The Hunza Valley Tour

Unveiling Extraordinary Pakistan Destinations

Hunza Valley Tour

16 days / 15 Nights

About this Tour

The Hunza Valley, sometimes called the World’s End, lies high in the Karakoram section of the Himalayas in northern Pakistan, bordering China.

It is surrounded by the Karakoram and Himalayan mountain ranges and is surely one of the most scenic areas on earth.

In Hunza, you can see many “named” peaks, including Rakaposhi, each over 20,000 feet in altitude. There are 132 mountains between 7,000 and 8,000 metres (22,966 ft and 26,247 ft)

You will also visit scenic lakes and glaciers, as well as experience the unique culture of the local people.

Hunza Tour Prices*

2-person private tour
$3,995 per person
(2 person in 1 room)

4-person private tour
$3,495 per person
2 room (2 people per room)

6-person private small group tour
$3,295 per person
3 rooms (2 people per room)

8-person private small group tour
$3,195 per person
4 rooms (2 people per room)

* Single room supplement for all tours is $825. For example, if two people travel together but each person has his or her own room, the cost is an additional $825.
Included in the tour price:
  • All airport and hotel transfers
  • Breakfast, lunch and dinner on all tour days
  • Overnight hotel stays at the best available hotels on each stop of the tour
  • Private transportation with an experienced driver throughout the tour
  • English-speaking tour guide throughout the tour
  • Entrance fee to all mentioned sites and museums
  • Tolls and taxes on each entry and exits
  • Tips for porters in hotels
Not included in the tour price:
  • Mini Bar at hotels
  • Extra beverages
  • Tips for guide and driver
  • Personal services such as laundry, etc.
Pakistan Monument in Islamabad

Hunza Valley Tour – Day 1

Arrival in Islamabad

Your driver and guide will meet you at the Islamabad Airport and take you to your hotel. The Serena chain is the top luxury hotel group in Pakistan and measures up to the best international standards. You will be staying at Serena Hotels at other stops on your tour whenever possible.

Since you are probably arriving in Pakistan after a long flight, the activities of your first day in the country will depend on what time you arrive and how much activity you are ready for after your flight.

The two best choices of places to visit in Islamabad are the Faisal Mosque, one of the largest mosques in the world, or the Lok Virsa Ethnology Museum, which offers a comprehensive look at the history and culture of Pakistan.

Or you may decide that you prefer to drive out to the Shakarparian National Park to see views of the city and the Pakistan National Monument.

In the evening, your guide will help you make a choice of restaurants for dinner. Or you may decide to take it easy and dine at the hotel.

  • Overnight at the Serena Hotel

Hunza Valley Tour – Day 2

Islamabad – Shogran

We will first drive to the lush Naran Valley. Passing through the lovely mountain town of Abbottabad, we reach Balakot, the gateway to this enchantingly beautiful area.

Driving farther north, we wind our way over the exciting mountain road that follows the Kunhar river and reach Shogran.

Shogran is a hill station situated on a plateau in the Kaghan Valley and is 4-5 hours drive from Islamabad.

  • Overnight at the Cedar Wood Resort

Hunza Valley Tour – Day 3

Shogran – Gilgit

Leaving in the early morning, you will drive towards Babusar Pass, over 13,600 feet high. From the top of the Pass, the Babusar Top, you will have excellent views of the Kaghan Valley on one side and of the Chilas Valley on the other.

This site offers an excellent bird’s-eye view of the Kaghan Valley on one side and the Chilas Valley on the other. We continue our journey down towards Chilas, which lies on the famous Karakoram Highway (part of the ancient Silk Route to China).

The Karakoram Highway (KKH) links Pakistan to the Chinese cities of Kashgar and Tashkorgan through Gilgit, Sost, and the Khunjerab Pass.

The Karakoram Highway is recognized as one of the wonders of the World. After joining the Karakoram Highway, we continue towards the Gilgit Valley, dwarfed amidst the towering mountains. Along the route, you will have a good view of the famous mountain Nanga Parbat, almost 27,000 feet high.

Continuing north on the Karakoram Highway, we reach Gilgit, where you will spend the night at the Gilgit Serena, which is part of the Serena hotel chain and is a very nice hotel.

  • Overnight at the Gilgit Serena Hotel

Hunza Valley Tour – Day 4

Gilgit – Karimabad

After having breakfast, we check out of the hotel and have a half-day sightseeing tour in Gilgit.

Gilgit is an old tribal town that was a rest stop for weary travelers on the Silk Route.

Rakaposhi is the most impressive peak surrounding Gilgit, which is located in the heart of the Karakoram range.

