A higher version
of Hunza.
A 11-day high trek above Upper Hunza, designed for travelers who want glacier views and broad mountain panoramas without committing to expedition terrain.
Patundas works because it climbs out of the valley quickly. By the second trail day, the road-level view of Hunza is gone and the glaciers are open in front of you.
The route starts from Upper Hunza around Passu and Borith. A transition day for acclimatization and gear, then the trail climbs steadily into the alpine zone. Two nights at the Patundas camp, with a flexible exploration day for ridge walks, glacier views, and the kind of time at altitude that turns a viewpoint into a mountain experience.
Then the descent and a recovery day in Upper Hunza before departure. The structure is deliberate: not enough days to feel expedition-style, enough days to actually live with the mountains in view. The trek is physically real, with sustained climbing and altitude, but it does not require technical skills or a trekking-only schedule.
It is a strong fit for travelers who have been to Hunza before, want a higher version of it, and are not ready to commit to a longer route like Rush Lake or Shimshal.
Three shifts
in the route.
Climbing out of the valley
The trip changes quickly once the trail rises. Road-level views give way to a stronger sense of altitude and exposure. By the time you reach the first camp, you are already in different country.
Living with the glaciers in view
The reward of the trek is what the camp setting offers. Glaciers, ridgelines, and surrounding peaks feel less distant and more immediate from up here than they ever do from the road.
A second day at altitude
Two nights in the camp is what makes the route feel earned rather than reached. Ridge walks, changing light, and the kind of time at altitude that lets the mountains register properly.
What the
route feels
like.
Patundas is alpine country in the strict sense. The trail climbs out of forested valley terrain quickly, and within a day the underfoot world is rock, scree, and the edges of glacier ice. The country is exposed. There is no canopy, no shade, no soft ground. The light is clean and the air is thin.
Two nights at the high camp is what turns Patundas from a viewpoint trek into a mountain experience. The valley below stops feeling close.
The high camp itself sits in open country with glaciers and ridgelines on multiple sides. The walking from there is flexible. Ridge lines for wider perspective, glacier-edge approaches when the conditions hold, and the option to sit still for an hour and let the scale settle.
The trek is genuinely physical. Sustained climbing, altitude, and several full active days. It does not require technical skills or expedition logistics, but it does require a body comfortable on uneven terrain and lungs that do not panic at 4,000m. It suits travelers who have done a base camp trek and want the next step up without crossing into expedition territory.
How the journey
moves.
Islamabad north into Hunza, transition into Upper Hunza around Passu and Borith, onto the trail and up to Patundas, two nights at high camp, then descent and recovery before departure.
The full route,
day by day.
Arrive in Islamabad
Arrive in Islamabad, meet your driver, and transfer to your hotel for a light first day before internal travel and trekking days begin.
Travel into Upper Hunza
Continue north toward Hunza and onward into Upper Hunza, where the settlements open out and the landscape begins to match the alpine environment this trek is built around.
Borith Lake and trek prep
A day to settle into Upper Hunza before the trek. Time around Borith Lake or a nearby glacier-facing area, gear checks, and final preparation for the trail.
The trek begins
Begin the trek and start climbing out of the valley into the more elevated mountain setting, where the road-level view gives way to wider perspective and stronger exposure.
A full day at altitude
A full day in the Patundas environment so the route feels properly experienced rather than simply reached. Glacier views, camp life, and short exploratory walking.
Ridge walks and a second high camp day
A second day in the high mountain environment with time for ridge walks, glacier views, and a more complete experience of the camp setting.
Descend toward Upper Hunza
Begin descending from the higher camp and gradually work back toward the valley, where the scale of the route reveals itself differently on return.
Finish the descent
Complete the final descent and return to Upper Hunza. The shift back into a more settled rhythm is immediately noticeable after several nights higher up.
A slower day in the valley
A slower day in Upper Hunza to recover, reset, and enjoy the valley after the trek. Pace stays intentionally light.
Travel south to Islamabad
Continue south to Islamabad, traveling by flight from Gilgit when conditions allow or by road if needed, with a final overnight in the capital.
Departure
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your onward flight, closing a trek that climbed out of the valley to the Patundas high pastures and back.
What to know,
practically.
Pacing
A softer arrival, a short transition in Upper Hunza, then a focused trekking section with two nights at high camp. The recovery day in the valley closes the route without extending it past what the trek needs.
Activity Level
A genuine trek with sustained uphill walking, uneven trails, altitude, and multiple active mountain days. No technical climbing required. Travelers should be comfortable with longer walking hours, simple camp conditions, and a stronger physical demand than introductory valley trips.
Flight and road flexibility
Travel in northern Pakistan depends on weather and operating conditions, especially the Islamabad to Gilgit flight and regional road flow into Upper Hunza. The itinerary is designed to remain flexible when needed.
Who this suits
Trekkers who want a higher and more panoramic alpine experience than valley travel, but who are not ready to commit to an expedition route or a longer trek like Rush Lake or Shimshal. A clean step up.
What the journey costs.
Every trip is private to your party. If it's ever a scheduled group departure, we'll say so up front.
- All meals from arrival dinner to departure breakfast
- Domestic flights to and from northern Pakistan
- All ground transport throughout
- Mid-range hotels and quality boutique guesthouses, twin share
- English-speaking lead guide for the full trip
- All permits, NOCs, national park fees, and fort entries
- Tents, sleeping mats, sleeping bag, and all camping equipment
- Trek cook and porters throughout the trek
Ready to climb
above the valley?
We can adapt the pace, comfort level, valley lead-in, private guiding structure, and onward extensions to suit how you want to experience Patundas and Upper Hunza.
Plan this journey