Hunza Valley

Mountainous valley situated to the north of hunza river in gilgit baltistan is  known as hunza valley the world Renowned hunzavalley is a heaven for tourists..the capital of hunza is karimabad ( Baltit ) ,Prince karim agha khan is the spiritual head of shia ismaili nizari community and karimabad is named after him ,it is surrounded by three beautiful peaks Rakhaposhi,Diran and Ultar.hunza valley is surrounded by some of the high peaks namely Rakhaposhi,hunza peak,Darmyani peak,ghenta sar, ultar sar,Bojahagur Duanasir and lady finger peak

 

Hunza valley is perhaps one of the most beautiful and attractive areas in northern areas.this area boasts of some of the most spectacular scenery in the world.many of the highest mountains in the world are located in hunza and gilgit.the people are exotic and varied.

Hunza River

The river cuts through the karakoram and flows over the full length along the constructed between 1971 and 1980 karakoram highway.

 

The hunza occurs at the confluence of two rivers: the khunjerab, which from the khunjerabpas comes in the northeast, and ghujerab from the southeast. From this point flows hunza a kilometer long and 90 to the south by gojal , the highest part of hunza valley orchards and fields surrounded by high mountains including the peaks rakaposhi and ultar.

Fruit Orchids

Hunza is an agricultural city. Miles and miles of fruit orchards can be seen as the tourist approaches karimabad.

Apricots are the major diet in summers and are stored throughout the winters. Some wonderful green fields with trees in them.

 

 

Attabad Lake

Attabad lake, gojal, also known as gojal lake^], is a lake in the gojal valley of northern Pakistan created in January 2010 by a landslide dam.

The lake was formed due to a massive landslide at attabad village in Gilgit-Baltistan, 9 miles (14 km) upstream (east) of karimabad that occurred on January 4, 2010.^[

The landslide killed twenty people and blocked the flow of the Hunza river for five months.

The lake reached 13 miles (21 km) long and over 100 meters (330 ft.) in depth by the first week of June 2010

 

 

 

Queen Victoria Monument, Karimabad, Hunza

The queen victoria monument at the top of the rock face behind karimabad can be reached in an hour from baltit. Take the channel path above the polo ground.

Thought to be erected by nazim khan, in burushaski, the monument is called malikamu shikari (ma-li-ka-mu shi-ka-ri).

 

Hopar Glacier

Hopar valley is a cluster of villages around a natural bowl at a bend of bualtar glacier. Opposite hopar the white bualtar is joined by the barpu glacier.  This is a base camp for treks into the high, glacier-draped peaks called the hispar muztagh. This valley is full of natural resources and natural beauty but due to ingnorance of government and local politicians add to its backwardness. The 12 km length of hopar glacier you can actually hear it groan while standing at its side since it is the fastest moving glacier in Pakistan.

 

 

 

 

Altit Fort

In hunza there are two old forts here, Altit and Baltit. In the village of Altit ,there located a Altit fort.and this village is about 3km from karimabad.Altit fort is about 800 years old and it was the first residence of the Mir of hunza’s and now this fort is under renovation.one and a half km walk to the east takes you to the beautiful village of Altit.

At the entry point of Altit there is a beautiful garden of white apricots which is also known for its taste.

 

Baltit fort

Located at the top of large rocky amphitheatre Baltit fort is about 3km jeep drive from karimabad.it is built at the top of karimabad The fort was built some  seven hundred years ago.doors inside were quite short and the tour guide explained that it was for defensive mechanism.in 1997  it was renovated  by using  mudbricks and timber in order to withstand  the earthquakes in this area The Fort is now a museum and cultural centre. Is based on three storey building and it has a total of 53 rooms..in ground floor there are guest rooms, kitchens, storerooms, prisonsetc.if you visit second floor there are family apartments, reception rooms, royal court, arms depot and guards` chambers,and after 2nd floor there is a roof ,from here you can view the beautufil peak of Rakaposhi.you have to buy a tickets if you want to visit a fort and in addition to the tickets you will also be charged extra if you want to take photograps or make videos inside the fort. Opening time of fort: 9 to 1 and 2 to 530 Entry Fee : 200rs Ticket office is on the left side of  fort just 30 meters  before  reaching the fort

 

 

 

 

 

Rakhaposhi

 

It is a mountain in a karakoram mountain range situated in a nagar valley and is easily visible from karimabad and surrounding areas of karimabad .it is 27th highest peak in the world.rakhaposhi means “shining wall” or “ snow covered” its steep ice-covered peak towering above barren cliffs and terraces..Domani is another name of rakhaposhi which means “ mother of mist”..the first quick look that you can enjoy is from an area called zero point which is on right on karakoram highway  where you get a magnificent view of the peak, with glacier fed streams running down.it is rankes as 12th highest in Pakistan but it is more popular for its beauty as compared to its rank .

 

 

Khunjerab pass,

• In the Karakorum highways, there is high mountain pass which is known as khunjerab pass, which is the highest point at karakoram with 4730 meters peak.
• It is so fascinated  that the first glimpse at it arouses attraction
• The completion of the section of this road was done in 1982
• It is thought to be highest metaled border crossing.
• During December to April the pass is often covered by snow due to rainy season, in this season mud sliding is common so the pass remained close for all vehicles other than trucks.
• Consultants were interested in the construction of railway through this pass in 2007.

 

 

Hotels in hunza

• Darbaar hotel
• Hunza baltit inn
• Eagle’s Nest
  Travelling

If you wanted to visit hunza ,you can g by air as well as by road.if you choose to go by air then nearest airport is is gilgit,you can reserve your ticket from PIA because only PIA operates daily 2 flights to gilgit,one at 6:45am and another at 9:45am.

