Every spring, the valleys of Hunza and Nagar turn into a sea of pink and white as thousands of apricot trees come into blossom. From mid-March to mid-April, terraced villages such as Karimabad, Altit, Ganish, Minapin, Pisan and Hopper glow against the still-snowy peaks of Rakaposhi and Ultar, making blossom season one of the most […]

The drive from Gilgit to Skardu is one of Pakistan’s great mountain road trips. The Skardu Road follows the mighty Indus River for roughly 170 kilometres through a dramatic gorge of rock, sand and green riverside villages, linking the Karakoram Highway with the heart of Baltistan. Allow five to six hours for the journey — […]

Skardu, the gateway to the Karakoram’s great peaks, can be visited for much of the year — but the best time depends on what you want to see. For most travellers, the sweet spots are spring (April to May) and the long summer-to-autumn season from June to mid-October, when roads are open, lakes are at […]

Fairy Meadows is the legendary green meadow beneath the north face of Nanga Parbat (8,126 metres), in the Diamer district of Gilgit-Baltistan. German climbers named it Märchenwiese — the fairy tale meadow — and one look at its pine forests, flower-filled grass and the great white wall of the ‘Killer Mountain’ explains why. This guide […]

Packing for Gilgit-Baltistan is different from packing for anywhere else in Pakistan. In a single day you can drive from a warm valley floor at 1,500 metres to a viewpoint above 4,000 metres, and the sun that had you in a T-shirt at noon will have you reaching for a down jacket by sunset. The […]

Hunza Valley, in the far north of Gilgit-Baltistan, is the most visited valley in Pakistan — and for good reason. Encircled by giants such as Rakaposhi (7,788 m), Ultar Sar and Ladyfinger Peak (Bublimotin), the valley combines dramatic scenery with a warm, hospitable culture, centuries-old forts and some of the best roadside food in the […]

Deosai National Park, often called the “Land of the Giants”, is one of the highest plateaus in the world, with an average elevation of about 4,114 metres above sea level. Spread over roughly 3,000 square kilometres between Skardu and Astore, this vast rolling wilderness of alpine meadows, wildflowers and lakes is protected as a national […]

At 4,693 metres (15,397 feet) above sea level, the Khunjerab Pass is the highest paved international border crossing in the world, marking the frontier between Pakistan and China on the Karakoram Highway. For many travellers, standing beneath the great border gate with the Karakoram giants all around is the climax of a trip to Hunza. […]