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Shimshal Yak Safari Camp
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Trekking Gilgit-Baltistan

Shimshal Yak Safari Camp

High-Altitude Nomadic Camping

Brown yak grazing on grass field in highlands
Brown yak on lush green mountain pasture
Domestic yak with Himalayan backdrop
Yak at Khunjerab Pass in misty pasture
Man with yak by Pangong Lake in Himalayas

Duration

8–10 Days

Difficulty

Moderate-Strenuous

Group Size

4–10 Campers

Best Season

Jul–Sep

About This Tour

Shimshal is one of the most remote and highest permanently inhabited villages in Pakistan, sitting at approximately 3,100 metres in the upper Hunza region of Gilgit-Baltistan. The Shimshali people are legendary across Pakistan as exceptional mountaineers and high-altitude herders, maintaining a centuries-old tradition of driving their yak herds to the vast Shimshal Pamir — a high-altitude plateau above 4,700 metres — each summer for grazing. This tour invites you to join that ancient migration and camp alongside the herders in one of the most spectacular and least-visited corners of the Karakoram.

The journey to the Pamir passes through the dramatic Shimshal Gorge, climbing steadily from the village through increasingly stark and beautiful terrain. Beyond the Shimshal Pass (4,735m), the landscape opens onto an immense windswept plateau surrounded by some of the highest peaks in the Karakoram, including Distighil Sar (7,885m) and Kunyang Chhish (7,852m). Yaks graze across the grasslands while herders live in traditional stone shelters, maintaining a way of life unchanged for centuries.

Our camping safari provides an authentic encounter with a remarkable mountain community. You will camp in expedition tents alongside the herders, share meals of salt tea and fresh bread, help with yak herding, and experience a silence broken only by wind and the distant rumble of glaciers. This is not a tourist circuit — it is a genuine immersion into one of Central Asia's last nomadic pastoral traditions.

Day-by-Day Itinerary

1

Islamabad to Karimabad

Fly to Gilgit or drive the KKH. Continue to Karimabad in the Hunza Valley.
2

Karimabad to Shimshal Village

Drive via Passu to Shimshal village on the spectacular Shimshal road. Meet your Shimshali hosts, visit the village, and prepare for the trek.
3

Shimshal to Ziarat

Begin the trek up the Shimshal gorge. Cross rivers and narrow trails to Ziarat camp alongside the herders and their yak caravan.
4

Ziarat to Furzeen

Continue through the gorge to Furzeen settlement (~3,500m), a seasonal herding camp. Views of glaciers and high peaks emerge.
5

Furzeen to Shuwert

Trek through barren, dramatic terrain toward the pass. Camp at Shuwert (~4,100m). Afternoon acclimatization walk.
6

Shuwert to Shimshal Pamir

Cross the Shimshal Pass (4,735m) with stunning 360-degree views. Descend to the Pamir plateau and camp among the yak herds.
7

Pamir Yak Safari

Full day on the Pamir. Help with yak herding, visit herder shelters, photograph the stark landscape and its wildlife. Evening campfire with herders.
8

Return over Shimshal Pass

Cross back over the pass and descend to Furzeen or Ziarat camp.
9

Descent to Shimshal & Karimabad

Complete descent to Shimshal village. Celebration with community. Drive to Karimabad.
10

Return to Islamabad

Drive or fly back to Islamabad. Tour ends.

What's Included

All camping equipment and expedition tents
Experienced Shimshali guide and porter team
All meals during the trek (local cuisine)
Homestay experience in Shimshal village
Transport: Islamabad–Hunza–Shimshal and return
Trekking permits and fees

Not Included

International flights
Travel insurance
Personal expenses and tips

From

$2,400

per person

Duration8–10 Days
DifficultyModerate-Strenuous
Group Size4–10 Campers
Best SeasonJul–Sep
Max Altitude~4,735m
Book This Tour Ask a Question

Free cancellation up to 30 days before departure

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