Pakistan women’s tour itinerary
Considering joining our Pakistan women’s tour? Here’s our full Pakistan women’s tour itinerary to help you decide. Spoiler alert: it’ll be a blast.
Anything is possible in Pakistan. This is our planned itinerary… but remember that when traveling in Pakistan things don’t always go according to plan! From spontaneous chai invites to landslides blocking whole highways, delays can happen anywhere. Flexibility is key.
Think of this Pakistan women’s tour itinerary as a guideline rather than an exact schedule. If we have to make changes on the fly, don’t fret; we’ll still try to do everything mentioned.
Days 1, 2: Islamabad and Rawalpindi
- Shopping for local clothes
- Faisal Mosque
- Pakistan Monument
- Saidpur village
- Rawalpindi heritage walk
- Hotel amenities: hot water, shower, electricity, Wifi, western toilets, 4G signal
Visiting Jamia Masjid in old Rawalpindi
Our tour kicks off to a start in Pakistan’s calm capital. Straight roads, less traffic, and leafy tree coverage make your first day a gentle one. You’ll be jet-lagged most likely, so we’ll take it easy.
We’ll also head to Islamabad’s little-visited neighbor city: Rawalpindi. Far older than Islamabad (and much less planned), Rawalpindi is a proper Pakistani city. While dodging traffic and ignoring inevitable stares, we’ll roam around Rawalpindi’s bazaars and poke around places even locals don’t know about.
Note: If possible, it’s useful to arrive a day or two early to get acclimated to the time change and rest up before the tour begins. Accommodation for the days before the tour can be arranged for an extra fee.
Day 3: Drive to Chilas
10-12 hours drive, 400 km (250 mi)
- Lulusar Lake
- Babusar Pass (4,173 m/13,690 ft)
- Hotel amenities: hot water, shower, electricity, Wifi, western toilets, 4G signal
Sunset over the highest point in our drive: Babusar Top (4,173m)
Alas, it’s a long drive north… but it’ll be worth it, we swear! The drive is broken up into two days for your comfort and safety. Driving late at night is risky due to poor roads, plus our driver needs to sleep, too.
Mountain scenery will entertain you on the way, and we’ll stop for a picnic lunch and chai whenever you feel like it. Driving time depends on how often we stop, weather and road conditions, etc. The road is very bumpy and winding. If you have back problems or other issues with transportation, keep this in mind. We time tours to avoid monsoon rains and landslides (the biggest delays), but you never know in the mountains.
Day 4: Drive to Yasin Valley, Ghizer
8-10 hours drive, 270 km (168 mi)
- Viewpoint of Karakoram, Hindu Kush, Himalaya mountain ranges
- Nanga Parbat viewpoint
- Hotel amenities: Hot water, shower, irregular electricity, western toilet, occasional 3G signal
Yes, these autumn colors in Ghizer are real.
We’ll leave Chilas via the famed Karakoram Highway, but only for a few hours—after passing the capital of Gilgit-Baltistan, we’ll veer west to follow the glacier-blue river winding through the peaceful Ghizer Valley. From this point on, you’ll begin to understand why people rave about the mountains of Pakistan. Trust us.
Days 5, 6: Yasin Valley
- Village walks in Yasin
- Day trek to valley viewpoint
- Sunset hike to Muduri Fort ruins
- Local homestay
- Homestay amenities: Irregular electricity, squat toilet, sleeping in shared room on floor mattresses
Sunset views from the ruins of Muduri Fort, Yasin
Finally, we made it! Your time in Gilgit-Baltistan begins with my favorite valley: Yasin.
Aside from serious trekkers and the occasional domestic tourist, few people visit Yasin. Here, we’ll trade towering Karakoram peaks for a narrower, more intimate mountain valley. Most importantly, we’ll meet some of the friendliest people in the region. Yes, even by Pakistan standards.
Pakistan’s famous hospitality is best experienced at home, so we’ll spend part of our time in Yasin at the village home of a local family. Prepare to live like a local: we’ll be sleeping together on floor mattresses just like people in the mountains do.
Day 7: Drive to Minapin, Nagar
6-7 hours drive, 200 km (124 mi)
- Short hike to Kargah Buddha
- Rakaposhi viewpoint
- Guesthouse amenities: Hot water, shower, irregular electricity, western toilet, Wifi, 4G-ish signal
Minapin lookin’ lush
Time to head to a new district of Gilgit-Baltistan: Nagar. Despite being just across the river from the renowned Hunza Valley, Nagar is a cultural world apart from Hunza and Ghizer. We’re stopping by for a closer look at one of Nagar’s biggest draws: the snowy behemoth that is Rakaposhi, the 27th highest mountain in the world.
Days 8, 9: Minapin and Rakaposhi basecamp
- Overnight hike to Rakaposhi Base Camp (3,500 m/11,500 ft)
- 4-7 hours up, 13 km (8 mi) one-way, 1,500m vertical ascent
- Camping amenities: Tents
Locals walking on the path to Rakaposhi basecamp
Get your hiking boots on, because we’re heading up for a closer look at Rakaposhi and its glacier. It’s a long and sometimes steep climb to the base camp, but dirt switchbacks will eventually open out into the grassy meadows and pine trees of Hapakun before continuing up to creaking glaciers and peaks shrouded in clouds. Though some trek to the base camp and back in one day—one long day—we’ll camp overnight before returning to Minapin so everyone can take their time admiring some of Pakistan’s most impressive views.
Note: If you’re unable to trek such distances for whatever reason, it’s possible to stay behind in Minapin and use this time to explore the (very scenic) village instead.
