13-Day Cultural and Mountain Tour of Pakistan with Hunza and Kalash

• Connect with your tour guide, who will pick you up from Islamabad International Airport and transfer you to the hotel.
• Spend the day at leisure in Islamabad, exploring Faisal Mosque, Pakistan Monument, and Rawal Lake. Overnight at Ramada Islamabad.

• After freshening up, drive to Besham or Naran.

• En route, visit Taxila, the capital of the Buddhist Gandhara civilization. It is regarded as one of the most important archaeological sites of the subcontinent.

• See the ruins of the former city of Sirkup, the former monastery of Jaulian built on top of a hill, and the splendid site museum containing artifacts recovered from the excavation sites. Here, you can also see the gold and silver coins of Alexander the Great (326 BC) and local kings.

• After Taxila, proceed towards the Karakoram Highway, passing through the lush green valleys of Mansehra District and enjoying the beautiful landscapes of the valley. The Karakoram Highway is a joint effort of Pakistan and China. Its completion took 20 years, and 300 Chinese and 600 Pakistanis sacrificed their lives for the completion of this road.

Overnight stay at hotel. (5/6 hours, 200 km)

• Go for a morning drive on the KKH to Gilgit, the capital city of the Northern Areas of Pakistan.

• At Thakot, cross the Chinese bridge to enter the gorge of the Indus River. For centuries, traders and Buddhist missionaries used this branch of the Silk Route. There are many rock carving sites from that time, and Shatial rock carving is one of them.

• Have lunch in Chilas and then make a stop at Thalichi for the best views of Nanga Parbat (8,125 m), the 9th highest peak in the world and the second-highest after K2 in Pakistan, also known as the Killer Mountain. Rakaposhi (7,788 m) and the Haramosh range can also be viewed from here.

• Afterwards, arrive at the meeting point of the mountain ranges. The three highest mountain ranges in the world - the Karakoram, Himalayas, and Hindukush - meet where the Indus River is joined by the Gilgit River.

• Later, continue along the Gilgit River and overnight at the hotel. (9/10 hours, 320 km)

• Drive out from Gilgit and re-enter the town by the historic route, crossing a suspension bridge over the river.

• At Kargah, visit the 7th-century AD rock-carved Buddha. In ancient times, the Kargah Valley used to be the travelling route of Buddhist monks going to Taxila.

• Stroll through the colourful bazaars of Gilgit. The tour then continues to the beautiful, breathtaking Hunza Valley along a scenic route.

• On the way, see the old Silk Route once used by Buddhist monks and traders.

• En route, take a halt at Rakaposhi's (7,788 m) viewpoint.

• Enter the Hunza Valley and arrive at the capital, Karimabad.

Overnight at hotel. (2/3 hours, 110 km)

• Spend a free day in Karimabad for short walks to Altit and Baltit Forts and for further exploration in Hunza Valley. The people of Hunza are famous for their long lives.
• See some beautiful peaks of the Karakoram from Karimabad, including Rakaposhi (7,788 m), Diran (7,266 m), Ultar (7,400 m), Golden Peak (7,027 m), and the Nagar Valley on the left bank of the Hunza River. In Hunza, each family grows enough wheat, maize, apricots, and walnuts for its own use. The people are mostly self-sufficient, making their own clothes, shoes, wooden and stone bowls, and growing their own food. The people are very friendly and cheerful.
• In the afternoon, walk to Ultar Glacier, follow the irrigation channel through the village, or stroll through the single-lane bazaar for better views of the soaring peaks around you.

Overnight at hotel.

• Today, go for a short drive through the heart of the Karakoram.
• Make a stop at the village of Gulmit, in the shadow of the virgin Gulmit Tower.
• Stroll through the village fields, and visit the polo ground and old houses.
• Later, take a short trek to Gulkin Glacier and Borit Lake. As you end your hike near Borit Lake, the transport will pick you up for a 15 km drive to Passu. Passu is a small, charming village set against the backdrop of the soaring Passu Cones, with Passu and Batura glaciers at short walking distance.
• Walk through the village to observe village life. Some 70 years ago, Passu used to be the second-largest settlement in Hunza after Karimabad. The glacier upstream on the Hunza River moved down to create a large dam that later broke and destroyed the fertile fields and houses. Now the river occupies the major share of the valley, with the village on its right bank. Walk to Passu Glacier and Passu Lake (45 minutes one way).
• From the snout of the glacier, witness fascinating views of Shispar (7,611 m) and Passu Peak (7,478 m).
• Visit the famous suspension bridges of Passu. These 800-foot-long bridges over the Hunza River are still in use by local people.

