Hunza & Skardu Adventure: Self-Launched Karakoram Journey

Land at Islamabad International Airport, pick up a local SIM (Jazz or Zong, ~£4-6 for data), and check into a budget guesthouse in F-6 or Blue Area. Rest, then take a Careem/inDrive ride to Faisal Mosque and the Pakistan Monument for sunset views over the city. Sort your GB entry permit paperwork with your chosen Skardu agent and confirm tomorrow's flight.

🚌Airport transfer by Careem ~£6-8; local rides £1-2 each

🛏Guesthouse in F-6/Blue Area (approx £18-25 twin share)

• →Faisal Mosque
• →Pakistan Monument viewpoint
• →Buy local SIM card
• →Confirm Skardu flight and permits

Book the early PIA flight from Islamabad to Skardu (PK-451/452, roughly £55-85 one-way, notoriously weather-dependent). The 45-minute hop over Nanga Parbat is the highlight. On landing, arrange a shared Hiace or private car to Khaplu (~2.5-3 hrs along the Shyok River, ~£25-35 for the car). Stop at the Thorgo Pari rock formation and the Shyok–Indus confluence if heading via that road. Settle into a guesthouse in Khaplu and visit Khaplu Fort Museum in the late afternoon.

🚌PIA flight ~£70; private/shared car to Khaplu ~£30

🛏Family guesthouse in Khaplu (approx £15-20)

• →Scenic PIA flight over Nanga Parbat
• →Shyok–Indus river confluence photo stop
• →Thorgo Pari rock formation
• →Khaplu Fort Museum

Start early with the 45-minute walk up to Toqsikhar, the old fort above Khaplu, for sunrise over the valley. Visit the 14th-century Chaqchan Mosque, then hire a local jeep or car to Macholo Valley for views of Masherbrum (K-1). Walk through Sailing village, have lunch at a local fish farm (river trout is the local speciality), see Khanqah-e-Maula, and finish with sunset at Hanjor Broq. Optional: the 5-hour return trek to Kharfaq Lake if you're fit and have daylight.

🚌Locally hired jeep ~£35-45 for the day (share to cut cost)

🛏Family guesthouse in Khaplu (approx £15-20)

• →Toqsikhar old fort sunrise hike
• →Chaqchan Mosque
• →Macholo Valley and Masherbrum views
• →Sailing village walk
• →Hanjor Broq sunset

Drive west toward Shigar (~3-4 hrs with stops). Break the journey at Sarfaranga Cold Desert — you can sandboard the dunes or just wander the surreal lunar landscape with the Karakoram behind it. Continue to Shigar and check into a guesthouse near the fort. Spend the afternoon in Shigar Fort (Serena-run restoration) — museum, gardens and café — then take the short walk up to the old ruined fort for sunset over the Shigar River.

🚌Shared Hiace or private car Khaplu–Shigar ~£30-40

🛏Guesthouse in Shigar (approx £15-22)

• →Sarfaranga Cold Desert
• →Shigar Fort and museum
• →Old fort sunset hike

Day trip into Skardu (~1 hr). Walk from Upper Kachura village through fields to Upper Kachura Lake — cold, turquoise and far quieter than the resort side; a short local boat ride is ~£5-8. Drive on to Soq Valley for a walk and (seasonally) trout fishing, then hike 50 minutes up to Nansoq village for tea with a host family. Back down into Skardu for an evening wander and shopping in Skardu Bazar (dried apricots, apricot oil, handwoven caps).

🚌Local car/jeep for the day ~£30-40

🛏Guesthouse in Skardu (approx £15-22)

• →Upper Kachura Lake walk and optional boat
• →Soq Valley
• →Nansoq village homestay visit
• →Skardu Bazar

The big one: a full-day jeep crossing via Sadpara Lake, the Manthal Rock Buddha, Ali Malik Top and Bara Pani into Deosai National Park, stopping at Sheosar Lake. Deosai is only passable roughly late June to September. Continue down through Astore Valley villages to the Nanga Parbat viewpoint and the junction of the Karakoram, Himalaya and Hindu Kush ranges, then on to Gilgit. Arrange a shared jeep the night before at your guesthouse or via a Skardu agent — expect ~£70-90 for the vehicle.

🚌Shared 4x4 jeep with driver ~£80 per vehicle

🛏Budget hotel/guesthouse in Gilgit (approx £15-22)

• →Sadpara Lake
• →Manthal Rock Buddha
• →Deosai Plains and Sheosar Lake
• →Nanga Parbat viewpoint
• →Three ranges junction

Take a shared Hiace from Gilgit's main stand to Aliabad/Karimabad (~2-2.5 hrs, ~£3-5), or hire a car (~£25) to allow stops at the Berano suspension bridge, the Danyor tunnel area, the India–Asia tectonic plate collision point and the Rakaposhi viewpoint. Check into a family guesthouse in Karimabad. In the evening walk through Samarqand Kohl's apricot orchards, then take a local car up to Dongo Das for stargazing away from village lights.

