Discover Pakistan Tour: 20 Days
Overview
Twenty days, every face of Pakistan: Mughal Lahore, Buddhist Gandhara, Swiss-green Swat, the ancient Kalash culture under Tirich Mir, the world's highest polo ground at Shandur, Hunza's Silk Road heartland, the China border, cabins beneath Nanga Parbat and Baltistan's palaces and high plateau. This is the country in one unforgettable arc: the itinerary serious travellers plan years for, operated privately at your pace.
Plan the journey with our private Hunza tours, hotels in Hunza, Hunza car rental, guided Hunza treks and international Hunza tours.
Trip Highlights
- Lahore UNESCO heritage + Walled City food crawl
- Taxila: the Gandharan Buddhist capital
- Swat Valley and Malam Jabba
- Kalash Valleys (Bumburet & Rumbur) and Chitral
- Shandur Pass and Phander Lake crossing
- Complete Hunza circuit + Khunjerab Pass
- Fairy Meadows cabins beneath Nanga Parbat
- Skardu, Shigar, Khaplu and Deosai (season)
Day by Day Itinerary
20-day planArrive Lahore
Fort and Badshahi at golden hour. The arrival team checks the flight time before dispatch and confirms the hotel transfer, local contact details and the next departure at the briefing. For Arrive Lahore on day 1, the schedule favours useful light and safe viewpoints, with flexibility for cloud, traffic and local access; the guide allows setup time without blocking roads, homes or working farmland.
Max altitude 217 mLahore Walled City + Wagah
Rickshaw heritage, border ceremony. Lahore sightseeing is arranged around monument opening hours, city traffic and any security instructions affecting the old city or border ceremony. For Lahore Walled City + Wagah on day 2, allow practical setup and transfer time between activities; the coordinator checks the venue, vehicle and agreed services so the programme is not compressed into unrealistic timings.
Max altitude 217 mLahore to Islamabad via Taxila
Museum and stupas; capital overnight. For Lahore to Islamabad via Taxila on day 3, lahore sightseeing is arranged around monument opening hours, city traffic and any security instructions affecting the old city or border ceremony.
Max altitude 540 mIslamabad to Swat
Motorway to the green valley; Mingora. The Swat and Kalam route is adjusted for road works, river conditions and seasonal access beyond the main valley towns. For Islamabad to Swat on day 4, allow a full mountain-road day with meal, fuel and comfort stops agreed en route; the driver follows the road that is officially open and adjusts timing for traffic, weather and daylight.
Max altitude 980 mSwat explore
Buddhist sites, Malam Jabba or Kalam side. The guide confirms access, expected conditions and any suitable adjustments before the group leaves the hotel or meeting point. For Swat explore on day 5, the route uses practical meal and comfort stops without promising every roadside viewpoint; the guide reconfirms the arrival estimate and following start time as conditions become clear.
Max altitude 2,000 mSwat to Chitral
Lowari Tunnel crossing beneath Tirich Mir. For Swat to Chitral on day 6, the Swat and Kalam route is adjusted for road works, river conditions and seasonal access beyond the main valley towns. For Swat to Chitral on day 6, driving time can change with road work, landslides, traffic and seasonal pass access; water, medication, identification and a warm layer should remain in the day bag.
Max altitude 1,500 mKalash Valleys day
Bumburet and Rumbur living culture. This village day is designed around genuine local life and appropriate guest behaviour. For Kalash Valleys day on day 7, this is a respectful community visit with time for conversation, local food or crafts where arranged; the exact order follows local availability and does not assume access to private homes.
Max altitude 1,950 mChitral to Mastuj
Follow the river valley with planned village, meal and viewpoint stops. Chitral and Kalash travel requires realistic mountain-road timing and respectful conduct in villages, particularly during community events. For Chitral to Mastuj on day 8, the guide provides cultural context and confirms which community spaces are open to visitors; comfortable shoes are useful for village lanes, and photography of people is always by permission.
Max altitude 2,359 mShandur Pass to Phander
The polo-ground pass; lakeside night. Guests are briefed on respectful photography, crowd awareness, suitable clothing and any local instructions applying inside the venue or village. For Shandur Pass to Phander on day 9, the day remains flexible around the official event programme and local access; the guide selects responsible viewing positions and explains etiquette before entering community spaces.
Max altitude 3,700 mPhander to Gilgit
Phander to Gilgit. Shandur and Phander access is seasonal; the final route depends on pass conditions, festival controls and daylight. For Phander to Gilgit on day 10, driving time can change with road work, landslides, traffic and seasonal pass access; water, medication, identification and a warm layer should remain in the day bag.
Max altitude 1,500 mGilgit to Karimabad
Continue to Hunza, check in at the hotel and enjoy an easy evening. Central Hunza visits are sequenced around fort opening hours, village access and walking time between Karimabad, Altit and Ganish. For Gilgit to Karimabad on day 11, the team confirms the hotel, next departure time, luggage plan and any immediate practical needs after arrival; optional sightseeing is added only when time and energy allow.
Max altitude 2,438 mHunza heritage day
Hunza heritage day. Timing remains flexible enough to respond to local access, weather and the confirmed interests of the travellers. For Hunza heritage day on day 12, visits are paced around opening hours, walking time and local access; modest clothing and comfortable shoes are recommended, and guests should ask before photographing people in villages or private spaces.
