Wandering Ways

Karimabad truly feels like a dreamy utopia, nestled in a lush valley surrounded by dramatic snowy mountain peaks. Upon checking-in to the lovely Hunza Serena Inn, I literally had to pinch myself to be sure I wasn’t staring at a digital green screen simply projecting such a stunning backdrop. Almost too beautiful to be real!

Considered the capital of Hunza Valley and located at about 8,200 feet, Karimabad has increasingly become a tourist highlight along the Karakoram Highway. The cool mountain temperatures and slow pace of life attract Pakistani visitors from much warmer and more cosmopolitan cities like Islamabad and Karachi. We rarely came across other Americans, but did meet the occasional European traveler.

In Hunza Valley most locals are Shiite Ismaili Muslims. Literacy in the valley is as high as 90%, versus the national average of 58%.

The historic Baltit Fort stands front and center, giving inspiration to any level of photographer. Erected in the the 8th century, the fort later became the prime seat of power in the Hunza state. Renovations and changes to the building have been made through the centuries by a long line of rulers. To reach the fort, we had to wander the maze of steep and narrow cobblestone village roads, as it’s strategically located on a hill in the center of town. Only 4×4 vehicles, that aren’t too wide, can make it up to the fort entrance, therefore most people walk if able to. Once at the fort, the views of Karimabad become even more enchanting with a bird’s-eye-view of the valley and village below. Artifacts fill the fort to give a glimpse into past rituals and lifestyle.

After our Baltit Fort tour, we walked across town to our local guide’s family home for a delicious homemade lunch prepared by his wife. Didar, our charming and knowledgeable guide, also owns a carpet workshop where he showed us how they dye wool, and how to achieve various shades of one color.

The next day, we visited nearby Ganish Village, the oldest settlement in Hunza Valley. We explored mosques and watchtowers that date back 300-400 years ago. Our guide pointed out the wood inscriptions that relate to Buddhism, which was prevalent in Pakistan prior to Islam. I loved strolling the ancient neighborhood pathways, but the absolute highlight was mingling with curious children that lived there.

We next visited a CIQAM carpentry workshop (previously called WSE, for Women Social Enterprise), that teaches young women, primarily from poor households, trade skills to earn income. The program is sponsored by the World Bank and various foreign embassies, such as France, Norway, and New Zealand. We were led around the workshop by the female manager, while women worked the machines and crafted beautiful furniture pieces.

The workshop is located in Altit town, which is at the base of the valley, and home of the original fort to Hunza rulers. After three centuries, the Mir moved to Baltit Fort due to its higher location with better overall visibility. Altit Fort and its tower are said to be around 1100 years old, making it the oldest monument in the Gilgit-Baltistan region.

The fort entrance is up a steep stone slope with faintly carved steps. Once in the fort, the only direction to go is up more steep wooden stairs, but this time there are walls to hold on to. Restorations of the fort have allowed tourists to explore various rooms by crawling through tiny doorways, said to have been engineered to make it difficult for invaders to quickly run through. Looking down from the sheer cliff drop-off was the rushing Hunza River. In the other direction were dense village homes, made from mud and clay, lining the valley floor. It was oddly hypnotizing simply watching locals go about their day, feeding their livestock or playing rooftop games with friends and family.

Near the end of our stay, no one wanted say goodbye to Karimabad. The comforting feeling of being cradled in the serene valley and the welcoming nature of locals had us all sad to leave. I look forward to returning one day, and spending even more time enjoying the surreal setting.