If you are considering your first visit Pakistan And I want an itinerary that rivals everything else, I’ve been covered by you. I recently spent 10 days in northern Pakistan and went on a lifelong adventure. If you are planning a visit to Pakistan for the first time, these are highlights you should not miss.
Why should you visit Pakistan?
Pakistan is one of the most underrated destinations for a variety of reasons. Pakistan has no problems and is known for its complex and complicated history since its founding in 1947. So, I would recommend a guided tour for your first visit, but given your own experience there is no reason not to encourage a solo journey.
To be clear, traveling solos (especially as a woman) in Bali and Bangkok is very different from traveling solos in Pakistan. If you’re not used to solo travel, I would recommend that more tourists and actually have experience in more countries with a more developed approach to tourists and foreign visitors.
I hadn’t travelled to Pakistan as a solo woman, so considering her thorough documentation on the topic (and great coverage of Pakistan), I would recommend reading this post by a blocked backpacker.
Islamabad
This itinerary follows my 10-day adventure in Pakistan, beginning in Islamabad. The tour was compiled by the guide ATTA (you can email him here), who works full-time as a guide to Northern Pakistan (more on ATTA later).
Islamabad (or Islu to the locals) is Pakistan’s capital, but not even close to the largest city. There are a whopping 213 million people in Pakistan, while Islamabad only has one million. It makes the city great for stopovers and referrals to the country. We recommend at least one day to explore Islamabad, but it is not harmful to allow two and exploiting shaking the jet lag at the same time.
Start your day with one Best Coffee in IslamabadFound at Mocca Cafe at Kosar Market. While you’re there, try to start walking around and experiencing local shopping. You will need to wear a scarf when entering the mosque, so it is recommended that you take advantage of the opportunity to purchase one or two scarves. A general rule is to hold it with one hand in certain circumstances that require it to be covered as a respect for the local culture.
For beautiful Pashmina (It’s actually from Nepal) heads to Maharaja Handycraft at F6 Marquez on the school road. for Afghanistan handicrafts Bones heads to several shops around the corner from Maharaja on Agakan Road, near the flower shop.
I’ll check in Serena Hotel If you want an unforgettable introduction to Pakistani culture, architecture and gorgeous interiors, it is considered the most beautiful hotel in Islamabad. The hotel has all the perks you need, including an outdoor swimming pool, a fitness centre and a huge restaurant for enjoying a breakfast buffet.
touch
Important note on this itinerary: It relies entirely on this first flight from Islamabad to Skardu. This is unfortunately subject to many cancellations given the weather routes entering the Skardu mountain range. If your flight is cancelled and you are traveling as part of a tour, an alternative arrangement will be made. If you are traveling with your own match, I would recommend having a few days of flexibility in the case of cancellation. Because it is completely weather dependent, so it is completely weather dependent.
Unfortunately, our trip started like that. The cancelled flight to Sukardu was a 12-hour drive in that direction and a prompt to reverse our itinerary. With an optimistic dose, I hope that the same thing won’t happen to you, so I’ve still visited all these places, so I’ll share the itinerary that was originally planned.
in the middle touch Please request a seat on the left side of the plane.
Once you arrive, store dry apricots, walnuts and almonds for your long road trip over the next few days. Considering the remote areas of these towns, there were days when I didn’t eat for 12 hours at a time, so it’s better to prepare!
Install Fort
A few hours drive from Skardu, we arrive at Cigar Fort, one of the most beautiful hotels in northern Pakistan, occupying the old fort. Experience is born authentic. It’s almost like it’s realistic and picturesque, so it feels like you’ve stepped into a movie set. The town itself is also wonderful to roam through the daytime amidst the hustle and bustle. Alternatively, after a long plane and bus journey, you can ride your bike and stretch your legs for a more relaxed afternoon.
If you have time for luck, there could be a local polo match nearby. Ask your guide or one of your locals for updated information. It is a popular sport in the Gilgit-Baltistan region and is popular as “Game of the Kings.”
