23 Days Uzbekistan to Pakistan via Karakoram Highway

Tour Overview

The ultimate Silk Road overland adventure. From the turquoise domes of Samarkand to the 7,000m peaks of the Karakoram, this 23-day journey traces the footsteps of Marco Polo, Alexander the Great, and generations of Silk Road traders. Cross three countries — Uzbekistan, China, and Pakistan — on the world's highest paved international road. This is not just a tour; it's an expedition.

Day-by-Day Itinerary

• 1Day

  Arrive in Tashkent, Uzbekistan

  Welcome to Uzbekistan. Airport transfer, hotel check-in. Evening walk through Amir Timur Square and Independence Square. Welcome dinner with plov (Uzbekistan's national dish).

  🏨 Tashkent 4★🍴 D
• 2Day

  Tashkent — Modern Capital, Ancient Roots

  Visit Khast Imam Complex housing the world's oldest Quran. Explore Chorsu Bazaar — a sensory overload of spices, breads, and silk. Afternoon at the Museum of Applied Arts.

  🏨 Tashkent 4★🍴 B/L
• 3Day

  Tashkent 🚆 Samarkand (High-speed train)

  Morning Afrosiyob train to Samarkand (2 hrs). Afternoon: first view of Registan Square — three madrasahs with turquoise domes that have inspired travelers for 600 years.

  🏨 Samarkand 4★🍴 B/L
• 4Day

  Samarkand — The Heart of the Silk Road

  Full day in Timur's capital. Visit Gur-e-Amir Mausoleum, Bibi-Khanym Mosque, and Shah-i-Zinda necropolis — the "Street of Tombs." Examine silk paper-making at Konigil village.

  🏨 Samarkand 4★🍴 B/L
• 5Day

  Samarkand → Bukhara

  Drive through the Kyzylkum Desert to Bukhara (4 hrs). Afternoon stroll through Lyabi-Hauz — a 400-year-old plaza centered on a reflecting pool, surrounded by madrasahs and茶馆s.

  🏨 Bukhara 4★🍴 B/L
• 6Day

  Bukhara — 1,000 Years of Trade

  Visit the Ark Fortress, Kalon Minaret (Genghis Khan spared it), and the three remaining trading domes. Afternoon at Chor Minor and a carpet-weaving workshop.

  🏨 Bukhara 4★🍴 B/L
• 7Day

  Bukhara → Khiva (Across the Kyzylkum)

  Long but spectacular drive across the Kyzylkum Desert (7 hrs) to Khiva. Arrive at sunset when the mud-brick walls glow golden. Dinner on a rooftop overlooking the minarets.

  🏨 Khiva 3★🍴 B/L/D
• 8Day

  Khiva — Living Museum

  Full day inside Itchan Kala — the inner walled city. Climb the Islam Khoja Minaret for panoramic views. Visit the unfinished Kalta Minor Minaret with its stunning turquoise tiles.

  🏨 Khiva 3★🍴 B/L
• 9Day

  Khiva → Urgench ✈ Tashkent ✈ Kashgar

  Morning transfer to Urgench Airport. Flights via Tashkent to Kashgar, China. Border formalities at Kashgar Airport. Rest after the journey.

  🏨 Kashgar 4★🍴 B
• 10Day

  Kashgar — Sunday Bazaar & Old City

  If it's Sunday: the legendary bazaar. If not: explore Kashgar Old City — mud-brick houses, craft workshops, and 100-year-old teahouses. Evening Uyghur music performance.

  🏨 Kashgar 4★🍴 B/L
• 11Day

  Kashgar — Karakoram Highway Begins!

  Visit Id Kah Mosque and Abakh Khoja Tomb in the morning. Afternoon drive to Karakul Lake (3,600m) on the legendary Karakoram Highway. Camp or lodge at the lake with views of Muztagh Ata (7,546m).

  🏨 Karakul Lodge🍴 B/L/D
• 12Day

  Karakul Lake → Tashkurgan

  Dawn photography at the lake, then continue south. Visit the Tajik-style Stone Fort in Tashkurgan (3,100m). Explore grasslands where Marco Polo's sheep still graze.

  🏨 Tashkurgan 3★🍴 B/L/D
• 13Day

  Cross the Khunjerab Pass! China → Pakistan

  The big day. Drive to Khunjerab Pass (4,693m) — the highest paved border crossing in the world. Clear Chinese exit and Pakistani entry formalities. Descend into Pakistan's Hunza Valley — the fabled Shangri-La.

  🏨 Karimabad 3★🍴 B/L/D
• 14Day

  Hunza Valley — Baltit & Altit Forts

  Explore the 700-year-old Baltit Fort with panoramic views of the Hunza Valley. Visit Altit Fort, even older. Afternoon: apricot orchard walk and local Hunza cuisine.

  🏨 Karimabad 3★🍴 B/L
• 15Day

  Hunza — Rakaposhi Base Camp Trek

  Day trek to Rakaposhi Base Camp (moderate, 4-5 hrs). Stand in awe before Rakaposhi's 7,788m north face — one of the most dramatic mountain walls on Earth. Return to Karimabad.

  🏨 Karimabad 3★🍴 B/L/D
• 16Day

  Karimabad → Passu Cones → Gulmit

  Drive to the iconic Passu Cones — jagged cathedral-like peaks that define the Karakoram skyline. Visit Borith Lake and the Hussaini suspension bridge (one of the world's most dangerous!).

  🏨 Gulmit Lodge🍴 B/L/D
• 17Day

  Gulmit → Gilgit

  Drive along the Hunza River to Gilgit (3 hrs). Visit the 7th-century Kargah Buddha carving. Afternoon at Gilgit Bazaar — the commercial hub of Pakistan's northern territories.

  🏨 Gilgit 3★🍴 B/L
• 18Day

  Gilgit → Fairy Meadows (Nanga Parbat)

  Drive to Raikot Bridge, then take a heart-stopping jeep ride to Tato Village. 3-hour trek to Fairy Meadows — one of the most beautiful alpine meadows on Earth, facing the mighty Nanga Parbat (8,126m).

  🏨 Fairy Meadows Hut🍴 B/L/D
• 19Day

  Fairy Meadows — Nanga Parbat Base Camp

  Dawn view of Nanga Parbat — the "Killer Mountain." Optional trek to Nanga Parbat Base Camp (6 hrs return). Or simply relax and soak in the majesty of the world's 9th highest peak.

  🏨 Fairy Meadows Hut🍴 B/L/D
• 20Day

  Fairy Meadows → Besham

  Trek down, jeep to Raikot Bridge, then drive the Karakoram Highway south along the Indus River. Overnight in Besham, the halfway point on the ancient trade route to the plains.

  🏨 Besham 2★🍴 B/L/D
• 21Day

  Besham → Taxila → Islamabad

  Drive to Taxila — a UNESCO World Heritage site that was a major Buddhist learning center on the Silk Road. Explore the ruins, then continue to Islamabad.

  🏨 Islamabad 4★🍴 B/L
• 22Day

  Islamabad — Faisal Mosque & Saidpur Village

  Visit Faisal Mosque, Pakistan's largest. Explore Lok Virsa Museum for Pakistani culture. Afternoon at Saidpur Village — a 500-year-old settlement turned cultural hub. Farewell dinner.

  🏨 Islamabad 4★🍴 B/L/D
• 23Day

  Depart Islamabad

  Airport transfer. Your epic Silk Road overland journey concludes. From the Registan to the Karakoram — you've traced the footsteps of history. خداحافظ!

  🍴 B

What's Included

What's Excluded