17-31 Oct 2024 (15-days)
Pakistan's Autumn Hunza Skardu (NON-TREKKING)
RM7480 (13-15 pax) Rm7380 (16 pax & above) (EXCLUDED Flight KUL-Skardu-Islamabad-KUL)
(Note : Based on USD1 = RM4.60. We will make final adjustment on the cost based on the USD exchange rate in Aug-Sep 2024)
Update 17JUL24 - Trip is confirmed to run. Please confirm your seat by email rachelheng123@gmail.com or whatsapp her https://wa.me/60123520868
Update 27JAN24 - Trip seat still available. Please register and confirm your seat by email rachelheng123@gmail.com or whatsapp her https://wa.me/60123520868
Update 25Nov23 - Pakistan which well known one of the beautiful place in the world! Yongo run Pakistan trip several times before @ 2006 and had resume in 2022! Trip received good response then :-). Expected seat will be fill up fast. We added Khewra Salt Mines which is 2nd largest Salt Mines in the world in this itinerary.
We also run Spring 2024 trip too (15 days) beside Autumn (Below itinerary is NON-trekking) trips in Oct 2024. We shall base on 1st come 1st serve basis for seat confirmation.Please register and confirm your seat by email rachelheng123@gmail.com or whatsapp her https://wa.me/60123520868
Flight ticket is based on today's Batik & PIA airlines schedule and fare excluded taxes approximately Rm3200 and will be updated if there is any changes. (NOTE : Please DO NOT purchase air ticket until YONGO advise AFTER trip is confirmed to run).
Autumn colour in Pakistan
IMPORTANT NOTICE
This is meant to be a "free and easy" budget trip. Participants should be relatively fit, with a good sense of humour, and above all, have the right attitude for close travel with others through possibly some trying times. Most definitely, this is not a trip for prudes, whiners, fuss-pots, and other similiarly assorted types! Although every effort will be made to stick to the given itinerary, ground conditions may change and case some disruption and/or deviation from the norm. Otherwise, have fun!
The most exciting season in the Hunza Pakistan is the autumn, at the end of the summer season in September the orchards start changing color like a bride Groom with colorful dress of her wedding day, these fantastic changes brings a glorious Trans fusion into human body, which gives happiness and pleasure.
In October it offers a picture seek view among the high mountain peaks of 7000 to 7800m, and above from the snow line to the water channel lies the colorful rocks which has a sharp ridges Nallahs Maize millet vegetables sunflower, waterfalls, lakes, Duck shooting possibility, enjoy the landscape with the Natural beauty the God Given Gift to human creatures. The areas are abounding in colorful flowers along with gushing streams, roaring waterfalls, particularly in Hunza.
One can find pink, white, red, yellow, blue flowers, dancing, everywhere in the northern areas during autumn season. Autumn in Northern Areas of Pakistan is something to behold. This is the time of year when the trees of poplar, apricot, mulberry, peach, apple and plum burst forth into a riot of color with hues of orange, rust and red. The clear and bracing weather offers the best view of the surrounding mountains
Colourful Truck
Day 1 Islamabad: Meet in KLIA for PK895 (PIA) to Islamabad 1330/1630hr. Overnight (ON) Islamabad.
Day 2 Islamabad-Fly to Skardu : Fly to Skardu visit Sarfaranga desert and Shigar Fort. O/N Skardu
(Important note : In case of flight cancellation, will drive to Chilas on Babusar Pass OR Karakorum highway depends on condition. (Breakfast Lunch included)
Skardu/Baltistan valley: The rising of Indus stretches down to Baltistan valley from Tibet to Gilgit and down to the Arabian Sea, which cuts the Indian sub-continent from Asia; Baltistan valley is called a little Tibet in the North of Pakistan. Baltistan is situated at the last end of Himalaya, beside Deosai Plain and Satpara Lake.
Shigar Fort The Fort on Rock is an old fort of Baltistan and Pakistan located in the town of Shigar. It was built in the 17th century by the Raja of Amacha Dynasty of Shigar.
