Beautiful Gilgit-Baltistan

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Beautiful Gilgit-Baltistan

Gilgit has been a historic place and has remained a hub of all activities from the ancient past. The monument of liberation (Yadgar) from British Raj reminds us of the wonderful sacrifice of the local people who fought with bravery and annexed Gilgit/Baltistan to Pakistan on November 1, 1947.

It's geographic location is quite important and being on the cross roads to Skardu, Hunza, Ghizer and China, Gilgit is one of the major hubs for all mountaineering expeditions in the NAs (other being Baltistan). Gilgit receives the maximum number of tourists, especially for silk route. The famous junction or meeting place of three major mountain ranges i.e. Karakoram, Hindukush and Himalayas is just few kilometers away from Gilgit town. Gilgit River and its suspension/hanging bridges offer Meeting point of three mightiest Mountain Rangessuperb view, especially in fall season.

The colorful bazaar oozes with a variety of merchandises and attracts the attention of foreign as well as domestic tourists. The shops of handicrafts, souvenirs, gemstones, carpets and Chinese items make it a very special and must-visit place. The attractions in the town includes: a trip to bazaar, riverside, polo ground, European cemetery with the grave of George Hayward, and a visit to Kargah and Naupura Monastery. A little far, day excursions include trips to Bagrot valley (on the route to the base camp of Diran Peak), Khalti lake, Phander Lake, Naltar valley and Karimabad Village. Further longer activities may include a trip to Hunza valley or Khunjerab pass. Near to Gilgit town is Kargah, known for its beautiful Budha in Kargah Nullahfigure of Lord Buddha dating back to 7th-8th Century AD which is a fine piece of craft standing on the high rock away from the reach of human beings- it is just amazing. A few hundred meters upstream of the Buddha, there are the remains of an excavated monastery and stupas with several texts in Sanskrit.

Another attraction is to visit hydel power station and fish hatchery. There is one of the tallest waterfalls of NAs near the suspension bridge of Kargah. The place offers superb views and can serve as a picnic spot, in the vicinity of Gilgit town. Danyor, located on KKH is also connected with Gilgit town by a suspension bridge followed by a drive through a narrow tunnel, a really thrilling adventure. At Danyor, a rock listing the carved names of Tibetan kings, who ruled the area in the 7th and 8th centuries is interesting while another place of importance is the memorial graveyard of Chinese workers, who lost their lives while building the KKH.

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Bagrot, a green and fertile valley, with Bulchi and Chirah as its main villages, is located at the head of jeep road, and on the start of an easy trekking route to the base camp of Diran, which also offers stunning views of Rakaposhi (south face).

Another interesting route crosses Rakhan pass to connect Bagrot with the valley of Haramosh. Rush Lake (2500m) is a picturesque lake in Hopper Valley, Nagar and is located at the South of Hopper Valley. Naltar Meadows, 35Kms from Gilgit is accessibleNaltar Valley by 4 wheel drive vehicles only. An asphalt road up to Nomal (18Kms) from Gilgit can be reached by a public bus or private vehicle but onwards is a jolting jeep ride to Naltar.

The area is a camper's paradise however few hotels of basic standard are available. Naltar which is surrounded by Shani and Sentinel peaks, has a winter Ski Resort owned by Pakistan Air Force. Naltar is also a kick off point for trekking routes to Nagar and Puniyal via the Dianter and Naltar passes. Naltar Lakes are interesting outing places around and an easy track (12 Kms) leading to the lakes through grassy and flower filled pastures.

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Nagar was historically an independent state having equal status and importance as that of Hunza. This valley is spread over a vast area.

Nagar Proper is just opposite to Karimabad, across the Hunza River. Bar, Jaffarabad, Sikandarabad, Nilt, Gulmet and Chalt are the main villages in Nagar valley. Shani Peak in Chalt is an inspiring and eye catching peak. The most impressive thing one would see in Nagar is the marvellous Raka Poshi which is one of the highest peaks in Pakistan. If you visit the Northern Areas and are unable to see Raka Poshi, it means that your journey was halfway. Bar valley and Hopar in Nagar are home to some of the rare species including ibex and snow leopard; medicinal plants and other natural resources. There are some Rush Lakeinteresting opportunities available for camping, trekking and climbing in different tourist spots.

Trekking options include Rakaposhi base camp, Rush Lake and Rush peak routes, while the most important is Hisper pass connecting the region with Baltistan and being in use since ages. Hisper valley is bound to be an adventurous and exciting place for lovers of adventure. This place is reachable through a bumpy jeepable road and has got the treasures of some incredible beauty that lies in this remotest region of Nagar valley. Diran is another important place where small treks can be enjoyed up to the base camp of Diran Peak. Nagar is famous for having the treasures of precious stones and gems.