The road to Gilgit follows the path of the ancient silk route and is an unforgettable journey through winding valleys and tumbling waterfalls.

Upon arrival in Gilgit, there will be time for a tour of the town, including the old bazaar.

After lunch, we drive on to Karimabad, around 100 km and 3 hours away, with a photo and tea stop at the Rakaposhi viewpoint.

  • Overnight at the Eagle Nest Hotel

Hunza Valley Tour- Day 5

Karimabad

Karimabad is set in the heart of the stunning Hunza Valley, which has been called

“the ultimate manifestation of mountain grandeur… the most spectacular country I have ever seen,” as Sir Claremont Skrine, British consul general in Kashgar, wrote in the 1920s.

There are diverse elements in its landscape: villages embedded in foliage; neatly terraced fields overhung by glaciers; needle-tipped peaks ribbed with ice; orchards perched on dizzy cliff-tops; romantic castles built on crags above the gorge; plume-like waterfalls spraying vineyards perched at terrifying angles; irrigation channels carried along the face of vertical cliffs.

Then there is the unmatched friendliness of the local Hunzukuts—a proud people who are Ismaili Muslims. In Karimabad, you have a chance to shop for rubies and local crafts.

At about 8,000 feet, you will have extraordinary views of the surrounding valley. Later in the day, there will be time for a visit to Baltit Fort.

Located at the top of a large rocky amphitheater, Baltit Fort is about a 20-minute walk or a short drive from Karimabad.

  • Overnight at the Darbar Hotel

Hunza Valley Tour – Day 6

Karimabad- Hoper Excursion

Leaving the KKH near Karimabad, we drive on a jeep track that leads to the Hoper Glacier. The drive will be scenic, with views of the 59-kilometer-long Hispar Glacier in the distance.

Arriving at Hoper Village, you will have commanding views of the Hunza Valley peaks on one side and the Hispar-Hoper range on the other. After enjoying the viewpoint, we drive back to Karimabad and proceed to Duiker.

At over 9,000 feet, Duiker is said to be Hunza’s highest village. It is about 11 kilometers and 25 minutes by jeep from Karimabad, past gravity-defying terraced fields.

The rewards include immense valley views and a great hotel. From the strangely eroded hill behind the Eagle Nest Hotel, where you will be spending the night, you can look down on the Hunza River and the twisting ribbon of the KKH.

You will be able to see 11 named peaks from your viewpoint at the hotel. After lunch, explore Duiker and enjoy a fabulous sunset and panoramic views.

  • Overnight at the Komameka Bisma Resort

Hunza Valley Tour – Day 7

Lake Attabad

En route to the Khunjerab Pass, we start the day with a drive to Lake Attabad, formed almost overnight in 2010 when a landslide created a natural dam across the Hunza River, displacing more than 25,000 people. We will pass through a series of five mountain tunnels, which were built to restore access to China on the KKH.

Passing through the tunnels, we will reach the town of Sost, the last Pakistani town on the Karakorum Highway. The border between Pakistan and China is at the Pass.

We ascend through magnificent scenery as we make our way onto the relatively flat Khunjerab Pass, the highest paved border crossing in the world at 15,397 feet. It can be said that the Khunjerab Pass is the gateway from the Indian subcontinent to Central Asia.

After time for photos, we wind down the mountains, passing through Marco Polo sheep and snow leopard country, spiraling dramatically past looming peaks and tumbling glaciers, and back down to Sost. T

here we begin a heart-pounding drive to Gulmit in upper Hunza, one of the oldest settlements in the region.

  • Overnight at the Silk Route Lodge in Gulmit

Hunza Valley Tour – Day 8

Gulmit

Gulmit is a centuries-old historic town surrounded by mountains and glaciers. Its altitude is 2408 meters above sea level.

This morning we will explore the village and visit the Hussaini suspension bridge. This bridge is about 100 years old and is a challenge to cross. You will need to decide whether or not you want to undertake this exciting experience. We will then drive towards Gupis, our next overnight stop.

There should be some time to tour the town, including a visit to the Gupis Fort, a crumbling British structure dating back to 1805. Check into the best available hotel in town, the Ghizer Blossom Inn.

  • Overnight at the Ghizer Blossom Inn

Hunza Valley Tour – Day 9

Gupis – Phander

After an early breakfast, we set out for the Phander Valley, a high, mountainous valley in upper Baltistan.

This valley is situated east of Chitral and north of Swat and is separated from them by high mountain passes.

It is considered the most beautiful valley in the area.

There are not a lot of “official” tourist sites here, but the beauty of the place should be sufficient to hold your interest.

