Karimabad in Gilgit is one of the main tourist draws of Hunza Valley Pakistan. Its attractions include a mixture of natural and man made attractions.
Location
The city is the capital of Hunza. This is located at Gilgit-Baltistan. This is in northern Pakistan. In some areas the city is known as Baltit. It is 100 km from Gilgit. The trip will take two to three hours. The major bus stand is along the Karakoram Highway. If coming from Islamabad, the trip may take 24 hours.
What to See
The Altit and Baltit forts are some of the most popular destinations in the city. The rock carvings and ruby mines are also popular with tourists. The city is located between apricot and apple tree terraces, giving Karimabad in Gilgit a very scenic appearance.
From the other side of the valley, one will see mountains surrounding the peak of Rakaposhi. The entire Hunza Valley is encompassed by mountains. Most of them are over 7,000 meters high.
History
The city is named in honor of Prince Karim Aga Khan, the leader of the Shia Ismaili Nizari. The Hunza Valley is a valley located at the Gilgit-Baltistan region.
The whole territory encompasses 7,000 sq km. Some of the mountains around it are Bublimating, Diran Peak, Passu Peak and Hunza Peak. Other peaks are Ghenta Peak, Bojahagur Duanasir II and Rakaposhi.
The area used to be a vassal to the Maharaja of Kashmir. In 1974, this was ended by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Hunza was independent for over 880 years. Between 1889 and 1892, the British finally took hold of the place. The Nagar valley also fell to the British.
The Hunza valley is located at an elevation of 2,500 meters (8,200 feet). For hundreds of years, the valley served as the access point to Gandhara and Swat. Only human porters were able to pass though it.
Cost
The luxury bus fares will cost at least Rs 150. The more high end buses will set you back Rs 300 to over Rs 800.
Other Info
The Nangar mountain range is on the southern entry way to the valley. The highest peak is Nangar Parbat at 8125 m. One of the most popular destinations is a trek to the meadows. Visitors to the site will also find several cheap accommodations in the area.
Karimabad in Gilgit is also popular for its scenic air journey, trekking and hiking. Mountaineering and biking are among the other activities you can do.
