Itinerary

1. Fly to pakistan

   • Fly to Pakistan.

2. Arrive at islamabad

   • Welcome to the federal capital of Pakistan and transfer to hotel. 

   • Afternoon sightseeing tour of the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. 

   • Enter Faisal Mosque - the landmark of Islamabad.

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

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

   • Also, visit Pindi’s colorful Raja Bazaar for shopping. 

   • Overnight at the hotel.

3. Islamabad - shogran - sari paya

   • Drive to Kaghan Valley. The 92-mile long Kaghan valley is one of the loveliest Green-Himalayan areas in Pakistan. 

   • 34 km from Islamabad is Taxila, the archaeological site of the former capital of Gandhara Buddhist civilization dating from 500 BC to 500 AD. Visit the splendid site museum, a former monastery and the city of Sirkup. 

   • Head north into the Himalayan foothills and pass through Abbottabad- a garrison town and at Balakot, enter the Kaghan Valley. 

   Drive: 7-8 hours.

4. Shogran - saiful-maluk lake, naran (3,200 m)

   • Travel through Kaghan and pass hamlets with stone and wood homes surrounded by rice fields. 

   • Follow the Kunhar River and encounter the caravan of handsome Gujjar nomads with their loaded horses until you reach the village of Naran (2,427 m) backed by the river. 

   • Visit Saiful-Maluk Lake, where the peak of Malka Parbat (5,390 m) is mirrored in the deep blue waters. This lake was named after Prince Saiful-Maluk who fell in love with a fairy whom he saw bathing in the lake.

   • Camp overnight stay. 

   Drive: 5-6 hours.

5. Drive lalazar – basel, across babusar pass to chilas

   • Follow the Kunhar River and head north like the Gujjars to see their temporary summer settlements as we proceed to Basel (3,266 m), which is 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 (4,150 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 the pink bistro, blue delphiniums, edelweiss and other flowers reaching white summits. 

   • Descend to the town of Chilas on the bank of mighty Indus River. Have meals and overnight stay at the hotel. 

   Drive: 6-7 hours.

6. Chilas - skardu

   • From Chilas, follow Karakoram Highway reputed as the eighth wonder of the world. Follow the Indus River towards the north and arrive at the place where the three highest mountain ranges of the world meet -Karakoram, Himalayas and 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 and narrow gorge of Indus River offers many challenging views. The landscape is mostly very dry and wild and villages and settlements along the way are fewer and perched high on the steep mountain slopes. 

   • 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 m enclosed in purple, red, grey and ochre mountains. 

   • Stroll down the narrow bazaar and climb up the cliff to visit the historic "Kharpocho" fort. 

   • Overnight camp at Satpara Lake, which is a deep blue shimmering lake just fifteen minutes drive from Skardu.

7. Skardu - shigar & khaplu valleys

   • Witness the gentle, irrigated slopes with terraces of wheat, maize and barley; and the orchards of apricot, mulberry, peach, plum, pear, apples and nuts - all adding to the charm of Shigar valley surrounded by snow-topped mountains. 

   • See the impressive carved wooden houses and mosques. 

   • Have lunch at the town and 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 mountain, dropping some 300 m to the river level. Paths and irrigation channels connect the scattered houses set amidst terraced fields.

   • Visit the historic wood-carved mosque dominating the valley from the top end of the alluvial fan. Camp overnight stay at 2,600 m.

8. Khaplu (excursion to hushe valley)

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

   • En route, we will have a short stay in Machlu village for the view of Mashabrum Peak (7,821 m). 

   • Arrive at 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. 

   • Overnight camp at 3,200 m.

9. Drive to upper kachura lak

   • Drive back to Skardu. Stop for a while and continue the drive for another 30 km for heart shape lower Kachura Lake. 

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

   • Proceed further for four kilometres to upper Kachura Lake. Overnight camping at the upper Kachura Lake.

10. Drive to gilgit

    • Enjoy your last breakfast at safari camp and say Khuda Hafiz 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 the Indus River to Gilgit. Visit rock-carved Kargah Buddha from the 7th century AD. In the ancient times, the Kargah valley used to be the travelling route of the Buddhist monks to go to Taxila. (5-6 hours drive)

    • Stroll down the colourful Bazaars of Gilgit.

11. Gilgit to karimabad

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

    • See the old Silk Route perched precariously above the riverbank and is used by the Buddhist monks, traders and the locals. 

    • As we drive north along the Hunza River, the view is suddenly overtaken by the towering summit of Rakaposhi (7,788 m). 

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

    • Overnight at the Hotel.

    Drive: 2-3 hours.

12. Karimabad (hunza valley)

    • Take a short walk to Altit and Baltit Forts.

    • Explore Hunza valley. The people of Hunza are famous for their long lives. In Hunza, each family grows enough wheat, maize, apricots and walnuts for its own use. The people are mostly self-sufficient, making their own clothes, shoes, wooden and stone bowls and growing their own food. They are very friendly and cheerful. 

    • 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.

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

    • Overnight at the Hotel.

13. Hunza - chilas

    • Drive along the bank of Hunza River on Karakoram Highway, enjoying fascinating views of Karakoram Peaks from a different perspective. (6-7 hours drive)

    • Stop at Gilgit town for lunch. 

    • Arrive Chilas on the bank of Indus River and stay overnight at the hotel.

14. Chilas - islamabad

    • Go on a drive on Karakoram Highway to reach Islamabad. (12-hour drive)

    • Have lunch at Besham.

    • Reach Islamabad and get transferred to your hotel.

15. Departure day

    • Transfer to the airport.