Pakistan Womens Tour

An authentic journey that puts local experiences first.

Picture-perfect-Pakistan!

This is a country unlike any other, and the place I’ve called home for over two years.

A far flung land filled with the warmest people, the most incredible scenery, and rich cultures and traditions that stretch back to some of the earliest known civilizations.

Pakistan is an adventure traveler’s dream that I want to share with you.

view of passu cones borith lake and beyond trekking in pakistan
THIS is why you should travel to Pakistan.


October 12th – October 26th 2024

May 4th-May 18th 2025

May 25th-June 8th 2025

15 days

4 – 10 women

2100 USD

SIGN UP NOW!

Why THIS Pakistan Womens Tour?

I first visited Pakistan in 2019 and have traveled extensively throughout the country. Unlike any other foreign tour leader, I live in Pakistan (Hunza to be exact!), and all of my travels have been completely independent. I’m also perhaps the only tour leader legally allowed to work in the country based on my permanent residence status.

Hitching a ride in Yarkhun Valley, a long favorite region of mine.

I’ve backpacked through every province and territory, and now I hope to share my love for this truly special land with you. These days, I can speak and understand Urdu (Pakistan’s national language) and have made it to an elementary level of Burushaski, one of the two unique languages primarily spoken in Hunza.

Visiting Pakistan with me offers the chance to get beyond the standardized tours available elsewhere… on an Intentional Detours Adventure, we shall peak way beneath the hood and explore some of Pakistan’s most hidden gems. 

girl petting cow places to visit in swat boyun
Visiting Swat Valley on my first trip to Pakistan in 2019.

After spending years exploring this country solo, with locals, and with other foreigners (all independently planned) I understand how the rawness of the landscapes, the poor media representation and the admittedly challenging logistics of traveling here, can seem intimidating.

Indeed, if you are short on time and want to make the most of this magical place, it is hard to get around efficiently. 

But if you’re here, I know you’re probably looking for more than your average “bus tour. You’re seeking authentic moments, genuine connections, and unparalleled experiences. You want to see the REAL Pakistan.

A day spent with a local woman in Avgarch Village.

This Pakistan women’s-only tour spans bustling cities and majestic mountains, but here at Intentional Detours we focus on unique local experiences in the Hunza Valley, a mountainous and awe inspiring part of the country that sites 2500 meters/ 8200 feet.

But why THIS Hunza valley tour?

This tour isn’t JUST going to show you the same Hunza Valley sites you see on every other itinerary.

We won’t be checking off the same sites all the other tours are!

NOPE, we’re getting well off the beaten path.

Think meaningful homestay experiences, spectacular hikes, and decadent eats in parts of the country that other tours do not visit, on account of not having the same network of local contacts that I have built over the last few years.

We’re also not going to rush – the tour primarily focuses on Hunza to give you a deeper feel for this special part of the world.

There’s so much more to Hunza than meets the eye.

Our itinerary PROUDLY and exclusively supports 100% LOCALLY OWNED hotels and businesses in Hunza. These are indigenous lands, and you can rest assured that you’ll be fully supporting the community whilst on your adventure.

Rather than working with Lahore based facilitators like many other tour companies, it’s very important to me that my tours do as much as possible to get money and opportunities into local hands.

And because we’re only now launching the tours, after years of planning and dreaming, this is a very special introductory price which is both cheaper and better value than other operators. 

So what are you waiting for?

If you have an adventurous spirit it’s time to strap in, pay the deposit and prepare for mesmerizing sunsets over snow-covered peaks, truly special mountain walks that will surpass anything you’ve ever done at home, as well as the historical chaos of Rawalpindi.

girl walking along a mountain edge with a blue lake below pakistan itinerary
Who wouldn’t want to see this?!

This really will be the trip of a lifetime alongside a group of likeminded women (no men on this trip, sorry!) ready to experience and take home the very best of Pakistan with you.

Click Here to Sign Up!

Pakistan Women’s Tour Itinerary

It’s important to note that when traveling in Pakistan, unexpected surprises are the norm, especially when dealing with wild mountain roads.

Due to weather conditions, roadblocks, or who knows what, changes may have to be made on the spot – flexibility is the name of the game!

Hunza Valley Women’s Tour Overview

Some highlights you can expect:

  • The start of fall colors up North
  • Off the beaten path hikes
  • Mountain family homestays
  • Time in less-visited Yasin Valley
SIGN UP HERE

10+ Locations

Day 1 – Islamabad

Islamabad’s stunning Faisal Mosque and some greenery.

