Karakoram Highway
Drive one of the world's most spectacular roads, winding through deep gorges and alongside raging rivers.
Hunza
The Ultimate Manifestation of Mountain Grandeur
11 packages3 group tours0 rating
Eric Shipton named Hunza as "the Ultimate Manifestation of Mountain Grandeur", at 2400m above sea level, it is indeed a fairytale land. Hunza stands in dramatic contrast to the grim desolation of the gorges leading to it. The tiny terraced fields ripple down the rustic brown ridges, neatly arranged like fish scales. Everywhere the slender poplar trees cut string vertical line in the horizontal terraces and stand out against the glacier-scarred rocks. This ethereal beauty keeps changing colours, emerald green in summers, orange and red in the autumn. In spring countless cherry, almond and apricot trees bloom with fuchsia, white and pink hues against the gleaming snows of Rakaposhi (7788m) with an uninterrupted thrust of five kilometres skywards. The backdrop to Hunza is the dark grey Ultar Peak (7388m), which is known for its dramatic rise and its glacier serves as the primal water source for Hunza valley.
Packages in Hunza
11 flexible packages — your dates, your tier
Group Tours in Hunza
3 tours to choose from
Where to Stay in Hunza
6 hotels & properties
LUXURY
Boutique Resort4.9
Ambiance Hunza
Hunza Valley, Gilgit Baltistan
Rs 29,000 / night
DELUXE
Hotel0
Best Western Premier Hunza
Karimabad, Hunza Valley, Gilgit-Baltistan
Rs 17,000 / night
LUXURY
hotel4.8
Hunza Serena Hotel
Karimabad, Hunza
Rs 45,500 / night
DELUXE
Hotel0
Sapphire Hunza
Attabad Lake, Gojal, Hunza
Rs 15,000 / night
LUXURY
heritage4.8
Serena Altit Fort
Altit, Hunza
Rs 33,500 / night
LUXURY
Lake Resort4.8
Zen by the Lake
Attabad Lake, Gojal, Hunza
Rs 28,000 / night
Why here
Moments in Hunza
The small, specific reasons travellers keep coming back.
Blossom Season
April brings a spectacular explosion of cherry and apricot blossoms that blanket the valley in pink and white.
Ancient Forts
Explore the 700-year-old Baltit Fort and neighboring Altit Fort — beautifully preserved royal heritage.
Eagle's Nest Viewpoint
Watch sunrise paint Rakaposhi (7,788m) and Lady Finger Peak gold from the most famous viewpoint in Pakistan.
Attabad Lake
Cruise the stunning turquoise waters of this landslide-formed lake with dramatic mountain backdrops.
Warm Hospitality
Experience the legendary hospitality of the Hunza people — one of the friendliest communities in the world.
Traveller’s guide
Everything you need to know
Getting there, what to do, where to stay, and what to eat — the local ground truth.
How to get to Hunza
By air via Skardu
The more reliable option. PIA, AirBlue, and AirSial all fly Islamabad to Skardu daily on Airbus A320 jets, which handle weather far better than the Gilgit turboprops. Karachi runs 6 days a week on PIA; Lahore runs 5 days a week on PIA and AirBlue (no direct service Wednesdays or Saturdays). From Skardu, the drive to Hunza is 5-6 hours along the Indus River via Gilgit.
By air via Gilgit
PIA is the only carrier on Islamabad to Gilgit, one daily flight, and there are no direct routes from Lahore or Karachi. The aircraft are small turboprops (Fokker or ATR class) on a visual approach through the Karakoram, so the flight is highly weather-dependent. Plan a one-day buffer on either end in case of cancellation. In winter, service can drop to Wed, Thu, and Fri only. Karachi and Lahore travelers connect through Islamabad.
By road via Naran and Babusar Pass (summer only)
Open only in summer, from mid-May to mid or late October, when Babusar Pass (4,173 m) is snow-free. The route climbs from Islamabad through Naran, Lulusar Lake, and Babusar Top before dropping to Chilas and joining the KKH. A private drive lets you stop at Naran, Lulusar, Babusar, and the confluence of the Indus and Gilgit rivers, which meet at the Junction of three of the world's highest mountain ranges: the Himalaya, Karakoram, and Hindu Kush.
