Today, we'll begin our adventure north by traveling across the Northwest Frontier and into the picturesque Swat Valley. Until recently, this location was closed to foreign travelers, but it has now reopened, providing us with an excellent opportunity to learn about the region's historic Buddhist history. Before checking into our hotel, we can see the Buddhist ruins of the ancient city of Bazeera, present-day Barikot, where Alexander fought a fight, the Shingerdar Stupa, and the Galigay Buddha. Later, we'll go to the local museum, which is filled with beautiful Gandharan antiques.

After breakfast, we'll take a breathtaking drive past Chakdarra, where a young Winston Churchill saw action in the 1890s, before entering the old kingdom of Chitral via the Lowari tunnel. We'll continue on to Ayun, where we'll arrive in the afternoon and check into the hotel.

Today we have the entire morning to rest and enjoy the Prince's lovely garden, as well as one of the many delightful village walks nearby. We will continue our journey after lunch into the Rumbor Valley and the village of Balanguru. Most tourists prefer to walk the final few miles through this breathtaking valley. Please keep in mind that security limitations may prevent foreign visitors from staying in the Kalash Valley at times, however, we will maximize our time in the region and then return to Chitral for the night if these restrictions are imposed.

Today, we make the most of our time by roaming in and around the valley, taking in the landscape and experiencing the local warmth. We might be able to take a stroll up to the Afghan border this morning to visit several tiny settlements. We return to Balanguru for lunch, and then for those who wish, we go on another stroll around the valley to learn more about the Kalash way of life. These treks are optional; you may prefer to spend your time relaxing in the village instead.

We have more time this morning to explore the valley before returning to the tranquil mountain town of Chitral. If a game of mountain polo is being played in the late afternoon, we'll go on to Chitral National Park to observe the markhor, a type of mountain antelope and preferred prey of snow leopards, before checking into our delightful local hotel and having dinner.

We'll head to Mastuj after breakfast. As we weave our way up the Mastuj Valley, past Tirich Mir and Boni Zong before finally entering the Yarkhun Valley, at the top of which lies Afghanistan's Wakhan Corridor, this is one of the most gorgeous and spectacular drives you will ever take. We'll be staying in a hotel near the fort. We'll take a walk around the village when we arrive.

After breakfast, you will drive to the Shandur Pass, pausing for tea at the pass's 3,800-meter summit. Shandur has the world's highest polo pitch, where the best teams from Gilgit and Chitral compete in rapid and intense matches. Nearby, Shandur Lake is noted for its colorful reflections of the surrounding Hindu Kush mountains, and The Langer is a magnificent plain used for grazing yaks and dzos. Following the path of the Ghizer River, we continue our journey to the Ghizer Valley, with its colorful water and lovely green and lush scenery.

After breakfast, we'll head to Gilgit, a classic frontier town that was long considered the empire's farthest extremity. It was formerly a significant staging point on the Silk Route, but it was looted by Tibetans and Chinese Sikhs over time. Before traveling to Hunza, we will visit the Christian graveyard and the local bazaar. The journey to Hunza is extremely breathtaking, and we will stop at Chalt to witness the collision of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates. Then, as we round the bend, we discover Mount Rakaposhi basking in the sun beside the road - the sight will leave you speechless. We will spend the first night in Karimabad (Hunza) at a superbly positioned hotel, 2850m above sea level and 500m above the valley bottom, with panoramic views of five 7,000m peaks!

Wake up at 5:30 a.m. to observe the rising sun pinken the peak of Rakaposhi flamingo...optional! After breakfast, we go to the famed Baltit Fort, which has been beautifully renovated by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture. It is now designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After that, we'll have lunch in town. In the afternoon, those interested might take a water channel tour around Karimabad before browsing the local shops, where there will be enough to buy. The tastiest coffee and walnut cake in town can be found at Café De Hunza!

After breakfast, we'll head to the other side of the valley to see the Hoper Glacier. After there, we'll stop for lunch in a charming garden café before travelling an hour and a half up the KKH to see the newly formed lake at Attabad. A major landslip blocked the Hunza River in January 2010, submerging 28 kilometres of the KKH and generating a stunning azure lake. We go to Gulmit to see a carpet weaving centre managed by Wakhi women. Later, we drive farther north to Batura Glacier, the world's fifth longest, and take in the breathtaking views of Passu Cones, the white Passu Glacier, and a variety of 7000m peaks. We return to Karimabad in the late afternoon. We return to Karimabad in the late afternoon.

We return to the Karakoram Highway this morning for our trip to Gilgit, stopping en route for lunch at the Rakaposhi View to take in the breathtaking scenery. This afternoon, we'll return to Gilgit and check into our hotel, which is nestled in a beautiful garden with stunning views of Rakaposhi and Bilchar Dubani.

Today we have a magnificent trip back to Islamabad through the Karakoram Highway, seeing the majestic vistas and stunning landscape. We move to the Babusar road farther downstream and cross a 4100m pass with views of the Himalayan, Karakoram, and Hindu Kush ranges. We continue our descent into the lush green Kaghan Valley, where we may come across nomadic shepherds and their flocks of fat-tailed sheep.  Finally, before arriving in the lively town of Naran, we drive by the lovely Lulusar Lake, which is encircled by snow-capped peaks. The bulk of the people here are Pashtun, and we may be able to take a stroll through the bazaar or relax and watch the world go by from one of the rooftop cafés this evening. (Please keep in mind that flights are unpredictable at this time of year and might be canceled on a regular basis due to inclement weather, therefore we intend to drive this scenic route and stop in Naran. If the Babusar Pass is closed owing to snowfall, we will return to Islamabad through Besham.)

Today we continue our tour, arriving in Taxila, a fascinating Buddhist university town that dates back to Alexander the Great's Gandharan era. We will travel the short distance to Islamabad after touring this UNESCO World Heritage site. We're having our farewell meal here.

Today's excursion concludes in Islamabad after breakfast.