About this expedition
Imagine closing the door behind you in Poland with one thing on your mind: in a matter of hours, you will be standing among some of the most beautiful mountains in the world. You are flying to Pakistan - but what you are really flying to is a land where roads wind above sheer drops, rivers run the colour of glaciers, and the peaks of Karakoram rise above valleys so high that it is hard to believe any of it is real.
The next day you land in Skardu. The air is different - sharper, clearer. From the first moments the landscape reminds you that you are far from everyday life. Skardu is the gateway to Karakoram, the place from which expeditions set off towards glaciers, mountain passes, desert valleys and the highest peaks on earth. This is where your adventure begins.
This expedition is not an ordinary tour. It is a journey through northern Pakistan where every day has its own rhythm. One day you drive through the valleys of Baltistan to Khaplu, where raw mountains meet the history and calm of ancient mountain settlements. The next you reach Hushe Valley, the starting point for a trek towards Humbrok. You walk for several hours with views of the mighty Karakoram peaks while porters carry the camping gear, food and everything needed to sleep closer to the mountains. Before you stand K1, K2, K6, K7 and Laila Peak - names that sound like a promise of something immense to anyone who loves the mountains.
Then comes Deosai. This is not a place you simply visit. It is a place you feel. A vast, open expanse of wind, silence and grasses rippling at an altitude where the sky seems closer than anywhere else on earth. A night under canvas beside Sheosar Lake will be one of those moments you return to in your mind long after you are home. In the morning you unzip the tent, look out at the lake and the mountains, and for a while there is nothing you need to say.
The next stage leads towards Nanga Parbat, one of the most legendary mountains in the world. In Chorit Valley a local home awaits - home-cooked food, cultivated fields and a glimpse into the daily life of the people who live here. This is where the journey stops being purely about admiring landscapes and becomes a genuine encounter with a place. You then head to Herricofer Base Camp, the first camp beneath the mighty massif of Nanga Parbat. In the evening a fire burns, stars appear overhead and you can feel the presence of the great mountain all around you. The following day you push on towards Latoboh, with views across the Rupal Peak area and Mazeno Pass.
After days of trekking, Hunza offers a moment to breathe - but never takes away the feeling of adventure. You stroll through the bazaar, visit Baltit Fort and Ganish Valley, drive to Hopper Valley and in the evening watch the sunset from Eagle's Nest. It is one of those views that makes you understand why people come back to Karakoram again and again.
The final days take you even further north. Attabad Lake stuns with the colour of its water, Passu Cones look like mountains from another planet, and the hanging bridges remind you that here the road itself is part of the adventure. The route passes through Sost, Chipurson Valley and Khunjerab Top - the high mountain pass at the border with China. This is the moment when you feel you have truly reached the edge of the map.
Finally you return through Shimshal Valley and Karimabad to Skardu, then fly to Islamabad. You head home - but a journey like this does not end at the airport. What remains are the photographs, the dust on your boots, the taste of tea drunk in a local home, nights under canvas, long drives through the mountains and the knowledge that for almost three weeks you were genuinely far from everything you know.
This is an expedition for those who want to experience Pakistan intensely, up close and authentically. For those who are not looking for a polished package tour, but for a journey with real character. For those who want to feel the great mountains, meet the people of northern Pakistan, drive the legendary roads of Karakoram and fall asleep under a sky that looks nothing like the one at home.
Highlights
- View of K2 - the second highest mountain in the world
- Karakoram Highway - the Friendship Highway to China
- Khunjerab Pass (4693 m) - the border with China
- Trekking to Nanga Parbat Base Camp with porters and a cook
- Shimshal - the most beautifully situated village in the world
What's included
- Rental of a fully prepared, tested and reliable 4x4 vehicle
- All accommodation
- Porters on trekking sections
- Full expedition preparation
- All park entrance fees
- Mechanic support throughout the entire route
- Local guide
- Original and comprehensive expedition programme
- T-shirts, stickers and expedition merchandise
- Plenty of adventure and great fun
Day by day itinerary
Departure from Poland - the adventure begins
You leave everyday life behind and head towards one of the wildest corners of the world. The flight from Poland to Pakistan marks the first hours of the expedition - time to get your head in the right place, study the maps and picture what awaits you in Karakoram in just a few days.
Landing in Skardu - first breaths of mountain air
Around midday you land in Skardu. Transfer to the hotel, a moment to rest after the long journey and your first look at the peaks surrounding the town. The evening is yours - head out to the bazaar, soak up the atmosphere of Baltistan and let it sink in that the expedition has truly begun.
Skardu - Khaplu - Baltistan in full glory
You set off from Skardu into the heart of Baltistan. The drive to Khaplu is the first full reveal of northern Pakistan - raw rocky ridges, rushing rivers, tiny mountain settlements and people living to the rhythm of the mountains. Every bend in the road brings a new frame.
