Hunza Valley

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£1699

💥 14 Days

Included

🚘 Airport transfers in Islamabad

🏨 13 nights of accommodation in hotels mentioned in FAQ

📄 Letter of Invitation (needed for the visa)

🚐 Private coaster and Jeeps (when needed) with experienced driver across Pakistan.

🍴 All meals, including dinner in a fancy restaurant on arrival day + breakfast on departure day.

✔️ Clearance for all checkpoints

🤵 Pakistani local guide

👱‍♂️ International tour leader

🏰 Entrance fees, cultural activities and guided tours to all places listed in the itinerary.

Not Included

 ✈️International flights to Islamabad

 📜 Visa fees (from $35 to $60, depending on nationality).

 🍷 Alcoholic drinks or any extra drink

🏨  Single supplement. Having your own private room costs $200

Itinerary

Day 1 – Arrival in Islamabad

Day 1 is the arrival day in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan. We will spend the day picking you up from the airport and checking in at the hotel. We will visit Faisal Mosque and then, in the evening, we will invite you for a welcome dinner at Monal Restaurant, one of the most popular restaurants in town, serving high-quality Pakistani food.

Day 2 – Driving to Chilas through the Karakoram Highway

The drive between Islamabad and Gilgit Baltistan is a 600-kilometer ride over an entangled road, not feasible to do it in one day, so we will stop and spend the night in Chilas, a small town along the Karakoram, where we will get our first glimpse of the local life in this part of Pakistan.
The drive is very scenic, and adventurous, with plenty of worldwide famous Pakistani trucks.

The whole journey from Islamabad to Chilas takes around 12 hours, with breaks, unexpected events and checkpoints included.

Why not fly into Gilgit instead?

Because flights get cancelled too often and we can’t risk that. We understand that it’s a long drive but if we took a domestic flight instead to cut one day short, and the flight got cancelled, we’d run into a big problem.

Distance: 400 km / Driving Hours: 8 hrs / Activities: sightseeing.

Day 3 – Chilas – Minapin:

In the morning after breakfast drive to Gilgit and after lunch continue to Minapin for about 2-hrs, On the way (70km) the road gradually climbs approximately every 10-km difference of 100m. You will enjoy a spectacular view of mount Rakaposhi (7788m) having many habitants and villages around its foothills, with its snow crown changing colour with light. The route abounds with terraced fields, particularly apricot, apple, and walnut trees at most spectacular either in blossom or during autumn.

We will also stop at a place where continents collide, MKT, Main Karakoram Thrust. This is the collision of the Indo-Pak and the Eurasian plate located at the Chalt. The point of continental collision (MKT, Main Karakoram Thrust) is marked in these areas. The history of tectonic evolution has a very close relationship with different periods of organic movement caused by under thrusting of the Indo-Pakistan (Indian) plate toward the north below the Eurasian Plate. Due to this continental collision raise of Karakoram and the Himalayas took place, which is the highest as well as the youngest mountain ranges in the world. Indo-Pak plate is still subducting under the Eurasian plate. The mountain chain being squeezed upward as the Indo-Pak plate pushes against the Eurasia plate. The mountains are rising at an average rate of 7 mm per year. Arrival in Minapin Village 2000M and overnight in Minapin.

Distance: 202 km / Driving Hours: 05 hrs / Altitude: 2000m / Activities: Sightseeing.

Day 4 – Minapin – Hapakun

Minapin to Hapakun 2800M (3 hours, 5.8 km and 800m Ascent) It takes a maximum of 3 hours to reach Hapakun (2800m) from Diran Guesthouse situated at Minapin village. Trek starts from the village along with a canal under shaded trees 15 minutes towards the Minapin River. The trail turns south into the canyon and crosses a footbridge over the river’s true left bank after 10 minutes. The trail continues through the juniper trees to a grassy-tiered meadow of Hapakun. From the meadow of Hapakun you can have a view of Hachindar and Maiun peaks above the Hunza river. Overnight Camping in Hapakun.

