Islamabad to Hunza in 07 days

Location: Hunza is a mountainous valley in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan. Hunza is situated at the bank of Hunza River in the northern part of Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan, bordering with Ish Koman to the northwest, Shigar to the southeast, Afghanistan's Wakhan Corridor to the north, and the Xinjiang region of China to the northeast.

The Hunza Valley is situated at an elevation of 2,438 meters (7,999 feet). Geographically, Hunza consists of three regions:

• Upper Hunza (Gojal)

• Central Hunza

• Lower Hunza (Shinaki)

Importance: Pakistan is one of the few countries with such a dynamic landscape; rivers, deserts, lakes, waterfalls, springs, glaciers we seem to have it all in great abundance.

The much renowned Hunza valley is often referred to as heaven on earth, enveloped in the grand Himalayas and the Karakoram Mountain ranges, this place has been a great tourist attraction for many years.

In the early 1890s, the British embarked upon a mission to annex Hunza and Nagar, which is also known as the Hunza-Nagar Campaign. British soldiers led by Colonel Durand occupied Nilt Fort in 1890. After that, they proceeded to the Baltit Fort but faced heavy resistance. The British gained complete control of Hunza and Nagar with little effort. Thereafter, the Mir of Hunza, Safdar Ali Khan along with his family, fled to Kashgar in China, and his brother Mir Muhammad Nazim Khan was made the new ruler of Hunza by the British.

You can live a pretty comfortable life while being in your home in a large metropolis, but as soon as you travel to the northern areas, you find that the real peace of mind lies within these beautiful mountains.

There was a time when people used to visit Hunza for rehabilitation. They still do, but now the tourism factor has increased much more than before. From winters to spring, nature seems to be in a transition period. This place remains remarkable with every changing season. The valley is popularly believed to be the inspiration for the mythical valley of Shangri-La in James Hilton's 1933 novel, Lost Horizon.

The local languages spoken include Burushaski, Wakhi, and Shina. The literacy rate of the Hunza valley is more than 95%. The Hunza Valley is also home to some Wakhi, who migrated there from northeastern Afghanistan beginning in the nineteenth century onwards.

Climate:  The climate in Hunza is moderate during summers. The temperature in July-August reaches a maximum of 31 °C in Central Hunza. If you are looking for a much temperate summer climate during your holidays, spend more time in Gojal Valley (Upper Hunza) because it remains much cooler even in summers. Visiting Hunza in the winter will feel like a dream when you live in sub-zero temperatures and wake up to fresh blankets of snow every morning. Hunza's beauty this time of the year is unparalleled to anything you may have seen before.

Distance: It takes 13 hr. 4 min (587 km) via N-15 and Karakoram Hwy/N-35 from Islamabad Airport to reach Hunza.