9 days
Easy
Hunza Valley and the Khunjerab Pass
Nine days from Islamabad: fly to Gilgit, stay in Karimabad and Passu, and drive the Karakoram Highway to the China border.
Quoted in USD on request
View itineraryTour for international travellers
Autumn Colours in Hunza and Nagar
In the second half of October the poplars and the apricot and other fruit trees of Hunza and Nagar usually change colour. This shorter tour flies from Islamabad to Gilgit and spends three nights in Karimabad and one in Gilgit, after the summer crowds have gone.
- Duration
- 7 days
- Starts and ends
- Islamabad
- Best months
- Mid October to early November
- Effort
- Easy: road travel and short walks through villages and orchards
- Highest point
- Below 3,000 m throughout; Karimabad is at about 2,500 m
- Price
- Quoted in USD
The route
Day by day
- Orchards and poplar avenues in autumn colour around Karimabad and Altit
- Baltit Fort and Altit Fort
- Hopar Valley and its glacier in Nagar
- Attabad Lake, Gulmit and the Passu Cones in upper Hunza
- Rakaposhi (7,788 m) from the roadside in Nagar and from Duikar
This is a private tour. Dates, pace and hotels are set for your group and confirmed in writing with your quote.
Travel advice, October 2026: As of October 2026 the UK Foreign Office (advice updated 22 September 2026) does not advise against travel to Hunza, Nagar or Gilgit, and this tour flies both ways so that it avoids the Karakoram Highway between Mansehra and Chilas, which the UK and Canada advise against. In late October the Babusar Pass is usually closed or about to close, so there is no advised road route out if flights stop for several days; the spare day and the Skardu alternative are our answer to that. Every traveller should read their own government's advice for Pakistan before booking, because it decides what their insurance covers. Check your own government's current advice before you book.
-
Day 1
Arrive in Islamabad
Airport pickup and a drive of about 35 km to your hotel. The day is free. Your guide meets you in the evening to go through the plan and the latest weather for the flight north.
Overnight: Islamabad
-
Day 2
Fly to Gilgit and drive to Karimabad
After the one-hour morning flight to Gilgit we drive about 100 km up the Karakoram Highway, 2 to 2.5 hours, through the villages of Nagar and lower Hunza. We stop at the roadside viewpoint for Rakaposhi before climbing to Karimabad at roughly 2,500 m.
Overnight: Karimabad
-
Day 3
Karimabad, the forts and Duikar
We visit Baltit Fort above the bazaar in the morning and walk through the orchards and the old village of Altit to Altit Fort in the afternoon. The paths between the two run through the orchards. At the end of the day we drive 15 to 20 minutes up to Duikar to watch the light go from Rakaposhi and Diran.
Overnight: Karimabad
-
Day 4
Upper Hunza: Attabad Lake, Gulmit and Passu
A day trip up the highway, about 52 km each way. We stop at Attabad Lake, walk through Gulmit, cross part of the Hussaini suspension bridge if you wish, and continue to Passu for the view of the Passu Cones (Tupopdan, 6,106 m).
Overnight: Karimabad
-
Day 5
Hopar Valley and the drive to Gilgit
We cross the river into Nagar and drive about 25 km, roughly an hour, to Hopar, where the village terraces run to the edge of the Hopar Glacier. After a walk there we drive down the valley to Gilgit, about 120 km and three hours, stopping at Ganish on the way.
Overnight: Gilgit
-
Day 6
Fly to Islamabad
The morning flight takes you back to Islamabad, with the afternoon for the Faisal Mosque and the Pakistan Monument. If the flight is delayed, we use the time for the Kargah Buddha, 10 km from Gilgit, and fly the next morning.
Overnight: Islamabad
-
Day 7
Spare day and departure
The final day is the buffer for a late flight from Gilgit. If you are already in Islamabad the morning is free before your transfer to the airport.
The detail
What your quote covers
What is included
- Airport pickup and drop-off in Pakistan
- Private vehicle with an experienced driver for the whole route
- English-speaking guide throughout
- Accommodation on a twin-share basis with breakfast
- Entry tickets, park fees and permits named in the itinerary
- Visa support letter for your Pakistan e-visa
- Registration of foreign nationals with the authorities in Gilgit-Baltistan
- Booking of the domestic flights, and rebooking if weather cancels them
What is not
- International flights
- Pakistan visa fee
- Travel insurance, which every traveller must carry
- Lunches and dinners unless stated
- Domestic flights, quoted separately with your itinerary
- Tips and personal expenses
- Boat rides on Attabad Lake, paid locally if you want one
- Extra nights or transport caused by flight cancellations or road closures beyond the spare day in the plan
Good to know before you book
How do I get to Hunza and back in autumn?
By the flight between Islamabad and Gilgit in both directions, about an hour each way, followed by a 100 km drive. The summer road over the Babusar Pass normally closes with the first heavy snow, which can come in October, so we do not plan on it for this tour.
What happens if the flight is cancelled?
October is a dry month in Gilgit, but flights are still cancelled when cloud sits in the valleys. We then take the next day's flight, using the spare day, or route you through Skardu, which has more flights and is about 210 km from Gilgit by road. If Babusar is closed, the only other road is the Karakoram Highway through Dasu and Besham, which the UK government advises against; we do not plan to use it, and if you chose to leave that way your insurance might not cover you.
Can you guarantee the autumn colours?
No. The timing shifts from year to year with the weather and differs from village to village. We plan departures for the second half of October and include both upper and central Hunza and Nagar to give you the best chance. Ask us about conditions before you fix your international flights.
How cold is it, and is the trip demanding?
It is an easy trip physically, with walks of an hour or two on village paths and no night above about 2,500 m. Days in late October are cool and sunny, and nights in Karimabad are around freezing. Bring a warm jacket, hat and gloves for mornings and evenings.
What are the hotels and food like at this time of year?
We use comfortable hotels and guesthouses, the best available in Karimabad and Gilgit. Nights are cold at this time of year, so ask us about heating when we confirm your rooms. Meals are Pakistani dishes with local additions such as dried apricot soup and cheese-filled bread.
Do I need permits, and what about the visa?
No permit is needed beyond your Pakistan visa, which you apply for online at visa.nadra.gov.pk before travelling; we provide the support letter. Foreign nationals are registered when they arrive in Gilgit-Baltistan, which your guide handles. Carry your passport with you each day.
More like this
Other tours you could combine
8 days
Easy
Skardu, Shigar, Khaplu and the Deosai Plains
Eight days in Baltistan: fly to Skardu, visit the forts of Shigar and Khaplu, and cross the Deosai plateau by 4x4 to Sheosar Lake.
Quoted in USD on request
View itinerary7 days
Moderate
Fairy Meadows and the Nanga Parbat Viewpoint
Seven days to the meadow below the north face of Nanga Parbat (8,126 m), reached by local jeep and a forest walk from the Indus.
Quoted in USD on request
View itinerary