Cherry Bossom Tour in Hunza Valley

Welcome to Pakistan! The driver and the guide will wait for you at the Islamabad Airport and send you to check into the hotel. In the afternoon, we will tour the Faisal Mosque, Shakar Parian, Pakistan Monument, Damen-e-Koh and Lok Versa Museum.

Faisal Mosque is the largest mosque in the country of which the main prayer hall features eight faceted shell-shaped sloping roofs instead of a typical Islamic dome. Shakar Parian is the national park notable for the friendship trees planted by heads of foreign countries. The magnificent petal-shaped Pakistan Monument is an amazing place to take photos. Damen-e-Koh is a beautiful garden at hilltop where you can overlook the city. You could experience living traditional culture of Pakistan by appreciating the crafts including costumes, jewelry, block printing, wood, ivory, metal and bone work displaying at Lok Versa Museum.

Accommodation: Islamabad Serena Hotel

Today we will drive along the Karakorum Highway - one of the world's highest paved roads, to reach Chilas. The whole journey will last for 11 - 12 hours and the driver will stop for rest at your request. Chilas is a small peaceful town on the ancient Silk Road. Enjoy your evening at the local hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Midway Shangri-la

Today we will go for another 5-6 drive to Karimabad. En route, we will have some photo stops at the junction of three mightiest mountain ranges, the Himalaya, Karakorum and Hindukush, as well as the viewing platform on Mount Rakaposhi. After arrival at Karimabad, it's your time to relax or have a good rest. In the evening, the guide will show you around the local bazaar. Enjoy your trip getting to know the lifestyle of the locals.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Serena Hotel

Take a 3-hour ride to get to the picturesque Hopper Valley, the land of peaks, rivers and glaciers. After arrival, we will hike along the scenic trails through flower-dotted meadows to visit the Barpu, Bualtar, Miar and Sumayar glaciers. Later we will tour the Altit and Baltit forts and nearby villages. The forts were home to the hereditary ruler of the Hunza state. Altit Fort located on a cliff overlooking the beautiful valley is around 1,300 years old; while Baltit Fort constructed on a glacier moraine can be traced back 700 years. They both are skillfully built wood-and-stone structures. Strolling inside you will find utensils and musical instruments used by the royal family. Drive back to Karimabad and stay overnight there.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Serena Hotel

Drive to Duiker Valley in 30 minutes and check into the hotel after arrival. Duiker is an enthralling village located atop the Hunza Valley and one of its main attraction is the viewpoint, at an altitude of over 2,900 meters. There you could immerse yourself in the spectacular sunrise or sunset views against Ultar Mountains and Hopper glaciers. After that, we will take a 2 or 3 hour's walk through the village to visit the holy Hazrat Abbas shrines.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Eagle's Nest

Take an hour ride to Passu. On the way, we'll visit Attaabad Lake, a charming turquoise mountain lake formed in 2010 due to a landslide, and now a popular recreational spot for boating, fishing and jet skiing, etc. After checking into the hotel at Passu, we will go for a fantastic trek to Borith Lake, Gulking village, Gulmit village, Passu Glacier, Passu village, Hussani village and Hussani suspension bridge.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Marcopolo Inn

Today we are going to drive to Khunjerab Pass, the highest international border crossing in the world which is 4,693 meters (15,397 feet) high and serves as the only land access route between Pakistan and China. We'll pass by several villages and the incredible landscape along the way will never make you get bored. Return back to Karimabad in the evening.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Serena Hotel

Drive for 5 or 6 hours back to Chilas and take photos at the viewing points along the way. On arrival, check into the hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Midway Shangri-la

Drive back to Islamabad in 12 or 13 hours. Have a good rest then and we will continue our trip tomorrow.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Islamabad Serena Hotel

Today we will spend a whole day touring the ancient city of Texila, 20 minutes' drive from Islamabad. It was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site for the archaeological ruins of several early settlements, with the earliest dating from 1000 BCE, and Buddhist monasteries. We will first pay a visit to the Taxila Museum, which houses the precious collections of Gandhara art, mainly stone Buddhist sculptures and stupas. Then we will go on to visit other sites at Texila: Jaulian, Mohra Moradu and Sirkap.

Sirkap was a fortified city established in mid-2nd century BC and destroyed in the 1st century. There are ruins of ramparts, private houses, stupas, temples to explore. Once a major Buddhist center of learning, Texila also owns a number of Buddhist monasteries in various periods. Jaulian and Mohra Moradu monastic remains are just two of them. Those sites at Taxila will show you how the urban evolution goes on the Indian subcontinent.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Islamabad Serena Hotel

Today we will send you to the airport according to your schedule. Thanks for joining us on the 11 days Hunza Valley tour. Wish you a happy journey home!

Meals: Breakfast