Are you planning your summer trip to the northern areas of Pakistan but thinking about where to go? I’ll tell you in this blog post about your summer trip where you should go either to Hunza or Skardu, or may be both, and more importantly, why? So let’s make it easy to choose.
Hunza Valley
Hunza, one of the most civilized and literate areas, has a literacy rate of more than 95 percent. Hunza is among the top tourist destinations in Pakistan, not only that, but it is the land of beautiful mountains, orchards, and lakes. And if you talk about hospitality, you will find no other place more hospitable than Hunza Valley. And yes, even in the 21st century and in the age of technology, they are still holding on to their old traditions and values, and even local food.
Hunza Valley is quite big, and there are different towns, but the most touristic and famous are Karimabad and Attabad (due to Attabad Lake).
Now let’s talk about the roads, accommodation facilities, and places to visit or watch in the Hunza Valley:
- How to reach: Hunza is almost 700 km away from Islamabad, which means it takes almost 12 hours by car if you go in the summer via Babusar Pass. If you talk about the road, then the condition is fine, There are some places or some patches that are not in very good condition or get bumpy while land slides, but this is normal in any mountain area, so even if you have a small car, it can reach there easily.
Secondly, you can go their by air as well, you can take a flight from Islamabad to Gilgit, and from Gilgit, you can hire any car or jeep which will reach Hunza Valley in about 2 hours - Accommodation: you can find hotel rooms from 5000 PKR to 40000 PKR and even more in Hunza Valley, as their are also 5 star chains like Serena. You will find another blog on my website about best places or hotels to stay in Hunza Valley
- Places to visit in Hunza Valley: There are plenty of places to visit in Hunza Valley; the most famous ones are Altit and Baltit Fort, which are located in Karimabad, From there, you can get some stunning views of the valley as well.
Then you can visit Attabad Lake, which was actually formed due to a landslide, but now it is one of the most visited touristic places in Hunza Valley, where you can do boating as well, and even stay there as there are so many huts and luxury hotels around the lake.
Then you can also go to Khunjerab Pass (the Pakistan-China border) from Hunza, it is at an elevation of almost 15000 ft, and the road is just beautiful and smooth, so you have to visit that border once in a lifetime.
Skardu
Skardu is the most visited district of Gilgit Baltistan by foreigners and by Pakistanis as well, as there are plenty of beautiful and spectacular places to visit in Skardu, To be honest, even a week is not enough to visit Skardu and its surroundings. It may not be very cold as compared to other mountain areas of Pakistan as it is 2500 meters above sea level, but the weather in the summer is pleasant and even cold at night.
If we talk about the people of Skardu, then yes, they are polite, well educated, and understand and respect the tourists. The main thing about Skardu is that you can visit so many places or do day trips while staying in Skardu and in the evening you can come back to your hotel or place of stay. Let’s discuss some important information to know about Skardu.
Now let’s talk about the roads, accommodation facilities, and places to visit in Skardu:
- How to reach: You can directly book a flight from Islamabad to Skardu which takes only one hour, and it is going to be most fascinating flight, as this flight fly over some of the highest mountains in the world, so one can enjoy spectacular views, second option is that you can reach by car or bus as well , which take almost 12 hours from Islamabad via Babusar Pass and the journey is approximately 600 km. To reach Skardu you have to take a turn from Karakorum Highway (KKH) towards Skardu, Before 2020 that 170 km from KKH to Skardu took almost 7 to 8 hours, but after the construction of the new road, it just takes 3 to 3.5 hours to reach Skardu from the point of diversion from KKH.
- Accomodation: Just like Hunza you will find plenty of options for accommodations in Skardu as well, from cheaper options, which start at 4000 PKR per night to 40000 PKR and even more, even there are some luxurious resorts like Shangrila, in Skardu where you can enjoy your holidays.
- Places to visit in Skardu: As I wrote earlier, even a week is not enough to visit all places in and around Skardu but some of the most famous are the following:
First you will go to Upper Kachura And Lower Kachura Lakes (inside Shangrila Resort), You can go there by car, and both lakes are 20 to 25 minutes drive from the city.
Then you can visit Deosai, this is one of my favorite places not only in Pakistan but around the world, and that place is a must-visit place, At least once in a lifetime, you can book a Jeep, which costs around 15000 PKR to 25000 PKR depending on the jeep. It is a complete day trip, you go in the morning and come back in the evening, You will find a complete blog about this place on my website.
The other place you can visit is Safranga Desert, also known as the cold desert. Just a 40-minute drive from Skardu city, it is another beautiful, worth-watching place, a desert in between snow capped mountains, where you can do plenty of activities like paragliding, jeep safaris, and much more.
Then you can do a day trip from Skardu city to Khamosh Waterfall and Manthoka Waterfall as well, which are in other districts, but you can cover them easily in a day from Skardu, You will also find blogs about them on my website.
So, my dear readers, these are some basic details about Skardu and Hunza Valley, I hope this information is sufficient to plan your summer trip in 2024. Now its up to you which one you choose, Skardu or Hunza and if you have the budget and time, you can visit both as well. And yes, last but not least, all the places that I mention, both in Hunza Valley and Skardu are accessible by any car in good condition.
And if you have any questions, you can email me at: arslan72242@worldwitharslan.com
Thank you.