Max altitude 2,850 mAttabad to Gulmit
Boating, Hussaini Bridge; Gojal night. At Attabad Lake, any boating stop proceeds only when wind, lake conditions and the selected operator allow a safe departure. For Attabad to Gulmit on day 13, lake activities and stopping points are selected from current weather, access and crowd conditions; comfortable shoes and a light warm layer are useful even when most of the day is vehicle based.
Max altitude 2,500 mKhunjerab Pass
Border day; return to central Hunza. Khunjerab is a high-altitude excursion with limited services, so the vehicle leaves early and guests carry water, warm layers and identification. For Khunjerab Pass on day 14, the border viewpoint sits at high altitude and can be cold even when Hunza is mild; the driver uses conservative stops, and the final turnaround follows road, weather and visitor-access conditions.
Max altitude 4,693 mHunza to Raikot to Fairy Meadows
Jeep track and trail to the cabins. The Fairy Meadows approach combines the Raikot jeep track with a guided walk, and the transfer proceeds only when local road and trail conditions are acceptable. For Hunza to Raikot to Fairy Meadows on day 15, this is a guided mountain stage rather than a fixed-speed hike; the team checks the route, maintains a steady pace and can shorten the walk if weather, altitude or group condition requires it.
Max altitude 3,300 mFairy Meadows sunrise to Skardu road
Nanga Parbat dawn, descend, begin Baltistan leg. The Skardu section is planned around realistic road or flight conditions, with enough margin for weather-sensitive domestic aviation. For Fairy Meadows sunrise to Skardu road on day 16, photography stops are chosen for light, visibility and safe parking rather than a rigid clock; ask before photographing residents, and keep paths and village entrances clear.
Max altitude 2,228 mSkardu lakes & desert
Visit Shangrila Resort, Upper Kachura Lake and the Sarfaranga Cold Desert. For Skardu lakes & desert on day 17, the Skardu section is planned around realistic road or flight conditions, with enough margin for weather-sensitive domestic aviation.
Max altitude 2,500 mDeosai (Jun to Sep) / Shigar & Khaplu
Plateau or palaces by season. Deosai access is seasonal and normally depends on the park road opening; wildlife sightings and exact stops cannot be guaranteed. For Deosai (Jun to Sep) / Shigar & Khaplu on day 18, heritage stops involve stairs, stone lanes and short walks; the order can change with opening hours and traffic, while the guide keeps the main cultural visits in the programme.
Max altitude 4,114 mFly Skardu to Islamabad
Take the scheduled mountain flight; if weather cancels it, the road backup requires an additional day. For Fly Skardu to Islamabad on day 19, the Skardu section is planned around realistic road or flight conditions, with enough margin for weather-sensitive domestic aviation.
Max altitude 540 mDepart
Buffer morning; airport drop. The final transfer keeps a sensible buffer for the agreed train or flight time, while any optional stop depends on the remaining daylight and traffic. For Depart on day 20, departure timing is set from the confirmed ticket or drop-off point, with margin for traffic and check-in; keep passports, tickets and essential medication accessible.
What’s Included
Included
- Hotel accommodation (breakfast included)
- Private vehicle with experienced KKH driver
- All fuel, tolls and parking
- confirmed-guest on-trip WhatsApp support
- All applicable taxes
- English-speaking guide all 20 days
- All jeeps (Raikot, Deosai, Shandur 4x4)
- Fairy Meadows cabins
- Airport transfers & e-Visa support
Not included
- Lunches and dinners
- Entry tickets to forts and attractions
- Personal expenses and tips
- Travel insurance
- International flights
- Domestic flight (at cost)
- Kalash & park entry fees
Frequently Asked Questions
When do all routes align?
Mid-June to mid-September, when Shandur, Babusar, Khunjerab and Deosai are all open together.
Can it run in reverse?
Yes: north-first routing works equally well and suits autumn colour-chasers.
Is this tour completely private?
Yes: your own vehicle, your own driver and guide, and departure on any date you choose. No strangers, no fixed seats, and the daily plan flexes to your pace.
Can the trip begin at Gilgit Airport?
Yes: fly Islamabad to Gilgit (tickets booked at cost) and we start the itinerary from the airport, trimming the road days. A road backup is always planned in case mountain weather cancels the flight.
What happens if a domestic flight is cancelled?
Mountain weather cancels a share of Gilgit and Skardu flights, so every fly-based plan carries a costed road backup that activates automatically: you may lose a day, never the trip. Road-based itineraries are unaffected.
Is Khunjerab Pass included?
Yes: the itinerary includes a Khunjerab Pass day (4,693 m, China border), open roughly May to late November. In winter we substitute Naltar Valley snowscapes.
Which hotels are used?
Named properties are confirmed on your quote; expect well-reviewed standard hotels, with deluxe and luxury upgrades available at booking. See our Hotels page for the full 65-hotel partner list and per-night rates.
Is this package suitable for children?
Yes for school-age kids and up who enjoy walking; drive-instead options exist for most active days.
Is the tour suitable for senior travellers?
Yes with reasonable mobility: vehicle access covers nearly every highlight, walking is optional, and we pace days generously. Tell us about any conditions and we’ll adapt the plan.
Can the itinerary be customised?
Completely: add or drop days, swap valleys, change hotel tiers or start cities; it’s your trip and re-quoting a custom version costs nothing.