Trekking in Pakistan is most popular among the tourists all over the world. The area is ideal for mountaineering, trekking and nature watching. The place is ideal for those who want to discover a peace of mind.

One can enjoy the unspoiled and pollution free natural beauty of the land. The Karakoram Highway and the link roads have made easier to reach starting points for trekking into the region. There are many trekking routes, some of short duration and some long duration.

The Northern Areas of Pakistan offer the easy to strenuous trekking for those looking for a cultural experience. And for those looking for challenging treks like the K-2 Concordia Ghondhgoro la, K-2 Base camp, and Biafo-Hisper treks offers some of the most challenging, remotest and demanding trekking anywhere in the world.

Trekking in these areas is a wonderful experience for any one who enjoys the world most spectacular and diverse scenery of snow capped lofty mountains, lush valleys, chuckling streams and emerald green lakes, atypical wildlife like the Snow Leopard and the Ibex and colourful ancient culture and its friendly people leave an everlasting impression on the visitors.

Chitral forms Pakistan’s northwestern border with Afghanistan, and is home to the precipitous mountains of the Hindkush. This range is different from the Himalayas and Karakorams, and since there are no 8000 meter peaks here, it is not as well known. However, Tirich Mir at 7708m and its accompanying peaks, Noshaq (7492m), Istoro Nal (7403m) and Saraghrar (7338m) command respect. Alexander the Great’s troops had to battle through the snows on their passage from Afghanistan to Pakistan, and called the Hindu Kush ‘Parapamisus’ meaning mountains over which no eagle can fly. Additionally, Tartar hordes passed through here, notably Gengis Khan and Tamerlane, and a route of the Silk Road wound through the Baroghil Pass in Upper Chitral. Nonetheless, Chitralis have been mostly left alone in their valley for centuries, and their origins remain shrouded in mystery.

Present day Chitralis are mostly Muslims, but in the south of Chitral there are three Valleys inhabited by the Kafir Kalash, an anamistic tribe that has evaded being converted to Islam. Chitral has been traditionally and, except for a brief spell uninterruptedly, ruled by the Mehtars who claim as ancestors the Tartar ruling family of Tamerlane. However, in the late 19th century the British established a garrison in Chitral, as at that time it was thought that there existed easy passage from Russia to British India.

When that proved unfounded, the British lost interest in Chitral, and the Mehtars were left to govern as they wished until the late 1960’s. Finally in 1974, Chitral was annexed by Pakistan, and the Mehtars’ rule came to a rather ignominious end. The beauty of Chitral lies as much in its rustic, mountainous terrain, as in its warmhearted and friendly inhabitants.