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Islamabad
Day 1: Arrival Islamabad
Arrive in the early morning. We have included immediate check-in. Time to rest.
We will gather in the lobby at 12:30 pm to meet our guide and go for lunch at a local restaurant.
After lunch, we enjoy a leisurely drive north of Islamabad city taking in the views from the lush scenic peaks in Margalla Hills National Park. The park includes the Margalla Hills, which form's the foothills of the Himalayas, along with Shakarparian Park and Rawal Lake. We will stop at the mid-level park viewing platform.
At about 430 pm we meet the group arriving from South Pakistan who will continue with you on the North Pakistan tour
Visit Pakistan Peoples Monument and Museum and Shakarpariyian Hills National Park.
Dinner at Rawal Lake.
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Day 2: Islamabad-Taxila-Peshawar
Morning short drive to Taxila and visit UNESCO world heritage archeological sites.
After lunch, continue 2 hours to Peshawar. Afternoon visit ϖ Peshawar Museum, Qissa Khowani Bazaar
and Mohabat Ali Khan Mosque.
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Day 3: Peshawar – Chitral
Morning 7.5 hr drive to Chittral, located in a beautiful valley in the Hindukush Mountain Range. This is the longest drive of the tour.
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Day 4: Excursion to Kalash Villages
A full day to visit the villages surrounding Chitral, including Kalash the most colorful and Birir - the most traditional, untouched by tourism.
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Day 5: Chitral - Shandur Pass - Phander
A 7 hour drive to Phander through remote mountain villages to Shandur Pass (12000 feet). Spend some time at villages along the way. (2nd longest drive).
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Day 6: Phander - Gilgit
Today we enter the Hunza Valley. A delightful drive to Gilgit with visits to villages along the way.
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Day 7: Karimabad (Hunza Valley)
On the way to Karimabad, we stop to see the Danyoor Suspension Bridge and the Old Silk Route.
Enjoy hot lunch at panoramic view point of Rakaposhi 7788m.
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Day 8: Karimabad
A full day exploring Karimabad and surroundings. Altit village with its' fort and old settlement, Duikar village, Karimabad bazaar and a walk along the water channel.
Enjoy sunset descending on the Hunza Valley, Rakaposhi, Ladi Finger, Ultar, Golden Peak, Diran Peak, and Sumayair Peak.
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Day 9: Karimabad-Gilgit
Return to Gilgit. Visit the sacred rock carving at Ganesh Village, Kargha Buddha, Gilgit Bazaar and a short walk towards Kargah Nallah with magnificent views of Gilgit city and Rakaposhi.
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Day 10 Gilgit-Islamabad
Transfer to the airport for the flight to Islamabad, PK 452, dep 8:55 am, arrives 10 am; PK606 dep 12:45 pm, arr 1:50 pm. (Please note: there are 3 flights per day, we shall purchase all three as insurance in case the first one or two are cancels due to weather; if all the flights cancel we break up the drive into 2 days: May 3: Gilgit-Besham 8 hrs; May 4: Besham-Islamabad 4.5 hrs, not including stops for bathroom, lunch and photos).
On arrival check into the hotel. Depart for lunch at a local restaurant. This rest of the afternoon is independent.
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Day 11: Islamabad Tour
Tour Islamabad. Sites to visit include:
Lok Virsa Folk Heritage Museum https://lokvirsa.org.pk/heritage-museum/
Located also on the Shakarparian Hills, it was renamed Pakistan National Museum of Ethnology in 2004.
Presents history and living traditions from the mainstream and remote regions of the country. The museum
consists of several buildings as well as an outdoor museum. Covering an area of 60,000 sq. ft, it features
several exhibit halls making it the largest museum in Pakistan.
Five minute walk to Pakistan Monument and Museum.
Pakistan Peoples Monument and Museum
A national monument and heritage museum located on the western Shakarparian Hills. It was constructed
to symbolize the unity of the Pakistani people. Rather than symbolizing the four provinces (as is mistakenly
assumed), the four large petals represent the four different cultures of the people of Pakistan: Punjabi,
Balochi, Sindhi and Pakhtun. The three smaller petals represent: the Minorities: Azad Kashmir and Gilgit
Baltistan. The star of the flag in the monument is designed in shiny black granite with golden stars, which
represent the people who sacrificed their life for Pakistan. The moon crescent is made from stainless steel
with inspirational writings of Quaid-e-Azam, Mohammed Ali Jinnah and Allama Iqbal. The petals are built
of granite (projecting in a suspended cantilever form, among the largest in Asia) and its inner walls are
covered with artwork depicting the various landmarks of the Pakistan. Its’ elevation makes it visible from
across the metropolitan area of Islamabad-Rawalpindi. Covering a total area of 2.8 hectares (6.9 acres), the
design of the monument is rooted in the rich Mughal architecture of the subcontinent. The petal shaped
structure is derived from the traditional muqarnas.
Connecting to the Peoples Monument by a large piazza, known as the Freedom Plaza, is the Pakistan
Monument Museum which narrates the history and tells the story of the creation of Pakistan. These two
structures are connected. Though the name of the architect–Arif Masoud–is inscribed in stone in the main
Dedication Plaque located at the beginning of the main plaza–he has honored all construction workers by
placing their hand impressions all along the long walls flanking this Freedom Plaza on both the sides. At
the farthest end is a viewing platform which gives a birds-eye view of Islamabad city.
Shakarpariyian Hills National Park
Its terraced garden offers pleasant and sweeping vistas of Margalla and Murree hills, Rawal Lake,Rawalpindi and Islamabad. There is corner where many plants are located that were planted by foreign Head of States. The old Gakhars (Rajput clan) tribe leaders settled here before Indo-Pak partition in 1947.
Later the clan was relocated to create a park for the new federal capital of the country in 1960-61.
We return to the hotel to give you time to organize for the flight home and depart at 5 pm for an early
dinner at Rawal Lake
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Day 12: Depart Islamabad Early AM
Transfer to the airport for flight departing early am May 5. QR 633 dep 3:35 am.
