9-day Hunza Valley tour from Islamabad: Karakorum Highway & glaciers
Nine days in the high valleys: mountains, glaciers and the Karakorum Highway without arranging the route
A 9-day sightseeing tour from Islamabad through Hunza Valley and Gilgit Baltistan with a live English or Japanese-speaking guide, accommodation on twin sharing, and air-conditioned transport included. The itinerary covers the Karakorum Highway, Khunjerab Pass (the highest paved border crossing between Pakistan and China), Passu Glacier, Borith Lake, Baltit Fort and Altit Fort, Attabad Lake, and ends with Taxila Museum, Faisal Mosque and Pakistan Monument before your return flight. Pickup from Islamabad airport is included.
Step-by-step itinerary
Day 1: Arrival and Islamabad city
- Arrive at Islamabad airport
- Meet guide and drive to hotel
Day 2: Drive to Chilas
- Drive on Karakorum Highway
Day 3: Chilas to Gulmit sightseeing
- See 9th highest mountain from highway
- Visit Gilgit City
- See 27th highest mountain
Day 4: Khunjerab Pass exploration
- Spend time in national park
- Visit highest paved border crossing
Day 5: Gulmit and Passu activities
- Hike to Passu glacier
- Visit Borith Lake
- Walk on suspension bridge
- Explore Gulmit village
- Explore Ghulkin village
Day 6: Gulmit to Karimabad journey
- Boating at Attabad Lake
- Learn about sacred rocks of Hunza
- Visit Hoper glacier and valley
Day 7: Karimabad historical sites
- Visit Baltit Fort
- Visit Altit Fort
- Enjoy sunset from Duiker
Day 8: Karimabad to Naran Valley
- Stop at Babusar Pass
- Enjoy Lulusar Lake
- Arrive and explore Naran
Day 9: Naran to Islamabad and departure
- Visit Taxila Museum
- Visit Faisal Mosque
- Visit Pakistan Monument
What’s included
- Accommodation on twin sharing for nine nights.
- air-conditioned vehicle for all transport.
- live guide in English or Japanese.
- pickup from Islamabad airport.
- visits to Passu Glacier, Borith Lake, Baltit Fort, Altit Fort, Attabad Lake, Khunjerab Pass, Taxila Museum, Faisal Mosque and Pakistan Monument.
- hiking and village exploration as described in the itinerary.
Times
- Every day No fixed time
Before you book
Operated by Hunza Explorers
Prices and times updated 6 days ago
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The experience
You arrive at Islamabad airport and your guide meets you at the terminal: no negotiating transport or finding your hotel. The first night settles you in before the drive north begins. From there, the route follows the Karakorum Highway, one of the world's highest roads, climbing through Chilas toward the mountains of Gilgit Baltistan. Along the way you pass the 9th highest mountain on earth and the 27th highest, both visible from the highway itself. The landscape shifts as you climb: the road hugs the river, the peaks grow sharper, and the air thins.
Khunjerab Pass sits at 4,693 meters (the highest paved border crossing connecting Pakistan with China), and you spend time there taking in the scale of it. From the pass, the route descends into Hunza proper. At Passu, you hike to the glacier and walk the suspension bridge over the gorge. At Borith Lake you see the water and the mountains reflected in it. Gulmit and Ghulkin villages open up the valley's everyday life. Attabad Lake, formed by a 2010 landslide that dammed the river, sits turquoise and still between the cliffs. At Baltit Fort and the older Altit Fort, you walk through centuries of Hunza's history. From Duiker, you watch the sunset over the snow-capped peaks.
The return route takes you south through Babusar Pass and Lulusar Lake into Naran Valley, then down to Islamabad. The final day includes Taxila Museum (where you learn about the Gandhara Civilization) Faisal Mosque, and Pakistan Monument before you fly out. The guide stays with you throughout, the vehicle is air-conditioned, and your room is arranged each night. You choose between the Hunza Blossom Tour or the Hunza Tour option at checkout. Both follow this same route and include the same guide, transport and accommodation.
Is this one for you?The 9-day length gives you time to acclimatize as you climb the Karakorum Highway and reach the high valleys. A shorter tour would skip the passes and the glacier hikes that make Hunza distinct. Choose this if you want the full route from Islamabad through Gilgit Baltistan and back, with a guide managing the driving and the logistics so you can focus on the landscape and the stops.
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Top questions
What languages is the tour guided in?
Live guide in English and Japanese.
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 is Khunjerab Pass and why does the tour stop there?
Khunjerab Pass is the highest paved border crossing between Pakistan and China, sitting at 4,693 meters above sea level. The tour includes time there so you experience the altitude, the scale of the mountains, and the significance of this remote crossing on the Karakorum Highway.
Do I hike to Passu Glacier, or just see it from a distance?
You hike to Passu Glacier as part of the Hunza Valley portion of the tour. The same day includes a walk across the suspension bridge over the gorge and visits to Borith Lake and the villages of Gulmit and Ghulkin.
What historical sites does the tour include?
The tour visits Baltit Fort and Altit Fort in Karimabad (Altit is the oldest historical fort in Hunza), and includes Taxila Museum on the final day, where you learn about the Gandhara Civilization. You also see the sacred rocks of Hunza and explore the valley's villages.
Is the guide included for all nine days?
Yes, a live guide speaking English or Japanese is included throughout the 9-day tour. The guide meets you at Islamabad airport and stays with you until your return to Islamabad for your departure flight.
What is included in the price, and what do I need to arrange separately?
The tour includes accommodation on twin sharing, the air-conditioned vehicle for all transport, and the guide for nine days. Pickup from Islamabad airport is included. Air tickets and travel insurance are not included and must be arranged separately. Gratuities are also not included.
How much driving is involved each day?
The Karakorum Highway section involves long driving days, particularly the Islamabad-to-Chilas leg and the climb to Khunjerab Pass. The return route from Hunza through Babusar Pass and Naran Valley also involves significant time in the vehicle. The itinerary balances driving with stops at glaciers, lakes, forts and villages.
9-day Hunza Valley tour from Islamabad: Karakorum Highway & glaciers
9d · EN +1 · at your hotel
from US$ 1,860 per person
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