The best Tourism Destination in the world

Hindukush Karakorum Tours and welcome all the adventure and nature lovers to enjoy their holidays in the ultimate destination for the lifetime rejoice. Breath-taking nature, enchanting tradition, and beautiful culture with extra treks -ordinary art and architecture are awaiting you with warm greetings.  The magical scenario of the naturally blessed Pakistanis something worthwhile to visit by everyone,  either by trekking or tour and travel in the country from snow to land in amazing places of different geographical landscapes one will get to live his/her dreams definitely. It offers one of the exciting tours to North Pakistan and hopefully, you will enjoy the diverse cultures, traditions, and landscapes from the valley to valley. It is the difference from other agencies mostly offering unspoiled parts of Pakistan such as the Hindukush Range. There are several Treks and mountains that are still waiting to discover and explore. We are there to provide our services by taking you to new places.

Day 1-Drive to Chilas 10-12 hours drive on Karakoram Highway, prepare for a simply astonishing journey along what was once an ancient Silk Road and now an international highway connecting Pakistan and the entire Indian subcontinent to China. Traversed for centuries by traders and travelers alike, the route will take us into the most beautiful mountain ranges in the world.

 Highway through Kohistan Region of Khyber Pukhtun Khaw Province, en-route stop at Shatyal rock inscriptions. This morning, a lifetime adventure begins from Besham, leaving the green hills behind, we start driving our day in the black rocks on Karakoram Highway, carved by the brave hearts of Pakistan and China. At Shatyal we take a break to visit the rock carvings left by traders, Buddhist pilgrims, and historians on their way to Taxila and the Middle East. Overnight at a hotel.

Day 2-Drive to Tato& trek to Fairy Meadows:

Drive to Raikot bridge (1.5 hr) where we will leave our car and take a jeep to reach to Tato (2 hrs). From Tato, there is another three hours trek to Fairy Meadow.  As we reach our camp late afternoon, we will take rest at an Alpine Hut surrounded by trees and lush green meadow. 

Day 3-Free day or day hike to Nanga Parbat Base camp and back to Fairy Meadow for overnight:

The optional day hike up to Nanga Parbat base camp does involve a relatively long day of trekking. The trek follows a walk on a narrow goat path along a ridge overlooking Raikot Glacier; it descends to a stream originating from the melting Ganalo Glacier. Once across the stream, the trek rises to the top of a ridge on the base of the snowy mountains. Another descent leads to a narrow reach of Ganalo Glacier marked by ice walls and big boulders affording access across the glacier. Following the glacier, the trek rises again leading now to a wider grassy plane and meadows in the wilderness with wildflowers above the tree line. Nestled between the monumental peaks, Nanga Parbat base camp (3,967 m) offers breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains, glaciers, and huge masses of snow and frozen world.

Day-4 Trek to Tato and drive to Gilgit after lunch drive to Karimabad Hunza:

Trek to Tato and drive to Gilgit, it is located in the heart of the Karakoram Range, surrounded by lofty peaks, the most majestic being Rakaposhi. Gilgit is both accessible by road and by air; the road, journey along the path of the ancient silk route, is an unforgettable experience through winding valleys and tumbling waterfalls. We will visit Kargah Buddha, a rock carving beside the KargahNullah (steam) 6km west of Gilgit along the old road to Punial, which is the most popular short outing from Gilgit. The Buddha figure is about 3m tall and looks down protectively over Gilgit. It was carved in the 7th century and its workmanship reveals a talented master. After lunch drive to Karimabad, the former capital of Hunza Valley, a princely state. The natural beautify of the Hunza valley and hospitality of its people is beyond description. We will rest in the afternoon at our hotel.