We’ll kick off day 1 by checking out the peaceful and green capital of Islamabad by hitting up a few top sites before settling in with a group dinner at one of the most underrated restaurants in the city.

  • Accommodation: Islamabad hotel

Day 2 – Drive to Gilgit

Babusar is no doubt one of the most stunning roads in Pakistan.

To the mountains we go! The views will get more epic by the hour as we coast along the famous Karakoram Highway where (weather permitting) we’ll hopefully make our way up the Babusar Pass, a 4,100 m / 13,451 feet paved road that connects to Gilgit Baltistan. If the Babusar is not opened based on weather, we’ll make our way to Gilgit by staying on the Karakoram Highway via Besham. It’s a long drive, but the scenery will keep us entertained.

  • Accommodation: Gilgit hotel

Day 3 – Short Drive to Yasin Valley

The stunning bridge that will welcome us to Yasin!

We’ll spend just a few hours on the (absolutely stunning) road today. The Gilgit-Shandur Road will bring us to Taus, which is right in the middle of Yasin Valley. We should have some time to catch a sunset at a local viewpoint.

  • Accommodation: Yasin guesthouse

Day 4 – Yasin

mountain village seen on a pakistan womens tour
The incredible Darkut!

We’ll start off the day bright in early with a short drive to Darkut, a magical village at the end of the valley. We’ll spend time with a local family and you’ll have ample opportunities to meet girls and women from the area.

  • Accommodation: Yasin guesthouse/homestay

Day 5 – Yasin

Today we’ll gear up early for a fabulous day hike (an easy 2 hours each way) to a mesmerizing local lake that very few foreigners ever visit!

We’ll end the day back at the guesthouse for dinner.

  • Accommodation: Yasin Guesthouse

Day 6 – Drive to Central Hunza Valley

A view of Central Hunza most tours miss (and this isn’t even the one we’ll end at!)

After about 6 hours of driving, we’ll arrive to Central Hunza (where I live) in time for dinner in a local home and an epic sunset viewpoint hike that very few tours go to.

  • Accommodation: Karimabad hotel

Day 7 – Central Hunza Valley

Forts that have been around for nearly a millenium are on today’s agenda.

Today is all about exploring the many villages that make up Central Hunza, Karimabad, Altit and residential areas of Aliabad.

We’ll check out the majestic Altit and Baltit Forts, peruse the markets, and visit an amazing, locally owned cafe. We’ll also aim to check out a few truly local spots that have never made it onto a Hunza Tour itinerary.

  • Accommodation: Karimabad hotel

Day 8 – Upper Hunza Valley (Gojal)

hussaini bridge hunza safest place in pakistan
One of my favorite views of Upper Hunza.

The scenery only gets better today as we head up the Karakoram Highway. We’ll check out the famous Attabad Lake, visit a women-owned carpet factory, and see a sunset at a historical fort in Gulmit.

  • Accommodation: Gulmit hotel

Day 9 – Drive to Chapursan Valley

red mountains of chapursan valley with a blue sky and a few fluffy clouds
Red mountains are coming your way!

And so begins the journey to one of the most incredible places in all of Gilgit Baltistan. The Chapursan Valley is home to the Wakhi people and borders the Wakhan Corridor. But don’t worry – it’s always been incredibly peaceful, and is home to some truly fantastic people. The drive will take 3-4 hours, and we’ll spend some time in a local home.

  • Accommodation: Chapursan homestay

Day 10 – Chapursan Valley

baba ghundi shrine in chapursan
This shrine is truly out of this world…

It’s all about exploring this stunning side valley today – we’ll drive to the very end where we’ll get to see a historical Sufi shrine that is perhaps the most mystical place in Hunza.

  • Accommodation: Chapursan homestay

Day 11 – Drive to and Stay in Jamalabad

We’ll say our goodbyes to Chapursan by mid-day and head back to Sost for a chilled out afternoon and evening.

  • Accommodation: Jamalabad/Morkhun Homestay

Day 12 – Avgarch Valley Trek

Avgarch is one of my favorite places in Hunza.

We’ll get off to an early start to make it to another stunning village. Today we’ll make our way to Avgarch Valley, which is at least 900 years old and said to be the very first settlement of Hunza. No cars or bikes go this way, so we’ll be able to fully enjoy the trek in complete peace.