Khaplu - Hushe Valley - where the ordinary road ends
You drive from Khaplu to Hushe Valley. Hushe is one of those places where tarmac and everyday life fall away behind you and a truly alpine world begins. In the evening you settle into base ahead of tomorrow's trek.
Trek to Humbrok - views of K2 and the giants of Karakoram
You set out on a five- to six-hour walk to Humbrok. Porters take the gear and food on their shoulders - you walk light and drink in the scenery. Today K1, K2, K6, K7 and Laila Peak appear on the horizon. Night in a tent at Humbrok, surrounded by silence and stars.
Return to Hushe Valley - time to breathe
You descend on foot back to Hushe Valley. After yesterday's trekking and views that are hard to put into words, you have time for a quiet evening in the valley. Hushe is a place reached by very few - it is worth simply being here for a while.
Blind Lake and Roundu - mountain road as adventure
You head towards Blind Lake and then onwards to Roundu. A day full of shifting landscapes, demanding mountain roads and views that make even the drive itself a highlight of the expedition.
Deosai Plains - night under canvas beside Sheosar Lake
You reach Deosai Plains - one of the highest plateaux in the world. You pitch camp beside Sheosar Lake, in a place where sky and land seem to have no end. A night under canvas here is an experience you never forget.
Chorit Valley - Nanga Parbat and valley life
You drive to Chorit Valley. A night in a local home awaits, with home-cooked food prepared by your hosts, views of Nanga Parbat and a visit to the farms. A day on which the spirit of expedition blends with an authentic encounter with the daily life of Karakoram's people.
Trek to Herricofer Base Camp - camping beneath Nanga Parbat
You set out on the trek to Herricofer Base Camp - the first camp beneath Nanga Parbat, one of the most legendary and formidable mountains in the world. Along the way you get to know the porters, set up camp together and spend the evening by the fire. Above your heads stands one of the most imposing rock faces on the planet.
Latoboh - second camp, Rupal Peak and Mazeno Pass in sight
You go higher - to Latoboh, the second camp on the route towards Rupal Peak and Mazeno Pass. The views from here cannot be seen from any road. After the trek you return to camp for a well-earned rest.
Tarashing Valley - Hunza and Karimabad - the great drive through the heart of the mountains
You descend to Tarashing Valley and begin the long drive to Hunza and Karimabad. Along the way you pass places where the great mountain ranges converge, and the landscapes remind you that you are travelling a stretch of the ancient Silk Road.
Hunza - fort, valleys and sunset from Eagle's Nest
A more relaxed day in Hunza. You visit Hopper Valley, the colourful bazaar in Karimabad, the historic Baltit Fort and Ganish Valley. In the evening you drive up to Eagle's Nest - one of the most beautiful viewpoints in Pakistan. The sunset over the Karakoram peaks here is simply unbeatable.
Sost, Chipurson Valley, Passu Cones and Attabad Lake - a day full of icons
You drive to Sost and onwards towards Chipurson Valley. Along the way you stop at the turquoise waters of Attabad Lake, admire the distinctive spires of Passu Cones, cross a hanging bridge and pass Borith Lake. A long day, but every kilometre is worth it.
Khunjerab Top - on the border with China, on the roof of Karakoram
You head to Khunjerab Top at the border with China. You are high in Karakoram, in a place that gives you the feeling of having reached the true edge of the mountain world. The air is different, the silence is different, the space is different. In the evening you return to Passu.
Shimshal Valley - one of the most isolated valleys in the world
You drive to Shimshal Valley - a place that for decades had no road leading to it at all. This valley lives by its own rules, at its own pace, with views that have nothing in common with any tourist trail. After a day full of impressions you return to Karimabad.
Karimabad - Skardu via the new road through Juglot
A long drive from Karimabad to Skardu along the new route via Juglot. Another day on which the road itself is part of the expedition. The ever-changing Karakoram scenery accompanies you throughout, and every section of the route adds another piece to the picture of this extraordinary land.
Skardu - Islamabad - last evening in Pakistan
Flight from Skardu to Islamabad. After weeks in the mountains, under canvas and on the trails, a calm evening in the capital awaits - dinner, a moment of reflection and the last night in Pakistan. The perfect time to let everything you have seen settle in your mind.
The journey home - with Karakoram in your heart
You fly from Islamabad back to Poland. You return from an expedition that has left images in your mind that cannot be captured in a few sentences - glaciers, peaks, valleys, campfires, mountain roads and people living at the ends of the earth. Karakoram stays with you for a long time.
FAQ
Hunza, Karakoram, Skardu - these are safe regions. The stereotype does not match reality.
Some level of fitness helps, but trekking sections are optional - you can always stay with the vehicles if you prefer.