Gilgit
Gateway city on the Karakoram Highway, home to the junction of three great mountain ranges and Naltar's colorful lakes, and the hub for trips to Hunza and Fairy Meadows.
Gilgit is the capital of Pakistan's Gilgit-Baltistan region. At about 1,500 m, it sits in the valley where the Gilgit and Hunza rivers meet, ringed by three great ranges: the Karakoram, the Himalaya and the Hindu Kush. It is the most important gateway on the Karakoram Highway (the China–Pakistan Friendship Highway), and the transit point for heading north to Hunza and Khunjerab or south to Fairy Meadows and Skardu. In town you can explore Raja Bazaar, Chinar Bagh park, the Danyore suspension bridge and the Chinese Cemetery; on the outskirts are the Kargah Buddha and the Bagrot Valley. The most popular day trips are a jeep ride into the Naltar Valley to see its colorful lakes and a drive south along the Karakoram Highway to the junction point of the three mountain ranges and the Nanga Parbat viewpoint. Apr–Oct is the best season, with apricot blossoms in April and autumn colors in October; in summer the valley is hot by day while the mountains stay cool. In winter you can ski at Naltar, but some mountain roads close. Flights run from Islamabad to Gilgit (often canceled due to weather), or it's about 14–18 hours overland via the Karakoram Highway. Plan to stay 2–3 days. Foreign visitors must carry their passport and visa for checkpoints along the way; security conditions and access rules in some areas change from time to time, so check the latest information before you go. Local customs are conservative, so dress modestly.
Top sights
- Naltar Valley & Lakes – A high mountain valley surrounded by pine forests and snowy peaks. Satrangi Lake changes colour with the light, from turquoise to blue-gree…
- Kargah Buddha – A standing Buddha carved into a cliff face in the Kargah Valley, about 3 meters tall. It dates back to the Buddhist period of around the 7t…
- Junction of Three Mountains – The only place in the world where three great mountain ranges meet: the Himalayas, the Karakoram, and the Hindu Kush.
- Nanga Parbat Viewpoint (Talechi) – A classic roadside lookout on the Karakoram Highway for gazing at Nanga Parbat, the 8,126-meter "Killer Mountain."
- Danyor Suspension Bridge – An old wooden-plank suspension bridge over the Hunza River. The swaying deck is thrilling, and it's a popular photo stop for locals and vis…
- Chinese Memorial Cemetery (Danyor) – A cemetery for Chinese workers who died building the Karakoram Highway. Chinese visitors often come to pay their respects here.
- Bagrot Valley – A quiet valley about 25 km east of Gilgit, where terraced fields, apricot groves, and glaciers at the south face of Laka Poshi come togethe…
- Gilgit Bazaar – The Raja Bazaar area in the city center, lined with dried fruit, gemstones, wool shawls, and shops selling Chinese goods.
- Chinar Bagh – A park of plane trees along the Gilgit River, with a monument honoring the martyrs of the 1947 Gilgit Independence Uprising.
Where to eat
- Dawat Restaurant (Indus Lodges) – Gilgit's highest-rated rooftop restaurant overlooking the river, known for grilled river trout and Hunza lamb karahi.
- Paradise Hotel Restaurant – An affordable riverside veteran restaurant with the most reviews in Gilgit, serving Hunza meat pies and trout karahi.
Itineraries
- Hunza, Upper Hunza & Khunjerab Pass Tour – Fly to Gilgit to enter Hunza, stay in Karimabad and Passu, visit ancient forts and glaciers, and ascend to Khunjerab Pa…
- Kashgar to Hunza via Khunjerab Pass – Travel along the Karakoram Highway from Kashgar, cross the Pamirs and Khunjerab Pass, traverse Hunza, and fly out from…
- Grand Karakoram to Lahore Overland Traverse – Fly from Islamabad to Skardu, visit Fairy Meadows and Hunza, then head south to Rohtas Fort and Lahore