The trek takes about 2.5 hours on an easy to follow trail, and it isn’t very steep. Several families stay in Avgarch year round, so we’ll hopefully be able to meet them! We’ll end the night with a feast at one of the best restaurants in the entire country.

  • Accommodation: Passu hotel

Day 13 – Borith Lake + Passu Glacier

places to visit in hunza valley borith lake
Borith is a saltwater lake that “neighbors” several glaciers.

The Passu Glacier is one of the easiest accessible glaciers on the planet, and we’ll get up close and personal with it today. This isn’t a trek per say compared to our other journeys. We’ll also relax a bit by Borith Lake, a saltwater beauty at 2600 meters / 8600 feet, and eat at my favorite restaurant (that’s of course locally owned) the Yak Grill.

  • Accommodation: Passu hotel

Day 14 – Drive to Islamabad

The views as we head out of the region are just as good as what we saw on the Babusar Pass.

A long day of driving awaits – but don’t worry, this is the final hurrah of extra long road trips as we head back to Islamabad.

  • Accommodation: Islamabad Hotel

Day 15 – Final Day!

The one things the mountains is missing is breakfast like this. We’ll fix that today!

Ahhh the last day has arrived! Today is a bit of a chill day/buffer day barring for any classic Pakistani delays and is the last night accommodation will be provided.

We will decide what to do as a group from a few Islamabad-based options, and have an epic group farewell dinner as you bid Pakistan goodbye!

If your flight is tomorrow (which would technically be day 16th), airport transfer will be provided. If you plan to stick around longer, you’ll have to manage your transport yourself but I’ll be happy to help you plan for that!

Click Here to Sign Up!

More Epic Itinerary Photos

is pakistan safe blue and white jamia masjid
girl with two older ladies in chiporsan pakistan who invited me into lunch displaying classic pakistani hospitality
yak burger sitting on wooden table with passu cones in background hunza food
hunza food hunza diet noodles with spinach
aliabad viewpoint places to visit in hunza valley

Is This Pakistan Tour For You?

This isn’t a luxury tour – the ideal traveler will be excited about off the beaten track, authentic experiences in remote communities. But this means we may sometimes have to do with comforts like Western toilets and Wifi.

Driving days will be long (but stunning), and accommodation may be simple in more rural areas. But you can rest assured that for the most part, internet signal that can at least handle Whatsapp will be available daily.

What to Expect Everywhere

  • Incredible people
  • Delicious food
  • Vetted drivers and local male guides
  • Off the beaten path destinatons
  • Immersive experiences

What Not to Expect Everywhere

  • Wifi
  • Hot water
  • Western toilets
  • Western food
  • 24/7 electricity

What’s Included

  • 3 meals a day
  • Letter of Invitation (LOI) for e-visa
  • Accommodation during tour dates
  • Transport (vans, jeeps and cars)
  • All entrance and porter fees
  • Airport transfer
  • Flight tickets
  • Visa fees or travel insurance
  • Snacks
  • Alcohol
  • Souveniers
  • Tips (optional)

Click Here to Sign Up!

Payment, Insurance + Cancellation Policy

Secure your spot with a $500 deposit. I’ll then get in touch with you via email with more details and a form to fill out. Wise, Zelle (Americans), Venmo (Americans) or direct bank transfer is preferred. PayPal is not accepted unless you use “Family and Friends” due to exorbitant fees.

Once confirmed, the remainder of the payment (and your passport copy) MUST be sent no later than 2 MONTHS before the first day of the tour. So for 2024 that will be March 25th, 2024 or August 25th, 2024.

Cancellation Policy

This is the tour cancellation policy that’s in place.

  • If you cancel 2+ months in advance: Full refund minus your deposit. You’re also welcome to move your spot to another trip.
  • If you cancel at least 1-2 months in advance: 50% refund minus deposit, or the opportunity to move to a future tour
  • If you cancel less than one month in advance: Sorry that’s too late! Arrangements will have been made and vendors secured. You’ll be able to move your payment to a future trip, minus the deposit.
  • If we have to cancel: You will be refunded in full minus $250 (half the deposit) and be able to move to a future trip at a discounted price.