If you are so inclined, you might want to try your hand at trout fishing, for which the Phander Valley is famous.

Towards the end of the day, you will head back to Gupis for another overnight stay at the Ghizer Blossom Inn.

  • Overnight at the Ghizer Blossom Inn

Hunza Valley Tour – Day 10

Gilgit

After breakfast, we start back to Gilgit, passing through Gupis and a number of other scenic towns on the way. We reach Gilgit in around five hours.

  • Overnight at the Gilgit Serena Hotel

Hunza Valley Tour – Day 11

Gilgit – Skardu

After an early breakfast, we head towards Skardu. The highway has been improved over the past four years, and the trip will take 4-5 hours.

Skardu is the capital of the Baltistan division, at an elevation of 2,226 m (7,303 ft) above sea level.

  • Overnight at the Shangri-La Resort in Skardu

Hunza Valley Tour – Day 12

Skardu Tour

Today will be devoted to sightseeing in and around Skardu. The upper Kachura Lake is the best known tourist site in Skardu. The lake is encircled by dense forest, with the high mountains of the Himalayas in the background. There are also two other lakes nearby. Depending on your personal interests (since you are on a tailor-made tour), you can enjoy trout fishing, boating, rafting, or hiking in the area around the Lake.

Skardu Fort: Another place that must be visited in Skardu is the Skardu Fort, which dates back to the 8th Century. The fort has some resemblances to Tibetan architecture and also contains an old mosque that dates back to the arrival of Islam in this area in the 16th century.

Satpara Lake: Another must-see place to visit in Skardu is Satpara Lake, at 8650 ft. above sea level. The melting ice of the Deosai plains is the main source of water for the lake, which is spread over 2.5 km. There is a picturesque island in the center of the lake. The turquoise blue water of the lake can be mesmerizing. One more essential site to visit while in Skardu is Manthai Buddha Rock, which is a large granite rock on which a picture of Buddha was engraved and which probably dates back to the 8th Century.

  • Overnight at the Shangrila Resort Skardu

Hunza Valley Tour – Day 13

Skardu – Shigar

After breakfast, we leave the Shangrila Resort and drive to Shigar, where we check into The Shigar Fort Residence.

The Shigar Fort is a magnificent structure on the immense plains of Shigar. The cold sand of the Shigar desert is a wonder in itself. Shigar Fort was built around 400 years ago out of stone. Previously, the fort was known as the Palace of Rock, and now it serves as a hotel with 20 rooms.

After settling in at the hotel, we drive to the Manthokha Waterfall, located in Kharmang Valley. This waterfall is Around 180 feet high and is almost 50 miles away from Skardu.

En route to the waterfall, we will stop at the Sarfranga Cold Desert, the highest cold desert in the world. We will then move on to Khapulu, where we will have lunch at the Khapulu Palace Hotel. We then return to Shigar.

  • Overnight at the Shigar Fort Hotel

Hunza Valley Tour – Day 14

Transfer to Skardu International Airport

Morning Transfer to Skardu International Airport for the flight to Islamabad. If the flight is not operated due to bad weather, we will drive to Chilas. Note: The flight from Skardu to Islamabad is rarely canceled, but it does occur on some occasions.

For that reason, we feel it is essential to let you know of this possibility. In the event that the flight is canceled, you would drive to Chilas and spend the night there at the Shangri-La Hotel. You would then continue on by road to Islamabad the next day, after around 9 hours of driving.

But in most instances, your flight will take off, and you will spend the night back at the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad.

  • Overnight at the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad or the Shangri-La Hotel if the flight is canceled

Hunza Valley Tour – Day 15

Exploring Islamabad

If you have had to return to Islamabad by road, then after having an early breakfast, we drive on the Karakoram Highway to Islamabad.

Having lunch and tea stops will take about an hour, as scheduled, and then we will have time for additional touring in Islamabad. This day tour can include the Taxila Museum as well as its outlying sites.

The Taxila Museum has one of the most significant and comprehensive collections of stone Buddhist sculptures from the first to the seventh centuries in Pakistan, known as Gandharan art.

The core of the collection comes from excavated sites in the Taxila Valley, particularly the excavations of Sir John Marshall.

Near the museum, there are eight excavated sites within a short radius of eight miles. After returning to Islamabad, there will be a farewell dinner at the Marriott Hotel Restaurant.

  • Overnight at the Marriott Hotel Islamabad

Hunza Valley Tour – Day 16

End of Tour & Departure

The tour ends after breakfast at the hotel. You will be transported back to the airport today for your return flight home.

If you have time you might be able to get in some quick gift shopping.

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