Some places live up to the photographs. Hunza Valley in Pakistan is one of them. Turquoise water sitting inside bare grey mountains, apricot orchards on terraced slopes, a fort that has watched the same valley for seven hundred years, and a highway that climbs to the highest paved border crossing on earth.
This is Gilgit-Baltistan at its best, and it is more accessible than most people expect. Here is everything you need to plan the trip.
Where is Hunza Valley?
Hunza sits in the far north of Pakistan, in Gilgit-Baltistan, strung along the Hunza river between the Karakoram and the Hindu Kush. The Karakoram Highway runs straight through it, connecting Gilgit in the south to the Chinese border in the north.
Karimabad is the main town and the natural base, perched on a slope with Rakaposhi filling the view. Above it lies Gojal, or Upper Hunza, where the valley opens into Passu, Gulmit and Sost.
Rakaposhi at 7,788 metres, Ultar Sar, Diran and the spire locals call Lady Finger are all visible from the valley floor on a clear day.
A kingdom in the Karakoram
Hunza was its own princely state for centuries, ruled by the Mirs from Baltit Fort. Sitting on the old Silk Road, it controlled a strategic corner of the mountains and drew the attention of every empire that came near, from the Chinese to the British during the Great Game. The state was formally dissolved in 1974 and absorbed into Pakistan, but the fort and the family history are still very much part of local identity.
That layered past is what makes Hunza more than a scenic drive.
The places you came for
Attabad Lake
In January 2010 a massive landslide at Attabad village blocked the Hunza river, submerging villages and a long stretch of the Karakoram Highway. What it left behind is a twenty kilometre lake of impossible blue green water. Boating, jet skis and lakeside cafes have grown up along the shore, and the rebuilt highway now runs above it through a series of tunnels.
It is a disaster that became the valley's most photographed sight.
Passu Cones and Hussaini Bridge
North of Attabad, the Passu Cones rise in a row of jagged spires. Locally known as Tupopdan, the highest point reaches 6,106 metres. There is a well known viewpoint on the highway where almost every visitor stops.
Nearby, the Hussaini suspension bridge stretches across the river on wooden planks with gaps between them. It looks alarming and photographs brilliantly. Crossing is optional and entirely at your own pace.
Baltit and Altit Forts
Baltit Fort stands above Karimabad, roughly seven hundred years old, restored through the 1990s by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture and now open as a museum. The Tibetan influenced architecture and the view from the roof are both worth the climb.
Altit Fort, lower down, is older still and sits beside a restored village and garden. Visit both. They are close together and tell the same story from two angles.
Khunjerab Pass
At 4,693 metres, Khunjerab is the highest paved border crossing in the world, marking the frontier with China. The drive up from Sost passes through Khunjerab National Park, home to snow leopards, ibex and Marco Polo sheep, though sightings are rare.
The pass is typically open from around May to late November and closed by snow through winter. Altitude is real here. Go up slowly, do not rush around at the top, and skip it if anyone in the group is unwell.
Eagle's Nest, Duikar
A short climb above Karimabad brings you to Duikar, the viewpoint known as Eagle's Nest. Sunrise from here across Rakaposhi, Diran and Golden Peak is the single best hour in Hunza. Set the alarm.
The people of Hunza
Hunza is culturally distinct from the rest of Pakistan. Most residents are Ismaili Muslims, literacy rates are among the highest in the country, and the education of women is visibly well established. Burushaski, a language with no known relatives anywhere in the world, is spoken in central Hunza, while Wakhi is common in Gojal.
Visitors consistently describe the hospitality as the thing they remember longest.
Best time to visit Hunza Valley
Blossom
April
Cherry and apricot blossom, when the valley turns pink and white. It is short, roughly two to three weeks, and worth planning around.
Peak season
May to September
Roads clear, Khunjerab open, everything running.
The quiet favourite
October
Poplars turn gold, the light is sharp, and the crowds have gone.
Stark
Winter
Stunning and stark, but Khunjerab closes and travel gets harder. Only for people who actively want that.
How to get to Hunza
By road from Islamabad along the Karakoram Highway, usually a long day of driving, often broken with an overnight stop. The route is spectacular and the drive is genuinely part of the trip.
By air, fly Islamabad to Gilgit, then drive two to three hours up to Karimabad. The flight is short and beautiful, but mountain weather cancels it often, so most groups plan road travel and treat a flight as a bonus.
What to eat
Try chapshuro, a stuffed meat pastry, and the local apricot products, from dried fruit to oil. Hunza water, a mulberry drink, gets mentioned everywhere. Walnut cake and apricot jam turn up at almost every guesthouse breakfast.
Travel tips before you go
Hunza Valley questions, answered
- What is the best time to visit Hunza Valley?
- April for cherry blossom, May to September for clear roads and open passes, and October for autumn colours. Winter is beautiful but Khunjerab Pass closes and some roads get difficult.
- How do you get to Hunza from Islamabad?
- By road along the Karakoram Highway, usually a long day of driving, or by flight to Gilgit followed by a two to three hour drive. Flights depend on mountain weather.
- How many days do you need in Hunza Valley?
- Five to seven days is comfortable, allowing time for Karimabad, Attabad Lake, Passu, Khunjerab Pass and the drive itself. Three days feels rushed.
Plan your Hunza Valley tour
We run customised Hunza Valley trips for families, groups and photographers, with comfortable stays in Karimabad and Gojal, local drivers who know the road, and itineraries built around blossom season, summer or autumn colour.
