West China and Pakistan Adventure: Xinjiang to Islamabad

Meet our nice guide in the airport and be transfer to the hotel for checking in.

After breakfast visit the Xinjiang Museum and then head to Heavenly lake to experience the nomadic life of the local Kazakhs Xinjiang Museum,the museum is the main institution to collect and investigate the unearthed cultural relics and specimens in Xinjiang. There are more than 50 thousand pieces of various kinds of cultural relics stored in the museum, among them, the ancient mummies represented by ‘the Loulan Beauty', manuscripts in Chinese, Uigurian and other characters prevailed in ancient Western Regions, the silk ,wool, cotton and hemp fabrics and folk rainment, etc., are unusual tidbits in the world.

After breakfast head to Turpan Visit the Karez Irrigation system and enjoy the sunset in Jiaohe Ruins.

Karez Irrigation System,The Karez System is a unique irrigation system in Turpan, which, taking advantage of the slopes, draws the underground water to flow by itself to irrigate farmland. It consists of four parts: vertical wells, underground channels, ground canals and small reservoirs

Jiaohe Ruins is located on a mesa in willow leaf shape between the Yarnaz River valleys 10 kilometers to the west of Turpan City. running from northwest to southeast, 1760 meters long and 300 meters across at the widest part. 

Today you will take the Turpan tour to Tuyoq village, Bezklik Thousand Buddha caves and Sugong Minaret and the local market.and after lunch back to Urumqi, then visit the Grand Bazaar.

Tuyoq Valley,constructed in eastern and western cliffs in Tuyoq valley . more than 40 caves, there are 10 preserving murals. They are considered to be the earliest caves in Turpan, Murals are mostly damaged, but unique in style.

Sugong Minaret was built in the 41st year of the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty,It is an embodiment of the ancient architectural arts of the Uygur nationality. The tower is 37 meters high and 10 meters in diameter at the base. The body of the tower is cylindroid in shape, built with bricks arranged in various symmetrical patterns.

After breakfast visit the Xinjiang Museum and then head to Heavenly lake to experience the nomadic life of the local Kazakhs and in the afternoon take the flight to Kashgar.

Xinjiang Museum,the museum is the main institution to collect and investigate the unearthed cultural relics and specimens in Xinjiang. There are more than 50 thousand pieces of various kinds of cultural relics stored in the museum, among them, the ancient mummies represented by ‘the Loulan Beauty', manuscripts in Chinese, Uigurian and other characters prevailed in ancient Western Regions, the silk ,wool, cotton and hemp fabrics and folk rainment, etc., are unusual tidbits in the world.

Today you will take the Kashgar city tour to the Idigar Mosque,Apak Hoja Tomb ,Old Town and Handicraft street. 

Id Kah Mosque is the large Mosque in China and most famous one in Xinjiang. The Mosque started to build in the mid of fifteenth century, and has gradually developed to the present size. Id K ah Mosque, with about 16800 square meters in area, consisting of Pray Hall, the Koran teaching Hall, The Corridor, the Arches and other buildings attaching to it. 

Apak Hoja Tomb This Mazar is the holiest place in Xinjiang and an architectural treasure Built in 1640, it is reminiscent of the Central Asian artistic style of Samarkand or Isfahan. A handsome blue-and-white tiled gate leads into the compound, which includes a small religious school and the Abakh Khoja family tomb. The latter is domed and faced with multi - colored tiles.

Old town will provide a sense of what this legendary Central Asian hub was like in the days when the Silk Road was at its zenith. 500-year old remnants of the city wall, narrow lanes and colorful multi-ethnic crowds combine to make Kashgar's historic district a highlight of any visit to the city.

Today is Sunday, you will experience the Sunday Livestock Market in the morning and then head to Tashkorgan county along the Karakom highway. Enjoy the amazing landscape of Pamir Plateau, visit the Karakul Lake en route, arrive in Tashkorgan in the late afternoon.

