Most tours to northern Pakistan begin in Islamabad. International flights arrive here. The Karakoram Highway begins a short drive away from the city. Additionally, the offices of the tour companies to Hunza, Skardu, Swat, or Chitral are either located in or around Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
Determining which tour operator is reputable and reliable is the challenge. Facebook pages, WhatsApp numbers, and other "best tour operators" lists circulate, and in most of these (if not all), there's a man operating a tour company as a side business with a rented Prado and no license. The companies below are registered businesses. Each does different things, so read what each one handles before you decide to book.
I should be completely transparent. The first tour company on this list is ours. As you are on our website now, understand that as you wish. The other four are companies we rate, and in several cases, we compete with.
Tour operators in Pakistan are licensed by the Department of Tourist Services, which issues a DTS number. Most reputable operators are also a part of the Pakistan Association of Tour Operators (PATO), and the services directory of the PATO lists the company's address, CEO, and contact number for each company. If the company you are researching is not in this directory and cannot provide a DTS number, ask them why. Ask us the same question.
There are licensing requirements for foreign visitors. Pakistan’s online visa system has a list of tour operators, and a sponsorship or invitation letter is required with most tourist visa applications. An operator cannot extend an invitation or sponsor a tourist visa without a license.
1. Hospitality Tours PK
Sector H-13, Islamabad
Hospitalitytours.com.pk operates in the opposite manner of a booking site. We do not have a page that has listings to browse through, and we do not have a filter. Our clients send in a request by WhatsApp, email, or the form on the website that has the dates, destination, size of the travel group, and budget. We then present the client with options that have been confirmed, and a quote. We remain in contact with our clients to answer their questions throughout the duration of the trip, in contrast to booking sites that maintain contact until the payment is successfully processed.
Our parent company, Hospitality Park (Pvt) Ltd, builds resorts and luxury eco-domes, so we book and also manage some of the accommodation. We also have a network that consists of licensed guides and transport that we have used previously.
We book corporate group tours, holiday packages, business delegate tours, wedding bookings, and outside Pakistan travel packages. We also book travel insurance and offer visa service.
This is the site for you if you are looking for personal service.
We are Hospitality Tourists, and we would love to discuss your tour with you – this is the link: hospitalitytours.com.pk
2. Travel Walji's
Aabpara Market, Islamabad · DTS licence ID-3
Walji’s is among the first to secure a license and has nearly a century in the business. Rather than specializing in mountain travel, they function as a full-service travel agency where clients can book air tickets, book hotels, and plan travel for their corporate and personal needs, as well as arrange tours around the Gilgit, Baltistan, Kaghan, Azad Kashmir, and Swat regions.
They may be a good option if you want one agency to plan and book your family travel and flights.
3. Nazir Sabir Expeditions
G-11/2, Islamabad · Govt licence 711
Nazir Sabir is among those who first put Pakistan on the map for mountain travel. He was the first Pakistani to summit Everest and did so in 2000. From his home base in Islamabad, he arranges treks, jeep safaris, mountaineering expeditions, and even helicopter-assisted treks to the Karakoram. His clients can opt for trips to Nepal, western China, Afghanistan, or Tajikistan as well.
They may be a good option if you are looking for guides for K2 Base Camp, Concordia, Snow Lake among others.
4. Apricot Tours
F-11 Markaz, Islamabad · DTS licence ID-2131
Apricot has efficient sales and planning from their offices in F-11, Islamabad, and their logistics from Skardu. This is very convenient for everything that one might want to do on the Baltoro. Apricot offers full board, guided treks and mountaineering expeditions, including cook and porter support, and also offers culturally rich trips to Islamabad, Peshawar, Taxila, Lahore, and Karachi. For clients continuing on their journey to the wider region, Apricot has support offices in Kabul and Dushanbe.
Good for Foreign visitors who want a single tour operator for airport pickup and drop-off.
5. Indus Caravan
F-10/4, Islamabad · DTS licence ID-2266
If you need a tour company for a job that requires a lot of paperwork, Indus Caravan is the tour company for you. Apart from regular tours, they plan research trips and filming permissions to regions that require NOCs, and plan tours to archaeological sites of Gandhara and the rock carvings and sculptures along the Indus river, wildlife tours to the high altitude pastoral valleys, as well as trips to Afghanistan, including the Wakhan corridor.
Good for Researchers, filmmakers, and tourists who are interested in History.
What to ask before paying the advance
Most complaints about tour companies in Pakistan are the same, so ask the following questions to avoid any problems. Save the following as a WhatsApp message and send:
What is your DTS licence number, and what hotels are you booking us into by name?
Is the vehicle yours, and are the fuel, tolls, the driver's food, and accommodation included in the price?
What is not included? Surprises include Fairy Meadows and Deosai ticket entry, as well as porters.
What happens to the advance we pay if we cancel? Is this in writing?
A company that answers these questions before you pay is usually the company that answers the phone at Passu at 11 pm.