This tour is one of our two tours on the back of a yak in which we go deep into the mountains of the north of Pakistan. It is preferably done between June and October.
We made a small introduction in case you’re wondering what a yak is and if it’s safe to ride a yak in the mountains. The yak belongs to the same family of buffaloes and cows and the name comes from the Tibetan word yag, which means bull.
There aren’t a lot of wild yaks left and a wild yak can have a length up to 3.2 meters and a shoulder height of 2 meters. The males can weigh up to 1.000 kg and the females 350 kilo. They are a lot bigger than domestic yaks with bulls weighing up to 400 kg and cows up to 280 kilo. They have a fully furred head, high shoulders and strong, heavily furred limbs. Their thick long coat helps them against the cold. The bulls’ horns can grow up to one meter.
Yaks are native to the Himalayas, tibets and parts of Sinking and Qinghai. They are extinct in most places and have mostly been replaced by domesticated yaks. They are known to be good climbers and can climb far better than humans, so they are used as a means of transport, next to being used for meat and butter.
The setting for our yak adventure is in the pittoresque village village of Shimshal (3.100 m) in Hunza, Gilgit-Baltistan, northern Pakistan. But before we start our yak-journey we will explore the ancient Baltit and Altit Fort in Karimabad after which we’ll hit the road to Shimshal Valley where we will explore the mountains while camping and hiking for the next few days. The mountainous zigzagging road to Shimshal is spectacular and driving through these mountains is not for beginners. Luckily our drivers are well-experienced and the scenic drive is a true adventure with breathtaking views. Shimshal is one of the nearest villages in Pakistan next to China and the highest settlement in all of Hunza. There are only around 2.000 inhabitants in Shimshal, but the area covers over 3.800 sq km! One of the highlights is the Shimshal Pamir Lake and the area is often visited by hikers and mountaineers.
The houses made out of mud and stones are sometimes even centuries old and until 2003 the area was extremely hard to reach as there were no good roads. After 18 years of hard work and dedication the road was finally ready thanks to a joint effort by the locals, Aga Khan Foundation and the Pakistani Government.
The main activity in Shimshal is agriculture and the herding of yaks, goats and sheep in the grasslands throughout the valley of the Shimshal River which connects to the Hunza River finally connecting to the Indus. Shimshal is known for its many famous mountaineers such as Samina Baig, the first Pakistani woman to reach Mt. Everest and the highest peaks of the seven continents. Other famous climbers are Rajab Shah and Mehrrban Shah. Many Shimshalis work as porters or as mountain expedition leaders. There are many mountains well over 7.000 meters high in the area: Distaghil Sar (7.885 m), Kunjut Sar (7.790 m), Trivor (7.577 m) and many other peaks, as well as gigantic glaciers such as Khurdopin Glacier.
Itinerary:
There are flights between Islamabad and Gilgith, which is a few hours away from Karimabad. But in case of cancellation you need to count two days to drive. Don’t forget to have a day for PCR-testing in case you need it.
Day 1: Arrival to Islamabad
Day 2: Fly to Gilgit or drive to Chilas
Day 3: Departure for Hunza via Gilgit
Day 4: Altit and Baltit Forts in Karimabad
Day 5: Drive to Shimshal, yak riding the following days
Day 6: Yak riding Shimshal to Zardgarben (3.810m) – camping
Day 7: Zardgarben – Purien-e-ben (3.322m) – camping
Day 8: Shuijerab (4.080m) – camping
Day 9: Schuwirth (4.420 m) – camping
Day 10: Free day in Pamir – camping
Day 11: Back to Purien-e-ben – camping
Day 12: Zardgarben – camping
Day 13: Shimshal
Day 14: Drive to Passu / Karimabad
Day 15: Drive to Gilgit
Day 16: Fly to Islamabad or drive to Besham
Day 17: Islamabad or
Day 18: Departure from Islamabad
Price:
1 person: 9.599 usd
2 persons: 5.565 usd per person
3 persons: 4.975 usd per person
4 persons: 4.450 usd per person
** Single supplement: 990 usd