If you wanted to travel by road then you can go by bisham road which is 12-14 hours drive from Islamabad,then from chilaas to gilgit it is 8-9 hours drive .from here it takes 3 hours to reach hunza

If you go by air don’t travel in monsoon season because there is a less chance of getting flight due to bad weather.monsoon season is from july to September.

Sost- Hunza valley

Sost is a town present in  gojal valley of Hunza district, Gilgit- baltistan, Pakistan. It is the last town inside Pakistan on the karakoram highway. It is an important town in which customs and immigration department is present. It is also important for all cargo and passenger transport because traffic crossing the Pakistan-china border passes through this town. Border between Pakistan and china is present at khunjerab, the highest border on Earth. In Sost , dry port is present and goods which come from Chinese regions of kashgar and sinkiyang get custom clearance here and transported to the commercial markets of Pakistan. This town is connected to towns like karimabad,gilgit and chilas on the south in Pakistani region and is connected to towns like tashkurgan, upal and kashgar on the north in Chinese region.

For accommodation purposes, PTDC motel is placed here and several other small hotels are also available.

For transport, Northern areas transport corporation (NATCO) is present which connects Islamabad to Sost. Transport facility is also present between Sost and Chinese city Taskurgan, bus service also started between Kashgar and Sost in 2006. The highest border on earth between Pakistan and china open only between May and October. During winter, roads get blocked by snow

Shimshal

Shimshal is a village present in the Hunza-nagar district of Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan. It lies at a height of 3100m above sea level and is the highest settlement in the hunza valley. It is a bordering village that connects china with Pakistan. Shimshal is comprised on 3800 square kilometer, there are almost 2000 inhabitants with total of 240 households.

Shimshal has a hydro electricity base known as odver stream, which give electricity for five months when water isn’t frozen from june to October. Non-availability of electricity is a big problem for the residents of shimshal for the other seven months. They use different resources like kerosene oil, firewood and gas cylinders as an alternative.

The village was inaccessible since 2003 when a new road is constructed from karakoram highway at passu. This non-metallic road was started in 1985 and completed in 2003 and now it takes maximum 3 hours to shimshal from passu.

Tourism in Shimshal

Shimshal has its largest adventure area in the hunza valley. Many tourist points are present in this village.

Mountains like Destaghil Sar(7,885m), Shimshal White Horn( 6,303m) Minglik Sar(6,150m) and Yazghail Sar(6000m) are catching the eyeballs of tourists for so many long time. This village is known as “Village of mountaineers” because more than twenty mountaineers from this village have made Pakistan proud in the field of tourism.

Shimshalis use various grass lands situated at several days walk for their cattles, sheeps and goats. The people of shimshal speak wakhi language and they are also known as Wakhis.  Shimshalis belong to the Ismaili shia sect and they follow Agha khan as their 49th spiritual leader.

Nagar Valley

Nagar valley is situated in the northern most part of gilgit-Baltistan. It was a princely state till 1974 when it was merged with Pakistan. Until 1947, it was in subsidiary alliance with British india and bordered the Gilgit agency to the south and Hunza valley to the north and east. Until 1974, the capital of princely state was the town of nagar. Nagar valley is present in the north of Pakistan.

The geography of nagar consists of difficult mountains and it gives a lot of protection against the invading forces. The highest mountain in nagar valley is mount rakaposhi situated in the south of Nagar. The karakoram highway passes nagar and connects Pakistan with china through khunjerab pass.

The total population of nagar is 90,000. There are two main ethnicities in nagar- the burushaski speakers and shina speakers. An older type of burushaski dialect is still spoken in the valley.Third language, Bedishki is spoken in chalt nagar.

The population belongs to Ismaili shia sect.Following sectarian viloences in January 2005, a six point agreement is signed between two sects to make peace in the region

Different Villages of Nagar

These are different villages of nagar listed below

• Chalt Valley
• Sikandarabad Valley
• Jafarabad Valley
• Nilt Valley
• Thol Valley
• Masot Valley
• Ghulmet Valley
• Yal Valley
• Pissan Valley

Golden peak

Golden peak or spantik is a mountain present in karakoram subrange of nagar valley, Gilgit-Baltistan. Its north west has an hard route known as “ golden pillar”.Golden peak was first climbed in 1955.The mountain is very popular with organized commercial expeditions. Many commercial expeditions have been taken place such as Aus-Pak expedition in july 2011. Another expedition named the China-Pakistan Friendship Expedition was also organized and Dr. Abdul jabbar bhatti was supervising this expedition.

Hunza valley

Hunza valley is the beautiful valley situated in the north of Pakistan. Hunza valley is divided in to three 3 geographic  subdivisions

• Gojal valley

Upper hunza consists of Gojal tehsil of Hunza nagar district

• Lower Hunza

Lower hunza consists of the parts of Alliabad tehsil of Hunza-nagar district

• Central hunza

Central hunza consists of the parts of Alliabad tehsil of Hunza-nagar district

People of Hunza

People of Hunza are known for their friendliness and hospitality. Hunza valley is famous for its beauty and high top hills. There are different languages which are spoken in this valley such as Wakhi, Shina and Burushaski. Literacy rate of Hunza valley is unbelievably high and it is almost ninety five percent. Hunza valley is a role model for the entire Pakistan as it has high literacy rate and school enrollment figure. Almost every child is educated to high school level.”