Imagine a place where emerald-green valleys cradle crystal-clear lakes, where ancient forts are perched on top of rocky cliffs, narrating the tales of their times. The mystical view is so incredibly beautiful that you cannot believe your eyes. Well, Hunza is one of those magical places. Known as ‘Heaven on Earth’, Hunza is home to some of the most picturesque valleys, majestic peaks, serene lakes, and exotic wildlife.
Located in the northern Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan, Hunza is a remote region. It is known for its over-the-top beauty and rich culture. I have visited Hunza multiple times, and the enthralling landscape there has never failed to amaze me. It is like stepping into an imaginary world that we see in movies or read in books.
This article is about the unforgettable trips I have had to one of my favorite vacation spots, Hunza. Exploring the overwhelming beauty of Hunza is one of the reasons why I love traveling so much. Hopefully, after reading this article, you will instantly want to go to Hunza.
Hunza Patundas Trek:
Wedged between two majestic glaciers, Batura and Passu, Patundas is a plateau located at an elevation of 4,200 meters. My family and I planned this memorable trip to Patundas to marvel at the beauty of Gilgit-Baltistan and explore their culture.
Our plan was to land in Islamabad and explore the beautiful city for a day then move to Naran. A good friend of mine who lived in Pakistan even pre-booked a car for us for our journey to Naran through Mansehra Naran Jalkhad and then to Chilas through Babusar Pass.
I could feel the adrenaline rushing through my veins as soon as we landed in the capital of Pakistan, Islamabad. We checked ourselves into our hotel and headed towards a quick city tour of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. During our excursion, we were privileged enough to witness the extraordinary beauty of Damen Koh, the Pakistan Monument, Faisal Mosque, and Shakar Parian. I was elated to wake up the day after for the trip ahead of us. Our drive to Naran was one of my favorite highlights of the trip because of the scenic beauty we got to witness along the way. After making a pit stop for brunch, we carried on with the journey to Chillas through Babusar Pass. The entire drive took us 9 to 11 hours.
The long drive was quite exhausting, and we rested for the day. The next day we started our journey towards Karimabad Lake. It was a 6- to 7-hour long drive where we stopped in between multiple locations such as Karakoram, Himalaya, Hindukash junction, Thalichi, and Rakaposhi viewpoint, where we enjoyed refreshment and checked our photography skills. In the evening, we reached Borith Lake and stayed there for the night.
The next morning, right after breakfast, we started our trek to Passugar, which took us about 3 to 4 hours of walking, and we settled on our camps near the shepherd huts. Camping in Passugar was a thrilling and challenging experience.
From Passugar, we made our way to Luzdher through a 3- to 4-hour trek, in which crossing the Passu white glacier was the most exciting part. But the magnificent view of Passu, Shishper, Ultar SAR, and Podpan peaks were worth the risks. Later that evening, we reached Luzdhar camp, which was situated at the base of Patundas.
Following from there, we went towards Patundas Pass for a 4–5-hour trek. Patundas Pass is a 4575m high meadow which shows us the mesmerizing area of upper Hunza and numerous peaks such as Momhil, Dastagir, and Shisper. From Patundas, we trekked back to Passu and stayed at the hotel for the night.
The next day, we had a 1-hour long drive to Karimabad to visit the old forts and villages of Baltit and Altit, where we got an opportunity to meet the women carpenters of Hunza. Later that evening, we walked to Hyderabad village, enjoying the beautiful water channels. The very next day, we drove from Karimabad to Naraz and from Naran to Islamabad. On our way, we visited the Taxilla Museum too. It was an extraordinary place to visit. Later that night, we took our flight from Islamabad airport back to our home
My journey to the Hunza Patundas left an indelible mark on my memory. The breathtaking landscapes, the cultural richness, or the unexpected encounters, every detail added a unique hue to the canvas of my journey.
Rakaposhi Base Camp:
The gorgeous Rakaposhi mountain otherwise known as Dumani, is, to this day one of my favorite mountains to climb. The 7,788-meter mountain is situated within the Karakoram range, between Nagar and Bagrote Valley. Though Rakaposhi requires efficient skills and is quite a complex mountain to climb, the incredible view of Rakaposhi makes up for it.
