Pakistan: Under a Pagan Moon
12 Days
Visiting: Islamabad, Swat Valley Cold Drinks & Restaurant, Chitrāl, Chitral Gol, Qazi Ahmed, Ayun, Taxila
Tour operator:
Tour code:
UPM
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
4 - 12
Age range:
1-99
Special diets catered:
Vegetarians, Please contact Wild Frontiers with any specific dietary requirements
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Interests:
Private Available:
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Tour Overview
This is quite simply the one of the most amazing, original and wild trips we do. Run for the first time in 2006, our small group of intrepid travellers was the first to experience the Kalash winter solstice festival of Chawmos and probably one of the first to see the rare snow leopard in the wild. This is the most important time of year for the Kalash, when life, the gods and ancestors are celebrated in a weeklong party and joining them for their celebrations is a privilege to which very few Westerners are invited.
We will also spend time viewing the Markhor population during the rutting season and the spectacular fights of the males, whilst watching out for the elusive and exquisite snow leopard. If we are lucky enough, we may get the chance to observe this beautiful animal in its natural environment. With the new Lowari Tunnel making access to these hidden valleys all the more accessible we can now offer this trip without the hassles of the past.
So, if you are game enough to experience a true adventure you will witness events that will certainly stay with you forever. This is as close to real exploration as us mortals are ever likely to get.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1: Tour Starts In Islamabad
Location: Islamabad
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Hill View Hotel or similar
Meals Included: Lunch, Dinner
Today the tour starts in Islamabad, 'City of Islam', Pakistan's capital city. It replaced Karachi back in the 1967 and is now the political and commercial heart of the country. Situated against the lush backdrop of the Margalla Hills it is a city where old and new collide. Leafy green boulevards are home to modern buildings, and shopping malls, but also dotted with traditional homes and mosques. Today we have the chance to visit some of the famous sights of Islamabad including the Faisal Mosque, the largest in South Asia, and 5th largest mosque in the world. We will also take time to visit the Lok Virsa Museum and Pakistan Monument.
Day 2: Islamabad - Swat Valley
Location: Swat Valley Cold Drinks & Restaurant, Islamabad
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Serena Hotel Swat or similar
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today we will start our journey north by driving through the Northwest Frontier and into the beautiful Swat Valley. Until quite recently this region was out of bounds to foreign tourists, but now it has opened up again offering us a great chance to explore the regions ancient Buddhist past. Once we have checked into our hotel we’ll visit the local museum, packed with many fine Gandharan artefacts, and other Buddhist sites.
Day 3: Swat Valley - Chitral
Location: Chitrāl, Swat Valley Cold Drinks & Restaurant
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Hindu Kush Heights or similar
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After breakfast we will have a spectacular drive, passed Chakdarra – where a young Winston Churchill saw action back in the 1890s – before continuing through the Lowari Tunnel into the ancient kingdom of Chitral. Lather this afternoon we will have time for some local sightseeing. The Chitral Fort was the location for the besieged British Garrison in 1895 and now houses the cannons dragged over the high passes of the Hindu Kush used to break the siege. Next to the Fort is the intricate Grand Mosque. However, our main focus will be wandering around the bazaar with its mixture of traditional and modern goods being sold by the predominantly Pashtun population. Dinner will be at our hotel.
Day 4: Chitral - Chitral Gol - Chitral
Location: Chitrāl, Chitral Gol, Chitrāl
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Hindu Kush Heights or similar
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today our wildlife adventure begins as we move up to the area around the old hunting lodge in Chitral Gol, the region’s National Park. Roaming in the wild will give us great opportunity to observe the rutting season for the famous Markhor wild goat and we will see hundreds of them fighting and playing – indeed it is the young of the Markhor that interest the elusive snow leopard. If we are really lucky we may catch a glimpse of one of these exquisite animals. We will return to Chitral in the evening to the comfort of our hotel.
Day 5: Chitral - Balanguru
Location: Chitrāl
Accommodation Name: Local Guesthouse
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today after completing some registration formalities we head into the Kalash Valley of Rumbor and the village of Balanguru. Here we stay with our friend Saifullah Jan, the chief spokesperson for the Kalash. After checking into our guesthouse, we will go with our friends to visit their extended families and their houses in the valleys of Grum or Kalashagrum.
