Itinerary

1. Arrive at Islamabad

   • Welcome reception on arrival at federal capital of Pakistan and transfer to hotel. 

   • Go on an afternoon sightseeing tour of the twin cities of Islamabad & Pindi. 

   • Enter Faisal Mosque - the landmark of Islamabad. 

   • Visit Daman-e-Koh on top of the hill for a panoramic view of Islamabad.

   • Drive on Constitution Avenue looking at President House, Parliament, Supreme Court & other state buildings. 

   • Visit Pindi’s colourful Raja Bazaar for bargain shopping. 

   Overnight at the hotel. 

2. Drive Lalazar – Across Babusar Pass to Chilas/ Astor Rama Lake

   • Follow the Kunhar River and head north, like the Gujjars, and see their temporary summer settlements as you proceed to Basel (3,266 m), a highland pasture with a cluster of stone houses that blend into the rocky hillside. At Lake Lulusar, just beyond Basel, jeep tracks lead to the Babusar Pass (4150 m) with the source of the Kunhar River and also the boundary of Kaghan valley with northern areas. The ride across the pass offers extensive views of flowers like a pink bistro, blue delphiniums, edelweiss and other flowers reaching white summits. 

   • Descend to the town of Chilas/Rama Lake on the bank of mighty Indus River with your Pakistani tour guide. 

   Meals and overnight at the hotel. (6/7 hours)

3. Chilas - Astor Rama Lake/ Skardu

   • Follow Karakoram Highway reputed as the eighth wonders of the world, from Chilas. 

   • Follow Indus River towards the north and arrive at the place where the three highest mountain ranges of the world meet - Karakoram, Himalayas & Hindukush. Indus and Gilgit River also meet here at this unique place. 

   • Turn east from here for Skardu. This exciting mountain road that cuts through the deep & narrow gorge of Indus River, offers many challenging views. The landscape is mostly very dry and wild, villages and settlements along the way are fewer and perched high on the steep mountain slopes. Just before Skardu, the valley suddenly opens up and becomes wide. The roaring & charging river becomes peaceful and calm. 

   • Arrive and explore the capital of Baltistan, Skardu town. Formerly Buddhist, Skardu, was called Tibet Khurd (little Tibet) and was an important stop on the old route to Tibet and the district of Ladakh. Here the Indus River joins the Shigar River to become an enormous oval basin at 2,300 meters enclosed in purple, red, grey, and ochre mountains. 

   • Stroll down the narrow bazaar, climb up the cliff to visit the historic "Kharpocho" Fort. 

   • Camp overnight at Satpara Lake, a deep blue shimmer just fifteen minutes drive from Skardu.

4. Skardu - Shigar & Khaplu Valleys

   • Admire the gentle, irrigated slopes with terraces of wheat, maize and barley, and the orchards of apricot, mulberry, peach, plum, pear, apples and nuts - all add to the charm of Shigar valley surrounded by snow-topped mountains. The town displays impressive carved wooden houses and mosques. 

   • Eat lunch at the town.

   • Drive to adjoining Khaplu Valley. Khaplu, the largest kingdom in old Baltistan, stretches in a wide fan from the base of a semicircular wall of the mountain, dropping some 300 meters to the river level. Paths and irrigation channels connect the scattered houses set amid terraced fields and the friendly villager's welcome visitors. 

   • Visit the historic wood-carved mosque, dominating the valley from the top end of the alluvial fan. 

   • Camp overnight at 2,600 meters. 

5. Khaplu (Excursion to Hushe valley

   • Board a soft-top 4x4 jeeps for an exciting ride to the trek head for K2 base camp. 

   • Do an en-route short stay in Machu village for views of Mashabrum Peak (7821 meters).  

   • Arrive Hushe, a small green village with many beautiful camping sites. It is the starting and ending point of many trekking and mountaineering parties coming or going to Concordia. 

   • Camp overnight at 3200 m.

6. Drive to Upper Kachura LakeDrive back to Skardu.

   • Make a short stay in Skardu town and continue the drive for another 30km for heart shape lower Kachura Lake. 

   • Visit Shangri-La resorts around the Lower Kachura Lake, one of the most beautiful resorts in northern Pakistan. 

   • Proceed further four kilometres to upper Kachura Lake. 

   • Camp overnight at upper Kachura Lake.

7. Skardu to Gilgit

   • Enjoy your last breakfast at the safari camp, and say Khuda Hafiz (goodbye) to your camping staff who had been pitching tents for you and preparing meals for you during the safari. 

   • Drive on Skardu road through the deep gorge of Indus River to Gilgit. 

   • Visit the rock-carved Kargah Buddha from 7th century CE. In ancient times, the Kargah Valley used to be the travelling route of the Buddhist monks, to go to Taxila. 

   • Stroll down the colourful Bazaars of Gilgit. (180 km, 5/6 hours drive).

8. Gilgit to Hunza Karimabad.

   • Continue to the beautiful, breathtaking Hunza Valley through a scenic route. 

   • See on your way the old Silk Route, perched precariously above the riverbank, used by the Buddhist monks, traders and the locals. As you drive north along the Hunza River, the view is suddenly overtaken by the towering summit of Rakaposhi (7,788m). 

   • Stop for a while at the view viewpoint to have a grand view of the mountain. 

   • Enter the Hunza Valley and arrive at the capital Karimabad. 

   • Stay overnight at the hotel. (100 km, 2/3 hours drive)

9. Karimabad (Gojal - Khunjerab Pass - Passu/Gulmit

   • Enjoy a day free in Karimabad for short walks to Altit and Baltit Forts, and for other explorations in Hunza Valley. The people of Hunza are famous for their long lives. You can also see some beautiful peaks of Karakoram range from Karimabad; Rakaposhi, Diran, Ultar, Golden peak and the Nagar valley on the left bank of Hunza River. Each family grows enough wheat, maize, apricots, and walnuts for its own use in Hunza. The people are mostly self-sufficient, making their own clothes, shoes, wooden and stone bowls and growing all their own food. They are very friendly and cheerful. 

   • Walk up to the Ultar Glacier in the afternoon, follow the irrigation channel through the village or stroll through the single lane bazaar for better views of soaring peaks around you. 

   • Stay overnight at the hotel.

10. Passu/ Gulmit -Hunza – Besham/ Narran

    • Drive along the bank of Hunza River on Karakoram Highway and enjoy fascinating views of Karakoram Peaks from a different perspective. You might stop at Gilgit town for lunch. 

    • Arrive Besham/ Narran on the bank of Indus River. 

    • Stay overnight at the hotel. (260 km, 6/7 hours drive)

11. Besham / Narran - Islamabad.

    • Embark on full day drive on the Karakoram Highway to Islamabad. Start early in the morning to cover the 12 hours long drive. 

    • Do short stay at  Besham for lunch.

    • Reach Islamabad by evening. 

    • Transfer to hotel. (500 km, 12/13 hours drive)

12. Departure

    • Depart in the morning and head to the airport for your departure flight.