Three Majestic Mountains Bike Tour
We begin our journey in Islamabad and proceed to the beautiful alpine lush green Kaghan valley. This valley rivals any in the American Rockies and the European Alps. From here we drive over the Babusar Pass and enter another realm of the Indus gorge.
The Deosai Plains lie between the Indus River and the southern extension of the Himalayan Range, whose most famous peak is Nanga Parbat (8125m). At an average height of 3800m, the undulating, green, flower-filled meadows are surrounded by snow capped peaks and the drive through these plains is a soul stirring experience Deosai Lake, or Sheosar Lake from the Shina language meaning “Blind lake” (Sheo – Blind, Sar – lake) is in the park. The lake, at an elevation of 4,142 metres (13,589 ft), is one of the highest lakes in the world. Its length is 2.3 kilometers (7,500 ft), width 1.8 kilometers (5,900 ft) and average depth 40 metres (130 ft). It is located near the Chilim Valley on the Deosai Plains.
From Skardu we drive along the Indus Highway towards Hunza. Some say that the journey on the Indus High way is much more spectacular than even the legendary KKH. From Hunza we make an excursion to touch China at the highest paved road border crossing in the world. This is Khunjerab Pass and is located at a height of 4833 m. From Hunza we travel westwards to the Hindukush mountains, home of the Kafir Kalash. These pagan tribes claim descent from Alexander the Great.
The Deosai Plains are also home to the Himalayan Ibex, Red Fox, Golden Marmot, Gray Wolf, the Ladakh Urial, the Snow Leopard, and over 124 resident and migratory birds. Birds in the park include the Golden Eagle, Lammergeier, Griffon Vulture, Laggar Falcon, Peregrine Falcon, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk and Snowcock.Astore Rama Lake is a lake near Astore in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan. It is on the top of the beautiful Astore Valley, covered with oak trees and greenery. RamaValley is thickly forested with huge pine, cedar, fir and juniper trees. The valley is about 3300 meters (10800 feet) above sea level and thus is snow covered for 7-8 months of the year. In summer, it becomes lush green; conditions favored by local shepherds.From here one can trek to east side of the Nanga Parbat (also known as the Killer Mountain), the world’s 8th highest mountain.
Detailed Trip Itinerary
Islamabad – Peshawar via Khyber Pass – Chital – Kalash- Shandur – Phandar Valley – Gilgit – karimabad Hunza via Atta abad lake – Khunjarab Pass – Gulmit – Gilgit – Skardu – Khapulo – Skardu – Deosai plains – Astore Rama Lake – Fairy meadows – Babusar pass To Naran – Islamabad.
Desosai Plains Bike Tour
Bicycling on the winding roads of the Himalaya, Karakoram and Hindukush valleys would heighten your experience as you will have an occasion of a tidies uphill paddling and then abruptly ride downhill, passing through alpine forests, open valleys, along the rivers and lakes and lush meadows. Meet friendly people on the way as you may be offered with a local taste of tea and perhaps food.
We can arrange your bicycle tour with a van to follow you so that you may at any time climb aboard the vehicle in case you are tired or the weather disallow you to continue bicyclin. This trek is for real mountain bike freaks, physically well prepared people! Experience in mountain biking is a must. ..