Day 6-Visit to Altit& Baltit Forts, hike to Duiker. After sunset drive to Gulmit for overnight:

We will start our day by visiting fairy-tale like a castle of Baltit, above Karimabad, is a landmark built about 900 years ago, in 2004 tentatively enlisted UNESCO’s World Heritage. After the visit of Baltit Fort, we will walk along the Barbar irrigation channel with a striking view of Karakoram mountains adds more essence to our journey. After lunch at a traditional Hunza home, we will visit Altit Fort and Duiker. We will witness the mesmerizing sunset view at Eagle’s Nest Duiker and an awe-inspiring view of Hunza. Duiker is situated at an altitude of 2935 meters high above sea level.  Drive to Gulmit for overnight. 

 

Day 7-Gulmit-Passu – Gilgit, overnight in a hotel:

Gulmit is the capital of Gojal, is a small village at about 2400m, well above the flooded river. Much has changed here since the rise of the new ‘Attabad Lake’. There are also many superb days walks near the Karakoram Highway from Gulmit. The Gulmit Museum, full of traditional ethnic artifacts, is in a room of Raja Hussain Ali Khan’s house, beside the Marco Polo Inn, and is well worth a visit.  Old Gulmit is at the north end of the polo ground. Here you will find the Mir of Hunza’s summer residence, which is no longer used, the old Shia mosque with carved woodwork, the Tomb of Silum Khan III, water mills, and old houses. Drive to Passu, offer some of the best day walks and longer hikes in the area. The village is over 150 years old and owns the grazing rights up the north side of the 56km long Batura Glacier, so is able to support large herds of yaks, cattle, sheep, and goats, but is less fortunate with its agricultural land.  Drive back to Gilgit for overnight in hotel.   

Day 8- Sightseeing around Visit to Khujerab Pass 4700m: sightseeing around Gulmit, if wish to visit Borith Lake and have two hours to the viewpoint of Passu Glacier and surrounding mountains worth visiting (instead of the visit to the Chinese border between Pakistan and China, it is 7 to eight hours driving on the 8^th wonder of the world Karakorum Highway along Atta Abad Lake, Gulmit, Passu and the dry port Sust is a fascinating day. We leave early in the morning from Gulmit and visit to the pass drive back to Gulmit for overnight stay.

Day 9-Drive to Ishkoman Valley: 2 hours driving on KKH to Gilgit which is the administrative headquarter of Gilgit Baltistan formerly known as Northern Area, after Lunch we will drive to Ishkoman Valley it is 3-4 hours on the Shandur Road to the west of Gilgit The Ishkoman valley, running north to south to join the Gilgit Valley, divides the Karakorum Range from the Hindu Kush. It was once the principality of Chitral when there was the Kingdom system before 1972. It incorporated to Pakistan by the same year. The valley is a junction of numerous trekking routes with beautiful landscape and amazing natural sceneries. The people here mostly speak the language of Chitral named Khowar. Some parts of it the people speaking Shina the language is spoken in Gilgit and Punial. There are Wahki speaking people in the valley, in Ishkoman we can walk around different villages, experience the living standard and culture of the region, being a female tourist you will be warmly welcomed by the people to visit homes and talk with the families everywhere you will see someone speaks English. We have spots of hiking for a day too there hopefully you will enjoy it. Overnight stay in the evening you will enjoy a local musical show with dancing and singing in your guest house.

10-Drive to Yasin Valley:

Like the Ishkoman Valley, the Yasin Valley is to the northwest of the Ghizar District. It lies to the east of Ishkoman at an altitude of 2100 meters to 2800 meters. In its the lower part of the valley is wide flat and well-watered, making it completely fertile, with irrigated fields on either side of the Yasin River

  The people here speak the original language of Brushaski which is also spoken in Hunza and Nagar valleys. It has played a leading role in the history of the region continually fought over by the rulers of both Chitral It has played a leading role in the history of the region continually fought over by the rulers of both Chitral and Gilgit, the history of the ruler of Yasin reads like a catalogue of patricide, fratricide and avanculicide.

