General

Complete Northern Pakistan (2024-25) – 23 Days

Pakistan is mysterious, edgy, and exciting, and it frequently makes headlines for the wrong reasons. However, it is a colorful and contrasted region that offers the daring tourist an incredible wealth of culture, tradition, and unmatched natural beauty. This amazing journey takes you from the streets of Islamabad deep into the valleys of the Hindu Kush, Karakoram, and Himalayas, passing by remote mountain communities, beautiful landscapes, bustling bazaars, and vibrant towns.

 

Dates & Cost – Complete Northern Pakistan- (23 Days)

Summers are considered the best tour season in the Himalayan and Karakoram regions of Pakistan. Considering the flow of tourists and demand for Complete Northern Pakistan, we carefully choose our dates for this tour. The start and end dates in the table below are your dates of arrival and departure from Pakistan. We have at least 2 guaranteed departures every year. Our dates and costs for Complete Northern Pakistan are given below.

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Holiday Information

Foreign travelers (non-Pakistani)

  • Implementation of Covid SOPs/Guidelines & Complimentary Safety Pack (sanitizer, 1 mask & glove per day)
  • Licensed professional guide (government requirement)
  • Airport transfer on the first and last day in Islamabad
  • All domestic road transfers
  • All hotel accommodations (twin-sharing rooms)
  • All hotel meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner)
  • Support staff (assistant(s) etc)

Domestic travelers (Pakistani Nationals)

  • Licensed professional guide
  • Road transport (Islamabad to Islamabad)
  • Hotel accommodation according to itinerary
  • Hotel meals according to itinerary
  • Support staff (assistant(s) etc – according to need)

Foreign travelers (non-Pakistani)

  • Travel Insurance (recommendations only)
  • Visa to Pakistan (supporting documents will be offered)
  • International airfare
  • Personal equipment (clothes, boots, etc)
  • Tips for guides, porters, staff, etc
  • Miscellaneous (drinks, phone calls, laundry, souvenirs, etc.)

Domestic travelers (Pakistani Nationals)

  • Airport transfers in Islamabad (can be arranged – additional charges)
  • Sightseeing in Islamabad and surrounding areas (can be arranged – additional charges)
  • Hotel accommodation in Islamabad (can be arranged – additional charges)
  • Hotel meals in Islamabad (can be arranged – additional charges)
  • Travel insurance (recommendations can be requested)
  • Visa to Pakistan (not required)
  • International airfare for overseas Pakistani
  • Personal equipment (warm clothes, boots, etc)
  • Tips for guides, porters, staff, etc
  • Miscellaneous (drinks, phone calls, laundry, souvenirs, etc.)

 

Highlights – Complete Northern Pakistan

Complete Northern Pakistan has a lot to offer. Given below are the main highlights of Complete Northern Pakistan

  • Experience the culture of the ethnic minority community of Kalash
  • Participate and dance to the tunes of Kalasha music
  • Enjoy Kalasha and Pakistani cuisine
  • Hear stories from Kalasha community members including men and women
  • Juniper, Oak, and Pine forests in Kalash
  • View of hundreds of peaks including Tirich Mir (7,708m) in the Hindukush Range
  • Rivers (Kunar, Dir, Chitral), tributaries and streams
  • Malakand pass, Lowari Pass (3,118 m) or Lowari Tunnel (10.4 kms)
  • Valleys of Khyber including Dir, Chitral, and Kalash
  • Views of forts (Malakand, Nagar, Ayun & Chitral) and Mosques (Shahi Masjid)
  • Churchil Picket, Malakand
  • Experience the culture of ethnic minority communities of Hunza
  • Participate and dance to the tunes of Hunza drums
  • Enjoy Hunzai and Pakistani cuisine
  • Opportunity to interact with Hunza's community members including men, women, and children
  • View of hundreds of peaks including Rakaposhi (7,708m) Passu Sar (7,478m) and Ultar Sar (7,388m) in the Karakoram Range
  • Rivers (Hunza, Nagar, Gilgit, Indus, Kunhar), tributaries and streams
  • Babusar Pass (4,173m), Khunjerab Pass (4,733m) and Attabad tunnel (7km)
  • Valleys of northern Pakistan including Hunza, Nagar, Naltar, Besham/Kaghan Naran, etc
  • Lakes including Attabad, Lulusar, Borith, Shandur, Khalti, Phandar and Batura
  • Glaciers including Bualtar, Passu, Batura Hussaini, etc
  • Khunjerab National Park
  • Fairy Meadows
  • Sightseeing of forts (Altit and Baltit)
  • Bazaars of Karimabad, Aliabad and Naran
  • Karakoram Highway and Ancient Silk Route
  • Drive through the towns of Haripur, Abbottabad, Mansehra etc
  • Sightseeing in Islamabad & Rawalpindi
  • Make new friends
  • Discounted culture travel

