20 Days Jeep Safari Deosai Plateaus Skardu Baltistan Pakistan

Welcome reception on arrival at the federal capital of Pakistan and transfer to the hotel. Afternoon tour of twin cities of Islamabad & Pindi. Enter Faisal Mosque - the landmark of Islamabad. Visit Daman-e-Koh on top of the hill for a panoramic view of Islamabad, drive on Constitution Avenue for looking at President House, Parliament, Supreme Court & other state buildings.  Also, visit Pindi’s colourful Raja Bazaar for bargain shopping. Overnight at the hotel.

Drive to Kaghan Valley. 34 km from Islamabad is Taxila, the archaeological site of the former capital of Gandhara Buddhist civilization dating from 500 BC to 500 AD. We visit the splendid site museum, a former monastery and the city of Sirkup. Later we head north into the Himalayan foothills and pass through Abbottabad, a garrison town, and at Balakot enter the Kaghan Valley. The 92-mile long Kaghan valley is one of the loveliest Green-Himalayan areas in Pakistan. (180 km, 4/5 hours)

As we travel through Kaghan, we pass hamlets with stone and wood homes surrounded by rice fields. We follow the Kunhar River and accompany the handsome Gujjar nomads with their buffaloes until we reach the village of Naran (2,427 m), backed by the river. We visit Saiful-Maluk Lake, where the peak of Malka Parbat (5390 m) is mirrored in the deep blue waters. This lake was named after Prince Saiful-Maluk who fell in love with a fairy whom he saw bathing in the lake!  Camp overnight. (70 km, 5/6 hours)

Trek from Saiful-Maluk Lake to Lalazar crossing the Hans Guile and walk through the pasture of Lalazar. We follow the Kunhar River and head north, along with the Gujjars, and see their temporary summer settlements as we proceed to Basel (3,266 m ), a highland pasture with a cluster of stone houses that blend into the rocky hillside. Camp overnight. (5/6 hours trek, Drive 70 km, 2/3 hours)

At lake Lulusar, just beyond Basel, jeep tracks lead to the Babusar Pass (4150 m ) with the source of the Kunhar River and also the boundary of the Kaghan valley with northern areas. The ride across the pass offers extensive views of Himalayan flowers; pink bistro, blue delphiniums, edelweiss and counsels other flowers reaching white summits. We descend to the town of Chilas on the bank of mighty Indus river, meals and overnight at the hotel.   ( 4/5 hours)

From Chilas we follow Karakoram Highway along the Indus river towards the north and arrive at the place where the three highest mountain ranges of the world meet together; the Karakoram, Himalayas, and Hindukush. At Bunji we cross Indus river and skirting our way on the narrow jeep track through the deep Astore Gorge we arrive at Rama Lake situated near pine forests and our night halt. Camp overnight, for Rama Lake. (7/8 hours)

Morning at the Lake and then drive to the charming village of Tarashing at the base of the south face Nanga Parbat (8,125 m). This village has been classified by many as one of the most beautiful & scenic in Pakistan. We have time to visit the local primary school, and maybe do some plantation in the village. Camp overnight.  (4/5 hours

In the morning we start trek to Bazin at. We walk for about 4/5 hours and pass through small settlements of the local people, who are a mix of Baltis, Kashmiris, and Shina speaking Gilgaties. From Bazin camp, we get an imposing image of Nanga Parbat  - all in front of us. Camp at the grassy ground at 3800 meters. (4/5 hours trek)

Excursion To Nanga Parbat Base Camp

Day at Bazin to take an excursion to the Nanga Parbat base camp at 4500 meters. We have a commanding view of the Rupal face of Nanga Parbat (8,125 m), the ninth highest mountain in the world. Return to camp for dinner & overnight. (5 hours round trek)

Bazin - Deosai Lake

We descend down from our camp to Tarashing village. After lunch at the village we drive to the Deosai Plains, a high plateau in the Himalayas that is also the habitat of the snow leopard. Never once do we lose sight of Nanga Parbat as we ride through extensive meadows that are buried in snow for nine months and only reveal their velvet green cover and hundreds of flowers in summer. Along the journey, our jeep drivers must navigate streams that rush with water. Camp at Deosai Lake. (3/4 hours trek &  80 km drive, 2/3 hours )

Day free at Deosai Lake to explore the Deosai plateau, one of the highest plateau in the world. The landscape features rolling pastureland of rounded hills, knee-deep in summer grass and flowers, inhabited by whistling marmots. It offers gentler walking than the Karakoram, with its jagged towers of granite and narrow valleys.  Camp overnight.

We cross the Ali Malik Pass and have an excellent view of the Karakoram Mountains. Then we stop at Satpara lake, a deep blue shimmer before we continue to Skardu, the capital of Baltistan. Overnight at K-2 Motel. (110 km, 7/6 hours)

In the morning we visit Skardu town. Formerly Buddhist, Skardu, was called’ Tibet Khurd (little Tibet) and was an important stop on the old route to Tibet and the district of Ladakh. Here the Indus River joins the Shigar River to become an enormous oval basin at 2,300 meters enclosed in purple, red, grey, and ochre mountains. Afternoon drive to Shigar. Camp overnight. (45 km, 2 hours)

The gentle, irrigated slopes with terraces of wheat, maize and barley, and the orchards of apricot, mulberry, peach, plum, pear, apples and nuts -  all add to the charm of Shigar valley surrounded by snow-topped mountains. The town displays impressive carved wooden houses and mosques. After lunch at the town, we drive to adjoining Khaplu valley. Camp overnight. (135km, 3  hours)

Khaplu, the largest kingdom in old Baltistan, stretches in a wide fan from the base of a semicircular wall of the mountain, dropping some 300 meters to the river level. The scattered houses set amid terraced fields are connected by paths and irrigation channels and the friendly villagers welcome visitors. We shall visit the historic wood-carved mosque, dominating the valley from the top end of an alluvial fan. overnight at Hotel at 2,600 meters.

Enjoy your last breakfast at the camp for this trek, and say Khuda Hafiz to your camping staff who had been pitching tents for you and preparing meals for you during the safari. Board soft-top 4x4 jeeps for a ride to Skardu.  Meals and overnight at resort/motel. (3/4 hours jeep ride)

We book the flight to Islamabad, with good luck the flight might operate, enabling us to arrive Pindi in just one hour (miracle of science!). In case of cancellation of flight, we shall drive by road to Islamabad - spending overnight at Chilas KKH.  (1-hour flight OR 7/8 hours drive)

Margin day at Pindi for personal activities like shopping.  Explore the narrow bazaar alleys in Rawalpindi or visit the shopping malls of Islamabad.

Fly home - Transfer to airport for flying to home destination.