Visitors to Hunza are overwhelmed by its rugged charm — the fragrant breeze singing through graceful poplar trees and the velvet-green carpet of wheat fields, set against snow-covered mountains.
Situated at an elevation of 2,438 meters, Hunza’s tourist season runs from May to October. May temperatures range from 14 °C to 27 °C; by October they fall to between 0 °C and 10 °C.
Most of the people of Hunza are Ismaili Muslims, followers of His Highness the Aga Khan. The local language is Burushaski, and Urdu and English are widely understood.
For centuries Hunza was a small mountain kingdom ruled by its Mirs from Baltit Fort, until the state was dissolved in 1974. The Karakoram Highway now runs the length of the valley, past terraced villages and orchards, beneath Rakaposhi, Diran, Ultar Sar and the needle of Ladyfinger Peak, and on through Upper Hunza (Gojal) to the Khunjerab Pass and China.
Is Hunza Valley right for you?
- Suggested time
- 3 – 5 days in the valley — a week or more from Islamabad by road
- Activity level
- Easy sightseeing, with optional walks to viewpoints, forts and glaciers
- Best for
- First-time visitors to the north, families and photographers — scenery, forts and village life
- When to go
- Spring, when the valley is white with apricot and cherry blossom, and autumn, when the poplars and orchards turn gold, are the most beautiful seasons.
Combines well withGilgit ValleySkardu ValleyKarakoram Highway
Compare Hunza Valley with another destination →Places to see
Karimabad
The capital of Hunza offers an awe-inspiring view of Rakaposhi (7,788 m), whose snows glitter in the moonlight in an atmosphere at once ethereal and sublime.
Baltit Fort
The fairy-tale castle above Karimabad is a Hunza landmark built about 600 years ago. Stilted on massive legs, its wooden bay windows look out over the valley.
Altit Fort
The oldest fort in the valley, perched on a sheer cliff above the Hunza river, with the old village of Altit and its royal garden below.
Eagle’s Nest
The viewpoint at Duikar, high above Karimabad, famous for sunrise and sunset over Rakaposhi, Diran, Ladyfinger and the whole valley.
Attabad Lake
A turquoise lake formed when a landslide blocked the Hunza river in January 2010. The highway now runs beside it through a series of tunnels.
Passu & Gulmit
The villages of Upper Hunza, below the jagged Passu Cones, with the Passu and Batura glaciers and the long Hussaini suspension bridge nearby.
Khunjerab Pass
The border with China at 4,733 meters, in Khunjerab National Park — home to Marco Polo sheep, ibex and the snow leopard.
Good to know
- Getting there
- Hunza lies on the Karakoram Highway, about 100 km north of Gilgit.
- When to go
- Spring, when the valley is white with apricot and cherry blossom, and autumn, when the poplars and orchards turn gold, are the most beautiful seasons.
- What to eat & buy
- Hunza is famous for its apricots — fresh, dried, and pressed for oil — and for walnuts and mulberries. Look out for local dishes such as chapshoro, a meat-filled bread, and for embroidered caps, woollen shawls and hand-woven rugs.
- Local customs
- Hunza is a conservative, welcoming community. Dress modestly, and ask before photographing people.
- Mountaineering & hiking
- Hunza is ideal for mountaineering, trekking and hiking. Special permits are required for mountaineering.
Header photo: The Hunza valley — FaizanAhmad, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons