Your North Nomads representative meets you at arrivals with a welcome sign. Transfer by private vehicle to your hotel in central Islamabad. Check in and rest after your journey before the evening programme begins.

Faisal Mosque

Visit one of the largest mosques in the world, a striking example of modern Islamic architecture set against the Margalla Hills. Explore the main prayer hall and expansive marble courtyard. Best visited in the golden hour before sunset for photography. Modest dress is required (coverings provided if needed).

Islamabad

Join the North Nomads team and fellow trekkers for a traditional Pakistani welcome dinner. This is your pre-trek briefing: meet your guide and support crew, review the day-by-day itinerary, go over safety procedures and altitude precautions, and ask any questions before the journey begins.

Karakoram Highway

Depart Islamabad at approximately 5:00 AM and travel north along one of the highest paved international roads in the world. The route follows the Indus River through dramatic gorges, passing Abbottabad, Besham, and the confluence point where three mighty mountain ranges meet: the Himalayas, Karakoram, and Hindu Kush. Stops for lunch and photography along the way. Arrive in Chilas by evening. No activities scheduled after arrival to allow rest.

Rakaposhi View Point

Stop at the famous Rakaposhi Viewpoint on the Karakoram Highway between Gilgit and Karimabad. This is your first close-up view of Rakaposhi (7,788m), the mountain you will soon trek beneath. The peak towers directly above the highway and the viewpoint offers one of the most accessible views of a 7,000m+ mountain anywhere in the world. Tea and snacks available at the viewpoint.

Drive 20 minutes up winding roads from Karimabad to Eagle’s Nest viewpoint at 2,935m for a spectacular sunset. The viewpoint offers a 360-degree panorama of over 11 snow-capped peaks including Rakaposhi, Lady Finger Peak, Ultar Sar (7,388m), Golden Peak, and Diran (7,266m), with the entire Hunza Valley spread below. One of the most photographed viewpoints in all of Pakistan.

Baltit Fort

Explore the 700-year-old Baltit Fort, the former royal residence of the Mirs of Hunza. The fort features Tibetan-influenced architecture resembling Lhasa’s Potala Palace and sits on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List. Guided tour of the interior chambers, rooftop terrace with panoramic views, and the old town streets below.

Altit Fort

Visit the oldest monument in Gilgit-Baltistan, dating back approximately 1,100 years. Altit Fort is perched on dramatic cliffs above the Hunza River and won the UNESCO Asia Pacific Heritage Award. Walk through the adjacent Kha Basi Royal Gardens with their ancient apricot orchards and valley views.

Attabad lake

Visit the stunning turquoise Attabad Lake, formed by a massive landslide in 2010. The lake stretches through deep mountain gorges and is accessed through tunnels blasted into the mountainside. Optional boat ride across the lake (available at additional cost). The dramatic first glimpse of the turquoise water through the KKH tunnels is unforgettable.

Minapin

Transfer to Minapin Village in the Nagar Valley, the starting point for the Rakaposhi Base Camp trek. Check in to your guesthouse, meet the trekking porters and support team, and receive a full trekking briefing. Evening at leisure to prepare gear. The village sits at 2,012m with views of Rakaposhi and Diran Peak directly above.

Minapin

The trek begins from the village, following an irrigation channel beneath ancient walnut trees. Cross the footbridge over the Minapin River and begin ascending through switchbacks. The trail climbs steadily through open juniper forest with views opening up of the Minapin Glacier and the Rakaposhi-Diran ridge line above.

Arrive at Hapakun meadow, a beautiful tiered campsite beneath mature fir trees with your first dramatic close-up views of the Rakaposhi-Diran massif. Camp is set up by the support crew with tents, a mess area, and hot tea on arrival. The meadow is used by local shepherds in summer and offers a peaceful alpine setting. Evening campfire and dinner with mountain views.

The trail from Hapakun ascends steeply through alpine forest with excellent views of Diran Peak (7,266m) as you rise above the Minapin Glacier. Emerge from the treeline onto the open Tagaphari meadow, a lush green pasture used by shepherds in summer, with sweeping views of the glacier and surrounding peaks.

Arrive at Rakaposhi Base Camp, a narrow green field between the lateral moraine and the mountain at 3,500m. The Minapin Glacier stretches out below in a striking psychedelic pattern of ice and rock, with the full Rakaposhi-Diran ridge towering above. Climb the nearby viewpoint ridge for panoramic views of Rakaposhi (7,788m), Diran (7,266m), the glacier, and the Hunza Valley far below. Packed lunch at camp. Afternoon free for exploration and photography. Overnight camping with world-class stargazing.

Wake early for sunrise over the Minapin Glacier and Rakaposhi. After breakfast, begin the descent back to Minapin Village (3 to 4 hours). The downhill trail offers different perspectives of the glacier and valley. From Minapin, drive south via Gilgit and the Karakoram Highway to Chilas for the overnight stop.

Karakoram Highway

After breakfast, begin the return journey south along the Karakoram Highway to Islamabad. The return drive follows the Indus River gorges in reverse, with different lighting and perspectives compared to Day 2. Stop for lunch en route. Arrive in Islamabad by evening. Tour concludes at your hotel or Islamabad International Airport. Optional: extend your stay with a complimentary half-day city tour the following morning (Daman-e-Koh viewpoint, Pakistan Monument). Please mention at time of booking.