The Simurgh

Getting to Upper Hunza

Gilgit Airport is the nearest airport to Upper Hunza, about 70 km from the centre at Gulmit in a straight line. Arrivals usually continue by road, and the road journey is longer than the straight-line distance suggests, so plan for a drive rather than a short transfer. The Karakoram Highway runs through upper Hunza, and Passu, below the Passu Glacier, is a stopping point for travellers moving between Hunza and the Khunjerab Pass.

Around Upper Hunza

Upper Hunza is a mountain valley in Gilgit-Baltistan, with Gulmit as its main village and a common reference point. Gulmit has a bazaar, an old fort and terraced fields, and it lies about 20 km north of Passu. Passu itself is a small village on the Karakoram Highway, on the west bank of the Hunza River, set below the Passu Glacier and the peaks that feed it. The setting is high mountain rather than alpine meadow, and the glacier and moraine are visible from parts of the road. The altitude at Passu is 2400 metres.

The Passu Glacier descends from the high peaks above the settlement, and the ice and moraine can be seen from the road and from tracks near the village. The peaks above the village dominate the view to the north and east. Further south, the old capital of Hunza, Karimabad, sits on terraces above the Hunza River, with Baltit Fort at the top of the village and Altit Fort on the older settlement below. Days are warm in summer and cold in winter, and summers are mild by day and cool at night.

Upper Hunza through the year

The best months for a stay in Upper Hunza are June, July, August and September, when days are warm and summers are mild by day and cool at night. May and October are good months, and March, April and November are possible. January, February and December are the off season, when winters are cold, with snow on the ground and some side roads difficult.

Places to stay in Upper Hunza: what to expect

Hotels make up a fair number of the stays listed in Upper Hunza, mostly simple to mid-range, with a few upscale options. Car parking is listed by almost all hotels, and a 24-hour front desk is almost as common. Breakfast is listed by most, while a restaurant, family rooms, room service, a shuttle service and a garden are each listed by many. Free Wi-Fi is listed by some, as are heating and air conditioning, and a kitchen by a few. Hotels suit travellers who want a front desk and breakfast on hand, and families looking for family rooms will find them at many hotels.

Guest houses form a fair number of the stays in Upper Hunza, mostly simple to mid-range, with a few upscale options. Car parking and a 24-hour front desk are listed by almost all guest houses, and a shuttle service by most. Free Wi-Fi, a restaurant, breakfast and a garden are each listed by many. Family rooms, heating, a kitchen, a swimming pool and air conditioning are each listed by a few, while room service is listed by some. Guest houses suit travellers who prefer a smaller place to stay, and drivers will find parking at almost all of them.

Resorts and lodges make up a fair number of the stays in Upper Hunza, mostly simple to mid-range, with a few upscale options. Car parking and a 24-hour front desk are listed by almost all, and breakfast by most. Free Wi-Fi and a shuttle service are each listed by many, while a restaurant and a garden are each listed by some. Family rooms, heating, a kitchen, room service, a fitness room and air conditioning are each listed by a few. Resorts and lodges suit travellers who want grounds and a shuttle service, and families will find family rooms at a few of them.

Staying in Upper Hunza: questions