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Hunza was a former princely state for about 900 years, which came to an end in 1974. Hunza valley is the prime attraction for tourists, as the spectacular scenery of the surrounding mountains is overwhelming. A view of four 7000m high peaks i.e. Rakaposhi, Diran, Golden and Ultar, from various points of Hunza make it a unique place for lovers of nature. The valley is known for its delicious fruits, terraced fields and longevity of local people and also for its changing colors in various seasons. The spring turns the valley to white, pink and purple and summer is green with colorful flowers while autumn is the most colorful as the whole region wraps in yellow, red and orange. You may have witnessed the colors of autumn throughout the world but you will not see a beautiful mountain like Rakaposhi, behind Spring Blossom in Hunzathe colorful trees and valleys.

The autumn in Hunza valley is magnificent and an unforgettable experience. The present literacy rate of the valley is more than 90%. Hunza is the most tourist friendly region in the whole country, where one can ramble across the villages through bazaars and fields with smiling and welcoming faces of Hunzukuts (people of Hunza). The upper region of Hunza is known as Gojal which is the main abode of Wakhi speakers. The major valleys include: Shimshal, Misgar and Chipursan. Khunjerab National park is an uninhabited land of Gojal but having a lot of natural resource, beauty and wildlife.

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Karimabad/Baltit is the main tourist's attraction in the Hunza valley. It is surrounded by high peaks like Ultar, Hunza Dome, Lady Finger (Bublimoting) while it offers awe inspiring views of Diran and Rakaposhi. A view of sunrise and sunset is out of the world, especially from a high point above Karimabad, called as Duiker. Baltit Fort, the 7,00 years old building made of mud, rocks and wood is impressive, which has recently been renovated and turned into a heritage museum. Altit Fort is another historical place in the neighboring Altit village which is under development and will be open for tourists in coming days. A walk through the villages with terraced fields is a pleasant experience and one might get an invitation at a local house for a cup of tea. The bazaar of Karimabad is colorful and interesting for the shoppers.

The main items of interest include: local handicrafts, souvenirs, hand woven rugs, embroidered caps, Old Settlement of Ganesh (Rennovated by AKCSP)shawls, hand woven cloth known as pattu or Patti and gemstones etc. A day hike through the narrow gorge of Ultar, jumping over loose boulders is a demanding walk, however reaching the snout of Ultar Glacier and the view of the valley by jeeps offers interesting view of sweeping and crevassed glaciers. Ganesh is a small but fast developing village on the KKH. A visit to Ganesh village is interesting with its famous rock inscriptions known as sacred rocks of Ganesh. The old settlement of Ganesh is also very important and has been renovated quite skillfKarakoram Highway- Entry point to Chinaully.

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In Gojal valley, Gulmit is the major settlement which has been the hub of activities during the regime of Mir of Hunza. Ghulkin and Passu are yet other important places. Some important places include: Ghulkin Glacier and Borith Lake, Batura Glacier and Passu Glacier and trophy hunting areas Ghulkin, Khyber and Khunjerab. Sost is a small town in Gojal with its importance of being the border post for the immigration formalities for China tourists. Sost has a full-fledge Dry Port as the cargo from China arrives at Sost for onward delivery to rest of country. Chipursan valley runs along the Pakistan - China border and can be approached from Sost through a jeepable road. Lupghar and Chilingi passes are the major Chipursan Valleytrekking routes in the valley. Ziarat Baba Ghundi is the most important shrine in Chipursan valley.

Another valley is Misgar, which is connected by a jeep road. Misgar leads to Kilik and Mintaka passes. Mintaka was the most common route before the construction of KKH, now Kilik and Mintaka passes are closed for trekking. Road access to Shimshal valley is a latest development and visiting Shimshal valley is joyous as well as adventurous. The people of Shimshal have earned a great name in mountaineering and expeditions. The best Yaks are available in Shimshal valley.

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Khunjerab Pass, is not just beautiful but is an important strategic point. At an elevation of 4,743 meters it is a wide snow plateau, serving as the border between Pakistan and China. The route from Khunjerab pass further leads to China and the first important town is Taxurgan before the famous city of Kashgar. The region beyond Dih has been declared as Khunjerab National Park, a park that houses variety of wildlife, including some unique and endangered species of wild animals. While driving through the park area, one can see grazing wild Asses and Yaks. Marmots are also found in good numbers. The sight of Ibex, Marco polo Sheep and Urial is rare however they come down along roadside in winter. Snow leopard is also found but the sighting is occasional.

To reach these spectacular places, there are few options available. PIA has daily flights to Gilgit from Islamabad. However operation of the flight is subject to good weather. Gilgit town is connected with Rawalpindi and Islamabad via KKH. Northern Areas Transport Corporation (NATCO) has daily bus departures to and from Rawalpindi. Hiring special vehicle from Islamabad can be a good idea as there are certain companies dealing in transportation from Northern Areas. There is NATCO bus service from Gilgit to Chinese city Kashgar on daily basis via Sost, Khunjerab pass and Taxurgan.