Pakistan – Karakoram Highway Tour

Itinerary

Sunday 1 September – Rawalpindi

• Airport pick up at Islamabad International Airport.
• For those who arrive early we’ll head for diner together at 18.00
• Overnight stay in Rawalpindi.

Monday 2 September – Rawalpindi /Islamabad

• At 8.00am we head on a city tour of Islamabad & Rawalpindi.
• Highlight: Truck painting, see how they paint the beautiful trucks.
• We visit the Faisal Mosque, the biggest mosque in Pakistan and an architectural highlight.
• Check out the Pakistan Monument, which symbolises the unity of the Pakistani people.
• For sunset we head to Daman e-koh, here you’ll have an incredible view over Islamabad.
• Overnight stay in Rawalpindi.

 Tuesday 3 September – Rawalpindi – Abottabad – Naran

• Start on the Karakoram Highway heading into Northern Pakistan. Along the way we pass by Abottabad, the place where Osama bin Laden was killed.
• Highlight: We take a side road of the Karakoram Highway for even more beautiful scenery.
• Several times we will stop for pictures and to enjoy the view.
• Overnight stay in Naran.

Wednesday 4 September – Naran – Fairy Meadows

• Today we will continue along the Kunhar River in the direction of Lulusar Lake.
• Babusar Pass (4173m).
• We reconnect to the Karakoram Highway as far as Raikot Bridge.
• Highlight: Change to 4×4 and drive to Jhel.
• 3 hour hike upwards to Fairy Meadows, an area next to the Nanga Parbat, the 9th highest mountain in the world. If you don’t want to walk you can also come along on horseback.
• Overnight stay in a hut in Fairy Meadows.

Thursday 5 September – Fairy Meadows

• Highlight: Full day around Fairy Meadows. You can rest, walk towards the Raikot glacier or go to the Nanga Parbat base camp.
• Overnight stay in a hut in Fairy Meadows.

Friday 6 September – Fairy Meadows – Hunza

• We hike down back to the jeeps and take the jeep back to our minivan.
• We continue in the direction of the Hunza Valley.
• If time permits we visit a girl’s school in Gilgit for a spectacular lunch.
• Highlight: Crossing the Hindu Kush, Karakoram and the Himalayan Mountains.
• Arrival in the Hunza Valley.
• Overnight stay in the Hunza Valley.

 Saturday 7 September – Hunza

• We stay all day around the Hunza Valley.
• Highlight: Visit the old forts of Baltit and Altit.
• Walk along the high irrigation canals, from where you have an incredibly beautiful view.
• Get to know the local Hunza culture.
• Overnight stay in the Hunza Valley.

 Sunday 8 September – Hunza – Passu – Sost

• Continue along the Karakoram Highway, crossing the newly formed Attabad Lake to Passu.
• Highlight: Stop at Passu where you can cross the famous rope bridges near the village of Husseini.
• Short walk to the Passu glacier while passing by Borit Lake on our way out of the Karakoram Highway.
• Overnight in Sost. Sost is the last town of Pakistan before moving to China.

Monday 9 September – Sost – Tashkurgan (China)

• Highlight: We’ll drive through the Khunjerab National Park, if we’re lucky we might even spot an ibex or a snow leopard.
• Border crossing into China via the famous Khunjerab Pass. We’re entering the Chinese Uyghur autonomous region of Xinjiang. Here we’re entering one of the most remote areas of China, and the home of its sizable Muslim minority.
• Arrival in the Chinese border town Tashkurgan. Night stroll through the city and some well-deserved barbecue and cold beer, or if you’re daring then Chinese baijiu!
• Overnight in Tashkurgan.

 Tuesday 10 September – Tashkurgan – Karakul Lake – Kashgar

• Short sightseeing around Tashkurgan, also known as Stone City.
• Set off on the scenic drive towards Karakul Lake. As always we’ll stop for photos and rest breaks along the way!
• Highlight: Stroll around the lake, relax, take in the incredible surroundings. The lake is famous for its colourful ranges from a dark green to azure and light blue.
• Then it’s time for the final stretch of our amazing Karakoram Highway Tour. We’re ending in Kashgar, modern China’s most western city. An ancient city which was a major hub along the Silk Road.
• Overnight in Kashgar

Wednesday 11 September – Kashgar

• Highlight: We head out to the famous livestock market where the local Uygurs are trading goats, camels, horses and anything else with four legs.
• Head out of town to the beautiful tomb of Afaq Khoja: a 17th-century mausoleum of this important Uyghur figure.
• Stop by People’s Square and the largest statue of Chairman Mao in China!
• We drive to the Three Immortal Buddhist Caves, North of Kashgar. They are said to be one of the oldest Buddhist caves in Western China.
• Overnight in Kashgar.

Thursday 12 September – Kashgar

• Stop by People’s Square and the largest statue of Chairman Mao in China!
• Highlight: Check out Kashgar’s old town, or what’s left of it, to get a glimpse into what life in the area used to be like before heading out to the very lively night markets with a great array of street food.
• Walking tour through the windy lanes of the center and the Id Kah Mosque.
• Browse the bustling Grand Bazaar, which depending on how you measure it, is the biggest in Asia.
• Streetfood, including the option of Uyghur fried rice and mutton.
• Overnight in Kashgar.

 Friday 13 September – Kashgar – Irkeshtam Pass – Sary-Tash (Kyrgyzstan)

• End of the tour for the Karakoram Highway Tour. Departure at your own convenience.
• Those on the Pamir Highway Tour continue towards Sary Tash, Kyrgyzstan.