🚌Shared Hiace ~£4; evening car to Dongo Das ~£12

🛏Family guesthouse in Karimabad (approx £15-22)

• →Berano suspension bridge
• →Rakaposhi viewpoint
• →Silk Route viewpoint
• →Apricot orchard walk
• →Dongo Das stargazing

Walk 30 minutes up to Baltit Fort (entry ~£6-8), the restored 700-year-old Hunza royal seat with huge valley views. Wander Karimabad Bazar, then visit Altit Fort and the adjacent Altit women's music school where you can try traditional instruments. Have a home-style lunch at Kha Basi Café (run by local women). In the afternoon take a local van to Ganish village — one of the oldest settlements in Hunza — and visit a family home. Finish with the 15-minute hike to the Duikar sunset viewpoint (shared jeep up ~£10).

🚌Local vans and shared jeep ~£15

🛏Family guesthouse in Karimabad (approx £15-22)

• →Baltit Fort
• →Karimabad Bazar
• →Altit Fort and music school
• →Kha Basi Café lunch
• →Ganish village
• →Duikar sunset viewpoint

Drive up the KKH through upper Hunza villages to Attabad Lake — the landslide-dammed turquoise lake where you can take a short boat trip (~£8). Continue to Gulmit for an orchard walk, a peek at the old house and the local music school, then hike about an hour up to Ondra Fort for Passu Cones views. Detour to Borith Lake for birdlife, then overnight in Passu. Catch sunset from the Glacier Breeze Restaurant terrace with apricot cake and tea.

🚌Shared van/car up the KKH ~£20-30

🛏Guesthouse in Passu (approx £15-22)

• →Attabad Lake and boat trip
• →Gulmit village orchards
• →Ondra Fort hike
• →Borith Lake birdwatching
• →Glacier Breeze sunset

Cross to the Nagar side: stop at Nagar Khas village and Nagar Fort, then drive up to Hoper Valley for the ~2-hour hike to Hoper Glacier (a guide is advisable, ~£15-20; crampons/rope for the glacier itself). Later, drive to Minapin village for the local Gurken Karahi lunch and a chat with a local historian. Finish with a jeep ride to the KHO viewpoint above Minapin for sunset over Rakaposhi.

🚌Private jeep for the day ~£45-60 (shareable)

🛏Guesthouse in Karimabad or Minapin (approx £15-22)

• →Nagar Khas village and fort
• →Hoper Glacier hike
• →Minapin village lunch
• →KHO viewpoint sunset

Drive down to Khanabad village near Gilgit for a genuine half-day of village life — help with orchard work, walk the lanes, meet artisans — and a home-cooked lunch with a host family (arrange through your Gilgit guesthouse, ~£12-15 including lunch). Stop at the 7th-century Kargah Buddha rock carving on the way into Gilgit. Overnight in Gilgit and buy your return flight ticket or bus seat.

🚌Shared car Gilgit–Khanabad ~£12-18

🛏Budget hotel/guesthouse in Gilgit (approx £15-22)

• →Khanabad village day with host family
• →Fruit orchards and village walk
• →Kargah Buddha rock carving

Take the morning PIA flight Gilgit–Islamabad (~£70-90, weather permitting — the alternative is a 14-18 hour KKH bus via Besham, ~£12-15, or a shared van). In Islamabad, check in, then see Faisal Mosque at golden hour and eat at Melody Food Park or in F-7.

🚌Domestic flight ~£80; airport transfer ~£6

🛏Guesthouse in F-6/Blue Area (approx £18-25)

• →PIA flight over the Karakoram
• →Faisal Mosque
• →Melody Food Park dinner

Half-day trip to Taxila (about 35 km, ~£10-12 by Careem each way, or a Daewoo/local bus for ~£2). Taxila Museum plus the Dharmarajika stupa and Sirkap ruins — UNESCO-listed Gandharan archaeology, entry a few pounds. Back in Islamabad, walk the Margalla Hills trails (Trail 5) and see the Pakistan Monument lit up at night.

🚌Careem to Taxila ~£24 return; local rides ~£5

🛏Guesthouse in F-6/Blue Area (approx £18-25)

• →Taxila Museum and ruins
• →Margalla Hills Trail 5
• →Pakistan Monument at night

Last breakfast, any final bazar shopping (Peshawari chappals, ajrak, dried fruit), then a Careem to Islamabad International Airport for departure. Allow 3 hours for check-in on international flights.

🚌Careem to airport ~£7-8

🛏None (departure day)

• →Souvenir shopping
• →Airport transfer