The history and geography of the Northern Areas here in Pakistan is incredibly interesting. Close to where we are staying in Gilgit, there stands Nanga Parbat at 8125m (the 8th highest mountain in the world), rivers rush by carrying tonnes of silt, and polo is the most popular sport. The people up here live amongst some of the most rugged and remote mountains in the world. The Silk Road and the spread of Buddhism, the arrival of Islam and the autonomous mini-states that fought NOT to be a part of Pakistan, have all influenced this area so that most people don't think of it as part of Pakistan at all.
In 1966 China and Pakistan decided to construct the KKH (Karakorum Highway) which has enabled Gilgit to thrive, being on the modern trade routes for China and Central Asia. The 2 lane, 1200km road crosses some of the highest mountains in the world.
It wasn't until 1986 that the entire road was open to tourists. Maintenance is a never ending job as rock falls, glaciers, earthquakes and floods are routine. Travel here is never predictable.
We spent a few days in Gilgit at the New Tourist Cottage, which has parking facilities for overlanders. There's only room for 2 cars, but space for tents on the grass. The manager is extremely helpful, knowledgeable and a really nice guy. The guesthouse isn't located in the centre of town, but instead down a busy side street marked by furniture makers, gas appliances, small food stalls and a school. We had found a place that has shade, nice food and company, and we settled in for a few days before deciding it was time to explore the north a bit further. Our friend Daniel recommended Karimabad and Passu, up by the Hunza River, so we stored some of our heavier gear at the guest house, and the 3 of us headed off.
With only a short delay due to the Chinese who are constantly repairing the roads, we reached our first destination in about 4 hours. Karimabad welcomed us with huge cherries and juicy apricots on the trees, steep narrow roads and lovely friendly people.
We stayed in the oldest guest house there, where a man and his sons run the show. The views are spectacular, Ultar II (7388m), Baltit and it's fort, and so much water as the glaciers and snow melt in the sun.
In Karimabad I discovered the 'Gems Cutting & Polishing Centre'. It is established to empower local women, training them in gem cutting, polishing and selling. I sifted through the many different Hunza rubies, quartz cuts, pink sapphires and topaz pieces to find some peridot stones and a quartz square that had a distinct black 'spider vein'. The silver-smith took them, promising to have 2 pendants and some matching earrings ready in a few days. As we sipped Hunza green tea and listened to the explosions of the Chinese dynamite removing chunks from the massive mountain sides, we decided to leave for Passu and it's white glacier. The KKH passes some nice petroglyphs that the Chinese haven't blown up yet.
Passu used to be a much larger town, with a polo field and extensive orchards but glaciers have periodically dammed the Shimshal river, the subsequent floods tearing away the river front. A mudslide in 1974 created a lake that submerged parts of the village. What we saw was a small village, more hotels than houses and a beautiful glacier that shone under the light of the moon.
We caught up again with our German/Phillipino friends who recommended a walk to two small villages, Zarabad and Hussaini, which are reached via two wobbly suspension bridges.
Five and a half hours later, sore legs and blisters (Daniel felt fine...) we had ventured over the river, up some rocky plains, through lush green fields, negotiated village tracks between small stone and mud brick huts and struggled back up the KKH and over a lateral moraine.
The views of Passu glacier from here were great, well worth the walk.
Sleepy Passu is mainly good for hikers, and seeing as we are not carrying equipment for multiple day treks, we chose instead to drive to Shimshal, via the rough jeep track that has only been officially open since 2003.
The track leaves the KKH quite modestly (we drove around for 15 minutes looking for it) and begins with a police check post.
Over the next 55kms we shared various emotions including fear. The track was for many centuries the only way through from India (when this area of Pakistan was still considered Indian) and used by horses, donkeys and the like. During it's preparation for vehicles, it was not widened very much, and many rocky over-hangs threatened to rip our roof tent cover as we wound up and down the valley.
We did catch the top of the tent on some rocks and the force bent the metal hinge on one side. Spectacular views included a massive old black glacier and sheer drops barely 30cm from the wheels that plummeted more than 100m below, and mountains that looked untouched and unreachable by humans. Once we reached our destination, Shimshal, we soon learned that this gorgeous village was home to some of the most experienced and brave mountaineers in the world. Men who had climbed K2 and Nanga Parbat without an oxygen tank, and created the ascents that westerners love to 'conquer'.
An NGO worker was staying at the same guest house as us and explained that she was there to present some donations to the families of men who'd died last year on K2 - they had been setting the lines for tourists. The death of a breadwinner in this society is devastating.
Shimshal is idyllic. Clean, beautiful productive fields, fresh running water, schools, friendly people and unspoilt by western advertising and the like.
Situated in a valley that is still a little off the beaten-backpacker-track, we could have stayed much longer but instead headed back to Karimabad to find out whether we'd been successful with our Iranian visa attempt. We weren't.
