Pakistan – Karakoram Highway Tour

Itinerary

Sunday 17 September – Rawalpindi /Islamabad

• Arrival at your own time. The northern Pakistan group tour can be combined with the Southern Pakistan Tour.
• At 11.00am 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.

Monday 18 Septermber – Rawalpindi – Abottabad – Naran

• Start on the Karakoram Highway heading into Northern Pakistan.
• Tea stop in 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.

Tuesday 19 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.

Wednesday 20 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.

Thursday 21 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.
• 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.

Friday 22 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.

Saturday 23 September – Hunza – Passu – Khunjerab Pass

• Today we’ll have a full day to head to the Chinese border, at the Khunjerab Pass.
• Highlight: We’ll drive through the Khunjerab National Park, if we’re lucky we might even spot an ibex or a snow leopard.
• Overnight stay in Passu.

Sunday 24 September – Passu – Hunza – Gilgit

• Highlight: We check out the famous rope bridges.
• Short walk to the Passu glacier.
• Drive from Passu to Gilgit.
• We continue on the Karakoram Highway along the newly developed Attabad Lake.
• Overnight stay in Gilgit. The biggest town in the North of Pakistan.

Monday 25 September – Gilgit – Besham

• We continue our drive on the Karakoram Highway from Gilgit to Besham.
• Overnight stay in Besham.

Tuesday 26 September – Day 18 – Besham – Swat – Peshawar

• We leave the plans from the Karakoram and arrive at the plains from the Punjab.
• Highlight: We’ll drive via Swat Valley, an area known for its beautiful landscape, but also as an area that was once captured by the Taliban. Next to this, the female education activist Malala comes from here.
• Overnight stay in Peshawar. The border town with Afghanistan.

Wednesday 27 September – Peshawar – Islamabad

• Full day in Peshawar.
• Highlight: We’ll explore the vibrant city of Peshawar. Here you’ll see the strong influence of Afghanistan.
• Evening drive to Islamabad.
• Overnight stay in Islamabad.

Thursday 28 September – Day 20 – Islamabad

• Airport drop off.
• End of the Pakistan group tour.
• OR 4:30pm departure for the Grand Afghanistan Tour on the KamAir RQ928 flight to Kabul.