18-Day Yak Safari and Batura Glacier Trek in Hunza and Passu

Arrive in Islamabad, the federal capital of Pakistan. At the airport, you will be met and assisted by the local guide, then transferred to your hotel.

In the afternoon, enjoy a city tour of the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

Overnight at the hotel.

Start the journey from Islamabad along the Karakoram Highway. Just 34 km from the modern capital of Pakistan, Taxila, the former capital of the Gandhara Buddhist civilization, awaits.

Visit the splendid museum and archaeological site. Continue driving on the Karakoram Highway, passing through the lush green alpine landscape of Hazara.

Arrive at Besham or Naran in a lovely setting.

Overnight at the hotel. (200 km, 5-6 hours)

Continue driving on the Karakoram Highway to Gilgit. As we descend from Besham or Naran, we emerge on the bank of the Indus River at Thakot.

From here, we enter the narrow rocky gorge of the Indus. The highway was a joint venture between Pakistani and Chinese army engineers, and it took 20 years and 850 lives to complete this 8th wonder of the world.

In the afternoon, enjoy a fascinating view of Nanga Parbat (8,125 m) as we reach near Hunza Karimabad.

Overnight at the hotel. (430 km, 10-11 hours)

Early in the morning, visit the town of Hunza Karimabad at 1,800 m. It is the administrative capital of the Northern Areas of Pakistan and a traditional staging post on the historic Silk Route from Kashgar.

From the bazaar, we can walk to the suspension bridges over the Gilgit River. Continue driving on the Karakoram Highway to the charming village of Passu in the heart of the Karakoram mountains. We have fascinating views of soaring peaks all around us, including Rakaposhi (7,788 m).

Overnight in Passu (2,500 m) at the lodge.

Start the trek from Passu village. After a short walk along the road, we fork west towards the Batura Glacier. Near the snout of the glacier, after about an hour's walk, we are greeted by our companions for the trek - yaks. These champions of the glacier carry our loads during the trek.

During the next hour, we gradually gain height and walk through the barren rocky landscape.

Arrive at Yunzibin, our campsite at 2,800 m. It will take 3-4 hours.

From the camp, enjoy fascinating views of Passu Peak.

Overnight stay in tents.

Trek to Kirgiz Washik. It is possible to cross the Batura Glacier from our campsite, but we continue straight, keeping the glacier on our right side, and walk along the lateral moraine to Kirgiz Washik campsite. This route is followed mostly by villagers on their way to the upper pastures, so it is well marked and easier to walk on. As we walk on the crest of the lateral moraine of the glacier, the scenery becomes increasingly dramatic.

Enjoy excellent views of the Batura massif straight ahead and the peaks of the Shimshal Valley to our east. We pass a small lake and a couple of shepherds' huts before arriving at Eagle's Nest, the meaning of Kirgiz Washik, where we camp overnight.

Trek to Yashpirt. As the glacier changes, it readjusts its crevasses each season, so the safe place to cross to the other side also changes. We take the option of crossing just beyond Kirgiz Washik, involving about an hour. The crossing is made safe by the fact that the same route is used by shepherds and goats throughout the year, so the route is clearly marked. Yashpirt is at 3,300 m and is an ideal summer settlement set between a rocky and grassy ridge on one side and the low moraine of the Batura Glacier on the other side.

Enjoy a commanding view of the massive Batura icefall just ahead of us. Every household in Passu village keeps one house in this settlement, and just 30 years ago they used that house to farm barley and wheat here during the summer months. Now it is the best-housed summer settlement.

Overnight in the camp.

This is an ideal place to enjoy a free day, as there are many opportunities to explore the settlement.

Meet the locals in their houses and learn more about their corporate style of life. It is also exciting to take a short walk from the camp.

Start our trek for Gutesham in the soft morning light. Walk all the way on the north side of the Batura Glacier. For the first part of the trek, the view is dominated by the shimmering white ice of the Batura Ice Wall just across the glacier. We will have plenty of opportunities to photograph this outstanding feature of the mountain landscape in different settings.

Walk in the ablation valley of the glacier, and twice we have to cross streams of cold water. Have lunch at Kukhil summer pasture, reached after crossing a wooden log bridge over the rushing stream.

Later, we walk past juniper, willow, ash, and alpine flowers by the stream.

Overnight camping at Gutesham.

Visit Gutesham, the last permanent settlement along the Batura Glacier, which has more than a dozen summer huts used by the locals in the middle of the season.

On our free day, take a short walk to Lupdor, farther ahead on Batura, with a commanding view of the Batura Glacier as it sweeps its way through the soaring peaks. From here onwards, the glacier completely fills the available space on its sides with mountains, so walking on ice is required to proceed. Enjoy great views of Sanpakush and Kuksar Peaks deep in the west, from where the glacier originates.

Overnight in the camp.

Return to Yashpirt from Gutesham, walking on the same route.

Walk on the crest of the lateral moraine all the way, keeping the glacier to our south, and cross the glacier near the Yunzibin campsite. The crossing is fairly easy for the first 30 minutes but demands careful walking in the last half hour.

Arrive at Yunz for an overnight camp.

Enjoy an easy two-hour downhill walk from Yunz to Passu. Alternatively, one can take the more demanding and rewarding route of Yunz Pass to Passu Glacier.

Be free in the evening at Passu. Overnight at the lodge or hotel.

Go on a full-day excursion to Khunjerab Pass, the highest metalled road border crossing in the world at 4,733 m. We take the Silk Route heading north from Passu, cross the immigration post of Sust, and enter the incredible Khunjerab National Park.

Here, at the beginning and end of summer, it is possible to watch ibex with the naked eye. Marmots are everywhere as soon as we cross over 4,000 m. The pass marks the boundary between Pakistan and China, as well as between the Karakoram and Pamir ranges. We stop at the windy pass for a while, then return to Passu.

Overnight at the lodge or hotel.

Take a short drive to Karimabad, the capital of the Hunza Valley.

Visit Altit Fort and Baltit Fort, and walk through the bazaar.

Overnight in the hotel.

Drive to Gilgit, the capital of North Pakistan, while stopping along the route for views of high summits.

At Gilgit, take an excursion to the statue of Kargah Buddha, just outside the town.

Overnight at the hotel.

Drive on the greener part of the Karakoram Highway to Islamabad.

At Islamabad, have time to hunt through the colorful bazaars of Rawalpindi for better bargains.

Farewell dinner at a traditional restaurant, then overnight at the hotel.

Transfer to the airport for your international departure flight.