The Darkot Pass

21 days - A short walk in the Hindu Kush -Unspoiled campsites - Two remote pass crossings- the bustling bazaar towns of Chitral and Gilgit

Lying close to Pakistan's border with Afghanistan and forming a natural divide between the Hindu Kush and Hindu Raj ranges, the Yarkhun Valley has been accessible to outside visitors only since the early 1990's. From the historically fascinating outpost of Chitral, KE's popular Darkot Pass itinerary follows this impressive valley as far as the Boroghil Pass, formerly an important trade route into Afghanistan. Our route then turns eastwards to cross the snow-covered, but straightforward Darkot and Ishkuman passes before descending to Gilgit in the Hunza Valley. From each of these high passes (c. 4600m.), there are magnificent views towards the mountains of the central Karakoram. Offering a diversity of unspoiled landscape and an interesting mix of cultures, this is exploratory travel at its best, where the people we meet are as curious about us as we are about them.

Duration:	20 days
Maximum Altitude:	4657 m
Trek Status:	Restricted
Trek Grade:	Demanding
Joining in:	Islamabad/Rawalpindi
Location:	Hindukush
Best time:	July & August