Day 10: Karimabad, Altit
- Baltit Fort
- Lunch at a women-run cafe
- Altit Fort
- Traditional guesthouse amenities: Hot water, shower, evening electricity, Western toilet, 4G signal, some sleeping on floor mattresses
Hunza evenings from the famed Baltit Fort
By far the most popular places in Hunza, Karimabad and Altit are as close to touristy as it gets in Pakistan.
We’ll divide our time between Karimabad, home to Baltit Fort, and Altit, where a fort of the same name is located. Beautifully restored by the Aga Khan Foundation, the forts are some of the best-maintained historical sites in Pakistan. Between fort visits, we’ll hit the town for local food and shopping before heading further along the Karakoram Highway to Gulmit village, where we’ll spend the next few days.
Days 11-13: Gulmit and Upper Hunza
- Women’s carpet weaving center
- Ondra Poygah stairs trek + Kamaris village walk (5 km/3.1 mi, 2-3 hours)
- Suspension bridge trek (8 km/5 mi, 3-5 hours)
- Trek to Borith Lake, White Glacier (7 km/4.3 mi, 2-3 hours)
- Traditional guesthouse amenities: Hot water, shower, evening electricity, Western toilet, 4G signal, some sleeping on floor mattresses
The scary—but scenic—Passu suspension bridge
Old stone and mud houses, winding dirt paths lined with trees, and both men and women out on the streets always ready with a smile and greeting… welcome to Gulmit.
Our days will be distinctly female in flavor, with visits to a women-run carpet center (great place for authentic souvenir shopping directly supporting locals) and a women-run cafe serving local Hunzai food, and treks in the region guided by young local women.
Day 14: Drive to Tarashing, Astore
7-9 hours, 250 km (155 mi), van and jeep
- Drive to Astore Valley
- Jeep to Tarashing village (2900 m/9,500 ft)
- Guesthouse amenities: Bucket shower, limited electricity, squat toilets, 3G-ish signal
Hello Nanga Parbat.
It’ll be a long drive, but the final leg of the journey will make it worth your while. We’ll hop in some colorful jeeps to touch down in Tarashing, a charming village at the foot of Nanga Parbat, 9th highest mountain in the world. Village views can’t get much better than this.
Days 15, 16: Tarashing, Astore
- Village walks
- Hike to local viewpoints
- Trek to Nanga Parbat basecamp (3600 m)
- 7-8 hours, 20 km (12.5 mi) there and back
- Guesthouse amenities: Bucket shower, limited electricity, squat toilets, 3G-ish signal
Trekking to one of several Nanga Parbat basecamps
Many people who travel to Pakistan seek out views of Nanga Parbat… but not here! Let the crowds gather at Fairy Meadows; we’ll take you to a side of Nanga Parbat frequented only by mountaineers. Don’t worry if you’re not a climber: the walk to the basecamp is gentle uphill, with only one steep slope near the end. You’ll be rewarded with pastures, glaciers, and an even more epic view of Nanga Parbat.
It’s also possible to jeep most of the way to the basecamp with a short but steep two kilometer walk after. Those who are motivated can trek the whole way, and eventually be joined by those who want to drive. Then we can all drive 10 km back to Tarashing together… unless you feel like walking back!
Day 17: Rama Lake and drive to Chilas
6-7 hours, 150 km (93 mi), jeep and van
- Jeep or short trek to Rama Lake, Astore
- Hotel amenities: Hot water, shower, electricity, Wifi, Western toilet, 4G signal
Last of the season’s wildflowers at Rama Lake
No trip to Astore is complete without a visit to Rama Lake—we wouldn’t do that to you!
We’ll take jeeps from Tarashing village to Rama Meadows, a two-hour drive. From the meadows, if you want to walk the trek will take about one hour. If not, you can take a 20-minute jeep ride up to the lake. We’ll all get there in one way or another before beginning our long journey back down south to the plains of Punjab with an overnight stop in Chilas.
Day 17: Drive to Lahore
12-14 hours, 730 km (450 mi)
- Katas Raj
- Guesthouse amenities: Hot water, shower, electricity, Wifi, Western toilet, 4G signal
These will be your last mountain views of the trip—take them in while you can!
Much like the drive up north, this day will be a long one. Prepare your podcasts and ready your snacks, we’ve got a drive ahead of us. If there’s time and people feel up to it we’ll stop at a collection of Hindu temples en route.
Days 18-20: Lahore
- Walled City walking tour
- Offbeat sites in and around Lahore
- Qawwali musical night
- Wagah Border
- Food street dinners
- Guesthouse amenities: Hot water, shower, electricity, Wifi, Western toilet, 4G signal
Paying respects at Jahangir’s Tomb outside Lahore
They say if you haven’t seen Lahore you haven’t lived. We agree! Lahore is Pakistan’s cultural capital, brimming with things to do both historical and modern.
We’ll wander through the centuries-old alleys of the Walled City, check out some of the city’s lesser known sights, dine to Sufi music at one of the city’s coolest cafes, with a healthy dose of culinary exploration in between.
Day 21: Fly home (oh nooooo!)
And so ends our time together!
If you’re flying from Lahore, we’ll arrange an airport transfer for you. If you flying out of Islamabad, we can arrange an airport transfer from Lahore for you for an extra fee. Then it’s smooth flying for you all the way home!
Note: For those who have a bit more holiday time available, I highly recommend spending a few more days in Lahore to explore the city on your own. You’ll be confident navigating the streets of Pakistan by then, and there’s plenty of things to do in Lahore beyond the places we’ll be visiting. Give it some thought!
Does this Pakistan women’s tour itinerary sound tempting to you? Apply for a spot on our next tour before it fills up!