 

Itinerary – Complete Northern Pakistan

The itinerary for our holiday is given below.

Taking a drive through the Northwest Frontier and into the picturesque Swat Valley, you will begin your journey north today. To get to Saidu Sharif, Butkhela, Chakdara, and Malakand Pass, take the GT Road. This area was formerly closed to foreign visitors, but it has just become accessible once more, giving you a fantastic opportunity to learn about the area's early Buddhist history. You will visit the neighborhood museum, which is filled with exquisite Gandharan antiques, as well as other Buddhist sites after you have checked into your hotel. Then go to Butkara, one of Ghandhara's earliest Buddhist stupas, a significant archaeological site.

After breakfast, you will set off on a breathtaking journey that will take you past Chakdara, where a young Winston Churchill witnessed battle in the 1890s, before crossing the Lowari Pass and into the old kingdom of Chitral. From there, continue on to Ayun. The farm and an orchard with seasonal fruits surround the fort. Take a stroll through the surroundings to take in the astonishing variety of roses. This is a wonderfully relaxed place to conclude your day because it is situated at the entrance to the Kalash Valleys and is surrounded by beautiful vistas.

Following breakfast, you will travel to the village of Balanguru in the Valley of Rumbor. You might also choose to walk the final several miles through this stunning valley. The smallest religious group in Pakistan is the Kalash, who number around 3,000. In contrast to other minorities in the nation, they are geographically restricted to the three valleys of Birir, Bumburet, and Rumbur. The Muslim community of Kalash is referred to as Kafirs (non-believers) and their region is referred to as Kafirstan. Both are located in the Hindu Kush between the Afghan Border and Chitral Valley.

Drive to the Bumburet Valley, the most scenic of the three, which has long, fertile areas of farmland and is dotted with communities. Spend as much time as you can with the Kalash families as soon as you arrive to learn about their culture, way of life, and gradual assimilation into contemporary society.

You will go from the lovely Kalash Valleys today. You will continue your journey to the tranquil and conservative mountain village of Chitral by traveling back down the steep rocky trails through the towering Hindu Kush mountains. If a match is being played, try to catch a game of mountain polo before spending the night in a motel.

After breakfast, you'll take a 4x4 jeep 110 kilometres northeast of Chitral town to Mastuj. As we weave our way up the Mastuj Valley, passing through Tirich Mir and BoniZong, before ultimately entering the Yarkhun Valley, at the top of which lies Afghanistan's Wakhan Corridor, this is one of the most picturesque and spectacular drives you are ever likely to experience. You can explore the village after arriving before checking into your accommodation.

After breakfast today, you'll travel to the Shandur Pass, stopping along the way for tea at the pass's 3,800-meter summit. If you'd like, you may take a short stroll from here to the Langer, a lovely plain where yaks and dzos are fed, where you can have a picnic lunch before getting back in your jeep and continuing to Yasin Valley.

You will continue to Gilgit after breakfast, passing through some of Northern Pakistan's most breathtaking terrain.

