Today is our 3rd day in the most beautiful valley on earth the Hunza Valley, for the last 2 days, we were exploring Karimabad, the capital of Hunza. We traveled to the marketplace, the Apple, Apricot and Walnut forest, the Baltit locality and the Baltit Fort, also tasted the local bread “Arzooq”. This area is extremely wonderful one can ramble here for hours or can merely sit and savor the beauty of its surrounding. My spouse even visited the local houses in the surrounding and made acquaintances with them and learn about their lives.
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| Early Morning at Karimabad, Hunza |
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| Early Morning at Karimabad, Hunza |
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| Early Morning at Karimabad, Hunza |
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| Early Morning at Karimabad, Hunza |
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| Early Morning at Karimabad, Hunza |
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| Early Morning at Karimabad, Hunza |
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| Early Morning at Karimabad, Hunza |
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| Early Morning at Karimabad, Hunza |
Today we hold a plan to explore the other nearby places, including Attabad Lake, Hopper Glacier, Nagar Valley, Confluence of River Hunza and Nagar, Rock Caving by Alexander the Great, Ganish Village and Altit Fort. Since this area is a pollution free with clean and fresh air all around, we always wake up early in the morning. The rising sun creates the surrounding mountains and the area the most spectacle place on land. After a hot bath, we packed our backpacks and went down for the breakfast. After the first experience, we consistently have our breakfast at “Hunza Snack Bar” with ‘Arzooq’ being the part of it. The Hunza Snack Bar is along the main road and the valley can be distinctly viewed from inside the snack bar, there were people walking toward their work on the main road and students to their school and colleges. People here have to walk long distances to reach their destinations as there is less and limited public transport in this area. And we were also walking too much from the time we are here, as we don’t have any sort of conveyance, but the thing we learn from walking is that you can view and observe more and can feel the surrounding and become part of it.
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| Karimabad, Hunza |
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| Karimabad, Hunza |
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| Karimabad, Hunza |
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| Karimabad, Hunza |
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| Karimabad, Hunza |
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| Karimabad, Hunza |
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| Karimabad, Hunza |
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| Karimabad, Hunza |
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| Karimabad, Hunza |
We roamed around for a couple of hours and then went to “Mountain Art & Gems Gallery”, as from there we have the plan to go on a trip around Hunza on the Jeep owned by the shopkeeper. We waited in the shop, the shop is loaded with precious gemstones, handmade wooden items, carpets, apparel and other handicraft items. As shortly as the shopkeeper handed over the shop to his brother we ride on the jeep and our journey toward our first spot the “Attabad Lake” has begun. After driving down from Karimabad we are now traveling on the Karakorum Highway toward China.
Driving a couple of kilometers we reached Ganish. Ganish is the oldest village in Hunza, with 800-year-old mosques, and is considered the first settlement along the ancient Silk Road. Situated approximately 6 kilometers from Aliabad it has been awarded the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage. Ganish consists of sub-villages including Garelth, Chaboikushal, Shukunoshal, Khaii, Buldas and Chillganish. One of the most iconic things of Ganish is it Shikaris (watchtowers) made of wood and stone these towers were utilize in old times to keep watch on enemies.
After passing a little time at Ganish we again embarked on our journey toward “Attabad Lake”. “Attabad Lake”, in the valley of Gojal, is created because of water blockage of river Hunza caused by massive land sliding in January 2010. More than 20 people were killed and part of Karakorum Highway was submerged due to this landslide and 6,000 people are displaced from upstream villages. The lake created in this result it is 24 km long, 100meters deep and is at an altitude of 2700 meters, surrounded on all sides by 6000-7000 meter high peaks and glaciers.
We were traveling on the well-built and well maintained Karakorum Highway with warning signs for expected land sliding at some places. Karakorum Highway is constructed in such a terrain that there are mountains on one side and deep valleys on the other of the road and due to its high elevation and difficult conditions in which it was constructed, no wonder it is regarded as the Eighth Wonder of the World. And these mountains frequently cause land sliding and damaging the highway at different locations, but this highway is constantly monitored and is reconstructed on an immediate basis. Watching scenic views with Hunza River flowing in parallel along the left-side of the highway we reached Attabad Lake in nearly one and half hours.
