A 12 day culturally immersive journey across the highlands of North Pakistan
Have you been longing to experience the remote cultures and achingly beautiful landscapes of North Pakistan?
This journey is specifically designed to witness some of the most iconic landscapes, ancient settlements, and off-the-beaten locations, but we also focus on learning about the local community and experiencing daily life of this region; what truly sets it apart from the rest of the world.
You will get to visit local homes, meet and spend time with Wakhi and Balti families, dine in eateries run by local women, and explore sites at a slower pace. There will be some (optional) trekking, but it’s equally satisfying to skip it and experience village life instead.
This is not a checklist tour of tourist hotspots. It has been carefully designed by our guides based on their lived experience in these valleys, so you can truly feel the heartbeat of these lands.
Number of days: 12
Maximum number of people: 10-12
Trip Costs: $ per person (min. 4 people)
While travelling in Pakistan, plans change. Sometimes because of cancelled flights and landslides and other times because being spontaneous sometimes leads to some epic adventures and friendships. While flexibility is important, we still try our best to do everything on the itinerary and listen to our fellow travellers (where doable, obviously) rather than following a super rigid plan.
Welcome to Pakistan! Today you will land in Lahore, settle in your hotel and head out for an exquisite dinner in the heart of Lahore, overlooking the famous Badshahi Mosque. Just the right amount of cultural dose to get you prepared for what's ahead.
Your North Pakistan adventure officially begins today! Brace yourself for some amazing views as you take an early morning flight to Skardu. From there, we will head towards Hunza via the Jaglot- Skardu road. Don't worry, we’ll stop along the way to stretch our legs and take in the sights at the junction of the three great mountain ranges; the Himalaya, Hindu Kush, and Karakoram; as well as at the iconic Rakaposhi Viewpoint.
Tonight, we settle in Gulmit village.
We wake up and have breakfast at a women-run eatery before setting out to explore Gulmit; the most progressive village in the region. We’ll walk and explore the area on foot, visit its oldest house, and stop by a women-run carpet weaving centre.
Later, we make our way to the rather sketchy Hussaini Suspension Bridge before heading toward Borith Lake. There, we’ll have just the right amount of time to complete the short but scenic Passu Glacier trek and return before sunset to enjoy a cup of tea by the lake.
This morning, we head toward our personal favorite valley in the entire region: Shimshal. But first, we’ll stop at the Passu Cones viewpoint and at Glacier Breeze Restaurant for their famous apricot cake before settling into our jeeps for a three-hour journey along what is arguably one of the world’s most dangerous roads. The road to Shimshal is a 56-kilometer jeep track built over 18 years by the locals of village. Until 2003, there was no road access to the village.
Shimshal is truly the land of the pure. Often called the Valley of the Mountaineers, it has produced some of the country’s top climbers. It is a pristine valley, surrounded by towering peaks in every direction, with traditional stone houses and animals grazing in open fields.
Tonight, we sleep in Shimshal Valley.
Gear up as we go an early morning trek towards Yazhgil Glacier, this will be a long 8 hour day. Afterwards, we head back towards Karimabad with an optional stop at Yak grill for their Yak burgers.
We stay the night in the bustling town of Karimabad.
It is a mesmerizing sight to wake up to the view of a 7,000er — let alone the Queen of the Karakoram, Rakaposhi. Today, we play tourist and spend the day visiting the popular Altit and Baltit forts, dining at a women-owned café, and roaming around the Karimabad Bazaar for some souvenir shopping. At sunset, we head to Duiker to catch a panoramic view of the surrounding peaks, including Rakaposhi, Ultar and Lady Finger.
We’ll be back in time for dinner in Karimabad town once again.
Today we have a rather late breakfast and leave for Skardu, our home for the next few days. Skardu is the gateway to K2, and is often the base for some of the regions most challenging treks.
We settle into the city and rest tonight.
Today we head towards Deosai national park, visit Sheosar lake and hopefully spot some Marmots along the way!
Alternatively, if the roads are not open to Deosai, we visit the Khaplu Valley and Fort, Hike up to Thoqsiqar Mosque, visit Chaqchan mosque and be back in time for Dinner.
Gear up for a short but challenging hike to Marsur rock, an over-hanging rock formation some 3300 metres above Hussainabad village. The ascent takes around 3–5 hours and can be brutal in the summer, as there is little to no shade along the trail.
If you aren't up for the hike, don't stress. You can alternatively spend the day visiting the Sarfranga Cold Desert, Blind Lake, Shigar Valley and Fort.
Catch an early morning flight back to Lahore today.
Today will be a rest day, with a traditional dinner to end the day.
Lahore is considered the heart of Pakistan. Today, we visit historic sites, admire Mughal-era architecture in the Walled City, and stroll through the bustling bazaar of Anarkali.
All good things must come to an end. Today, we say our goodbyes and fly back home. Some travelers choose to extend their stay in the city for a few more days, but that is entirely up to personal preference.