Day 6 : Days 6 - 8: Balanguru - Chawmos Festival
Location: Qazi Ahmed
Accommodation Name: Local Guesthouse
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
For the next three days we will enjoy this extraordinary festival that precious few Westerners have ever seen. As well as dancing, singing and feasting we will also witness the religious priests (or Qazis, as they are known) summon up the spirits and ask for their blessing. On one of the days the women of the valley – including those travelling with us – must cleanse their souls by performing certain purification rituals, but don’t worry, it is nothing too drastic, just a bucket wash followed by offering up some pure chapattis at the Temple of Jastak Khan. On another day it is the turn of the men to cleanse themselves, this time with goats’ blood at the temple of Sagi Gor. Forreligious reasons your tourleader willnot be able to enter all of the areas that you can, but they will never be faraway if you need them. More than 40 goats will be sacrificed as an offering to the gods, wine will be drunk and preparations for the dancing will start. From here on men could wear the shalwar kameez. In the evening we will join the Kalash for a spectacular night of dancing in the village.
Day 7 : Days 6 - 8: Balanguru - Chawmos Festival
Location: Qazi Ahmed
Accommodation Name: Local Guesthouse
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 8 : Days 6 - 8: Balanguru - Chawmos Festival
Location: Qazi Ahmed
Accommodation Name: Local Guesthouse
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 9: Balanguru - Ayun
Location: Ayun
Accommodation Name: Ayun Fort or similar
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Having observed the festivities we may take one last walk around the Kalash Valley and then head on to Ayun where we’ll check into the wonderful home of Maqsood Ul Mulk, one of the princes of Chitral in the afternoon. Depending on the weather we may have time for a short walk around one of the local villages nearby.
Day 10: Ayun - Islamabad
Location: Islamabad, Ayun
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Hill View Hotel or similar
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
This morning we’ll start out early for our return journey towards Islamabad. Dependant on traffic this may take a good twelve hours. We will stop en route at Dir for lunch and then continue on this full day’s scenic drive to the capital, now possible due to the Lowari tunnel. (NB Flight schedules to Islamabad are erratic and unreliable at best at this time of year, hence the reason we drive)
Day 11: Islamabad - Taxila – Islamabad
Location: Taxila, Islamabad, Islamabad
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Hill View Hotel or similar
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
We will spend our last full day exploring Taxila, a fascinating Buddhist university town, dating back to the Gandaharan era of Alexander the Great. We’ll then return to Islamabad in the late afternoon where there may be time for some last minute shopping before our farewell dinner.
Day 12: Tour Ends
Location: Islamabad
Meals Included: Breakfast
The tour ends today.
What's Included
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MEALS
11 x Breakfasts11 x Lunches11 x Dinners
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TRANSPORT
Local Prado or classic re-conditioned 1970s Willys jeeps between Chitral and Hunza; coasters everywhere else
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GROUP SIZE
Maximum: 12
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CARBON CONTRIBUTIONS
Contributions to climate and community projects for all bookings
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EXPERT TEAM
The full services of a Wild Frontiers Tour Leader with local guides where appropriate
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ACCOMMODATION
All accommodation as outlined in the itinerary
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ENTRANCE FEES
All entrance fees for sights mentioned in the itinerary
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FITNESS RATING
Low / Moderate
What's Not Included
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We believe in a completely transparent approach to pricing with no hidden extras. As such, please note that the following are not included in the cost of the tour.Visas & Travel Insurance: Visas will always be tourationality dependent but travel insurance is mandatoryTips: Always optional but some guidance will be given in the pre-departure information documentsInternational .Flights: Please ask us for an obligation-free quote for flights which originate in the UKAirport .Transfers: We include complimentary transfers if arriving/departing on the suggested group flights.Beverages & any costs of a personal nature: This will include items such as laundry and souvenirs
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ExcludedItem
We believe in a completely transparent approach to pricing with no hidden extras.
As such, please note that the following are not included in the cost of the tour.
