Khush Aamadid! Welcome to Islamabad. When you arrive at the Islamabad International Airport, you’ll be met by a local representative and taken to your hotel. If you arrive early, you can join your leader and group for lunch and a city tour visiting Lok Virsa Museum and Shah Faisal Mosque this afternoon. Back at the hotel, you’ll meet up with everyone again for a welcome meeting at 3pm to get all the details on your upcoming trek. After, relax, explore or find a good spot for dinner. It’s very important that you attend the welcome meeting as we will be collecting insurance and emergency contact details at this time. If you are going to be late, please let your travel agent or hotel reception know. Ask reception or look for a note in the lobby for more information on where the meeting will take place.

First things first, you’ll check the weather – if it’s good, you’ll fly from Islamabad to Skardu (a short, scenic flight). If the weather isn’t cooperating, you’ll instead make the trip via the Karakoram Highway, making stops along the way among mountain peaks that humans have yet to step foot on. In Skardu – the gateway to the Karakoram Mountain Range – you’ll have some free time to explore and pick up any snacks or souvenirs that might be calling your name from the Skardu Bazaar. You'll also have the chance to rent any hiking gear here that you may have forgotten to pack. If time permits while in Skardu, check out the Manthal Rock Buddha, Kharpocho Fort and Nansoq Organic Village. Your travel time today will be approximately 2 hours. Weather conditions in Karakoram can change rapidly, which can result in the need for changes to be made to intended itineraries. Flights from Islamabad to Skardu can be delayed or cancelled due to poor weather conditions. Our contingency plan in case of bad weather preventing the fixed wing aircraft flight is as follows: On Day 2, drive from Islamabad to Naran, which takes approximately 6 hours. There will be various short stops along the way including Mansehra Viewpoint, Balakot Riverside hotel and River Kunhar Viewpoint. On Day 3, drive from Naran to Khaplu, which takes approximately 13 hours, including a stop in Skardu for the purchase/rent of necessary accessories or equipment. Along the way, you’ll also stop at Lulusar Lake, Babusar Pass, Nanga Parbat Viewpoint, where the three highest mountain ranges meet – Karakoram, Hindukush and Himalayas.

Carry on into the mountains as you drive to Khaplu, passing through the small villages of the Ghanche district. Along the way, stop where the Shayok and Indus Rivers meet. Visit the small village of Yugo and enjoy lunch and a cultural village walk where you’ll get a feel for village life and meet some locals. This afternoon, travel on to Khaplu – the Ghanche district’s capital city. After checking into your hotel, enjoy some free time to explore. Maybe see the Khaplu Fort Museum and the organic garden. Your travel time today will be approximately 3 hours.

After breakfast, drive from Khaplu to Kanday Village (2680 m/8793 ft) – the trailhead for your trek into Nangma Valley – and meet your local support crew of guides, porters and camp cooks. The first leg is short but with a few steep parts. From Kanday, descend to cross a wooden bridge over the Hushe River, then ascend through the narrow valley across two suspension bridges to the Mingulo Broq campsite. This lush site near the water is surrounded by willow trees and is also a local pasture, so you’ll likely get the chance to meet a few local shepherds. After lunch at the campsite, you’ll have time to explore nature or relax at camp. For dinner, your kitchen team will prepare local Balti cuisine, like balay (soup), chapshoro (cooked minced meat stuffed and sealed between two whole wheat flatbreads, cooked over a skillet) and other Pakistani dishes. This evening, enjoy a live music and dance show by local Balti performers. Feel free to join in! Before sliding into your sleeping bag, be sure to turn your gaze upwards and take in the star-filled night sky. Your travel time today will be approximately 2 hours. Your trekking time will be approximately 4 hours or 6 km (4 mi) with about 600 m (1968 ft) of elevation gain.

Fuel up on a hot breakfast, then carry on from Mingulo Broq to Nangma Valley, passing through lush green fields alongside a glacial stream. Today’s trek is relatively flat, crossing over one stream and through another. You’ll arrive at the Nangma Valley campsite by lunch, where you can tuck into a fresh, hot meal. Enjoy some free time to take in the incredible views – looking out over the valley, you’ll see the North Ridge of Shingu Charpa. For dinner, tuck into another hot meal of local soup and a mix of regional and continental Chinese and Pakistani dishes. Your trekking time today will be approximately 3 hours or 4 km (2.5 mi) with about 450 m (1475 ft) of elevation gain.

Check in with your feet this morning and decide how you’d like to spend the day. Opt to take a day hike to Amin Brakk base camp (4590 m/15058 ft), at the base of the towering rock face that’s known as one of the most spectacular climbs in the world. Start with a steep climb and continue on a relatively flat plateau, before the final, steep push through a rocky trail. You will either cross a water stream or take an alternate path that involves climbing over stones and boulders. While at the base camp, enjoy some free time for your own exploration before tucking in to refreshments and retracing your steps back to Nangma campsite. Or if you’d rather lay low, choose to kick back and relax at camp. Either way, you won’t want to miss the sunrise from up here. If you choose to stick close to camp for the day, test your scrambling skills on nearby rocks or go on a scavenger hunt for local Karakoram bird and flower species.  Your trekking time will be approximately 6 to 7 hours (depending on how you choose to spend your free time) with about 640 m (2100 ft) of elevation gain.

Make the trek back down to Kanday this morning and enjoy a traditional lunch with a local family in the village. You and your group will travel by road back to Skardu this afternoon, following the southern bank of the mighty Indus River. The views are stunning as you travel down a valley surrounded by towering peaks before arriving at the surreal landscape of the Safranga 'Cold Desert'. At 2300 m above sea level, it's one of the highest deserts in the world. After the obligatory photo stop (or two) continue onto Skardu. Your travel time today will be approximately 5 hours. Your trekking time will be approximately 5 hours or 10 km (6 mi) with about 1050 m (3444 ft) of elevation loss.

Once again, the weather may play a role in today’s plans. If the weather is nice, you’ll drive to Skardu Airport, where you’ll fly back to Islamabad. In this case, you’ll check into your Islamabad hotel, enjoy lunch and have some free time for sightseeing. Be sure to ask your leader for recommendations. If the weather isn’t agreeable, you’ll travel by road to Naran.  If the weather is not agreeable and the flight is cancelled, the journey will continue by road from Skardu to Naran (approximately 10–11 hours).

If you didn’t fly yesterday, today you’ll make the journey by road to Islamabad. You'll stop at a truck art workshop. Emerging as a local art form in the 1930s, truck art gradually spread all over Pakistan and each region has unique themes and cultural influences. Watch some of the local artists paint and learn about their craft before making your way to the Taxila Museum. The museum sits in the middle of several important archaeological sites, hosting a rich collection of Gandharan art dating back to the 1st century. Have a look around, learn about the history with your local leader, then soak up a free afternoon.

With no further activities or hikes planned, your amazing journey comes to an end today after breakfast. If you are leaving today, you’ll have an included transfer to the airport. If you’d like to extend your stay, just speak to your booking agent ahead of time.