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Jul 2011
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Jul 2011
Jul 2011
AcePakWheeler
Posts: 305Joined: May 2004
Jul '11
1
desertdevil

After some snacks and refreshments we continued our journey towards our final destination Karimabad, Hunza... now by road.


Gilgit Cantonment


Geting diesel from an old fashioned retro styled petrol station


Crossing Gilgit river


Jinnah Bridge over Gilgit river


Jinnah Bridge


Gilgit river and River View Road on its left bank


Old route to KKH.. the single lane tunnel crossing


Hunza river..


Going towards Nomal..


Hunza river looking back towards Gilgit


..and finaly joined the mighty KKH


Men at Work.. KKH is in terrible shape these days


Spotted: a NCP Toyota Corolla Station Wagon


An old track on the other side of Hunza river


Jagged rocks


This old man was making a living by making clay utensils. Water was running down the slide behind him and was turning a turbine used in moulding the utensils. Ingenious indeed.


Condition of KKH..


A tunnel under construction by the Chinese..


A Chinese camp..


A random shot

AcePakWheeler
Posts: 305Joined: May 2004
Jul '11
2
Ace


Zorro was here..


First view of the majestic Rakaposhi from the KKH


The mighty Rakaposhi


Rakaposhi and Hunza river


Rakaposhi View Point


Mighty Rakaposhi viewd from the View Point


Another shot..


An abandoned ancient village in Nagar


First view of the Lady Finger peak, Karimabad, Hunza


Our welcome basket at Hunza Baltit Inn... fresh cherries


View of Karimabad valley from our hotel


Terrace outside our room


Our room..

Day-1, Part-2: Gilgit to Hunza, ends here...


ranasherdilSenior PakWheeler
Posts: 3394Joined: Sep 2010
Jul '11

On which side of plane one should take the seats for enjoying scenes of kaghan valley/nanga parbat from plane? I think from right side???

AcePakWheeler
Posts: 305Joined: May 2004
Jul '11
1
Ace

Day-2 was spent on exploring Karimabad itself. Visited Karimabad bazaar, Baltit Fort, Altit village and Altit Fort etc.


A Jamaat Khana. Hunza is almost 100% Ismaili.


Ultar Sar, 7388m (24239 ft) above Karimabad, Hunza


The 700 year old Baltit Fort, the former seat of Mirs of Hunza.


A musket at display.


Steep path to Baltit Fort.


Karimabad from Baltit Fort.


Ultar Sar, 7388m (24239 ft) above Karimabad, Hunza


A gun position on top of the Fort.


A mineral lamp on the entrance gate of the Fort.


View of Altit Village from Baltit Fort. Altit Fort can be seen on the extreeme right.

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AcePakWheeler
Posts: 305Joined: May 2004
Jul '11
ranasherdil

From Islamabad to Gilgit take seats on the right and from Gilgit to Islamabad take seats on the left.

AcePakWheeler
Posts: 305Joined: May 2004
Jul '11
1


Altit fort viewed from Baltit Fort


Our hotel Hunza Baltit Inn and Hunza Darbar hotel viewed from Baltit Fort


Markhor marhoom


Mir of Hunza and his wife


Fort interior


The Agha Khans


Another trophy


Swords..


Traditional Hunza royalty suiting


Mir of Hunza.. hehe.. Nope! thats just me.


View of Karimabad valley


A portrait of Mir of Hunza with his family in Baltit Fort, 1968.


A crib.


The kitchen.


A banner.

HTZPakWheeler
Posts: 95Joined: Jan 2009
Jul '11

@ACE, Good trip man, I replied to your email about Hunza but i believe it was little too late. In fact i was travelling to Abu Dhabi therefore i could not do it any earlier. Nonetheless it is clear from the photographs that you made the right choices. I am sure Hunza Baltit Inn was the right choice and you enjoyed your stay there.
Thanks for sharing the photographs, reminds me of the good times that i had there.

HTZPakWheeler
Posts: 95Joined: Jan 2009
Jul '11

And i must add that you have been very lucky to be able to fly out to Hunza in these days. My father was there at the Islamabad airport this morning to catch a flight to Gilgit but the flight got cancelled. He is now coming back to lahore.

AcePakWheeler
Posts: 305Joined: May 2004
Jul '11

@HTZ

Yes brother thankyou for your mail. I just read it. Ironicaly it matched with my trip arrangements. Yes Baltit Inn was an excellent choice. Lot of hassle avoided by staying there. Friendly staff and clean environment. Hunza was magnificient as always. We were stuck too in Gilgit for a day due to bad weather but luckily made it out on the second day.

AcePakWheeler
Posts: 305Joined: May 2004
Jul '11
1


Me again..


Ancient musical instruments




Underground prison chambers


Prison cells


A restored passage


Indiana Jones? Nope! me again.


Exterior of the Fort.


Fresh apples anyone?


Natural freezer



Our ride.


Going down towards Karimabad bazaar


Lunch was a traditional Hunza dish called Hoi Garma, Spinach cooked with local butter and chappati. Very delicious.

..after lunch we moved onwards to the nearby 950 year old Altit Fort.


Pool at the entrance of Altit village. This pool was created when mud was excavated for constructing Altit Fort. Nowadays it serves as a swimming pool as well as providing waters for the village vegetation and the Royal Gardens besides the Fort.


Me at the entrance of Altit Fort.


The Royal Kitchen. Pot was made of stone. Tempratures inside the pot reached more than 400 celcius, melting even the bones and making soup of them. Notice the sun roof.


Some engravings.


Wooden cabinet used to store flour and sugar etc. Notice the Hindu Swastika signs all over it.

AcePakWheeler
Posts: 305Joined: May 2004
Jul '11
1


Ancient clock. Time was judged according to the shadows created by sunlight.


Hunza river view from the Fort.


KKH and Nagar viewed from the Fort.


300m drop straight down to Hunza river, from the top of Fort. War prisioners and traitors etc. were thrown to there deaths from this point. Scary.


A passage.


600 year old mosque.


The tower on top of the Fort. It was used to store food and as a watch tower.


Altit village.


A woman drying appricots.


Entrance to the tower.


View from the Tower.


Me, the Markor, Ultar-1 and Ultar-2 in the background.



Ladyfinger peak and Ultar-1


Ultar-2




The entire Fort was being restored by women, funded by Royal Norwegian Embassy.


No its not the real Beacon House. Its a local community school.


View from our hotel terrace.


Baltit Fort, Ultar-1 and Ultar-2 viewed from our hotel.


Our hotel Hunza Baltit Inn.


The valley beneath the hotel.


The spotter.


Fresh Apples



Trees.. notice their straightness and height.



Day-2: Karimabad, Hunza, ends here...

aesiegeSenior PakWheeler
Posts: 13207Joined: Jun 2010
Jul '11

Zabardast trip mashallah!!!!!!!

I just loved the Kaghan valley pics from air :slight_smile:

Eagerly waiting for more pics. Keep it up !!!

AcePakWheeler
Posts: 305Joined: May 2004
Jul '11

Rs 4,300/- one way.