Hunza — Where the Karakoram opens. — Pakistan Tourism Awards

The Hunza Valley from Eagle's Nest: poplars and terraced villages along the river beneath snow-capped Karakoram peaks

Gilgit-Baltistan

Where the Karakoram opens.

Photo: Alllexxxis / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Hunza sits along the Karakoram Highway in the far north of Gilgit-Baltistan. From the terraces of Karimabad, the Lady Finger and Ultar peaks stand directly overhead, and the valley floor runs green with apricot and poplar against brown rock.

Two forts anchor its history. Baltit Fort, restored by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture and reopened in 1996, is on Pakistan's UNESCO Tentative List. Altit Fort, older still, received a UNESCO Asia-Pacific Award of Distinction in 2011. Up the valley, Attabad Lake was created in January 2010 when a landslide dammed the Hunza River.

District area: 11,695 sq km
Baltit Fort: UNESCO Tentative List, 2004
Attabad Lake: Formed 2010
Altit Fort: UNESCO Asia-Pacific Award, 2011
Generally visited: April to October
Coordinates: 36.333° N, 74.666° EView on a map

Seasons are general guidance. Mountain roads and passes open and close with the weather; check locally before travelling.

Attabad Lake with the Passu ConesFateen Younis, CC BY-SA 4.0

What draws people here

Baltit and Altit forts
Attabad Lake
Passu and the Passu Cones
Spring blossom and autumn colour
Karakoram Highway journeys

Planning a visit

Getting there: The nearest airport is Gilgit, served by turboprop flights from Islamabad that need clear weather and are often cancelled. Karimabad is about 100 km north of Gilgit on the Karakoram Highway, two to three hours by road. Driving all the way from Islamabad takes a long day or more.
How long to allow: Most itineraries allow three to five days.
Good to know: Foreign visitors register with the local authorities in Gilgit-Baltistan, so carry your passport for checkposts. Keep a spare day or two in case flights are cancelled.

General guidance, checked in September 2026. Visa rules, permits, flights and mountain roads change; confirm with official sources or a licensed operator before you book. We do not sell travel.

Sources

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