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Take a tour on the mighty Karakoram Highway in Northern Pakistan

Karakoram Highway Tour

This is the road trip of all road trips. Join our small group tour of the highest highway in the world. The famous Karakoram Highway has an illustrious past. Nowadays the road is mainly seen as the ‘friendship highway’ between Pakistan and China. We start this tour in the capital of Pakistan: Islamabad. From there, the tour takes us north past deep valleys, deserted plains and snowy peaks. Along the way we stop at the famous Fairy Meadows and Hunza Valley. Then we cross the famous Pakistan/China border at Khunjerab National Park. From here we enter the Chinese province of Xinjiang. At this point you’re closer to Tehran than to Beijing! We will drive through this province towards Kashgar, one of the famous stops along the Silk Road, to finish our big road trip.

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CultureRoad Travel
Trip
Karakoram Highway Tour: EUR 2695 2695
Trip
Pamir Highway Tour Combo: EUR 4745 4745
Karakoram Highway Tour

General info

Start dateTBC 2025
End dateTBC 2025
Days13 days / 12 nights
Price€ 2,695 (Combo: € 4,745)
IncludingAccommodation (shared)
Transportation on the ground
Airport pick-up
Western & local guide
Breakfast
Entry fees
ExcludingInternational flights
Single room (€ 700)
Insurance
Visa
Lunch & dinner
Tips for the guide
Personal expenses

This offer is covered by the STO Garant guarantee. You can find the conditions for this guarantee scheme on STO Garant’s website.

Itinerary

Sunday – Rawalpindi

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

Monday – Rawalpindi /Islamabad

  • At 8.00 am 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 symbolizes the unity of the Pakistani people.
  • For sunset we head to Daman e-koh, where you’ll have an incredible view over Islamabad.
  • Overnight stay in Rawalpindi.

 Tuesday – 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 to 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 – 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 – 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 – 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 – 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 – 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 in Pakistan before moving to China.

Monday – 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.
  • The 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 – 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, and take in the incredible surroundings. The lake is famous for its colorful ranges from 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 – 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 – 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.
  • Street food, including the option of Uyghur fried rice and mutton.
  • Overnight in Kashgar.

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

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