 Until the twentieth century, Yasin was an important Kingdom controlling the shortest and the easiest route between the Oxus and Indus Valleys. In the early centuries AD, it was the capital of the Little Bolor, which ruled Gilgit, the early in the eighth the century, the Tibetans, who controlled Great Bolor (Baltistan) tried to gain access through Yasin to the Oxus Valley in order to join forces with Arab and attack China. With Chinese help, Yasin kept the Tibetans at bay until 742, when the Tibetans persuaded the king of Yasin to marry a Tibetan princess and align himself with Tibet.

 The Chinese retailed by attacking in747. With 10,000 troops they crossed the Pamir and defeated an equal force of Tibetans on the Wakhan side of the Broghil pass, then chased them across the Broghil and Darkot passes. The Chinese then took Yasin and cut the birch-rope bridge across the Gigit River at Gupis which was a source of access, it took one year to rebuild. Thus blocking the advance of Tibetans reinforcement coming from Gilgit, as the Gigit River cannot be forded in the summer and there is no route along its north bank. Chinese rule proved to be short lived, however, as a defeat in 751 near Tashkent at the hands of Arabs lost control of Central Asia. The Chinese returned in 1749. In the eighteenth century, the king of Mastuj controlled Yasin and at times Gilgit as well. The Ghizar Valley west of Yasin smooth as the Shandur Pass is making it was easy for Mastuj to communicate with Yasin.

 Yasin has playe pivotal role in the history of Gillgit Baltistan. It came to the attention of Victorian Britain following the murder of British explorer Goerge Hayward in Darkot village in 1870 (will describe in the next pages about this).  Russian advanced through Darkot and Broghil pass in order to capture Gilgit but they were stopped at Darkot pass. The British took an interest in the valley and opened its agency at Gilgit in 1877, British and Russian continued to jostle for control. Russian spies stood at the top of the Darkot Pass at 1890, peering down into Yasin, but retreated unseen. Five years later the Pamir Boundary Commission crossed the Darkot Pass with 600 ponies to survey the frontier. The Russian threat subsided, and in the twentieth century, Yasin became another small kingdom ruled by raja. It was absorbed by Pakistan in 1972.

Geographically, Yasin Valley of Gilgit Baltistan is the meeting point to the Central Asian countries in the Hindukush range of great mountains Gilgit Baltistan, to the Northeast its borders connect with Ishkomman Valley which has a long border along the Korumbar and Wakhan Corridor and Chilinji Pass to Chupusan upper Gojal, to the South its border connects with the Yarkun Vally of Chitral district of NWFP now KPK to continue to Afghanistan. Because of this geographical importance, ancient invaders and conquerors used these passes to proceed to the Sub-Continent.

 It was considered one of the remotest regions in Gilgit Baltistan but the modern technology and sacrifice of martyr (shaheed) Lalik Jan Nishan-e- Haider made it accessible in a short time by improving the road to Yasin, once it took eight hours from Gigit to reach there, but now it takes only four hours. The valley is very beautiful with spectacular views of the snowcapped mountains of Hindu Kush and passing through the beautiful villages of Punial and Gupis on the Shandur road leads to Chitral. The people of Yasin are unique in their hospitality as compare to any other part of Gilgit Baltistan. There is unique beauty for travelers to enjoy their holidays. It has camping spots simple reasonable hotels to stay and easy and challenging trekking routes for trekkers and mountains for climbers (most of them are unclimbed yet). You can go on a day short trek or a month long trek from the valley crossing passes from a part to another part of the district. The detailed itineraries and descriptions of the trekking routes will be shared in the next posts. Some of them have been described already in the previous posts.

