One choice was to go by path, reducing the uncertainty of journey setbacks and cancellations. The 2nd alternative was to travel to Gilgit, and then make the two-hour travel onto Hunza.
Ultimately, we selected the scenic route. Although the push is a long one (we broke the travel by stopping in Naran for a night), it's price every 2nd, since the opinions at every turn are stunning. I have already been to Skardu a few times, but generally by air.
It's a very different experience whenever you travel through the mountains across the Karakoram Highway. That area is absurdly lovely and the pictures actually don't do it justice. Only know when it looks amazing in an image, it's twenty situations more picturesque in actual life.
We slept at the Hunza Serena Inn, that has lovely views of the encompassing valley and hills every where you appear, and a gorgeous view of Baltit Fort in the distance. Through the night, there is none of the noise and pollution of the big city, the apparent heavens are saturated in stars and music holds around from regional villages.
This fort is approximately 700 years of age and is inspired by Tibetan architecture, bearing some similarity to the Potala Palace in Lhasa. Over the years, various Hunza-Nagar rulers have made additions and improvements to the first structure. In 1945, the Mir of Hunza abandoned the fort and transferred into a new house closeby. Significantly more than forty decades of neglect left the fort in considerable disrepair and a four-year repair program, finished in 1996, was reinforced by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture's Historic Cities Programme.
Tickets price Rs250 and get you a 45-minute advised visit, filled with a narration of the exciting history of the fort and how their people used to live over the years.
Dealing with the fort is approximately a 20-minute high uphill go (from Hunza Serena Inn) along a cobblestone route, so comfy sneakers are essential. The spectacular view of the the Hunza pit when your reach the top is really worth the exertion.
Restoration of the Altit Fort started in 2004 and was completed six decades later. The fort is currently open to the general public and the grounds are the KhaBasi Restaurant and the Leif Larsen Music Center.
Tickets price Rs300 and here also you receive a advised tour of the fort, which is a touch smaller than Baltit but just like amazing and with equally amazing opinions all around.
That charming and distinctive cafe, run only by girls, has a small interior dining room, but the most effective position for a cup of tea may be the veranda overlooking the nearby valley. Stop by after touring the Altit Fort to taste conventional Hunza cuisine, just like the Guy Chrro (flatbread with a beef filling), Brustz Shapik (flatbread filled up with local cheese, veteran with herbs and apricot oil), and Diram Phitti (a wholesome dessert made out of grain and apricot oil).
It's a 40-minute, steep uphill drive to the Eagles Home Resort from Karimabad. Correct alongside the lodge is a well known point of view, frequented mainly at dawn and sunset. We managed to get there just before sunset and the views all over were spectacular as the gentle transformed and faded.
That little restaurant is really a five minute walk from the Serena Inn. A really common product could be the Hunza cherry meal, which is a heavy pastry-like dessert with a caramel maple filling. I'd also suggest their huge, comfortable pancakes, available with many different toppings like Spinach and Cheese and Nutella.
It was largely dark and damp during our travel to Hunza, but I'm actually glad it was obvious and warm the day we went along to Attabad Lake. The water is just a striking shade of blue, surrounded by mountains, and it's mad to think it didn't actually occur until 2010, whenever a disastrous landslide generated its formation.