As usual, I started my journey to the Rakaposhi Base camp from the city tour of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Our stay there was precise yet the most fun I have had in a long time. From Islamabad, in our rented jeep, we proceeded with our journey to Naran and then to Chilas. From Chilas we took a 6-hour drive to Minapin, where we made a stop to photograph the irresistible beauty surrounding us.
The very next day we started our trek from Minapin to Hapakun, after crossing the bridge we got to see the beautiful Minapin Glacier. After 5 hours, we reached Hapakun huts took some rest, and had brunch. Then we continued our 3km short trek to the magnificent Rakaposhi base camp. As we made our way through the forest, we saw the magnificent views of Diran and Tagaphari meadows. Walking up the bridge, there was beautiful scenery of Batura, Shispar, and Ultar peaks. Those peaks were worth all the long treks and exhaustion.
We made our way to Diran Peak Base camp and saw nature at its best. At night, we trekked back to Hapakun and rested. The very next morning, we continued our trek and returned to Minapin village in about 3 hours. After having lunch, we went to Karimabad and Baltit, it was a short 1-hour drive. In Baltit, we visited the 700-year-old Baltit fort, which was mesmerizing, and then later, we went to Baltit village. On the same afternoon, we went to Altit Fort and Altit village. Later in the evening, we had a peaceful and calming water channel walk towards Hyderabad village.
The next day we drove to Passu to visit the explicit lakes of Attabad and Borith. Later that evening, we went to Hussaini village. In the night we drove back from Karimabad to Naran, since we were tired and it was dark, we didn’t stop anywhere during the drive. The next day, we continued our drive from Naran to Islamabad, and on the way, we visited a few historical sites, such as the Taxila Museum.
Hunza Batura:
My trip to Hunza Batura is also one of my favorites. The serene Batura Glacier is an easy trek where you are encapsulated with some of the most incredible landscapes you will ever lay your eyes on. One of the reasons why this trip stuck with me was because of how easy it was. The Five-day trip proved to be one of the greatest moments of my life.
After landing in Islamabad, it took us three days to reach Chilas in our rented Jeep Wrangler. The journey to Chilas was full of breathtaking landscapes and architecture, and every second of the drive felt important. We stayed at a hotel in Chilas and continued our drive in the morning after having some breakfast. From Chilas, we drove to Karimabad and then straight to Passu. Though the drive was long and tiring, our pit stops at some of the tourist destinations along the way made up for it.
We abandoned the jeep in Passu and started our trekking journey to Yunzben. The 6-hour journey consisted of my team and I walking at the snout of the beautiful Batura Glacier. After camping in Yunzben, we went on an adventure to Yashpirt. To reach Yashpirt, we had to trek diagonally from the Batura Glacier. The journey was tiresome but worth it because of the incredible scenery. The lush greenery, along with the blossoming flowers and a magnificent view of Distaghil SAR, made this trip better than it already was.
From Yashpirt, we trekked to Kukhil for approximately 4 hours to the out-of-this-world view of the Batura peaks, all ranging from 7,500 meters to 7,785 meters. We almost turned back from Kukhil but a local suggested that we trek to Guchesham, which was one of the best decisions we made on this remarkable trip. After a 5-hour trek, we finally made it to the breathtaking Guchesham, a series of small ablation valleys. After reveling in the marvelous landscape, we started our journey back. The Hunza Batura trek is one of those trips that I would most definitely like to experience again in my life. The trip is perfect for beginners to have a good time and witness the beauty of Pakistan.
Rush Lake:
One of the most recommended destinations in Hunza Aldo is the serene Rush Lake. Surrounded by majestic mountains, Rash Lake is a breathtaking spot for camping and bonding with loved ones.
By now, you must be familiar with the route from Islamabad to Chilas and then to Karimabad. From Karimabad, we drove an hour to the enchanting Hopper Valley. After camping under the starry sky in Hopper, we trekked to Barichokore and Chidin Harai for breathtaking views.
From Barichokore, we trekked for 3 hours to the magical Rush Lake. Words cannot give justice to the beauty of the lake. We camped next to the lake, taking in the beauty surrounding us. We even climbed Rush Peak (5,098 m) before heading back to Islamabad for our flight back.
Conclusion:
These are some of the destinations I have been to in Hunza. I still need to explore Shimshal Minglik SAR base camp, Batura Werthum base camp, Shimshal Chafchingol Trek, and more.
Escape chaos and explore Hunza’s incredible attractions for a rejuvenating getaway you won’t forget.