Hunza Valley Cultural Tour

Arrival at Islamabad International airport and transfer to Hotel in Islamabad. Our guide will receive you from the airport, and participants will be transferred to Hotel. Participants will enjoy leisure time to relax and recover from the journey on this day.

Fly from Islamabad airport to Gilgit (a 1-hour scenic flight); you can enjoy the scenic beauty of valleys and High Mountain peaks. On our way to Hunza, we will have a short stop to visit the Berano suspension bridge (one of the oldest suspension bridges in the region) and the Danyor tunnel. We will also have quick stops for photography at the collision point of two tectonic plates, the ancient silk route viewpoint and the Rakaposhi viewpoint. While passing through the small villages in Nagar and Hunza valleys, we will witness village life. Check into the hotel in Karimabad and have some free time. We will do an evening walk (40 minutes) at Samarqand kohl (water channel) through the apricot orchids in the village and explore the local culture. We will drive to Dongo Das (a 20-minute drive) for stargazing at night. Enjoy your precious time under the dark sky. Drive back to our hotel for the night stay.

OR

In case of flight cancellation due to weather, drive from Islamabad via Karakoram Highway with short stops at various touristic spots.

Enjoying a full day in Hunza, we will visit 800 years old Baltit Fort (30 minutes walk), Karimabad Bazar (for shopping for Handicrafts, gemstones, dry fruits etc.), Altit Fort (900 years old), and enjoy traditional Lunch at Kha Basi Café (a café owned by Serena hotels and run by local women). After lunch, we will visit the music school in Altit, where local children learn and play traditional music (guests can also practice playing regional musical instruments). Later in the afternoon, we will visit Ganish village (the oldest settlement in Hunza) and visit a local family home. We will drive to Duikar (2800 m) to enjoy the best view of the sunset. After a 15-minute beautiful hike, we will arguably reach one of the best sunset viewpoints in the world with a birds-eye view of the whole of Hunza and Nagar valleys and the splendid views of seven mountain peaks above 7000m. Drive back to our hotel in Karimabad for the night's stay

Today we will drive to Passu through numerous small villages in upper Hunza. After stopping at the Atabad Lake and enjoying boating, we will reach Gulmit village, where we will walk through the orchids and then visit the old house & music school. Enjoy a short hike, Pakistan's highest & longest stairs, to Ondra fort (01-hour), a community-based tourism initiative in Gulmit village of Gojal Valley. Free time to enjoy the beautiful view of Passu cones and upper Hunza. Later in the afternoon, drive to Borith Lake (a beautiful lake in upper Hunza famous for migrating birds). After witnessing the magnificent migrating birds, we will proceed to Passu to enjoy leisure time in the afternoon; we can do an evening trek to Passu glacier beside the stream (2 hours trek both ways) - optional. Enjoy the sunset from glacier breeze restaurant with a cup of tea/coffee and the famous apricot cake. We may participate in a cultural event in upper Hunza (if the time matches). Drive back to our hotel in Karimabad for the night's stay.

After breakfast, we will drive to Hoper valley – for 1 hour (2800 m). En route, we will visit Nagar Khas (a village in Nagar valley) and meet locals to witness a different culture and Nagar fort. Then continue to travel to Hoper village where we can do a beautiful short hike to Hoper glacier (2 hours) and experience walking on the glacier. Then drive to Minapin village to enjoy leisure time and a famous traditional lunch (Gurkun karahi) while a local historian briefly explains the region's history. After lunch, drive to KHO (a beautiful viewpoint) in local jeeps. Drive back to Karimabad in the evening.

Drive to Khanabad village in lower Hunza and spend most of the day here. We will witness village life with a host family and experience practical participation in village people's routine activities. We will visit fruit orchids, walk through the streets, meet locals, including artisans/historians and enjoy traditional lunch with a host family. We can also enjoy meditation/yoga in the village. Drive back to Gilgit in the afternoon and visit Kargah Budha (7th century Budha).

Fly from Gilgit to Islamabad (1-hour scenic flight). Transfer to hotel and after lunch sightseeing. OR
Drive from Gilgit via Karakoram Highway with short stops (in case of flight cancellation)

If we cannot fly due to the weather, we will travel down to Islamabad by road. If we fly from Gilgit to Islamabad, we will enjoy sightseeing in the capital, or your leader will advise you on the options available for today. (Day excursion to the Taxila museum and archaeological sites will be one of the options)

After breakfast, transfer from Hotel to the airport for international flights.