Visas & Travel Insurance: Visas will always be tour
ationality dependent but travel insurance is mandatory
Tips: Always optional but some guidance will be given in the pre-departure information documents
International Flights: Please ask us for an obligation-free quote for flights which originate in the UK
Airport Transfers: We include complimentary transfers if arriving/departing on the suggested group flights
Beverages & any costs of a personal nature: This will include items such as laundry and souvenirs
Visas
Visas are necessary for many of the destinations we travel to and while we aim to provide you with the most up-to-date information, requirements frequently change and as such for the latest advice we advise that you check with the relevant embassies or contact our recommended visa agency, Travcour www.travcour.com
For this tour UK passport holders currently require a visa for Pakistan.
Non-UK passport holders or non-UK residents should contact the relevant embassies for individual requirements.
Further details will be sent out to you on booking, however ensuring that correct and valid visas are obtained remains the sole responsibility of the client.
Key Aspects to Consider
Anyone in a reasonable state of health who enjoys walking should enjoy this tour, but it should be made clear that adventure travel in this part of the world is not for the faint-hearted and fastidious, particularly at winter! Walks in the Kalash Valley can be steep and the festival area is up on a platform reached by many steps! Temperatures can be bitterly cold and the accommodation basic, but the experience will be unparalleled.
When travelling in jeeps, we open the roof when the weather permits to fully embrace the nature of adventure travel that this mode of transport allows and maximising our opportunity to enjoy the spectacular scenery.
For religious reasons your tour leader will not be able
to enter all of the areas that you can during the Chawmos festival in the
Kalash region, but they will never be far away should you need them at all. And
during these days, you will additionally have a Kalash local guide who will be
directly on hand to look after the group and to lead them through the manifold
stages of the festival itself.
Responsible Travel
With local people, culture and eco-systems in mind, responsible travel and sustainable tourism are at the core of Wild Frontiers. We believe that a successful trip not only delivers a unique and unsurpassable journey for our travellers but also benefits the people and places we visit.
When designing our tours, we actively seek out experiences that have a positive impact on the communities and precious environments we visit - from supporting social enterprises; resting our heads in rural homestays; and eating at locally owned restaurants; to helping fund conservation projects that protect wildlife and their habitats.
Visit the Responsible Travel area of our website to read more, including the work of the Wild Frontiers Foundation through which we fundraise to aid community empowerment and education projects.
Travelling Solo
As a company approximately 70% of our clients are solo travellers, so it’s very unlikely you’ll be alone!
Our prices are typically based on twin-share accommodation but single supplements are not compulsory for any Wild Frontiers tour. If you prefer not to pay a single supplement we’ll pair you with someone else of the same sex for you to share with throughout the trip.
On this trip, if you do opt to pay for a single supplement then please note that it will cover you for all nights of the tour.
Please note that paying a single supplement entitles you to lone occupancy of a single room. In many cases these rooms will be of the same size as a double/twin room, but in some cases they may be smaller.
Insurance
Insurance that provides cover for emergency repatriation in case of a medical emergency is compulsory for all tours. You should be aware that due to some of the geographical areas visited and some of the activities included on certain of our trips some standard insurance policies may not always provide adequate cover. As such we strongly recommend that you purchase a policy that adequately covers your trip. Please see the Insurance section for more details.
Check out our Q&As
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What is the maximum group size?
12
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Are airport transfers included in this tour?
We include complimentary transfers if arriving/departing on the suggested group flights
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Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?
Yes
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What policies are in place for Covid-19?
We have a complete Covid-19 hub here: https://www.wildfrontierstravel.com/en_GB/covid-hub
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
Over 70% of passengers on our group tours are solo adventurers. Unlike many tour operators, we don’t believe in charging solo travellers a premium, so if you are happy to share a room with a fellow traveller of the same sex, you will pay exactly the same as a couple..Occasionally you may even end up with your own room. You can travel as a single traveller on any of our holidays, from our escorte
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Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?
Yes
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How long has the tour company been trading?
Since 2002
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Do I need to be double-vaccinated against Covid-19 to travel with you?
In most cases, yes. Not only are many destinations making double-vaccination a requirement of entry to the country and/or access to restaurants, museums etc., but additionally on all our group tours for the foreseeable future, for everyone’s peace of mind, we are asking that all clients be double vaccinated.
Reviews from travellers on this tour
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