Travel Insurance

To come on this tour, you MUST take out travel insurance and provide a copy before your flight. The company must cover both Pakistan and basic trekking/traveling up to 3000 meters. Basic medical care in Pakistan is cheap and good, however it’s important to be prepared in case of emergency. I, Samantha Shea, any of our local guides or vendors, and Intentional Detours are not liable for any accidents and losses that may occur before, during or after the tour.

Click Here to Sign Up!

Pakistan Women’s Tour FAQ

Traveling around Pakistan can be challenging as a solo female (though not unsafe in the way the media says), but you shouldn’t have any safety or security concerns as a part of the tour.

All the regions we’ll be traveling in are safe, secure and welcoming.

The tour will have an absolute maximum of 10 women, and a minimum of 4. I’ll chat with everyone directly before securing the spots to ensure our group is on the same page and excited about the adventure ahead.

Absolutely! What sets this Pakistan’s womens tour apart is that it ONLY supports locally owned businesses and people. We are NOT partnering with the super rich from Pakistan’s major cities like every other tour does – even our driver is from Gilgit Baltistan.

You’ll soon see the sharp divide that makes the North feel like an entirely different country – Gilgit Baltistan is in fact not even a constitutional province of Pakistan, but rather a territory under its administration. All of Gilgit Baltistan land is indigenous, and we seek to honor and respect that very important fact.

This tour also pours more money back into the Hunza community than any other – we will NOT stay at any investor-funded hotels, and as my partner (not just tour partner, but real life partner 😂) and his entire family are from Hunza, you can assure that the local community will be indirectly supported even beyond the tour activities themselves.

This is also the CHEAPEST possible price for you – just check out any competitors and you’ll see what I mean.

The tour has been designed in a way to limit excessive drives, except when unavoidable.

The longest amount of driving we’ll be doing in one day is 12 hours, but don’t worry – the incredible views and epic stops will get us through!

This tour is open to women, and any nationality that is eligible to visit Pakistan is welcome to join. You can see the full list here.

We’ll be staying in a mix of hotels, guesthouses and family homes. In family homes, we’ll sleep in traditional rooms all together, or in a mix of two rooms. In hotels and guesthouses, you’ll share a room with another traveler.

If you’d like a single room for the duration of the tour, that can be arranged by paying a single supplement fee…BUT you’ll still have to be cool with a handful of group sleepovers in local homes.

As we’ll be doing some, I recommend bringing your favorite trekking clothes, and layer up! Leggings (or your fave hiking pants) and hiking boots should be on your packing list.

I also recommend bringing a winter jacket in the fall and a lighter jacket for late spring.

Due to the nature of Pakistan, local female guides are far and few, especially when the mountains are concerned. Because of this, our driver and guides will be local males, however these men will be exclusively from the Gilgit Baltistan and Upper Chitral regions.

Why does that matter?

Hunza is one of most educated regions in Pakistan, and the difference in male behavior is astounding. While no region is perfect, you can rest assured that staring, harassment and other unwanted behavior will be rare in the mountains in general and will certainly not be exhibited by our local guides and drivers.

We will explore Islamabad on our own where you can expect some staring, but not safety concerns.

Anyone who’s moderately fit should do just fine on this tour – you definitely do not need to be an athlete or mountain climber, but you should be comfortable walking/hiking for several hours at a time.

This is not a camping trip, so all treks will in fact be day treks! The Avgarch Valley and Yasin Valley treks will both take up most of the day, with the longest leg taking a max of 3-4 hours one way.

I get it! Even after years spent gallivanting around Pakistan, I still absolutely prefer a good old Western toilet and definitely made sure to have one in my husband and I’s house.

While there will be a fair share of them on the tour, some of the more remote regions will only have squat toilets. Hot water is also not a given everywhere – but it’s all part of the adventure, no?

I always bring toilet paper along with me, and will start the group off with some large rolls. Hand sanitizer (available in Islamabad in case you forget) is also an essential Pakistan packing list item.

You can expect data of some sort almost everywhere, except for some sections of road trips and perhaps in a few remote villages. Wifi is less common, but the data will allow you to at the very least communicate via Whatsapp just about everywhere.

While you’ll have to apply for and pay for the e-visa on your own ($30-$60 for most nationalities), I’ll provide you with a Letter of Invitation (LOI) after you pay that will ensure the process goes smoothly. There are virtually no cases of a visa being rejected at all, but especially not with an LOI.

Get In Touch