Tuesday 10th September – Lahore

• Arrival at your convenience in the city of Lahore, Pakistan’s second biggest city and the provincial capital of Punjab
• Meet the group and your guide at 8pm at our centrally located hotel in the cultural capital of Pakistan, Lahore

Wednesday 11th September – Lahore

• Visit the Lahore Fort and Badshahi Mosque
• See the famous Pakistani truck painting
• Witness the daily flag ceremony at the Indian border at Wagah. You’ve been to the DMZ separating North and South Korea? Well, we think it hasn’t got anything on this, the tensest border on the planet!
• Dinner at the world-famous Coco Den’s
• Overnight in Lahore

Thursday 12th September – Lahore

• Visit the (in)famous street doctors/dentists/pharmacy/bone setters, if you dare!
• Walking tour of the old city
• In the afternoon, we’ll drive out of Lahore to experience the real Pakistani countryside at a local farm.
• Dinner at the Giwal Mandi Food Street
• Thursday night used to be Sufi Night, but not anymore these days. If there are any events, we’ll try to make it!
• Overnight in Lahore

Friday 13th September – Islamabad

• Today we’ll start our highway road trip! After an early breakfast, we’ll drive along the Grand Trunk Road from Lahore to the capital Islamabad
• Stop at the 16^th Century Rhotas Fort
• Arrive in Islamabad and check into our hotel
• Overnight in Islamabad

Saturday 14th September – Abbottabad, Naran

• Up nice and early to start drive along the Karakoram Highway
• Got your Navy Seal T-shirt? Well, it’s time to put on a jumper, we’ll be having a tea break in Abbottabad, the city where Osama Bin Laden was killed.
• We’ll take a detour from the Karakoram Highway, to see an even better part of this specific area. Driving past incredible peaks, right next to Indian Kashmir, we’ll make our way to Naran. So sit back and enjoy the road trip, we will have plenty of stops for photos and rest breaks.
• Overnight in Naran

Sunday 15th September – Naran – Fairy Meadows/  Nanga Parbat,

• After breakfast, we set off for another long day of photography opportunities on winding roads along the Kunhar River to Lulusar Lake. After a short break we’ll resume our journey toward Babusar Pass at 4173m, where await panoramic views of west Himalayas and Hindukush.
• Descend down to Chilas and join the Karakoram Highway to Raikot bridge, from where we shift to 4WD Jeeps to experience one of the hair raising adventure journey for few hours to Jhel village
• Hike to Fairy Meadows, located at base of majestic Nanga Parbat (8126m). The second highest peak in Pakistan & 9^th in the world ranking, this is one of the most beautiful parts in northern Pakistan, and a must-visit place.
• We can arrange horses for those who would like to ride instead.
• After arrival we will overnight in a camp (tent or a hut) where, at night, we’ll get to go stargazing. 

Monday 16^th September – Fairy Meadows

• We have a full day around Fairy Meadows to explore the magnificent sights of west Himalayas & Karakorams. It offers plenty of options, you may want to rest and explore surrounding with mesmerizing views. For those who would like to go for further hikes, it is possible to go to the view point located next to Raikot glacier or all the way to Base Camp and return to Fairy Meadows in the afternoon.
• Overnight in our camp in Fairy Meadows.

Tuesday 17^th September – Fairy Meadows – Hunza

• We continue our road trip along the Karakoram Highway with several stops along the way.
• We’ll stop en route to the point where three of the world’s greatest mountain ranges (Hindu Kush, Karakorum and the Himalayas) meet.
• Lunch break at Gilgit, the capital town of Gilgit Baltistan region before heading north to the Hunza valley – making a few stops along the way for photography.
• Overnight in the Hunza Valley

Wednesday 18th September – Around Hunza

• We will have a full day in Hunza to explore life in the valley
• Visit the ancient forts of Baltit and Altit, the traditional residences of the Mirs of Hunza
• We will walk on the high irrigation channels carved into rock for tremendous views and an insight into how the people of Hunza created their Shangri-La.
• Overnight in Hunza Valley
  