Capur Palace
It’s another 3 hours drive to reach Kapur Palace, but this is one of the most beautiful establishments that will stay across Pakistan and is actually the highlight of my trip. If you have more than one night to spend, this property is best enjoyed at a slow pace. Take a guided palace tour as there is much to learn about the history of the palace and its surroundings.
Royal High Tea An unforgettable experience, served on a terrace overlooking the palace grounds and offers extensive views of the surrounding mountains. If you ask politely, hotel staff may be able to explore the palace rooftop with 360-degree views against Kapur.
If you feel more active and adventurous, there is a great panoramic view in Thoqsikhara 2-hour hike from the palace. Ask the hotel to pack a picnic lunch or start a journey with the sun early in the morning and return to the palace for a relaxing lunch in the garden.
If you have a check-out date, consider stopping at onlyGilgit, a small town on the way to our next destination, just 20 minutes from Kapur. Here we have a wool spinning and weaving center that trains and supports local women. This is also a great place to buy local Baltistani Topi.
Gilgit
It’s a long drive from Kapur to Gilgit, so if you want to see Gilgit before it gets dark, or hike up the waterway above the city, you can get views of the valley below. Victory Memorial Taj Muguru and the 7th century Buddha Rock Rock. While in Gilgit we stayed at the Serena Hotel and began to realize how grateful we are to be in all of Pakistan! They were very welcoming and felt like they were going home. The buffet breakfast is just as highlight as the interior, always dedicated to the local area and pays homage to the Central Asian influences.
Karimabad, Hunza
If you are spending a few days in one place, I highly recommend that you base your own few days at Hunza Valley. Famous for its charm, cleanliness and 995 literacy rate, Hunza is commonly considered one of the most beautiful cities to visit in northern Pakistan.
If you feel at home, start your day Hunza Coffee Refreshing after a few days and days of instant coffee with a slice of famous walnut cake with iced lattes (actually a frappe for Westerners)!
Hunza has many towns, but with limited time we headed to Gulmit, one of the highlights of the Hunza Valley. There are many women’s initiatives here, and it was one of the few cities we’ve seen women on the streets. To support the local community, the best items to buy as souvenirs or home-delivered gifts are apricot cream and oils, jewelry, wool shawls and woodcraft. I was willing to help many artisans and shopkeepers on the streets (many of whom speak perfect English), and I never tried to buy anything through my time in Pakistan.
Not too far from Hunza, so I highly recommend a visit to Lake Atabad. The lake appeared after a landslide that killed 20 people, known as the Atttabad disaster. The lake collects glacial silt from the surrounding mountains, bringing a turquoise colour to spring and summer. Further down the road near the border with China is the rattle bridge known as the “Indiana Jones Bridge” which never appeared in the film. It’s totally worth a visit, but not for a faint heart!
Karakoram Highway
Considered to be one of the greatest engineering achievements of the 20th century, the Karakolam Highway connects Pakistan with China and is one of the highlights of northeastern Pakistan. The entire journey is 805 miles long, but you don’t need to drive the whole thing to experience some of the magnificent scenery that takes you through the hair-raising turns, the endless mountain ranges, and many small villages where locals wave as you pass by.
Fairy meadow
If an adventure trip is your style and you’re ready for a single wild ride, don’t miss the opportunity to jump into a jeep and head along the edge of a steep cliff to the fairy meadow. An hour drive to the end of the road, a 1.5-2 hour hike to Fairy Meadows Camp. This is a popular stop on the way to base camp in Nangaparbat.
According to my guide, you might consider starting a base camp trek the next morning. This was an additional 10-12 hours increase at basic accommodation at base camp. Fairy Meadows’ Swiss style cabin is lovely and lush with hot water and electricity! This was a beautiful part of the world to wake up and enjoy the crisp mountain air, so if you have time, you might want to spend an extra night.