Babusar Pass is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.173 m (13,691 ft) above the sea level. The pass is the highest point in the Kaghan Valley, Pakistan. The pass connects the Kaghan Valley via the Thak Nala with Chilas on the Karakoram Highway. It’s one of the famous hair pinned roads in the world.
Day 3 Skardu-Excursion to Khaplu Valley : Drive to Khaplu village 100 km, En-route stop at various viewpoints for photography, visit Khaplu
Fort and Chaqchan Mosque, evening drive back to Skardu 100 km. O/N Skardu. (Breakfast & Lunch included) (Important note : In case of flight cancellation Islamabad-Skardu, then will visit Sarfaranga desert and Shigar Fort. Lunch included)
Khaplu Palace, locally known as Yabgo Khar (meaning "The fort on the roof"), is an old fort and palace located in Khaplu. The palace, considered an architectural heritage and a tourist attraction, was built in the mid-19th century, replacing an earlier fort located nearby. It served as a royal residence for the Raja of Khaplu.
Khaplu village: This handsome village of timber-and-stone houses and precision-made dry walls climbs up a wide alluvial fan beneath an arc of sheer granite walls. Painstaking irrigation has made it a shady, fertile oasis. As you climb its twisting track, the icy peaks of the Masherbrum Range rise on the other side of the valley.
Day 4 Skardu - Karimabad: Drive from Skardu to Karimabad(340km, 8-9hours), en route stop at various viewpoints for photography. O/N Karimabad. (Breakfast included)
The Hunza Valley is a mountainous valley, situated north/west of the Hunza River, at an elevation of around 2,500 m. The territory of Hunza is about 7,900 square km. Aliabad is the main town, while Baltit and Altit are popular tourist destination because of the spectacular scenery of the surrounding mountains.
The people are cheerful, friendly, fair-skinned and blue or green eyes. Almost all speak Burushaski and in upper Hunza they speak Wakhi.
Day 5 Karimabad : Morning drive to Hopper valley 3hrs, visit Barpu and Bualtar glaciers and view of Miar and Sumayar glaciers, after visit Baltit fort and drive to Karimabad. O/N Karimabad. (Breakfast included)
Hopper Valley is a cluster of villages around a natural bowl at a bend of Bualtar Glacier. Opposite Hopper the white Bualtar is joined by the Barpu Glacier. This is a base camp for treks into the high, glacier-draped peaks called the Hisper Muztagh. Whole population of this valley is Burushaski speakers.Baltit fort: One of the high valleys between China and Indian subcontinent. Facing Rakaposhi Peak, one of the highest mountain peaks in the world, Baltit Fort is poised majestically above Karimabad, the present day capital of Hunza (Baltit was the capital of the old state of Hunza and is now included in the Karimabad settlement area).
View from Baltit Fort
Day 6 Karimabad - Duiker Valley : Morning visit Altit Fort and afternoon drive to Duiker Valley. After dinner enjoy musical program in hotel. O/N Duiker Valley. (Breakfast included)
Altit Fort: It has been built on a sheer rock-cliff that falls 300 meters (1000 feet) into the Hunza River and is much older than the Baltit Fort. Altit is the birth place of the Hunza Kingdom and Altit fort is the first fort of the region. The fort has been constructed in six different stages by using various natural levels of the rock.
Duiker valley Duiker valley is viewpoint to see the sunset and Sunrise over the beautiful mountains in the surroundings of Hunza). Duiker valley (Roof of the world), have a spectacular view down to Karakoram Highway and awesome views of Golden peak 7027m, Rakaposhi 7788m, Ultar Sar 7388m, Diran Peak 7266m, Lady Finger 6000m and Disteghil Sar 7885m.
Altit Fort
Day 7 Duiker Valley - Passu : Drive to Passu 1hr, en-route visit Attaabad Lake and boating. Also visit Borith Lake, Passu Glacier, Hussani village and Hussani suspension bridge. O/N Passu. (Breakfast & Dinner, boating included)
Attabad Lake is a lake which is located in the Gojal district of Hunza Valley in Gilgit- Baltistan, Pakistan. This lake was formed in the year 2010 after the major landslide in Attabad. Attabad Lake has become one of the most popular tourist attractions in Gilgit- Baltistan.
