Featured Places
In the early centuries AD, Skardu was part of the Kushan Empire, which was centred in northern India and extended into Central Asia. In the 8th century, the region had conquered by the Tibetan Empire, which brought Buddhism to the area.
In the early 16th century, the Balti prince Ali Sher Khan Anchan embraced Islam and introduced it to the region. Over time, Islam spread and became the dominant religion in Skardu and the surrounding areas.
The influence of Islam can be seen in the many mosques and Islamic religious institutions that exist in Skardu today. Some of the most notable include the Kharpocho Fort Mosque, which is believed to be one of the oldest surviving mosques and landmarks of the region.
During the 19th century, Skardu became an important hub for trade between Central Asia and India. The town was also part of the Dogra Empire, which was a princely state that covered much of northern India and the Himalayan region.
In 1947, Pakistan gained independence from British rule, and in 1948 Gilgit Baltistan became part of the newly-formed country. Skardu has since become famous for tourism due to its stunning natural beauty and proximity to the Karakoram mountain range. Today, it is home to a diverse population of people from various ethnic and religious backgrounds.
Hunza was an independent principality for 900 years. The British gained control of Hunza and the neighbouring valley of Nagar between 1889 and 1892. The Tham (Chief/Mir) of Hunza escaped to China.
Although never ruled directly by neighbouring Kashmir, Hunza was a vassal of Kashmir from the time of Maharaja Ranbir Singh of Jammu and Kashmir. The Mirs of Hunza sent an annual tribute to the Kashmir Durbar until 1947, and along with the ruler of Nagar, was considered to be among the most loyal vassals of the Maharaja of Kashmir.
On 3rd November 1947, the ruler, Mohammad Jamal Khan sent a telegram to Mohammad Ali Jinnah acceding his state to Pakistan.
The Hunza valley is situated at an elevation of 2,438 metres (7,999 feet). The former capital Baltit has an elevation of 2477 metres (8129 feet). For many centuries, Hunza has provided the quickest access to Swat and Gandhara for a person travelling on foot. The route was impassable to baggage animals; only human porters could get through, and then only with permission from the locals. Most of the people of Hunza are Ismaili Muslims. The local language is Brushuski, although Urdu and English are also widely understood.
Passu cones are situated in Passu village in Upper Hunza alongside the Karakorum Highway. Passu village has always been the best place to visit and a famous tourist destination mainly because of the magnificent Passu cones and the gigantic Passu sar mountain standing 7, 478 meters tall. It also features a glacier known as the Passu Glacier.
Phander Valley
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Phander Valley is located in District Ghizer of Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan at 1,454ft above sea level. Phander Valley is famous for its most beautiful and attractive valleys, lush green fields, deep blue lakes, and the river flowing across it; which is commonly called “Little Kashmir”. Phandar Valley is easily accessible from both from Gilgit and Chitral sides. It takes 5 to 6 hours from the main city Gilgit to reach Phander Valley. Phander Lake is one of the most famous tourist spots in the entire region. The name of Ghizer also comes from the name of a village ‘Ghizer’ which is situated in the locality of Phander. The deep blue Phandar Lake is beautifully landscaped and is primarily a habitat for trout fish. The people of Phander Valley are simple, peaceful, and hospitable. The people of the valley speak Khowar language.
A large number of tourists visit Phandar Valley every year to enjoy the beautiful view of nature. PTDC, Phandar Rest Rest House, and various other hotels are existed here to provide accommodation facilities to visiting tourists.
Attabad Lake
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Attabad Lake is located in the Gojal Region of the District Hunza in Gilgit−Baltistan, Pakistan. The lake has become one of the biggest tourist attractions in Gilgit−Baltistan, offering activities like boating, jet-skiing, fishing, and other recreational activities.
The lake was formed when Attabad village in Gojal Valley had a major landslide, 14 kilometers upstream (east) of Karimabad that occurred on 4 January 2010. The landslide killed twenty people and blocked the flow of the Hunza River for five months.
The stunning blue colors of this beautiful Attabad Lake, nestled among the peaks of the Karakoram mountain range in Gilgit Baltistan Northern Areas of Pakistan, belies its violent origin. Attabad Lake offers an amazing experience with breathtaking scenery. Attabad Lake is known as one of the most beautiful lakes in the Gilgit Baltistan region of Pakistan, attracting thousands of tourists every year. A look at the calm and clear blue water of Attabad Lake will make you feel like you are living in Heaven and the lake is really picturesque.
The shimmering turquoise lake of Attabad is one of the most famous tourist attractions in the Hunza Valley of the Gilgit Baltistan region. Visitors come to experience the stunning view of the landscape and enjoy many recreational activities on and around the lake such as boating, jet skiing, swimming, and ice skating during winter season, the lake is frozen whereas, in summer it's teal blue color gives an eye-catching view for travelers. The blue color of Attabad Lake is so clean and clear that it clearly shows the reflection of the sky within the water. Because of its nature, one cannot view the whole of Attabad Lake completely standing at one point.
Fairy Meadows is the heart of North Pakistan and famous for its beautiful lush green plateaus and World’s ninth-biggest mountain Nanga Parbat (the Killer Mountain) is located in the Diamer District of Gilgit-Baltistan region, Pakistan.
At 3,300 meters (10,826 feet) above sea level, the wide grassy meadow surrounded by dense alpine forest is fed by waters from a glacier formed by the Nanga Parbat, the ninth-highest mountain in the world (and second-highest in Pakistan, after K2) that towers over Fairy Meadows from the south. A magical setting indeed — made all the more wondrous by the dangerous road one must take to get here.
The place was named Fairy Meadows in 1953 by Australian climber Hermann Bhul due to its mesmerizing beauty. He was here to climb the peak of Nanga Parbat. He became the first one to summit the mountain. Fairy Meadows is also called “Heaven on Earth” due to its matchless beauty. Known as “Joot” among locals, the place was given the name Märchenwiese (literally “Fairy Tale Meadows”) by German mountaineers who were no doubt astounded when they first glimpsed this idyllic landscape.
Fairy Meadows is approachable by a fifteen-kilometer-long jeepable trek starting from Raikot Bridge on Karakoram Highway to the village Tattu (Tato). There is only one road to Fairy Meadows, and it isn’t your average tricky mountain road; in 2013, the World Health Organization ranked it as the second deadliest road on the planet. The dangerous and narrow gravel mountain road is open to locals only, who provide transportation to visitors from Raikhot Bridge to the village of Tato. From Tato onward, it takes about three to four hours of hiking by a five-kilometer trek to Fairy Meadows. The grassland is located in the Rakhiot valley, at one end of the Rakhiot glacier which originates from the Nanga Parbat and feeds a stream that finally falls into the River Indus.
Visitors to Fairy Meadows can find accommodation in small on-site cabins or designated campsites (the Pakistani government declared the location a National Park in 1995). The site serves as a launching point for mountain climbers summiting the northern face of the Nanga Parbat. Since 1992, locals have operated camping sites in the area.