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ITINERARIES FOR 2010 We offer a small number of fixed itineraries each year. As well as visiting places of outstanding natural beauty, cultural interest and ensuring we meet and mix with the local population, we time these trips so they coincide with festivals, events or simply are the best time of year to visit each region. Each year we spend countless hours putting together the next years itineraries and because the same people who designed these trips lead the trips, we think you get a personal service that is unsurpassed. Each of the itineraries below sees you accompanied by a European guide and a local guide from either Pakistan or Afghanistan. We are now designing our itineraries for 2011 so please take a look and see if there is anything there you like the look of. Karakorum Explorer (22 days in Pakistan)
8th August - 29th August 2010
This is a trip for those that like to stretch their legs a little bit. We combine a sublime 5 day trek in the Karakorum with 2 ancient, contrasting rituals as well as being in the country for Pakistan Independence day. We kick off in Peshawar as Ramadan starts. Always a fascinating time to be in an Islamic country, we think Peshawar is a real eye opener during Ramadan. As strict Muslims the majority of the city will go without any food or water for daylight hours for a month. Seeing bakers working at a hot tandoor for hours at a time in 40C heat and not drinking is a true act of faith. We will arrange discrete food for you at hotels and private homes during the day and celebrate Iftar, the huge evening celebratory dinner in the evening.
From Peshawar we head to Chitral and meet two different groups that do not observe Ramadan. Firstly the Ibex who come down from the mountains to drink at a river near Chitral every evening, then we head to the pagan Kalasha valleys. In fact not only will the Kalasha people not be observing Ramadan they will be celebrating their own festival of Uchal. The festival coincides with the summer harvest and the shepherds returning from the summer pasture with dairy products. There will be music, dancing and the odd glass of Kalasha wine. From here we snake through the Hindu Kush and into the Karakorum mountains for a five day trek to Rush Lake. This combines glacier walking, a rare view of K2, an incredible mirror lake and at Rush peak a 360 degree panoramic view over the Karakorum.
Highlights
₤1550 Wine makers of the Hindu Kush (17 days in Pakistan)
14th September - 30th September 2010
September is a great time to visit Northern Pakistan. The heat on the plains has eased a little and the grapes, walnuts and melons are ripening. We start this trip in our home town of Peshawar were we visit ancient tea shops and caravanserais. Then we head into the heart of the Hindu Kush to the Kalasha valleys for 3 days to experience their unique culture. We arrive in time to see the grape and walnut harvest and we time this trip so that we can get involved in the annual wine making process. After staining your feet red with the pressing of grapes you can sit back and relax with a glass of the previous years vintage.
Then we cross the Shandur Pass and on to the legendary Hunza valley. This was the setting for the Shangri La in James Hilton’s novel Lost Horizon. We will spend 2 days here, relaxing or hiking across rope bridges amongst the breathtaking Karakorum scenery before heading home down the 8th wonder of the world, the Karakorum Highway.
Highlights:
₤1290 |
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