After breakfast, take some time to stop in the town and visit the Christian cemetery before continuing on your incredible journey up the Karakoram Highway past the towering Mount Rakaposhi and into the stunning Hunza valley. You will undoubtedly be speechless when you see this enormous mountain, all 7,788 metres of it, basking in the sunlight next to the road. Before going on to Karimabad, the largest town in the area, you can stop for lunch en route at the Rakaposhi View Restaurant where you will experience the longest uninterrupted vertical view in the world.

Today, ascend above Karimabad town for a water channel trek with breathtaking valley views. Return to the centre of town and have lunch at one of the rooftop eateries. Following this, you will have some free time to unwind, browse, and roam before going on a sightseeing tour to the renowned Baltit fort from the fifteenth century, which served as the Hunza state's administrative center until it was recently meticulously restored by UNESCO. You'll get back to your lodging in the late afternoon.

Enjoy a leisurely day in one of the world's most stunning locations. Instead, you might like to continue exploring and head to Nagar Valley to take a quick walk on the Hoper Glacier or take in the sights at Attabad Lake. A significant landslip blocked the Hunza River in January 2010, submerging 22 km of the KKH by creating a stunning lake of azure. From here, visitors may take a boat journey up the northern shore, which provides a fantastic opportunity to get pictures of the well-known cathedral peaks.

You'll start your adventure to Gilgit today by heading south along the renowned Karakoram Highway. Your path will pass through the Rakaposhi viewpoint, giving you a wonderful opportunity to see this enormous mountain soaking up the sun. As you stop for breaks along the route, the trip should only take you about 4 hours.

Enjoy a quick tour of Gilgit this morning with your guide, stopping at the well-liked polo grounds and the incredibly typical mountain market. Following the path of the untamed Indus River, depart Gilgit and go via the little gorge known as Northern Pakistan's "Grand Canyon" to Shigar.

After breakfast, go on a walking tour of the Khanqah, which has been repaired, and the Amburiq Mosque, which was built in the 14th century and won a UNESCO prize. After that, keep driving to Khaplu and check into your accommodation. Explore the village, the Khanqah (a place of spiritual refuge that also housed journeymen), and Khaplu Palace in the afternoon.

You are free to unwind and take use of the hotel today, or you can participate in one of the numerous activities the hotel offers. Why not take in a polo match, explore the Saling rock carvings, tour the Khaplu Khanqah mosque from the 18th century, ride a horse through the stunning Baltistan countryside, stroll through Khaplu or check out some of the hotel's many projects, like the Bara Wool Spinning Centre and the Khaplu Women's Vocational Training Centre.

You will travel by car for around two hours from the former kingdom of Khaplu, which is located 105 km to the west, to Skardu. At the base of Kharpocho Fort, there is an old trail that you can use to reach the "organic village" while taking in the town's main bazaar. Visit the K2 exhibit at the K2 Motel and try to catch a Polo match at the town's main field. This is a great opportunity to see Baltistan's capital and learn about both local culture and mountaineering visitors' way of life.

Continue on to the Deosai Plateau National Park after an early breakfast. This plateau is a breathtaking 4,000-meter-high nature habitat with a variety of wildflowers blooming at different times of the year. Before going to the alpine meadows of Astore and Rama Lake, have a sumptuous picnic lunch with views of the Himalayas.

Today, keep travelling the road to Chilas. You will enter the Astore Gorge, one of the world's most stunning and impressive vistas, after leaving the alpine meadows of Rama and Astore. When you eventually get at Raikot Bridge, change to a local 4x4 jeep and proceed up the winding, arduous mountain route to Fairy Meadows. The journey is definitely an adventure, but it's worth it.

A lush pasture next to one of the base camp locations of the formidable Nanga Parbat Mountain (8126m) is known as Fairy Meadows, also known as Jut locally. Today's walk will take you through pine forests and beautiful green meadows as you make your way to Nanga Parbat base camp, taking in some of the most breathtaking landscapes.