Thursday 19th September – Hunza, Passu, Sost

• Today, we’ll continue along the Karakoram Highway, crossing the newly formed Attabad Lake to Passu. The 30 km long lake was only formed in 2010 after a massive landslide dammed the mighty Indus river.
• We will make a stop at Passu where you can cross the famous rope bridges near the village of Husseini.
• We will visit the Passu glacier while passing by Borit Lake on our way  out of the Karakoram Highway.
• Lunch break at the famous Glacier breeze restaurant before making our way to Sost. Sost is the last town of Pakistan before moving to China.
• Overnight in Sost

Friday 20th September – Sost, Tashkurgan (China)

• Once again we wake up nice and early for a long day of driving and border formalities.
• Early morning border crossing into China via the famous Khunjerab Pass. We’re entering the Chinese Uyghur autonomous region of Xinjiang. Here we’re entering one of the most remote areas of China, and the home of its sizable Muslim minority
• Arrival in the Chinese border town Tashkurgan. Night stroll through the city and some well-deserved barbecue and cold beer, or if you’re daring then Chinese baijiu!
• Overnight in Tashkurgan

Saturday 21st September – Karakul Lake, Kashgar

• Short sightseeing around Tashkurgan
• Set off on the scenic drive towards Karakul Lake. As always we’ll stop for photos and rest breaks along the way!
• Stroll around the lake, relax, take in the incredible surroundings. The lake is famous for its colourful ranges from a dark green to azure and light blue.
• Then it’s time for the final stretch of our amazing Karakoram Highway Tour. We’re ending in Kashgar, modern China’s most western city. An ancient city which was a major hub along the Silk Road.
• Overnight in Kashgar

Sunday 22nd September – Kashgar

• We head out to the famous livestock moment where the local Uygurs are trading goats, camels, horses and anything else with four legs they can get their hands on!
• Head out of town to the beautiful tomb of Afaq Khoja: a 17th-century mausoleum of this important Uyghur figure.
• Check out Kashgar’s old town, or what’s left of it, to get a glimpse into what life in the area used to be like before heading out to the very lively night markets with a great array of street food.
• Walking tour through the windy lanes of the center and the Id Kah Mosque.
• Streetfood, including the option of Uyghur fried rice and mutton
• Overnight in Kashgar

Friday 20th September – Sost, Tashkurgan (China)

• Once again we wake up nice and early for a long day of driving and border formalities.
• Early morning border crossing into China via the famous Khunjerab Pass. We’re entering the Chinese Uyghur autonomous region of Xinjiang. Here we’re entering one of the most remote areas of China, and the home of its sizable Muslim minority
• Arrival in the Chinese border town Tashkurgan. Night stroll through the city and some well-deserved barbecue and cold beer, or if you’re daring then Chinese baijiu!
• Overnight in Tashkurgan

Saturday 21st September – Karakul Lake, Kashgar

• Short sightseeing around Tashkurgan
• Set off on the scenic drive towards Karakul Lake. As always we’ll stop for photos and rest breaks along the way!
• Stroll around the lake, relax, take in the incredible surroundings. The lake is famous for its colourful ranges from a dark green to azure and light blue.
• Then it’s time for the final stretch of our amazing Karakoram Highway Tour. We’re ending in Kashgar, modern China’s most western city. An ancient city which was a major hub along the Silk Road.
• Overnight in Kashgar

Sunday 22nd September – Kashgar

• We head out to the famous livestock moment where the local Uygurs are trading goats, camels, horses and anything else with four legs they can get their hands on!
• Head out of town to the beautiful tomb of Afaq Khoja: a 17th-century mausoleum of this important Uyghur figure.
• Check out Kashgar’s old town, or what’s left of it, to get a glimpse into what life in the area used to be like before heading out to the very lively night markets with a great array of street food.
• Walking tour through the windy lanes of the center and the Id Kah Mosque.
• Streetfood, including the option of Uyghur fried rice and mutton
• Overnight in Kashgar

Monday 23rd of September – Kashgar

• Stop by People’s Square and the largest statue of Chairman Mao in China!
• Browse the bustling Grand Bazaar, which depending on how you measure it, is the biggest in Asia.
• Lunch of Xinjiang noodles
• Free afternoon
• Overnight in Kashgar

