Join Sheikh Abu Eesa on this unique exploration of Giglit-Baltistan, known as the Northern Areas of Pakistan, specifically the Skardu and Hunza Valleys, and surrounding areas. With the Pakistani authorities opening up their country to be more tourist-friendly, we will be joined by local guides who will use their expertise to show us the unique characteristics that Northern Pakistan has to offer.

It is important to note that this trip will suit all ages and all levels of fitness, as we will be using vehicles to get to all our locations. Although not an adventure holiday with mountaineering, climbing and hiking, there will still be chances to for some optional activities for budding thrill-seekers!

This is not the Sheikh’s usual heavy and intense Tarbiyyah program that is linked to sacred pilgrimage locations like Madinah, Makkah and Jerusalem. Rather, this is a different type of Tarbiyyah opportunity for you to benefit from, with significant travel and down-time in his presence allowing for you to benefit from reminders, Qur’an and Q&A sessions, and most usefully of all cover your personal matters and delve into issues that you need guidance and clarification on. This trip will look to combine an “Islamic holiday” and exploration of one of the world’s great cultures, with lots of fun and excitement! The timing of the trip allows for all people to stay on to visit the big cities and other popular areas of Pakistan, and we will be happy to advise on this when we get in touch.

(28/7/2025)
Day 1 – Islamabad – Skardu to Hunza Valley

Fly to Skardu from Islamabad Airport. Pick up from Skardu Airport and departure for the Hunza Valley. Short stops at Danyor Bazaar and a short stay at Rakaposhi Viewpoint.

Reach Hunza in the Evening (Tentative travel time 6 – 7 hours)

Night at Hunza

 

(29/7/2025)
Day 2 – Karimabad Exploration

Explore the majestic 800 years old Baltit Fort of Hunza, which offers a breath-taking view of Gilgit Baltistan’s Karakorum Highway and Hunza River. Then visit the Royal Garden in Altit.

Visit the Altit Fort. Visit Karimabad Bazaar.

End the day by witnessing a spectacular sunset over the Valley from Eagle’s Nest.

Visit the Hunza De Cafe – famous for walnut cake

Night at Hunza

 

 

(30/7/2025)
Day 3 – Departure for Pak-China Border (Khunjerab Pass)

Whole day excursion to the Khunjerab Pass.

Along the way, stop at Attabad Lake for activities. Boating and jet skiing (optional) are the most popular activities at Attabad Lake.

Visit the Hussaini Suspension Bridge. Ziplining is also available (optional) at the Hussaini bridge

Short stay at the magnificent Passu Cones. Short stop at the Batura Glacier Viewpoint.

Reach Pak-China border with its stunning natural environment.

Return back to Hunza

Night at Hunza

 

(31/7/2025)
Day 4 – Hunza to Skardu 

Early morning departure back to Skardu. On the way a short stop at Gilgit. Also a short stop at Astak Nala.

Night at Skardu

 

 

(1/8/2025)
Day 5 – Shangrila Lake Resort, Upper Kachura Lake and the SOQ Valley

Visit Shangrila Resort, a beautiful lakeside resort known for its serene ambiance.

Afterwards, head to Upper Kachura Lake, a stunning turquoise lake surrounded by snow-capped mountains. (Optional boating, speed boat and zipline activities are available here).

Travel to visit the SOQ Valley for lunch outdoors.

Return back to hotel

Night at Skardu

 

 

(2/8/2025)
Day 6 – Day visit to Deosai National Park

Whole day excursion to Deosai via 4×4 jeeps

Short stop at Sadpara Lake viewpoint. On the way short stops at Bara Paani and Kala Paani

Explore the breath-taking Deosai National Park.

Vsit the beautiful Sheosar Lake.

Night at Skardu

 

 

(3/8/2025)
Day 7 – Manthokha & the Shigar Valley

Departure for Manthoka Waterfall

Manthoka Waterfall is located in the district of Kharmnag, Gilgit Baltistan.

Leave for the Shigar Valley. A short stop at Shigar View Point. Visit Shigar Fort.

On your way back, make a stop at the Sarfaranga Cold Desert. Enjoy a spectacular sunset at Sarfaranga (optional activities available at Sarfaranga Cold desert are jeep safari, horse riding, and paragliding etc)

Night at Skardu

 

 

(4/8/2025)
Day 8 – Morning Session, then Fly Back to Islamabad

Drop off at Skardu airport, luggage services completed

 

Price Includes:

Islamabad to Skardu return air tickets
Skardu valley — Himalaya Hotel (4 Nights)
Hunza valley — Hunza Darbar Hotel (3 Nights)
Complimentary buffet breakfast at each place
4 Lunches & Dinners at Skardu valley
3 Lunches & Dinners at Hunza valley
Air conditioned Up Model Coasters
Pick and drop from airport
4×4 Prados for Deosai National Park

 

Price does NOT include:

International Airfare
Visa costs
Travel Insurance
Personal gear (clothing, warm layering, shoes, bags etc.)
Tips for guides, porters and staff
Miscellaneous (personal drinks and snacks, phone calls, laundry, minibar, souvenir, etc.)
Any contingencies or costs due to road blockade, medical emergencies, any natural or human disaster
Entry tickets for museums or any other recreational activity
Anything not specifically mentioned in ‘What Your Tour Price Includes’ section

As Pakistan starts to develop its tourism industry, there will be some unique aspects that will be needed to take into account especially considering the remote location of the Northern Areas and its susceptibility to inclement weather conditions and the consequences of that. Some of these will be explained to you in your email that you will receive post-registration, and then further elaborated upon before the final confirmation.

