The Hunza Valley

The Hunza Valley, high in the Karakoram mountains of Pakistan's far north, is one of the most beautiful and fabled places in the Karakoram, a spectacular valley of terraced orchards, glacier-fed streams and stone villages cradled beneath a ring of colossal peaks, including the pyramid of Rakaposhi. Reached along the dramatic Karakoram Highway, its centre at Karimabad is crowned by the ancient Baltit and Altit forts. Renowned for its warm, hospitable people, its dazzling spring apricot and cherry blossom, and its golden autumn colour, Hunza is a place of serene, majestic beauty.

History

Before Islam, Buddhism and to a lesser extent Bön were the main religions here, and the Sacred Rock of Hunza carries petroglyphs of horsemen and ibex with Kharoshti inscriptions naming Saka and Pahlava rulers. Hunza began to separate from the Gilgit Valley as its own state around 997 CE, decisively so with the Ayash ruling family in the 15th century, and most of its people now follow the Ismaili branch of Islam (Wikipedia, Hunza Valley).

The landscape

• Baltit and Altit Forts - the ancient forts above Karimabad.
• Rakaposhi and the peaks - the ring of colossal Karakoram summits.
• Attabad Lake - the vivid turquoise lake on the valley floor.
• The blossom and autumn colour - the spring blossom and golden autumn.

When to go

April to October is the season: spring, around April, brings the famous apricot and cherry blossom, summer offers lush green and access to the high country, and autumn, around October, sets the valley ablaze with golden colour. Winter is cold and snowbound, though starkly beautiful. The high passes north are open only in the warmer months.

Practical notes

Hunza is remote, reached by a long journey along the mountainous Karakoram Highway or a weather-dependent flight to Gilgit, so getting there takes time and flexibility; facilities, while improving, are simple. Northern Pakistan is famously welcoming. For jaw-dropping mountain scenery, ancient forts and genuine warmth, though, Hunza is one of Asia's great destinations.

Nearby

The Karakoram Highway, the Khunjerab Pass to China and Gilgit are on the route.

Key facts