Borith Lake, a large brackish lake that attracts a number of migratory birds in February, June, September and November, from Ghulkin a footpath crosses the grey Ghulkin glacier to Borith Lake, two hours away. It’s a tricky 1.25km across the glacier. Over the years the lake has grown swampy and brackish. Ghulkin villagers have organized themselves to keep hunters from threatening migratory waterfowl, mainly tufted.
The Hussaini Suspension Bridge, over the Hunza River, connects Zarabad hamlet to Hussaini village. Hussaini is located at about 45 kms from Aliabad Hunza and 132 kms from Gilgit. This bridge is known as a dangerous bridge due to the massive gaps between the planks and the wild swing.
Attaabad Lake
Day 8 Excursion to Khunjerab Pass -Attabad Lake: Full day excursion to Khunjerab Pass 4,733m, en route cross serval small villages, evening drive back to hotel nearby Attabad Lake for overnight. (Note 1: Excursion to Khunjerab Pass depends on weather conditions. If road covered by heavy snow then is not possible to up. However shall up to Sost or Dee if weather permit) (All meals included)
Khunjerab Pass elevation (4,733m) is a high mountain pass in the Karakoram Mountains in a strategic position on the northern border of Pakistan's Gilgit-Baltistan region and on the southwest border of the Xinjiang region of China. Its name is derived from Wakhi 'Khun' means Home and 'Jerav' means spring water/water falling. The Khunjerab Pass is the highest paved international border crossing in the world and the highest point on the Karakoram Highway.
Day 9 - Attabad Lake - Gilgit : Drive from Attabad Lake to Gilgit (120km, 2-3hours), visit Kargha Buddha and Gilgit suspension bridge and Gilgit Bazaar. O/N Skardu. (Breakfast included)
Day 10 Gilgit to Mansehra : Drive to Mansehra en route visit junction point of THREE great mountains ranges meet, the Karakorum, the Himalaya and Hindukush. O/N Mansehra. (Breakfast Lunch included).
Day 11 Mansehra to Islamabad: Drive to Islamabad enroute visit Taxila Museum, Julian and Sirkap. After breakfast drive to Islamabad enroute visit Taxila Museum, Jaulain, Mohra Moradu. Afternoon drive back to Islamabad. O/N Islamabad. (Breakfast included).
Taxila: Most of the archaeological sites of Taxila (600 BC to 500 AD) are located around Taxila museum. For over one thousand-year Taxila remained famous as a center of learning Gandhara art of sculpture, architecture, education and Buddhism in the days of Buddhist glory. There are over 50 archaeological sites scattered in a radius of 30 km around Taxila. In Taxila visit archaeological sites of Jaulian, Mohra Moradu and Sirkap.
Taxila
Day 12 Islamabad -Lahore enroute visit Khewra Salt Mines :Drive to Lahore, en route visit The Khewra Salt Mines which also known as Mayo Salt Mines, is the second largest in the world. After that will drive all the way to Lahore. O/N Lahore. (Breakfast included)
Khewra Salt Mines
Day 13 Lahore : After breakfast will visit Lahore Museum, Badshahi Mosque, Lahore Fort, Sheesh Mahal, Dewan-e-Khaas, Deewan-e
Aam, Alamgiri Gate build by Emperor Aurangzeb Alamgir,
Shah Jahan Quadrangle, Naukukha, Picture Wall, Summer
Palace and evening visit Wagah Border for the closing ceremony which connects India & Pakistan. O/N Lahore. (Note : Will skip some of the palaces if time not permit) (Breakfast included).
Day 14 Lahore - Fly Home : After breakfast visit Unesco World Heritage site of Shalamar Garden covering 16 hectares and is arranged in three terraces descending from the south to the north. We proceed for lunch and then to Wazir Khan Mosque which is built with a beautiful mosaic. We will stop at Shahi Hammam, designed hundreds of years ago as a public bathhouse to service both the visiting travelers as well as the inhabitants of the city.
Visit Tomb of Emperor Jahangir. Transfer to Lahore airport viaOD132 (BATIK AIR) at 2105PM fly home. O/N Plane
Day 15 Home : Reached home 0550AM (31Oct2024)
TERMS AND CONDITIONS