The trip has been planned to allow prospective families – especially those of Pakistani origin – and visitors to make their own arrangements and either visit the main cities of Pakistan or their extended families, both before or after the trip. However it is essential that everyone is present before 6am at the very latest on Monday 28th July in Islamabad International Airport, in time for the 9am domestic flight to Skardu. We are expecting many people to stay on in Pakistan and enjoy its hospitality and the busy metropolitan areas and what it offers from the culture, food and history. We can help with advice and contacts to give you a smooth stay either before or after our trip.

Stable tourism and flights to the Northern Areas can only be relied upon in the Spring and Summer, and even in these seasons flights can be cancelled with no notice. The chosen dates for this Summer trip are the peak tourist dates for this reason, but are the hottest it will get in the Gilgit-Baltistan region, however the heat is not like that of the main cities with pollution, and the nights are cool and enjoyable – we will be advising a mixture of clothing as appropriate. Sunscreen and such measures along with light clothing will be necessary for the day time. Mosquito repellents will be necessary, however Malaria is not currently a threat in the region. You can also expect occasional heavy rain showers as part of the Monsoon, which may lead to daily adjustments of our trip schedule. All contingencies have been planned for.

Please note that these dates were chosen by the Sheikh to coincide with the longest school holidays to allow for especially Pakistani families to extend their stay and connect with their culture and extended relatives. This was seen as a priority and will allow attendees to combine between the best of both worlds. We also encourage non-Pakistani attendees to explore the rest of Pakistan’s main cities which does not have the infrastructure to be visited properly or enjoyed as part of a large group like ours and you will benefit most by travelling “solo”.

We will also be helping those families who have brought a lot of suitcases with them, to store them with us as they enjoy their trip to Skardu/Hunza with only the minimum bags needed for their trip, and then have them collected when they return back to Islamabad Airport. This will help give a more efficient experience when travelling within the Northern Areas with less baggage etc.

The remote nature of Gilgit-Baltistan means that sometimes flights can be cancelled due to bad weather conditions, and it might be necessary to make a long road journey almost a day long, back to Islamabad. This means that if you wish to leave Pakistan immediately after the trip, you must book your international flight out of Islamabad after 2pm on August 5th. Normally, international flights will only be late night or early morning, so as long as you avoid the night of 4th August, you will be covered in case of emergency. Of course, we will offer all the support you need when you are booking your international flights, and we will also support you as you purchase your visa, providing the appropriate letters of invitations and other help that might be needed.

 

ROOMING:

The Pakistani hotel industry especially in the Northern Areas, has its own culture when it comes to rooming. Single beds in twin and triple rooms are rare. Hence there will be a multiple configuration approach where double beds and queen beds are used between different family structures when sharing. After registration, when we get in touch we will work with you to give you a custom configuration for your family or travelling party.

 

PRICING:

£1199 per person, in a twin sharing room (single beds or double bed)
£1129 per person, in a triple sharing room (single bed or on a king bed)

£799 per child 5-11 yrs old (sleep on a mattress on the floor)

£549 per child 2-5 yrs old (no bed or mattress, and will sit on a jump seat in the Coasters)

£49 per infant 1-23 months

Any child wanting their own bed pays the full appropriate adult price

 

FLIGHTS:

Starting from Islamabad, we will fly to Skardu International Airport, and then make the drive to Gilgit and then Hunza, where the next few days will be spent in activities and sightseeing. We will then return to Skardu for the remaining four days in order to maximise the efficiency of the trip, and to minimise getting trapped in the more remote areas of Hunza when it is time to return back to Islamabad. Your included flight is planned for 9am Monday 28th July 2025 from Islamabad to Skardu. You should therefore ensure you are present at Islamabad Airport no later than 6am on Monday 28th July.

There are many international flight options you can choose to arrive well in time. London Heathrow has a PIA/Turkish Airline code-share flight that will get you into Islamabad before 4am on Monday 28th July and thus is a recommended option for those travelling in directly for the trip. Turkish airlines and the Middle Eastern operators also offer multiple options for connections from the USA and Europe. For others arriving earlier and then staying in other cities or with family or Islamabad, please ensure you are in time. Once you register, if needed, we will support you in this booking process.

Your return flight is scheduled for 11am Monday 4th August 2025 from Skardu to Islamabad. However just in case the flight is cancelled due to bad weather, your contingency plan should be to ensure your international flight out of Islamabad (if relevant) is no earlier than 2pm on Tuesday 5th of August, which will give us enough time to get back to Islamabad by road.

You have a number of options open to you:

• filling in a form will allow us to contact YOU if you wish and answer any questions
• for quick small queries, our Facebook Messenger team can help, especially outside of office hours and in emergencies. This usually has the fastest response time but the most limited scope in terms of helping with actual applications. Message us at https://www.facebook.com/HajjwithAE/
• email us at info@hajjwithae.com

Please FILL IN THIS FORM and one of our team will contact you to confirm all the necessary details and requirements.

Please expect “triple” rooms to feel a bit less spacious than international standards. If you want to avoid any issues like this, we advise you to book a double room.