I hope you will find this article interesting and comment on it. As the Ishkoman valley, Yasin is also an interesting village with hospitable people and some hiking resorts you will enjoy visiting there. This will be an interesting shooting along the Phunder River, through Gupis, Khalti lake is one of the attractive spots on the way which is full of trout fish. Beyond Khalti passing through charming villages and fantastic landscape with rock carving on the roadside. These art forms illustrate the lives of pastoral nomads who may have moved here in early Christian times and show great continuity with similar designs found in the Pamir region. Many shows mounted horsemen, solar motifs, hunting scenes, and long-horned ibexes Furthermore Bathrath River flowing from Swat Kohistan and leads South towards Tangir Valley that needs to be explored.  Chashi, the valley widens greatly, and augmented by tributaries by both the N and S, which provide access to Tangir and Darel Valleys. The main Phunder Valley has loveliest scenery in the whole Pakistan. The blue Phunder Lake is magnificent with the Ghizar River. The lake situated at an altitude of 2800 m full of trout fish. To the west of Phunder Valley a side valley leads to South Hundrap Lake, also renowned for its trout fishing. There is a possibility to trek South from here across the Dadarilli Pass into Swat Valley it takes 4-5 days easy trek from either side.

The roads up to Shandur Pass (3737m) to Chitral a jeep road between the two regions of Pakistan Gilgit and Chitral interesting. The Shundur Polo ground is famous for the Shandur Festival which is celebrated every year with different events. The polo match between the teams of Chitral and Gilgit is famous in the world. There are numerous tourist attractions in this valley as Yasin and Ishkoman need to explore more and bring to the map of tourist attraction. The day will be ended with trout fishing experiences in the Phunder River and having for the dinner to enjoy the last dinner and overnight. Guest House or PTDC MOTEL

Day-12 Drive to Gilgit/Astore for overnight stay: We will visit the upper Gahkuch above the district quarter is a great viewpoint of the Ghizar River and the valleys around if you interested in history will pay a visit to historical Gahkuch Fort. There are some of the remains of the Fort. En-

route visit Kargah Buddha, a rock carving beside the Kargah Nullah (stream) 6 km west of Gilgit along the old road to Punial, is the most popular short outing from Gilgit. The Buddha figure is about 3 m tall and looks down protectively over Gilgit. It was carved in the 7th century and its workmanship reveals a talented master. Overnight at Serena Hotel. If we have enough time in the after will drive to Astore valley to the South of Gilgit to make the next day shorter.

Day-13 Drive to Skardu via Deosia Plateau: Eight hours drive via Astore and stunning road via Astore and Deosia Plateau it is one of the highest Plateaus in the world, a lifetime experience along a beautiful landscape one of the world largest Plateaus. It is only possible if the tour scheduled from mid-June to mid-October.s. Skardu city is a major trekking and expedition hub in Gilgit–Baltistan. Visit its many bazaars known for their hand-woven woolen cloth and elaborate, colorful embroidered local gowns, or take a stroll up the hill to the ancient Fort overlooking the town. The awesome sight of the mighty Indus twisting beneath you.  Overnight stay in the hotel.

Day 14-excursion to Shigar Village: 32 KM to the North of Skardu Shigar the village is an interesting village with Shigar Fort once it was the center of the kingdom and there is an old mosque of 700 years old with the Mughal architecture we can have two hours' walk to Thale Valley to enjoy the beauty of Shigar Valley. We will have lunch at the Shigar Fort Hotel which is running by Serena groups of hotels in Pakistan you can also see the real culture of Baltistan most of the villagers live in simple houses.  We will be able to meet some local population to experience the living standard of the people. In the afternoon drive back to Skardu/ overnight stay in Serena Shigar Fort.

Day 15-Day excursion to Khapulu District Ganche:

Khapulu under the shadow of Masherbrum Peak is a gateway many peaks and glaciers like Siachin 103 Kilometers three hours drive mostly along the Shyoke River.  Khapulu Fort Palace and Chaqchan Mosque are interesting places to visit. The mosque built around 1500 AD is the oldest mosque in Baltistan. The building shows Buddhist influence and Tibetan architecture. If you have enough time can overnight stay there or drive back to Skardu.

Day 16-Fly Islamabad: One hour exciting flight to Islamabad it always depends on weathers’ condition in case of no flight it takes two full days to drive to Islamabad. You need to courageous to travel on the astonishing Karakorum Highway again as came up to Gilgit.