Day 5 – Hapakun – Rakaposhi base camp

Hapakun to Tagaphari 3300M (2-3 hours, 3km, 450m ascent). A steep trail continues from Hapakun to Tagaphari. The trail eases off and contours the rocky slope for 30 minutes to a verdant bowl where wildflowers and colourful songbirds thrive. Sweeping gently through the meadow, the trail enters scattered juniper stands and climbs switchbacks to the windy ridge top, where Diran, Rakaposhi, and their interconnecting ice wall finally come into full view. The trail thins and traverses a rocky cliff above the spectacularly broken Minapin 15 minutes to Tagaphari (3261m) Taga means muddy and Phari means pool in Burushaski Language. From Tagaphari you can catch the sunset on Diran and overnight in Minapin.

Day 6 – Rakaposhi base camp – Minapin – Karimabad Hunza:

Trek back from Rakaposhi base camp to Minapin and then proceed to Karimabad arrival in Karimabad check-in at the hotel and in the evening, we will go to eagles’ nest for the sunset Safari to the top of Hunza Valley. Overnight stay in Karimabad Hunza.

Distance: 38 km / Driving Hours: 01 hrs / Altitude: 2400m / Activities: Sightseeing.

Day 7 – Karimabad Hunza – Baltit – Altit Forts

In the morning after breakfast, we will visit Baltit Fort Karimabad local bazaar, Altit Fort, Altit old village, and in the afternoon visiting Karimabad bazzars. Overnight stay in Attabad Lake.

Day 8 – Karimabad – Attabad Lake – Gulmit Upper Hunza

In the morning after breakfast, we will visit the Ganish Old village (1000 years old village along the ancient silk route) then further drive to Attabad Lake en – route stop at the Hunza scared rocks to see the rock carvings then continue our drive up to the Attabad Lake then further drive to Gulmit Upper Hunza check in at the hotel and rest of the time free for individual activities.

Driving to Gulmit
We will continue our journey through the Karakoram Highway towards Gulmit.
Located in the heart of Hunza, Gulmit is a picturesque village located in a jaw-dropping area of Gilgit-Baltistan, surrounded by absolutely outstanding mountains and perhaps, the most welcoming village in the country.

In Gulmit, the local communities have been doing a tremendous effort in attracting tourism, making it the most charming place to visit in Pakistan.

Overnight stay in Gulmit Upper Hunza Valley.

Distance: 90 km / Driving Hours: 4 hrs / Altitude:2500m / Activities: sightseeing.

Day 9 – Borith Lake – Passu White Glacier – Suspension Bridges

This day is very interesting, as in the first nearly half an hour we will drive to Hussaini village and we will visit Hussaini suspension bridges, then we will drive up to Upper Borith from this point we will start our hike to Passu white glacier, then we will return back to Upper Borith then drive back to Gulmit exploring the Valley visiting the Oldest House of Gulmit (700 Years Old), Mir’s Place, Cultural Museum, Ondra fort, Gulmit Old town and visiting Upper Hunza traditional family house to try the Local traditional food for dinner. Overnight in Passu.

Day 10 – Gulmit – Tato – Fairy Meadows

Departure for Fairy Meadows, we will transfer to the mountain jeep at Raikot Bridge for further drive to Tatto village on the narrow Jeep track. Arrive in Tatto village and start trek to Fairy Meadows, Arrive at Fairy Meadows check-in at hut and after a short rest we will do some short walking around; overnight stay in the local style wooden huts.

Distance: 210 km / Altitude: 3000m / Walk: 4 hrs/Driving: 6 hrs / Grade: Easy / Activities: Hiking.

Day 11 – Trek to Nanga Parbat base camp

Early morning after breakfast starts the trek toward the Nanga Parbat base camp arrives at Nanga Parbat base camp rest of the time free for photography then return back to Fairy Meadows in the evening. Overnight stay at Fairy Meadows in Huts.

