Hunza Valley Yoga and Hiking

After our group has assembled on the morning of day 1, we will have our first team meeting and introductions.

The afternoon is spent sightseeing in Islamabad checking out markets, and mosques, and capped off with our first group dinner.

This morning we will head back to Islamabad International airport. The goal is to catch a flight from Islamabad to the mountain city of Skardu. 

We then have a 5-7 hour drive to our special accommodation in Aliabad where we will base for the next few days.

This area is known as lower Hunza and is the gateway to the mountains. Today there is a mix of free time and planned yoga activities in the evening.

We start the day with a slow morning yoga session followed by a team breakfast.

In the afternoon, we plan to visit one of the oldest settlements in Northern Pakistan and the first village settlement formed along the ancient Silk Road. There will be an optional hike and photography session along the Hunza River.

Very early morning start today (in the dark) and short drive to catch the sunrise and do light yoga at a stunning viewpoint. The team will then return to Mountain Story for breakfast before exploring the nearby village of Karimabad.

We will explore the village, and see one of the coolest old forts in Pakistan perched way up on a mountain top, before returning to the hotel for an afternoon yoga session and rest.

We start the day off with an optional morning yoga session.

After breakfast, we will shift our base to the upper Hunza Valley, checking in to yet another special hotel.

After lunch, we go for a moderate hike (3h) to visit the epic Passu Suspension bridge. The bridge itself is far less visited than the more famous Hussaini bridge found directly off of the Karakoram Highway.

We return to Gulmit for a chill time in the late afternoon and have dinner as a team.

Leaving Gulmit early (5 am start), we will travel to Raikot Bridge where we will transfer into 4×4 jeeps and traverse the legendary Fairy Meadows jeep track – think sheer drops and impossible hair-pin bends…

In the distance, if the weather is clear, you will catch your first glimpse of Nanga Parbat; the most beautiful mountain in Pakistan, and the ninth-highest mountain in the world. This is the stuff adventure dreams are made of.

Arriving at the end of the jeep track we will then hike for two to three hours (porters available for an additional fee). Arriving at Fairy Meadows, we will spend the next couple of nights in a comfortable mountain lodge.

Fairy Meadows is the perfect place to chill out and unwind; watch the clouds dance past Nanga Parbat, the glacier snaking through the valley below, and explore the forest surrounding our log cabins.

There are several optional treks available here but the real highlight is the hike to Nanga Parbat Basecamp at (6-8 hours return) at 13,000 feet.

Once we return from base camp, we will have an epic bonfire beneath the stars!

Note: the optional hike to Nanga Parbat basecamp requires a moderate level of fitness and takes around 6 – 8 hours round trip (with time to chill out at base camp, eat lunch, etc).

Today is a day to reflect, ground yourself, and nourish your body after many days of travel and activity.

Peter will lead a morning yoga session and the afternoon is intentional group free time to wander, rest, or just drink tea with a good book in hand.

This is our last day beneath the big mountains so the goal is to soak the vibe in as we recharge the mind.

Leaving The Fairy Meadows behind, we will travel back to Raikot Bridge where we will join our minibus to start the journey back to Skardu via the Karakoram Highway and then onto the KKH – Skardu Road.

Note: 3 / 4 hours to reach Raikot Bridge (combination of hiking and the jeep ride down), 5 hours to reach Skardu with meal/bathroom stops on the way.

The team will check into our hotel in Skardu and then chill out in the afternoon.

The goal today is to catch a morning flight back to Islamabad, weather pending.

The afternoon will be spent settling in and having free time at the hotel. 

We will then spend our final evening taking in the vibe of the city before our final team dinner. 

After dinner we say our goodbyes to the team members departing tomorrow. 

Transfers to Islamabad International Airport for those who are flying out this morning. Check out of the hotel is around 11 am today.

You can choose to stay on at the same hotel if you are not flying home right away, though Epic does not cover any additional nights at the hotel.