseeing tour will consist of the Faisal Mosque, the Government buildings on Constitution Avenue, the Shakar Parian Park with its rose and jasmine garden, the Pakistan Monument and a trip to Damn-e-Koh, to look out over the twin cities.
Day 2:
Islamabad - Chilas
After breakfast we drive towards Chilas by air-conditioned bus over the famous Karakoram Highway (10 – 12 hrs - 480 Km) or in the summer months via Naran / the Kaghan valley over the Babusar Pass (9-11 hrs – 400km). Chilas is a small bazaar town from where we can glimpse
petroglyphs dating to the 1st century BC. Overnight at hotel / guesthouse in Chilas.
Day 3:
Chilas - Gilgit - Minapin
From Chilas we proceed to Gilgit, here we can go for sightseeing in and around Gilgit, including the bazaar as well as the Kargah Buddha outside of town. In the afternoon we continue to Minapin, on the way making a stop at Rakaposhi viewpoint.
Overnight at a guesthouse in Minapin.
Day 4:
Rakaposhi day hike
Early morning we start with our very nice day hike in the direction of Rakaposhi base camp and the Minapin glacier, depending on the fitness / experience level of the group we will see how far up we can go before returning back to our guesthouse in Minapin. (we can have multiple guides today so that the group can be split into a slow and a fast group if needed, where the fast group can reach the glacier and the slow group can reach a lower point on the trek before
returning back to Minapin the same day)
Day 5:
Minapin - Karimabad
From Minapin we drive to the capital of Hunza, Karimabad. We will have lunch at our hotel /guesthouse and then will go for a sightseeing tour of Karimabad starting with a stroll throughthe Karimabad Bazaar and a visit to the Baltit Fort.
Day 6:
Duikar sightseeing
After breakfast full day city tour of Karimabad including the Altit Fort, Ganish Village, Sacred Rocks. At the end of the afternoon we hike to Duikar to enjoy the beautiful sunset at the viewpoint above the Eagle’s Nest hotel. Overnight at a hotel / guesthouse in Karimabad.
Day 7:
Gulmit - Passu
On the way to Passu we will stop at Gulmit for sightseeing of the Gulmit Museum, Polo ground, Old House, local handmade carpet center and the Hussaini suspension bridge. After lunch we can hike to Kamaris village (1 hr each way) and or the Andra Fort (30 min. extra) from where you will have great views of the Passu cones and Attabad Lake. On our return in Gulmit we will drive the short distance to Passu for our overnight stay.
Day 8:
Passu – Borith Lake hike
A very nice half day hike, we will hike to Borith Lake and have our lunch there. In the afternoon
we will start on our drive southwards and stop at Chilas for our overnight stay.
Day 9 / 10
Chilas – Islamabad
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A full day scenic drive to Islamabad. In the summer months we will go over the Babusar Passthrough the Kaghan Valley otherwise we will drive over the Karakoram highway. Overnight atguesthouse / hotel in Islamabad
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Transfer to airport for home bound flight.
What's included ?
Airport pick-up and drop-off
All breakfast
Air-conditioned private transportation
All accommodation
Visa letter of invitation
Entrance fees to sites and museums
English-speaking local guide.
Excluded
International flights
Personal expenses
Tips for local guides
Travel Insurance
Lunch and dinner
Frequently Asked Questions
1
What if I am a solo traveler and book a shared room?
That’s absolutely not a problem! You will be paired with another like-minded solo traveler and share the room with him/her.
We try our best to pair travelers of the same gender but in the odd case you might have to share a room with a traveler of the opposite sex or in rare cases share a triple room
2
How does the booking process work?
Your spot will be secured as soon as we receive your deposit payment. This deposit is refundable up to 10 days after your booking but after that, we can not refund you the deposit. You will receive an invoice for the balance payment 9 weeks before the trip starts.
To know more about our booking policy, please check our
3
What if I want to arrive a bit earlier or leave later than the set trip dates?
If your time allows, you might want to enjoy a few more days in the country. If you want some activity recommendations, feel free to drop us a message. We’ll be happy to help. We can also assist you in booking your extra hotel nights if you need.
4
What is the minimum/maximum number of participants?
We do have a guarantee of departure for this trip.
And we take a maximum of 12 people + crew for each tour.
5
What about visa?
You must apply online for a visa before entering the country. We will provide you with the supporting documents.
6
Is it safe to travel to Pakistan?
Yes it is absolutely safe to travel to Pakistan. The Northern part of the country is very peaceful and our local team there knows perfectly every corner of the region.
7
What level of fitness do I need for this trip?
You should be reasonably fit to enjoy this trip to the fullest. Most day hikes are up to 8-9h hours of hiking. But don’t worry too much as the guides will adapt the itineraries to the level of fitness of the group. The group might also be sometimes splitted to better fit everyone’s pace.
8
What should I bring for this trip?
The essentials for this trip are: hiking clothes and shoes, hiking sticks if you like to use some, small backpack for day hikes, warm clothes, rain/windproof jacket, sun protections (hat, sunblock, glasses, scarf), cash to pay for food and souvenirs
9
How much cash should I bring on this trip?
It is not easy to find reliable ATMs in Pakistan. We recommend bringing enough cash to pay for your food (lunches and dinners), to buy some souvenirs, or to give tips to the local team. The equivalent of 400 USD should be plenty enough (unless you plan to buy some more expensive souvenirs).
