Hindu Kush & Karakorum Pakistan
A 14-day road trip through the awe-inspiring Karakorum and Hindu Kush mountain ranges of Northern Pakistan. These mountains contain a kaleidoscope of people as well as some of the earth’s most incredible scenery.
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Vacation Style Holiday Type
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Activity Level Leisurely
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Group Size Medium Group
A 14-day road trip through the awe-inspiring Karakorum and Hindu Kush mountain ranges of Northern Pakistan. These mountains contain a kaleidoscope of people as well as some of the earth’s most incredible scenery. We’ll begin by taking a flight from Islamabad to Chitral. There we will take our time experiencing life in the pagan Kalasha valleys. From there we take a three-day roadtrip through the Hindu Kush range and into Karakorum. Next, it is the Hunza valley, exploring the rope bridges of Husseini, Passu glacier and learning about life in the high mountains of Pakistan. Finally, we’ll take one of life’s great road trips, the Karakorum Highway, back to Islamabad.
Highlights:
- Experience life in the pagan villages of the Kalasha valleys
- Explore the wonderful Hunza valley
- Cross Husseini rope bridge
- Drive the legendary Karakorum Highway
Start point – Islamabad
End point – Islamabad
Maximum number of people: 10
- All accommodation
- Breakfast
- Transport
- Guiding
- Meals in the Kalasha Valleys
- One internal flight between Islamabad and Chitral
- Any necessary visas
- Insurance
- Flights to Pakistan
- Entrance fees
- Lunch & dinner
- Drinks
- Tips
We do not and cannot offer a uniform accommodation standard on our itineraries. Even if we wanted to, the reality is that standards in Islamabad cannot be compared to a Kalasha guesthouse in an isolated valley in the Hindu Kush. We consider comfort, location, design, character, historical interest and whether the money we spend will go into the pockets of the local community when we make our choices of where to stay.
The accommodation will be based on 2 people sharing.
- All accommodation
- Breakfast
- Transport
- Guiding
- Meals in the Kalasha Valleys
- One internal flight between Islamabad and Chitral
- Any necessary visas
- Insurance
- Flights to Pakistan
- Entrance fees
- Lunch & Dinner
- Drinks
- Tips
We do not directly arrange international flights to Pakistan. We recommend Turkish Airlines and Emirates who offer flights either directly or with a layover at Istanbul (IST) or Dubai (DXB). Flights are also run by Qatar Airways with layovers at Hamad International (DOH).
A tourist e-visa is available for most countries via the Government of Pakistan’s Ministry of Interior
https://visa.nadra.gov.pk/. We will provide visa support in the form of letters of invitation to assist the application process. The visa fee varies upon applicant country but generally costs around US$60 for an individual (less than 3 months), single entry, first-time application tourist visa. The processing time for an e-
visa is approximately 7-10 working days. If applying directly through an embassy or consulate it can take up
to a month.
We include breakfast every day and also some other meals in remote areas. In our experience people sometimes want to eat different things, in different places, at different times. When there is an option, we will be happy for you to have your say. We know some great places and will also happily show you some of our favourite restaurants and tea houses. Some are luxurious, some are more earthy, but all have character. However, we do not pretend to be the arbiters of good taste and are equally happy for you to go off and find your own favourites. However, when restaurants are unavailable, such as when we are living in a Kalasha guesthouse, we ensure that food is provided.
The food of Pakistan varies greatly according to the region. In the south, the food is generally much spicier than in the north-west, which instead focuses on more aromatic spices like cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, mace, and black pepper. Except for in Hunza, meat (mainly goat, mutton, beef, and chicken) features predominantly on the menu and is accompanied by rice, bread, and pickles. There are several kinds of bread in Pakistan, but roti is the most universal. For vegetarians, there are many lentil (“dhal”), chickpea (“channa”), and vegetable dishes to choose from. Gourds, cauliflower, okra, potatoes, spinach, cauliflower, eggplant/aubergine, and chilli peppers are the most popular vegetables. Breakfast is often comprised of eggs, bread, jams, fresh fruit, and sometimes sweet baked goods or savoury pastries filled with meat or cheese. Lunch is often a simple curry with rice or bread. Dinner is the heaviest meal of the day and is commonly centred on a meat dish, such as “biryani, kabab, kofte” or Pakistan’s national dish, “nihari” (a slow-cooked shank of beef, lamb, mutton, or goat), all served with yoghurt, pickles and a side salad. For those with a sweet tooth, ice cream, sweet milk puddings, fried dough with sugar syrup, rice puddings, sherbet, and “halvah” are popular desserts. Tea (“chai”) is universally drunk, though there are regional variations which add cardamom or saffron. “Chai” is made by gently cooking black tea leaves with milk and sugar.
When we choose our vehicles and drivers, we take into consideration the road conditions, the length of the journey, and the competence of the man behind the wheel. Most of the roads on this trip are paved, although the state of the surface can vary, particularly in the mountains off the main highways. From Chitral to Naran, will be in open-sided jeeps with detachable canvas roofs. As a consequence, it can sometimes get quite cold, so we recommend bringing layers to adapt to the weather conditions. Your comfort and enjoyment of the journey is the first priority.
On this trip, you will be accompanied by 2 team leaders from Untamed Borders. This allows for greater flexibility and means that there will always be someone on hand to help or assist you. It also means we can split into two groups should there be a differing of opinion on what we want to do on a particular day.
The far North of Pakistan in Chitral, Gilgit, and Hunza are currently stable areas. However, we monitor the situation closely and we listen very carefully to advice from the foreign office and from our friends in the areas we visit. Our client’s safety is our primary concern. We must state that the tour leader has the final word with regards to changes in the itinerary for safety reasons. Whilst the route we have chosen passes through areas which we consider to be stable, things can change, and we may have to alter the route or cancel sections of the trip at short notice.
Package Confirmed Dates | Trip Status Trip Status | Price (PP) Excluding Flights | Price (PP) Including Flights | |
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May 22, 2021 - June 4, 2021
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Available to Book
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$2,950
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N/A
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