Detailed Trip Itinerary
| Day 1 | Arrival in Islamabad, transfer to the hotel. |
| Day 2 | Drive to Chilas. 15 hours jeepdrive. Overnight in hotel. |
| Day 3 | For a short time we follow the Karakorum Highway (KKH) by Jeep to Jaglot. From there we start to make our first experience on the road by bike. On the way our cook will offer us lunch. Overnight in camp in Doyang, a beautiful campsite next to the Astor River. |
| Day 4 | Dayon – Astor. The road is rough. Many rocky parts are to overcome. We camp next to Astor. |
| Day 5 | Astor – Tarishing. The track is again strenuous. It needs a lot of power and concentration. The scenery is wonderful. In Tarishing we camp overnight. |
| Day 6 | If the weather is good, we trek to the Nanga Parbat BC. The view to this grandious mountain is wonderful. Camp at the Herlikoffer BC. |
| Day 7 | Nanga Parbat BC – Tarishing, overnight in camp. |
| Day 8 | A superb downhill part is waiting for us. Through a green valley full of flowers and sprinkling water we bike to Chilim. Overnight in camp. |
| Day 9 | Chilim – Chackor Pass 4100 m -Shaucer Lake. The steep ascend to the pass (about 1000 highmeters) is strenuous. Along the track there are wonderful flower meadows. |
| Day 10 | Restday. At the blue lake, with a beautiful view of the Nanga Parbat we enjoy our time and let our legs relax. |
| Day 11 | Shaucer Lake – Barapani. This day is a special enjoyment on a rather good bike road.In Barapani,after crossing the bridge, we set up our camp. With a little luck we may observe bears. This part already belongs to the National Park of Deosai plains. |
| Day 12 | Barapani – Deosai Top. We continue our route on a good bike track, crossing a lot of waterpools and small rivers. In the afternoon we have the possibility to visit a Pakistani dairy. Overnight in camp. |
| Day 13 | Deosai Top – Satpara Lake. Our longing to the superb downhill got an end.Downhill for the next 20 km! The road is narrow, rough and demands a lot of concentration. The difficult ride is pure enjoyment! Overnight at Satpara Lake. |
| Day 14 | Satpara – Skardu. Today we reach again the civilization. Shower and washing day. We can visit the amazing bazaar or relax in the garden of the hotel. |
| Day 15 – 16 | Skardu – Kaplu. A long but very beautiful road partly metalled, leads us along the Indus and the Shiok river to Kaplu, a village, where we can see the old traditional tibetan houses and the people living with their culture. We are spending the night in a hotel at the top of the village with a beautiful view to the Shiok valley. It is possible to go a few kilometers further, to have a gleam of the magic Masherbrum mountain 7800 m. |
| Day 17 | Kaplu – Skardu, by jeep or by bike. Overnight in hotel. |
| Day 18 | If the weather allows us, we have a splendid flight to Islamabad. Otherwise we take the way back on KKH via Chilas. Overnight in hotel. |
| Day 19 | Free day at Islam Abad |
Karakoram Highway Bike Tour
Karakoram is a Turkish language it means ‘crumbling rock’ is an incredible feat of engineering. The original track started from Xian in China, Karakoram highway, connecting the Northern Areas of Pakistan to the ancientSilk Road, runs approximately 1,300 km from Kashgar, to Havelian, located in the Abbottabad District of Pakistan.
As it became popular, the route was used by the invaders, raiders, explorers, hunters, missionaries and philosophers. Buddhism, Islam and Christianity came to this region through the Silk Route. The road has also given mountaineers and trekkers easier access to the many high mountains in the area. High mountain ranges and glaciers are visible from the road, which also passes through green valleys of great natural beauty. Rock art and petroglyphs are found all along the road.
The Silk Road construction started from 1966 and completed in 1978(20 years)During construction 810 Pakistani and 82 Chinese workers lost their lives, mostly in landslides and falls, while building the Karakoram Highway. .
The Karakoram Highway (KKH) follows one of the principal Silk Road routes and is the backbone of this stunning mountain bike holiday. The KKH is a remarkable engineering achievement. Pakistanis proudly refer to the road as the Eighth Wonder of the World. Built in conjunction with the Chinese, the KKH was carved into the Indus Valley above the furious torrent of the Indus River, right up through the Hunza Valley and over the mighty Karakoram Mountains via Khunjerab Pass into China.
The Hunza Nagar offers a wide variety of mountain scenery, peaks above seventhousand meters including such giant as Ultar, Spantik, Diran and 7,788 meter Rakaposhi. The Valley embraces enormous glaciers that tumble down to the roadsides, and tiny villages with their carefully terraced and irrigated fields clinging precariously to the valley slopes. The barren upland plateau of the Pamirs that is straddled by the Khunjerab Pass eventually gives way to the fertile fields and apricot orchards that made the Valley world famous. This incredible diversity of landscape is this mountain bike tour’s great appeal, and the reason why the upper KKH offers perhaps the most rewarding biking anywhere in the world. Himalayan Range.
Detailed Trip Itinerary
Islamabad – Gilgit – Hunza – Gulmit – Sost – Khunjerab Pass – Passu – Hunza Valley- Hoper – Hunza – Rest Day – Gilgit – Naltar – Gilgit – Islamabad