HUNZA PART 1

---THE FIRST SHANGRILA---
HUNZA
Where Mountains Meet    

Secret and elusive the Hunza Valley @ 8,000ft  is hemmed in by 20,000 ft mountains

Tucked in the Northern corner of Pakistan, are some of the most pristine and unspoilt mountain ranges in the world. This is the region with the greatest concentration of highest peaks and the most extensive glacier system outside of the Poles. Here, too, is the meeting point of the three greatest ranges, the Himalayas, the Karakorums and the Hindu Kush.

Known as the Northern Areas, this region was opened to tourism with the completion of the Karakoram Highway (KKH)in 1978. The KKH, a fantastic highway built with Chinese cooperation, took 20 years to complete and at great cost to life. Following the ancient Silk Route, it cuts through one of the world's toughest terrains, to snake for 805km from Ralwalpindi, Pakistan's capital, to the 15400ft. Khunjerab Pass on the Chinese border.

Buried in a gigantic mountain range, Hunza was, before the opening of the KKH, one of the most isolated regions of Pakistan. It was the first Shangrila, dreamt up by James Hilton in the novel Lost Horizon. Now it is accessible via the KKH from Gilgit, which is in turn connected by air from Ralwalpindi.

The one hour mountain flight into Gilgit reputed to be the second most dangerous flight in the world, was thrilling to say the least and gave us a spectacular aerial view of Nanga Prabart and the Karakorams. Hunza is only 112km drive from Gilgit along the KKH. Signs along the route warned of slide-prone areas and obviously the whole terrain had to be handled slowly and gently. The cliffs looming overhead appeared ready to crumble at the slightest agitation.

 

Primeval mountains

SAVAGE MOUNTAINS

The Hunza Valley situated at an elevation of 8,000ft is hemmed in by 20,000 footers.The mountains are craggy and rugged exposing bare flanks of rock, flint and snow. The bleakness of the heights is tempered by terraced valley fields and orchards planted with an amazing variety of apricot, peach, apple, cherry and plum trees.

The people of Hunza are noted for their longevity as Hunza is also known as the Village of Centenarians. The famous Hunza water is purportedly responsible for the good health. Hunza folk dress in traditional colourful costumes.The women are particularly lovely in baggy trousers and loose shirts, thier heads covered with embroidered caps, sometimes topped by a scarf. The men also don woollen caps, sometimes with a bright flower tucked rakishly at the side.

 

  

The village houses are of mud and stone,often with an apricot or mulberry tree leaning picturesquely against it. The roofs are flat with openings to let out smoke fromthe cooking hearth. Ladders are used for commuting between different levels as staircases are not a feature of village homes.

 

Hunza Village Scenes

KARIMABAD

Karimabad, the administrative capital of Hunza, is off the main KKH. It is situated on a perpendicular slope which is only passable to jeeps and, the ride up was like being pulled up the mountain feet first with our heads dangling after. Luckily this stunt-like, vertigo-inducing ride was of short duration.

Our aptly named Mountain View Hotel in Karimabad provided us with an unparallelled view of the 25,000 ft. Mt. Rakaposhi which dominates the whole valley. Next to Mt Rakaposhi was Golden Peak, Uttar, Passu and a host of unknown and unnamed snow peaks sitting cheek by jowl.

Near the vicinity of Karimabad are two old forts worth visiting - Baltit Fort, 600years old, and Altit, 300years old. Both are perched scenically on cliff tops and have all the ingredients of fairy tale castles featuring ornately carved windows, posts and towers. Both are accessible by jeep.

 

Altit Fort

 Baltit Fort

 

HUNZA PART 2

GULMIT

From, Karimabad to Gulmit (2hours drive away), the next stop on our itinerary, the mountain contours grow sharper and craggier - saw-toothed, knife-edged, fluted peaks rear their heads in unending succession. At Gulmit, we put up in the deluxe Silk Route Lodge whose rooms are designed in celebration of mountains - the nearby Passu Cathedrals almost pop onto the private balconies while real-life snow peaks lie framed in bathroom windows.

Saw-toothed Passu Cathedrals from the windows of our hotel.

TREKKING IN HUNZA

Trekking and hiking is the order of the day in this region of mountain splendour and abundant glaciers. One of the greatest joys of trekking Pakistan's mountains is the complete loneliness and isolation. Many of the mountains are uninhabitated and some are so pristine and unexplored as not to have been trodden by human feet. The other side of the coin is that these are some of the toughest terrains and treks in the world. Also, not everyone is drawn to the special quality of these rocky monoliths - stark, barren, grey, unrelieved by greenery.

Visits to nearby glaciers may be made from both Karimabad and Gulmit. Uttar Glacier is behind the Baltit Fort and a day-excursion from Karimabad is possible. Hoper Village and Glacier is 25km from Karimabad and a combination of jeep cum trekking took us to the remote village and the 'female black glacier'. Day treks from Gulmit may also be made to the Batura, Passu and Gulmit glaciers. All these treks involved long strenuous walks over rough terrain with tortuous stretches of scrambling up and down loose scree, rocks and boulders, often in blazing temperatures and not a hope of shade in sight, hardly the stuff of a relaxing holiday but for some it was the ultimate in mountain experiences.

Passu Trek

Passu Glacier

Sweet scented valley above Gulmit Village, one of the few gentle valleys encounterd on trek

KHUNJERAB PASS

Our encounter with mountains climaxed in the dramatic switchback ascent by coach to the Khunjerab Pass at 15,400ft. Even in high summer, snow lies mantled on the mountain slopes while yaks graze beneath the Pass. The top of the Pass is uninhabited and is marked by stone pillars bearing Chinese and Pakistani national symbols. From the summit, the long road winds down into the Chinese province of Sinkiang. The temperture was sub zero and snow flakes were falling when we made a brief stop for the mandatory photos.

Yaks crossing the glacier near Khunjerab Pass

IN DAYS OF YORE ...

It had been a breeze for us riding up the Pass, snug and comfrotable in our modern coaches. But from the bleak and inhospitable scenery one can easily imagine travel in the Silk route

days when

"....the way was difficult and rugged, running along a bank exceedingly preciptous. When one approached the edge of it, his eyes became unsteady, and if he wished to go forward in the same direction, there was no place on which he could place his foot, and beneath were the waters of the river called the Indus." Compared to this saga of travel in ancient days, our return trip from Khunjerab to Ralwalpindi via the KKH, covering 805km and taking two days by motorised vehicles, seemed like child's play ...."

ROUTE MAP