Karakoram Highway

Monument

The Uprising Memorial, is a memorial to those who rose against the Maharaja in 1947. It includes the graves of the local heroes, Mohammed Babar Khan and…

Fortress

The oldest parts of Baltit Fort date from the 13th century. Over the years more houses and towers were added, and it was fortified. To cement an alliance…

Museum

The restoration of Ganish Village is particularly good and won a Unesco Asia Pacific Heritage Award. While Baltit Fort shows how the cream of society…

Archaeological Site

Chilas is surrounded by wonderful Petroglyphs, which are easy to access, though be prepared for high temperatures and take plenty of water. There is a…

River

A three- or four-hour walk along the main water channels from Ultar Nala is a good way to see Hunza at its best. Try to avoid the delicate side channels.

Fortress

Ali Sher Khan probably built the fort on the east end of this rock in the 17th century, but the Dogras trashed and rebuilt it. It's a half-hour climb to…

Monument

On the north side of town is Mansehra's tourist attraction, three granite boulders on which 14 edicts were engraved by order of the Mauryan king Ashoka in…

Monument

The Queen Victoria Monument at the top of the rock face behind Karimabad can be reached in an hour from Baltit. Take the channel path above the polo…

Palace

The Mir's Palace is under restoration. Until the early '70s the mir of Hunza lived here for three months of the year, presiding over local durbars …

Museum

The main landmark in Shigar village is Fong Khar, the former Raja of Shigar's fort-palace, now a luxury hotel and museum showcasing the impressive rustic…

Mountain

At 3200m, surrounded by moody, snowy mountains, Lake Saiful Mulk (or Muluk) is said to be inhabited by fairies. Legend has it that in ancient times a…

Fortress

The picturesque fort overlooking the village of Altit beside the Hunza River was undergoing extensive renovation at the time of research and was closed to…

Cemetery

The well-kept British Cemetery has some surprisingly recent graves of adventurous trekkers and mountaineers among the more historical plots. Buried here…

Archaeological Site

Across Hargisar Nala from the track is a Buddha Relief carved on a rock in about the 7th century. About 200m beyond the Baltoro resthouse turning and a…

Islamic Site

Beyond Zood Khun is the mystical and holy Baba Ghundi Ziarat, a shrine to a Sufi saint said to have miraculous powers, and a popular pilgrimage site. The…

Archaeological Site

Sacred Rocks at Hunza is about 1.5km east on the KKH at a place called Haldekush are several stony rises. The rocks, with pictures and inscriptions from…

Islamic Site

Just beyond the northern limit of Afiyatabad the winding link road to Chapursan intersects with the KKH. After travelling through crumbling mountains and…

Landmark

In the Northern Areas there are traces of an ancient caste system, in which musicians and artisans ranked low. In the past they were often segregated in…

Fortress

Up a laneway 300m past the library is a fort, built in the early 19th century by Sikh governor general Man Singh (after whom Mansehra is named), and…

Mountain

The hills cradling Abbottabad are Shimla Peak to the northwest and Sarban Peak to the south. Shimla's cool, pine-clad summit is woven with trails and…