Tuesday 24th September – Kashgar – Irkeshtam Pass – Sary-Tash

• Early rise to leave for the China / Kyrgyzstan border at Irkeshtam. Like any border in this part of the world, it’s always going to be memorable! Very few foreign tourists cross this border but your YPT guide is experienced in dealing with the border formalities!
• After the border, we meet our guide and driver for the Pamir Highway. Welcome to Kyrgyzstan! Since we never know how long border formalities take, we take it easy on the first day but we will be in stunning surroundings with great photo opportunities
• Drive to Sary-Tash
• If time permits, we’ll go for a walk around the town.
• Overnight in Sary-Tash

Wednesday 25th September – Sary-Tash – Karakul Lake – Murghab

• Rise and shine for the border crossing into Tajikistan. The true YPT mountain is, of course, Lenin Peak (7134m). If we’re lucky, we can see it along the way!
• See some Sovjet left-overs just outside Sary Tash.
• After the border formalities, we will pass by Karakul Lake through the most dramatic scenery of the trip.
• Pass by Ak-Baital Pass (4644m), the highest section of road in the former Soviet-Union.
• Arrival in Murghab
• Go for a walking tour of the town before taking a photo at the Lenin statue and checking out the local bazar
• Overnight in Murghab

Thursday 26th September – Murghab – Langar

• We’ll continue our drive along the Pamir Highway on a section of the road completed in 1931.
• Along the way to Langar, we’ll stop at Yashil Kul (green lake) and Bulung Kul
• Continue through the Khargush Pass (4344m)
• Enter the Wakhan area. To the left, you’ll see the Hindu Kush, to the right the Pamirs. The Wakhan area was created as a buffer between the Russian and British empire in the 19th Century. These days it’s still part of Afghanistan and one of the most isolated regions in the world.
• Overnight in a homestay in Langar.

Friday 27th September – Langar – Ishkashim

• Drive to Vrang and see caves dug by Buddhists who used to live here
• Continue our drive along to Yang through more stunning scenery
• Visit the quirky museum of Sufi Muborak-Kadam, a local Sufi teacher
• Check out Kakhala Kala Fortress and Abrashim Fortress before taking a bath at the Bibi Fatima Hot Springs
• Arrival in Ishkashim. This is the centre of the Wakhan Valley, where the 19th-century Great Game ended and a peace treaty was signed between the Russian and the British Empires.
• Small detour to the local village of Namadguti for the Khahkha Fortress.
• Overnight in Ishkashim

Saturday 28th September – Ishkashim – Khorog

• Another day of driving along the Wakhan Corridor.
• Arrival in Khorog. A city that used to be of very strategic importance to the USSR and today it’s one of the poorest areas of Tajikistan. The town is famous for the world’s second highest botanical gardens at 3900m.
• Overnight in Khorog

Sunday 29th September – Khorog – Kalaikhumb

• Drive to Kalaikhumb, a very conservative area where we’ll see traditional small villages.
• Watch local life in Afghanistan across the Pianj river, where we’ll see the stark contrast between life in the two countries
• Overnight in Kalaikhumb

Monday 30th September – Kalaikhumb – Dushanbe

• As we near the end of the Pamir Highway we pay a quick visit to the Hulbuk Fortress before we head down to Dushanbe
• Along the way we stop at the monument of the terrorist attack against cyclists in Tajikistan, in the summer of 2018.
• To celebrate our arrival we will have an end of tour dinner and celebratory drinks as we see what makes for a night out in Dushanbe
• Overnight in Dushanbe

Tuesday 1st October –  Dushanbe

• We head out after breakfast for a city tour of Dushanbe by bike!
• Taking in the Victory Tank Monument, the local life in the Botanical Gardens and Victory Park
• Head to Rudaki Street, Central Park and Somoni Monument before we go for tea in the world’s largest tea house!
• Free afternoon
• Overnight in Dushanbe.

Wednesday 2nd October 

• End of tour. YPT can help you arrange connections by flight or bus to your next destination!

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