After traveling about 20 KM from Karimabad, on the left side of Karakorum Highway before the Attabad Tunnel, there is a rough and dirt road going down to the lake. Driving half a kilometer along this route we hit a terrific place with a vast lake filled with stunning blue color water, the color we have never witnessed in our life and mighty mountains surrounding the lake. We jumped out of the jeep and sit along the bank of lake dipping our hands and foot in the clear and cold water. The semblance of water is amazingly beautiful, the blue color of water we have never seen before, and so clear that for some distances the bed of the lake is clearly visible, this smoothness of water make it appear like a big mirror in which one can clearly see the reflection of the surrounding mountains.
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| Attabad Lake |
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| Attabad Lake |
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| Attabad Lake |
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| View of Attabad Tunnel from Attabad Lake |
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| Attabad Lake |
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| Attabad Lake |
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| Attabad Lake |
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| Attabad Lake |
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| Attabad Lake |
The calmness of the surrounding creates such a spiritual phenomenon that one will find his body so light that makes you feels like being adrift in the air. There were few boats moored up at the lakeside, these boats were used to transport goods and passengers from one side of the lake to the other side before the Attabad Tunnel was constructed few months back. We chose to have a ride on the boat and tour the lake. The boat was motor driven and the sailor was the expert, the tour began and our boat started moving toward Gulmit on the other side of the lake. We were completely excited and enjoying the ride, our boat was sailing along a most exquisite water and fenced by mighty mountains. At a distance we can see part of the Attabad tunnel up high on the mountain, some construction work was still going on in the tunnel and the huge machinery can be seen engaged.
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| Attabad Lake |
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| Attabad Lake |
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| Attabad Lake |
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| Attabad Lake |
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| Attabad Lake |
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| Attabad Lake |
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| Attabad Lake |
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| Attabad Lake |
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| Attabad Lake |
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| Attabad Lake |
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| Attabad Lake |
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| Attabad Lake |
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| Attabad Lake |
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| Attabad Lake |
After a spectacular boat ride of half an hour, we return back to the bank of the lake. Capturing the stunning vista of the area in our camera, we hopped back again into our jeep and started our journey toward our next destination “The Hoper Glacier”.
Hoper Valley is a part of Nagar Valley and is at nearly 10 KM from Nagar Khas, the capital of Nagar Valley. Nagar Valley is situated at an altitude of about 8000 feet (2,438m) and is also one of the most beautiful and scenic valleys of this region. Hopar Valley is the site of the Rush Lake, Bwaltar Peak, Kapldongs, Shaltar Peak, Hispar Muztagh, Spantik, Barpu, Bualtar and Hopar (Hopper) glaciers.
Driving on Karakorum Highway toward the direction of Karimabad, we stopped at the point to see the famous Rock Carving by the Brigade of Alexzander the Great when they traveled on the Silk Route for entering China. There are more than 50,000 pieces of rock art (petroglyphs) and inscriptions all along the Karakoram Highway in Gilgit-Baltistan, concentrated at ten major sites between Hunza and Shatial. These inscriptions, mostly belong to the time when this area served as a connecting route between Gandhara and the Tarim Basin, especially under the great Kushans (2nd Century AD and later). These carving shows single animals, triangular men and hunting scenes in which the animals are larger than the hunters. These carvings were pecked into the rock with stone tools and are covered with a thick patina that proves their age.
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| Ancient Inscriptions on Rocks, Hunza Valley |
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| Ancient Inscriptions on Rocks, Hunza Valley |
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| Ancient Inscriptions on Rocks, Hunza Valley |
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| Ancient Inscriptions on Rocks, Hunza Valley |
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| Ancient Inscriptions on Rocks, Hunza Valley |
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| Ancient Inscriptions on Rocks, Hunza Valley |
Before reaching the Hunza Bridge on left-side of Karakorum Highway there is another road going toward Nagar Valley. Now our drive is toward Nagar Valley with Hunza River flowing in parallel to the right side of the road. After a couple of kilometers, there is a spot where the Nagar River merges with Hunza River, we did not stop at this spot as we have to reach the Hoper as early as possible. The surrounding panorama of this route is magnificent, on one side is beautiful villages of Nagar and on the other side is the deep valley and snow-covered mountains can be seen at some distance.