Overnight at lodge.

• Drive to Phander with occasional drop-offs from the jeep for exciting walks along the route.
• Then bid farewell to the Karakoram range and enter the Hindukush range. Wild landscapes accompany the drive, as this route is visited by far fewer people and remains snow-covered during the winters, so only nomads move with their flocks of goats, searching the higher slopes for green pastures.

Guest house overnight. (6/7 hours - 3200 meters)

• From Phander, the jeep track passes over Shandur Pass (3500 m) to Mastuj. At the top of Shandur, leave the jeeps and walk over the pass to the highest polo ground in the world. Every year, a grand polo festival takes place here, where teams from all over North Pakistan gather to decide the champion of the year. Many enthusiasts attend the festival from every village and camp here for days to watch their team progress towards glory.
• Then, drive to Laspur village.
• After Laspur village, a zigzag jeep track descends towards Mastuj.
• Continue driving to Mastuj for overnight camping. (6/7 hours - 3000 meters)

• Head for a morning drive from Mastuj village along the Chitral River, which flows in the main valley bed. The landscape of the Hindukush range appears much more arid and dry, as this area lies outside the reach of the monsoon and receives very little rain.
• Stop at a small village for lunch and then continue, enjoying fascinating views of snow-clad peaks reaching 4,500 meters.
• Arrive in Chitral and, after some rest, drive to Kalash Valley.
• Visit Bumburet and Birir villages in Kalash Valley to experience the unique landscapes and meet the local population during their daily life.

Overnight at guest house in Birir village. (6/7 hours - 3000 meters)

• Go for a morning drive to Swat.

• Proceed towards Lowari Pass (3,200 meters). The ascent is very interesting, with around 96 hairpin turns bringing you to the top of Lowari Pass.

• Descend to Dir, Chakdara, and Malakand Pass.

• Arrive in Swat, a land that shines with fruit-laden orchards, flower-filled slopes, meandering rivers, rumbling streams, and is surrounded by the mighty ranges of the Hindu Kush and Karakoram. The valley is 3,250 feet above sea level. Saidu Sharif and Mingora are the towns that form the twin capital of this area.

• Arrive and transfer to the hotel for an overnight stay in Mingora.

• Visit the museum, White Palace, some rock carvings from the Buddhist period, and in Upper Swat, explore Malam Jaba and Kalam.
• Then, drive to Peshawar.
• Proceed towards Lowari Tunnel and Pass (3,200 meters). The ascent is very interesting, with around 96 hairpin turns bringing you to the top of Lowari Pass.
• Descend to Dir, Chakdara, and Malakand Pass, and arrive in Peshawar. Peshawar has always been important in the history of the subcontinent because of its location by the Khyber Pass and the Gandhara civilization. The city is now known more for its unique feeling of being a frontier town than for its monuments.
• Arrive and transfer to the hotel for an overnight stay. (8/9 hours - 1350 meters)

• In the morning, visit the street of storytellers, Kissa Khawani Bazaar; the street of gold, Kasera Bazaar; Karavan Serai; Mahabat Khan Mosque; and the Peshawar Museum, known for its collection of Gandhara artifacts. Also visit Bab-e-Khyber, Jamrud Fort, and, if possible, Khyber Pass. Otherwise, spend more time in Peshawar. It is also possible that you may not be able to visit Khyber Pass but still see Bab-e-Khyber and Jamrud Fort, as they are before entering the FATA.

Overnight stay at hotel.

• Head to Islamabad while travelling on the Grand Trunk Road laid down by the Pathan Emperor of the United Indian Empire, Sher Shah Suri.
• Stop for a photo at the meeting point of the Indus and Kabul Rivers just beyond Attock Bridge.
• Enter Faisal Mosque, the landmark of Islamabad.
• Visit Daman-e-Koh on top of the hill for a panoramic view of Islamabad.
• Then drive on Constitution Avenue, looking at the President's House, Parliament, Supreme Court, and other state buildings.
• In the evening, proceed to the airport to board your return flight.