Mountain Adventurer

A short, one-hour flight drops us in Skardu and gives us the day to drive across and explore the Shigar Valley and take in views of Koser Gunge and Mango Gusor across the plains snaked with inlets of the Shigar River. You’ll spot the Shigar Fort – at 400 years old this is the youngest we explore on the trip!

We have a lot of walking and cycling today! We continue our exploration of Shigar Valley, with a tour of Shigar Fort and the ancient mosque of Khanka. We’ll explore the high-altitude Katpana Desert – known as the ‘cold’ desert for the blanket of snow that cloaks the sand dunes in winter. We’ll enjoy the sunset from Kharpocho Fort – fondly known as the King of Forts!

After a transfer to Kachora Valley, we’ll spend the day exploring the Upper and Lower Kachori Lakes that fill the mountain-studded valley. These deep, clear-watered lakes sit at 2,500m above sea level and in winter they totally freeze over.

Be dazzled by the radiant turquoise Satpara Lake before we enter one of the remotest corners of the earth, the Deosai Plains. The world’s second highest plateau doesn’t have a single tree, and is home to one of the highest-altitude bodies of water on the planet – Sheosir Lake. Depending on the season, this can be bathed under sunny skies or sheeted in snow. We’ll camp here tonight under the starry night sky in this wild stretch.

We’ll trek among the green-flanked valleys of Chillam Chowki and track the Astor River which winds its way through the head-turning peaks of Chongra and Dofana. Our final destination of the day is the Rama Meadows – a fairytale valley of lush greenery and towering evergreens.

Today is a rest day, with a long drive north to the Hunza Valley. We’ll make plenty of stops along the way to snap the ‘scapes and get some group photos at the Rakaposhi view point!

Begin the Hunza Valley quest at 11th century Altit Fort and explore the royal gardens and the village. Explore the Ganish (gold) Village settlement which was founded over 1000 years ago along the ancient Silk Road. We’ll take you to Duikar Village where we can appreciate views of the Hunza River from the vertigo-inducing Eagle’s Nest viewpoint. We’ll hang out up here to catch the sunset over the peaks of Rakaposhi and Dehran. Take some free time to shop in Karimabad, where we stay tonight.

We follow the Karakoram Highway through the Khunjerab Pass along the highest land border in the world: Pakistan and China. This skims 4700m above sea level, so we recommend altitude sickness pills, just in case.We’ll cross the Ganish Bridge in the shadow of the Shispare Sar, one of the tallest peaks of the Karakoram Ranges. There are over 50,000 ancient rock carvings from the Silk Road trading era along the way, we’ll show you our favourites! We visit the fourth largest glacier in the world, Batura, and the Hussani glacier. Round the corner a sweeping cluster of craggy, snow dusted peaks known as Passu Cathedral dominates the landscape. Feel your heart stop beating as you step onto the Hussaini Suspension Bridge – dare you cross it? Snaking through the Khunjerab National Park, the landscape changes with every bend in the road. At the Pakistan-China border we might be lucky enough to see snowflakes falling even during summer! Quick rest in Sost, and then Borith Lake for the night.

We start the day with a two-hour trek to the Passu Glacier. Marvel at the white ice – few experiences will top this one. Lunch and a wander around Borith Lake before we visit its neighbour, Attabad Lake. The bluest lake in the world was the result of the catastrophic 2010 landslide which wiped out Attabad Village. We’ll cruise across the crystal clear water in a boldly painted wooden boat and ogle the steely Karakoram Ranges.

Today we head to Gilgit, where we spend the final two nights of the tour. In homage to Gilgit’s historic roots as a Buddhist station, we’ll drive to see the 7th century Karghah Buddha rock carving, etched into the cliff-face of Karghah Nala. We’ll spend the afternoon rummaging in the Gilgit Bazaar (perfect opportunity for souvenir shopping) before settling into our hotel.

A bumpy, two-hour dirt road drive brings us to the densely forested Naltar Valley. Among glacial streams and fertile plains there are three high-altitude lakes to explore, known as the Bashkiri Lakes. Admire the multi-coloured Satrangi Lake and the alpine splendour of glacially formed Pari Lake, before trekking 45 minutes up to Firoza Lake. Surrounded by snowy peaks, with otherworldly blue water – trust us, this one will blow your mind. We have our farewell dinner tonight in Gilgit.

We fly back to Islamabad, after which you are free to make arrangements for onwards travel or extend your holiday in Islamabad.