Stopping at Nagar Khas for a couple of minutes, we reached Hoper in 2 Hours. Hoper is a village with lush green plain surrounded by snow covered mountains. We stop at “The Hopar Hilton” hotel and restaurant and the Hoper Glacier can be seen below in a shape of slop coming down from the mountain. We have seen a little portion of a glacier in Naran, but this glacier is so huge. Only solid snow mixed with mud can be seen till miles, this glacier is far below in the valley from where we are sitting. Our jeep driver informed us that it will be of about one and half hour of trek if we wish to get to the glacier, but we choose not to chase down because it seems really tough and exhausting. Thus, we remain at the glacier view point and admire the beauty of the area. The glacier at the place we are sitting is mixed with mud and snow, therefore, look black but the part of the glacier that can be viewed on the mountain is white and neat.
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| Nagar Valley |
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| Nagar Valley |
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| Nagar Valley |
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| Nagar Valley |
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| Nagar Valley |
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| Ancient Juice Extractor at Hoper, Nagar Valley |
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| Hoper, Nagar Valley |
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| Hoper Glacier, Nagar Valley |
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| Hoper Glacier, Nagar Valley |
At that place were many foreign tourists from Germany, USA, Australia, China, Korea and other countries who come to this place either to summit the highest peaks, reach the glaciers coming down from the mountains or to camp on the lush green plains along the beautiful lakes. The lakes that exist in between these mountains, like the famous Rush Lake, situated at an altitude of 4,694 meters, it is one of the highest alpine lakes in the world.
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| Hoper Glacier, Nagar Valley |
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| Hoper Glacier, Nagar Valley |
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| Hoper Glacier, Nagar Valley |
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| Hoper, Nagar Valley |
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| Hoper Glacier, Nagar Valley |
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| Hoper Glacier, Nagar Valley |
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| Hoper, Nagar Valley |
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| Hoper, Nagar Valley |
Joining back on Karakorum Highway and crossing the Hunza Bridge our next destination is Altit Fort. Altit Fort is an 1100-year-old Fort built and ruled by then Mir of Hunza in the town of Altit, later they moved to nearby Baltit Fort. Altit means "this side down" and the town is considered to be inhabited by Huns from the Persian Empire around 47 A.D. The fort is built on top of a high cliff and is over 1,000 feet above the Hunza River. The fort is at some 30 minutes’ walk or a 15 minutes’ drive from Karimabad city and is surround by the friendly and courteous population of Altit.
Riding up in the mountains we reach the Altit village in about 45 minutes. At the start of the Altit village, there is a small office where you can buy the ticket to enter the Altit Fort. From that point, we were assisted by a well-trained and knowledgeable guide who provide us the complete tour of the Altit Fort. Walking toward the fort there are many local houses and shops where local population is busy in their daily tasks. At the entrance of the fort, there is a workshop run totally by the women of the Altit, where they craft and sell handicraft items made with wood. Outside the workshop is a large garden in front of the fort, that garden is planted with grass, pine trees, peach trees and many other types of trees that constitute the environment of the garden a marvelous spot to sit and enjoy the surroundings. Crossing the garden we entered the fort made of rock, clay, and wood. The fort is well maintained by the Agha Khan Foundation and represents as a museum as well. The guide gives us the tour of every piece of the fort and explains in detail about the history and items present in the fort. The views of Hunza Valley, Karakorum Highway, Hunza River, snow covered mountains and of the other areas seen from the fort is extremely magnificent and breathtaking.
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| Altit Fort Garden |
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| Altit Fort Garden |
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| View of Baltit Fort from Altit Fort |
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| View of Hunza Valley from Altit Fort |
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| Hunza River View from Altit Fort |
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| Hunza Bridge view from Altit Fort |
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| Altit Fort Tower |
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| Altit Village view from Altit Fort |
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| Altit Fort Entrance |
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| View of Karakorum Highway & Hunza River from Altit Fort |
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| Pillar at Altit Fort |
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| Antiques at Altit Fort |
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| Antique at Altit Fort |
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| Blankets woveen with Yak Wool, Altit Fort |
After today’s long and marvelous tour we return back to Karimabad. On the way back we bought some bakery items from a nearby bakery by the name “Café de Hunza”. It is a well maintained and nice restaurant in the area, serving a variety of cakes, coffee, and other bakery items. Their specialty Walnut Cake is excellent and must to eat. Very nice atmosphere and friendly staff.
One other fascinating thing in Karimabad is the availability of Pure Mineral Water everywhere. When asked from the locals we were told that this water is coming directly from the Ultar Sar Glacier and is distributed all over Karimabad through pipelines and is used as everyday tap water. The water is icy cold and extremely refreshing. We spend our rest of the day roaming around Karimabad before we got back to our room for dinner and the night's sleep.
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