Fairy Meadows, located in the heart of Pakistan’s Karakoram range, is a place of natural beauty and adventure. The journey to Fairy Meadows, also known as Joot, is an adventure in itself and is best experienced in a jeep. The Jeep drivers are well used to the tricky route and take the treacherous journey several times a day.
The journey begins in the town of Gilgit, where you will board a bus for the approximately 100 km drive to the Raikot Bridge, a checkpoint that lets you know when you have landed. The road along the Karakoram Highway is a mix of smooth asphalt and rough ground that has been battered by the large trucks that hurtle to and from the Chinese border every day, with breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains at every turn. As you drive, you will pass through small villages and cross rivers of glacial melt crossing the road at various points.
Once you reach Raikot Bridge, you will transfer to a 4X4 jeep for the final leg of the journey to Fairy Meadows. This part of the journey is not for the faint-hearted, as the jeep will take you over rocky terrain and steep inclines, but the views from the top are worth the effort. As you get closer to Fairy Meadows, the road becomes increasingly rough and rocky, the roads narrow and the scenery becomes more spectacular as Nanga Parbat starts to come into view. As you bustle past oncoming jeeps making incredibly close passes, you’ll need to cover your face from the dust being kicked up by the track below with the jeep navigating steep inclines and hairpin turns. If you can still see or you haven’t had your entire skeleton shaken asunder, you will next need to trek two more hours to Fairy Meadows. You will pass through the lush green forests of juniper and cedar and there are some small huts along the way more than willing to lure you in with mountain tea or some snacks.
Fairy Meadows is a place of natural beauty and adventure. The journey to Fairy Meadows is an experience that will stay with you for a lifetime. From the stunning views of the surrounding mountains to the rush of adrenaline as you navigate the rough terrain in a jeep, this is an adventure that should not be missed. Almost all itineraries that we work with will include this adventure in the Northern Areas as the trekking is some of the best in Pakistan and its the only way to reach Nanga Parbat.