Altitude: 3300m / Hike:5-6 hrs / Grade: Easy / Activities: Hiking

Day 12 – Driving to Naran

This will our last day in the mountains so, we will take out time, enjoying breakfast and the beautiful Himalayan range, before heading down to Naran, slowly, enjoying one last time of the scenery.

Distance: 156 km / Driving Hours: 4 hrs / Activities: sightseeing.

Day 13 – Naran to Islamabad

In the morning, we will drive back slowly to Islamabad.

Distance: 250 km / Driving Hours: 6 hrs / Activities: sightseeing.

Day 14 – Departure

After breakfast, we will take care of your transfer to Islamabad airport.

Gallery

FAQ

Which hotels do we stay?
These are the hotels we always stay in – subject to availability.
All are relatively comfortable hotels and lodges with private rooms and attached toilets, usually the best available option in the region we visit.

• Islamabad: MARGALLA Hills Residency, Gofas Lodge.

• Chilas: Shangrila Hotel Chilas

• Passu: Sarai Silk Route, Silk route lodge

• Shigar: Space Hotel

• Skardu: Himalaya Hotel, Maple resort

• Karimabad: Mountain Story Aliabad, Offto resort.

• Attabad Lake: Luxus hunza Attabad lake resort

• Minapin: Roomy yurts resort

• Rama meadows: PTDC motel Rama

• Ghizer valley: Royal guest house, Riverdale resort

• Phandar valley: Top lodge hill

• Ayun Valley: Villa Ayun

• Mastuj/Booni: PTDC Mastuj

• Swat: Swat palace hotel by northin

• Kalam: Zen Luxus

• Kumrat Valley: Latitude resort

• Fairy meadows: Ibex lodge

• Shimshal Valley: Shimshal heights hotel

How does the room distribution work?
Price of the tour includes accommodation in a twin room.
If you are a solo traveler, you will be sharing the room with another like-minded traveler from the group. We always try to group people of the same gender and age together but note that this won’t always be the case.
If you want to have your own single room, price of the single supplement is an additional $200.

How to get a visa?
Today, you can easily apply for a Pakistan tourist visa online, it’s very simple.
As an average, it takes no more than 1 week to get the visa approval.
Tips and instructions will be shared upon booking a spot.

Which nationalities can join this tour?
Pretty much all nationalities.

Do I need to be fit for this tour?
We will do some hikes but nothing particularly challenging, and all will be day hikes, no camping, and stuff like that.
This means that all hikes are optional and that you can always hang out in the respective villages, where you will be surrounded by mountains anyway.

How good is the infrastructure in Pakistan?
As mentioned, in the mountain areas, we always stay in the best available accommodation.
However, note those areas of Pakistan are so remote that even the best possible accommodation can be an issue for some, since electricity and running water might not always be reliable.
Moreover, we always try to eat in the cleanest places but note that hygiene standards in Pakistan are poor and that some travelers might get sick due to the food they eat outside of the hotels.
Nevertheless, if you are keen to have the most epic adventure and are flexible when it comes to tourist facilities, you are welcome to join this tour!

What’s the best way to reach Islamabad?
Islamabad has an international airport, with some common connections being Dubai, Doha, Istanbul or Jeddah.

Is it safe?
Nowadays, Pakistan is safe, especially in the Northern Areas.

How many people will attend this tour?
We limit our tours to a maximum of 12-14 people.

Are there ATMs in Pakistan?
You can find ATMs in Islamabad, but better to bring cash for the Northern Areas.
Exchanging money: which currencies do they accept?
Both € and $ can be easily exchanged for Pakistani rupees.

How does payment work?
In order to secure your spot on the tour, we require a security deposit, and the remaining amount can be sent no later than 45 days before the departure date.
Further details will be shared upon booking your spot.