Karakul Lake,At an altitude of 3,600 m. it is the highest lake of the Pamir plateau, near the junction of the Pamir, Tianshan and Kunlun Mountain ranges. Surrounded by mountains which remain snow-covered throughout the year, the three highest peaks visible from the lake are the Muztag Ata (7546m), Kongur Tagh (7,649m) and Kongur Tiube (7,530 m). The lake is popular among travelers for its beautiful scenery and the clarity of its reflection in the water, whose color ranges from a dark green to azure and light blue.

After breakfast, head to Immigration office of custom and meet your guide from Pakistan. And drive to Sost, the former site of the Pakistan border check post. The check post is now located a few km north of Sust and has the name Afiyatabad. Sust is the jumping off point for people going to Kashgar and we will visit the bazaars of this border town. on arrival at Sost meet our Pakistani guide later will drive to Gulmit .

Morning hike to Ghulkin village on the way stop at one of our local family house for lunch this is where most of team came from, optional hike crossing Ghulkin glacier to Borith Lake , or drive there.drive back to Gulmit.

Drive to Karimabad the capital of Hunza afternoon we will be visiting Baltit fort and walk around the village. Overnight in hotel.

Early morning tour to Duiker village for sunrise depends on the weather 

Duiker Viewpoint - an early morning jeep excursion can be taken to Duiker Viewpoint from where you will see sunrise overlooking magnificent snow-covered peaks including Ultar (7388m), Rakaposhi (7788m) and Diran (7266m). Following breakfast at Duiker, return down to the villages to visit Altit. 

And proceed to Hoper valley NAGAR VALLEY - which can be seen from Duiker is on the opposite, eastern side of the Hunza River . This is another fertile valley and is predominantly Shia Muslim. A half day excursion to probably one of the world's fastest moving glaciers at Hoper. This glacier leads down from Karakoram Mountain range. 

This morning we will continue on the Karakorum Highway from Karimabad to Raikot Bridge on the east bank of Indus and cross the river at Raikot. Our first stop will be at the junction of Indus and Gilgit River , which is a unique place in the world where three mountain ranges meet i.e. Karakorum , Himalayas and Hindukush. 

Before Raikot we will stop at a view point near Talich to have a view of Nanga Parbat . It was climbed on 3 rd July 1953 by Austrian climber Hermann Buhl for the first time. It is a nice view point to take pictures with Indus and Nanga Parbat beyond in the background. 

From Raikot we will change into jeeps for a half an hour drive to Tato. From there we will start short a two hours trek to the lush green area of Fairy Meadows. Overnight in Huts at Fairy Meadow.

Bayal Camp Excursion (3450m) 

This day we will take you further toward the base Camp of Nanga Parbat up to Bayal, the trek will take about one hour. You will be having free time to walk around and explore the area by yourself. 

Overnight in Huts. 

Today we will trek back to Tato and take jeeps to Raikot bridge where coach will waiting to take us to Besham on the Karakorum Highway along the Indus, which divides the Karakorum and Himalayas as it enters Pakistan below Ladakh. During the journey the landscape changes almost after every 2 nd mile. KKH passes through Shatial, Komila and Dassu. There are many ancient rock inscriptions along the way left by Chinese pilgrims and ancient travelers. Out of these sites Chilas and Shatial is reachable easily and most of them are from 5 th century A.D. 

We will follow the West bank of Indus to Besham (altitude 850 m) a small transit village fast becoming a town. It is at the junction of Swat valley. A road goes West via scenic Shangla Pass into the Swat valley. Overnight at hotel. 

Morning drive on KKH to Islamabad . En-route visit Taxila, 4 0 km north of Islamabad . Taxila ranks among the great archaeological site of the world. Conquered by Alexander the Great in 327 BC, it progressed under the Mauryans and the Great Kushans and became a learning centre. Destroyed by the White Huns it finally fell to the first great Muslim conqueror, Mahmud of Ghazni in 1000 AD. We will leave the Indus River at Thakot by crossing a bridge and continue through Chatar plains, Mansehra and Abbotabad to The Capital Islamabad Overnight at hotel.

Half day tour of the capital city of Islamabad visit of Faisal Mosque, Shakra Parian view point and Rawalpindi Raja Bazar. 

Later transfer to the airport for onward flight. (BL)