6-day Hunza Valley tour from Islamabad: Forts and high passes

Karakoram Highway to two ancient forts and a glacial lake on the China border

A 6-day guided tour from Islamabad into Hunza Valley via the Karakoram Highway, with hotel accommodation each night and an air-conditioned vehicle for the full route. You visit Altit Fort and Baltit Fort, both UNESCO-listed structures in the valley, drive to Khunjerab Pass on Pakistan's northern border, and stop at Attabad Lake. Hotel pickup is included. The itinerary holds the same group for all six days.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Drive from Islamabad to Naran

• Start early morning drive to Naran
• Stop for relaxing breaks
• Check in to hotel in evening

Day 2: Drive to Hunza with sightseeing

• Visit Nanga Parbat viewpoint
• Visit Rakaposhi viewpoint
• Drive to Hunza Valley via Karakoram Highway
• Check in to hotel in Hunza

Day 3: Explore Hunza forts

• Visit Altit Fort
• Visit Baltit Fort
• Overnight stay in Hunza hotel

Day 4: Day trip to Khunjerab Pass

• Visit Khunjerab National Park and Sust
• Short stay at Attabad Lake
• Return to hotel in Hunza

Day 5: Return to Naran or Chilas

• Breakfast at hotel
• Drive towards Naran
• Overnight stay in hotel

Day 6: Drive back to Islamabad

• Drive from Naran to Islamabad
• End of tour

The experience

The tour starts early from Islamabad with a 7–8 hour drive to Naran, your first overnight stop. The next day brings you onto the Karakoram Highway itself, one of the world's highest paved roads, with short stops at Nanga Parbat viewpoint and Rakaposhi viewpoint on the way into Hunza Valley. The road climbs through a landscape of glaciers and high peaks. The drive itself is the journey, not just the means to one.

Once in Hunza, you spend a full day exploring the valley's two main forts. Altit Fort dates back centuries as the original seat of the Mir rulers. Baltit Fort, founded in the 8th century and on UNESCO's tentative list since 2004, sits near the town of Karimabad. Both stand on the valley floor with views across the surrounding mountains. On day four you make a day trip north to Khunjerab Pass (the high mountain pass marking Pakistan's border with China), and visit Khunjerab National Park and the nearby town of Sust, then stop at Attabad Lake on the return. The lake formed after a 2010 landslide and now sits turquoise against the surrounding rock.

Days five and six reverse the route: you drive back toward Naran, then continue to Islamabad. Each night you stay in a 3–4 star hotel with a private room. The vehicle is air-conditioned throughout, and fuel is included in the price. The operator handles hotel pickup on day one, so you don't arrange transport to the starting point.

What’s included

• Accommodation in a 3–4 star hotel with a private room for each of the six nights.
• air-conditioned vehicle for all driving.
• fuel surcharge.
• hotel pickup in Islamabad on day one.

Before you book

Days and timesNext departure: 1 Jan 2027

Book up to8h before

GroupPrivate

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 49 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Worldwise Travels

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want a structured six-day route through the Karakoram Highway with a guide and fixed itinerary: the daily schedule and hotel bookings are arranged, so you don't piece together the logistics yourself. The group stays together throughout, which means consistent company and a pace built for sightseeing rather than rushing between stops.

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Top questions

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What are Altit Fort and Baltit Fort, and why do they matter in Hunza?

Altit Fort was the original home of Hunza's hereditary rulers, the Mir, before they moved to Baltit Fort three centuries later. Baltit Fort, founded in the 8th century near Karimabad, is on UNESCO's tentative World Heritage list and remains the valley's most recognizable landmark.

How high is Khunjerab Pass, and what will I see there?

Khunjerab Pass sits on Pakistan's northern border with China at a strategic high-altitude position. The tour includes a full day trip to the pass itself, Khunjerab National Park, the town of Sust, and Attabad Lake on the return: a loop that shows the landscape from multiple angles.

What's the drive like on the Karakoram Highway?

The Karakoram Highway is one of the world's highest paved roads, carved into mountainside with views of glaciers and peaks. The tour includes stops at Nanga Parbat viewpoint and Rakaposhi viewpoint on the way to Hunza, so you experience the road gradually rather than in one long push.

Do I need to arrange my own hotel pickup on day one?

No, hotel pickup from Islamabad is included, so the driver collects you before the early morning start to Naran.

What time of year can I take this tour?

Hunza's tourist season runs from May to October. The Karakoram Highway often closes in winter due to snow, so the tour does not operate outside those months.