Today, bid farewell to this tranquil oasis and begin the journey back down to Naran. Before continuing to Naran, pause for a moment at the summit of the 4100-meter-high Babusar Pass to take in the breathtaking panorama of the Himalayan, Karakorum, and Hindu Kush mountain ranges.

You will continue your journey today, stopping in Taxila, a fascinating university town that dates back to Alexander the Great's Ghandaharan era and is home to Buddhism. You will travel a short distance from Taxila to Islamabad for your final night.

You will be taken to the airport this morning in time for your onward journey.

 

Why Register Now?

1. Early Bird Discount: The given prices for the holiday are limited-time discount offers and are subject to change. Service providers including (but not limited) to airlines and hotels increase prices in peak-season. Early reservations cost less than peak-season. 

2: Limited Space in Peak Months: The peak months in the peak season attract the highest number of international guests and are therefore sold out earlier. Due to our revised Covid-19 guidelines, we have restricted our group size to a maximum of 12 travelers. We are taking registrations on a "first-come, first-served" basis.

3. Pay Balance after arrival in Pakistan: In these unusual times, we appreciate that paying the final balance for your trip may cause concern. Our policy is to only receive your final balance once you arrive in Pakistan. The only payment before arrival is the deposit.

4. Deposit valid for 3 years: We understand the uncertainty surrounding the pandemic (Covid-19). As part of our relaxed booking conditions following Covid-19, deposits are valid for 3 years. 

5. Pay Minimum Deposit: The deposits for the holiday are also early-bird discounts and automatically change accordingly:

  • 1st October: USD 110
  • 1st November: USD 150
  • 1st January: USD 180
  • 1st March: USD 260
  • 1st May: USD 340

Note: The same dates above apply to next season's deposits.

Deposit (Advance) for Pakistani nationals

The deposit for Pakistani nationals is PKR 40,000 or 30% of the total price, whichever is greater. The deposit is non-refundable but valid for 3 years according to our relaxed booking conditions following Covid-19.

Refund Policy for All

Deposit: Once paid, the deposit is non-refundable (but valid for 3 years) as it will be spent on making in-country arrangements. In the case of visa rejection, a refund/partial-refund (if costs incurred) will be considered. In such cases, a valid proof of visa rejection must be submitted to our office within 72 hours of rejection. For Pakistan nationals, the deposit is non-refundable (but valid for 3 years) in all cases.

Balance: Pay the balance only after arrival in Pakistan on the first day. Payment guidelines will be shared timely.

Currency

All international travelers can pay in US Dollars (USD) or equivalent in Euros (EUR) or Pound Sterling (GBP). Pakistani travelers are charged the equivalent in Pakistani Rupees (PKR).

Single Supplement

Separate accommodation (single supplement) will cost an additional USD 523. This includes all nights. This payment should be made with the balance upon arrival in Pakistan.

 

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Overview – Complete Northern Pakistan

This is our most thorough tour in Northern Pakistan, so you’ll see everything! You will travel from the capital through the Swat Valley to the haven on Ayun before continuing on to the Kalash tribe’s reservation. Before traveling north to the magnificent Hunza for a few days, you will cross over to the northeast of the nation and proceed to Mastuj, then up over the Shandur Pass and over to Gilgit. Then you’ll return to Gilgit via the Karakoram Highway before travelling east to Shigar, Khaplu (where you’ll stay in a WF favorite hotel), and Skardu. Your final leg of the journey takes you up to the Deosai Plateau, where you can take in more breathtaking mountain views, followed by a descent through Naran to return you to Islamabad.

We have a special place in our hearts for Pakistan and for good reason. We have been operating trips here for more than 20 years, so we are familiar with the political complexities of visiting this fascinating country. By utilizing this unmatched depth of knowledge, we are confident in being able to offer the most creative and authentic trips to the area while utilizing the best guides, transportation, and lodging.

 

Website Last Updated: February 15th, 2024

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