By road via the Karakoram Highway (year-round)
Islamabad to Hunza is 620 km through some of the world's most dramatic mountain scenery: Besham, Khostan, Chilas, then along the Indus River to Gilgit and up to Hunza. Two full days by car with an overnight in Gilgit or Chilas. Buses run daily (NATCO, Silk Route Adventure), cheap and reliable. This is the year-round routing when Babusar Pass is closed by snow.
Things to do in Hunza
Baltit and Altit Forts
Baltit Fort sits above Karimabad, a 700-year-old fortress once home to the Mirs of Hunza, restored by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture. Its rooms are frozen in time, and the rooftop gives you the classic Karimabad-plus-Rakaposhi shot. Below it, Altit Fort is even older (about 1,100 years) with a garden café where the light and view are almost unfairly perfect. Give both a full afternoon.
Attabad Lake and the KKH beyond
A landslide in 2010 drowned a stretch of the Hunza River and created Attabad Lake, water so intensely blue it looks Photoshopped. Boat rides, jet skis, and lakeside restaurants. Beyond it lies the Hussaini Suspension Bridge (walk it if you dare), Passu Cones (the sawtooth peaks on every Pakistan postcard), and the Passu Glacier snout. Yak Grill at Passu is legendary for lunch.
Khunjerab Pass
The highest paved international border in the world at 4,693 m, the gate to China. Four hours drive from Karimabad. Even in July, expect snow at the top. Yaks graze in the alpine meadows before the pass. Bring warm layers, drink water, and don't skip breakfast. Altitude hits hard when you gain 2,000 m in a few hours.
Duikar and Eagle's Nest viewpoint
Sunrise at Duikar viewpoint (2,850 m) is the money shot. Rakaposhi (7,788 m), Ultar Peak, and Diran all bathed in gold at once. Stay at a hotel in Duikar for cardio-free 5 a.m. access, or drive up from Karimabad in the dark. The 20-minute jeep ride is part of the ritual.
Where to stay
Karimabad is the natural base. Most hotels sit on the Hunza ridge with valley and Rakaposhi views. On the luxury end we book Hunza Serena, Ambiance Hunza, Serena Altit Fort (inside the restored 1,100-year-old fort), and Zen by the Lake (right on Attabad). For premium-comfort at a mid-range price, Best Western Premier Hunza sits above Karimabad with the classic valley-and-Rakaposhi view, while Sapphire Hunza sits right on Attabad Lake. Book at least a month ahead for April and October. The valley fills fast in blossom and autumn.
Traverse Pakistan books all six of these properties at operator rates. See live availability and package bundles on our Hunza hotels page, or reach out via WhatsApp for a custom itinerary that pairs a hotel with private transport and guided day trips.
Food and culture
Hunzai food revolves around apricots, every meal, every form. Try apricot chutney, apricot soup, and the apricot oil used in bakery loaves. Chapshuro is the local hero dish: a meat-stuffed pancake, salty and crisp. Kha basi bhat (mulberry rice) is a slow-cooked celebration meal. Kha Basi restaurant in Altit village is where you go for it. Buckwheat pancakes with local honey make the perfect breakfast at any small guesthouse. The people are Ismaili Muslims (followers of the Aga Khan), women wear the pill-box surkumo cap, and literacy in Hunza is over 95%, among the highest in Pakistan.
Four chapters
Best Time to Visit
spring
Mid-March – Mid-April
Best timeApricot and cherry blossoms carpet the orchards along Karimabad and Ganish — the valley's most photographed weeks.
summer
Mid-April – Mid-October
Best timeLong light and warm 18–28°C days — clear Rakaposhi and Ultar views, full access to Passu, Khunjerab and Hopar.
autumn
Mid-October – Mid-November
Best timePoplars, apricot and cherry trees turn yellow, orange and merlot red — dry, still air and sharp peak lines.
winter
Mid-November – Mid-March
ShoulderKKH stays open — Karimabad snow-dressed, warm homestays, Attabad partially frozen; some upper side-valleys closed.