Hunza Valley: Karimabad, Baltit Fort and Our Hunza Trips

About Hunza Valley

Hunza lies in the Karakoram, along the Hunza River, and is one of the most visited valleys of northern Pakistan. Karimabad is the base most of our itineraries use, and both forts appear in several day plans.

Because the Karakoram Highway runs through the valley, Hunza combines easily with Upper Hunza, the Khunjerab Pass and the Nagar valley across the river.

Trips that include Hunza Valley

Every published programme whose day-by-day itinerary mentions this destination, with its length and season:

What the itineraries do in Hunza Valley

Itinerary days that mention this destination, quoted from the programmes:

• K2 Base Camp Trek

  11: Concordia to K2 Base Camp and back

  Full day excursion to K2 Base Camp (5,150m) with return to Concordia for overnight, as staying overnight at Base Camp is unsafe due to altitude.

• Snow Lake Trek

  17: Hispar Village to Karimabad Hunza

  Drive to Karimabad. Overnight in hotel at Karimabad.

• Snow Lake Trek

  18: Rest Day at Karimabad Hunza

  Visit Baltit Fort, Altit Fort, and local bazaars; sunset at Duiker viewpoint. Overnight in hotel.

• Snow Lake Trek

  19: Karimabad to Gilgit/Naran

  Drive along the Karakoram Highway. Overnight in hotel.

• Fairy Meadows Trek & Hunza Tour

  06 Fairy meadows to Karimabad Hunza

  After breakfast, trek back to Tatto village and drive to Karimabad Hunza. From there, we will board on jeeps up to Raikot Bridge (KKH) and onward travel with an air-conditioned coach to Karimabad upon Arrival and transfer to the hotel. Overnight stay in hotel at Karimabad

• Fairy Meadows Trek & Hunza Tour

  07: Rest day at Karimabad Hunza

  After breakfast, we will visit Baltit Fort, Altit Fort, Karimabad local handicraft bazaar for shopping, Channel walk, in the evening to Duiker for sunset. From Duiker village, you can see many snow-covered peaks over 6000 meters: Rakaposhi 7788m, Diran Peak, Golden Peak, Ulter Peak, Hunza Peak, and Lady Finger. We will have dinner at Duiker and drive back to Karimabad. Overnight stay in hotel at Karimabad

• Fairy Meadows Trek & Hunza Tour

  08: Karimabad to Khunjerab Pass

  After breakfast, we will drive for a day excursion to Khunjerab Pass (5000m) en route. We stay short at Attaabad Lake for photography and continue our journey to Khunjerab Pass and drive back to Gulmit. On Arrival, Transfer to the hotel. Overnight stay at Gulmit

• Great Karakoram Traverse

  10: High Camp-Cross Gondogoro La to Ali Camp

  A very early start, as early as 1 or 2 a.m., a long day, but we are now well rested and more acclimatized to the altitude. We start very early to make the best of the snow conditions. The climb to the pass is fairly straightforward snow, with the final stretch to the pass being slightly more than 45 degrees of steepness. We will fix ropes to safeguard the ascent of clients and porters. After about 4 or 5 hours, our efforts are rewarded by one of the most fantastic panoramic views in the Karakoram. K2, Broad Peak, Chogolisa, and the Gasherbrums are all laid out before us as we stand at the crest of the pass. Descending from the pass presents greater route-finding difficulties than the ascent, and we must rope up since there are several crevasses and some short sections of steeper snow as we near the Vigne Glacier. It will take us an hour or more to descend from the pass to the West Vigne Glacier, and from here, we have a further three hours of roped trekking to our spectacularly sited camp, Ali Camp. (Tent)

Planning notes

• Most programmes reach Hunza by road along the Karakoram Highway, often after a night in Chilas or a flight to Gilgit.
• Hunza appears in treks (Rakaposhi, Rush Lake, the end of Snow Lake), tours (cherry blossom, autumn, honeymoon), cultural and biking programmes.
• Seasons differ by programme; compare the best-time column above.