Staying only long enough to pick up my new jewels and to enjoy that lovely Hunza green tea, we left the next day to drive back to Gilgit. Here we have extended our Pakistani visas (for free) and fixed the roof tent. There's a nice crowd here at the New Tourist Cottage, and it's been fun watching the Ashes and enjoying the relief from the heat.
The history and geography of the Northern Areas here in Pakistan is incredibly interesting. Close to where we are staying in Gilgit, there stands Nanga Parbat at 8125m (the 8th highest mountain in the world), rivers rush by carrying tonnes of silt, and polo is the most popular sport. The people up here live amongst some of the most rugged and remote mountains in the world. The Silk Road and the spread of Buddhism, the arrival of Islam and the autonomous mini-states that fought NOT to be a part of Pakistan, have all influenced this area so that most people don't think of it as part of Pakistan at all.
In 1966 China and Pakistan decided to construct the KKH (Karakorum Highway) which has enabled Gilgit to thrive, being on the modern trade routes for China and Central Asia. The 2 lane, 1200km road crosses some of the highest mountains in the world.
It wasn't until 1986 that the entire road was open to tourists. Maintenance is a never ending job as rock falls, glaciers, earthquakes and floods are routine. Travel here is never predictable.
We spent a few days in Gilgit at the New Tourist Cottage, which has parking facilities for overlanders. There's only room for 2 cars, but space for tents on the grass. The manager is extremely helpful, knowledgeable and a really nice guy. The guesthouse isn't located in the centre of town, but instead down a busy side street marked by furniture makers, gas appliances, small food stalls and a school. We had found a place that has shade, nice food and company, and we settled in for a few days before deciding it was time to explore the north a bit further. Our friend Daniel recommended Karimabad and Passu, up by the Hunza River, so we stored some of our heavier gear at the guest house, and the 3 of us headed off.
With only a short delay due to the Chinese who are constantly repairing the roads, we reached our first destination in about 4 hours. Karimabad welcomed us with huge cherries and juicy apricots on the trees, steep narrow roads and lovely friendly people.
We stayed in the oldest guest house there, where a man and his sons run the show. The views are spectacular, Ultar II (7388m), Baltit and it's fort, and so much water as the glaciers and snow melt in the sun.
In Karimabad I discovered the 'Gems Cutting & Polishing Centre'. It is established to empower local women, training them in gem cutting, polishing and selling. I sifted through the many different Hunza rubies, quartz cuts, pink sapphires and topaz pieces to find some peridot stones and a quartz square that had a distinct black 'spider vein'. The silver-smith took them, promising to have 2 pendants and some matching earrings ready in a few days. As we sipped Hunza green tea and listened to the explosions of the Chinese dynamite removing chunks from the massive mountain sides, we decided to leave for Passu and it's white glacier. The KKH passes some nice petroglyphs that the Chinese haven't blown up yet.
Passu used to be a much larger town, with a polo field and extensive orchards but glaciers have periodically dammed the Shimshal river, the subsequent floods tearing away the river front. A mudslide in 1974 created a lake that submerged parts of the village. What we saw was a small village, more hotels than houses and a beautiful glacier that shone under the light of the moon.
We caught up again with our German/Phillipino friends who recommended a walk to two small villages, Zarabad and Hussaini, which are reached via two wobbly suspension bridges.
Five and a half hours later, sore legs and blisters (Daniel felt fine...) we had ventured over the river, up some rocky plains, through lush green fields, negotiated village tracks between small stone and mud brick huts and struggled back up the KKH and over a lateral moraine.
The views of Passu glacier from here were great, well worth the walk.
Sleepy Passu is mainly good for hikers, and seeing as we are not carrying equipment for multiple day treks, we chose instead to drive to Shimshal, via the rough jeep track that has only been officially open since 2003.
The track leaves the KKH quite modestly (we drove around for 15 minutes looking for it) and begins with a police check post.
Over the next 55kms we shared various emotions including fear. The track was for many centuries the only way through from India (when this area of Pakistan was still considered Indian) and used by horses, donkeys and the like. During it's preparation for vehicles, it was not widened very much, and many rocky over-hangs threatened to rip our roof tent cover as we wound up and down the valley.
We did catch the top of the tent on some rocks and the force bent the metal hinge on one side. Spectacular views included a massive old black glacier and sheer drops barely 30cm from the wheels that plummeted more than 100m below, and mountains that looked untouched and unreachable by humans. Once we reached our destination, Shimshal, we soon learned that this gorgeous village was home to some of the most experienced and brave mountaineers in the world. Men who had climbed K2 and Nanga Parbat without an oxygen tank, and created the ascents that westerners love to 'conquer'.
amazing photos guys! typical that andrew is sitting back and watching everyone else do the work rather than doing it himself! typical english really. cheer david
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