Hunza Valley's Natural Beauty is Attracted to Tourists
Hunza valley is probably Pakistan's most visited
valley, by the tourists and Hunza Valley is a mountainous valley in Gilgit in
the Gilgit Baltistan autonomous region, an area under the control of the
government of Pakistan. The Hunza valley is situated to the north of the Hunza
River, at an elevation of around 2,500 m. The territory of Hunza is about 7,900
square km. Karimabad ,formerly called Baltit, is the main town, which is also a
very popular tourist destination because of the spectacular scenery of the
surrounding mountains like Ultar Sar, Rakaposhi, Bojahagur Duanasir II, Hunza
Peak, Diran Peak and Bublimating ,Ladyfinger Peak, all 6,000 m or higher. Upper
Hunza ,Gojal, is the beautiful valley of Hunza, and one of its sub regions
where three different linguistically people are existing. Burushaski speakers
originated from central Hunza and migrated during kingdom of Ayashoo and wakhi
speakers oriented from Wakhan corridor. 65% of population encompass of wakhi
speakers and rest of 34% composed of Burushaski speakers. The third dialect
Domki compared with 1% and their families found in Nazim abad and Shishkat
village.
Lower Hunza is a sub region of Hunza, boundaries with Nagar valley on
east and south. The beautiful sub region of hunza starts from a village Khizir
abad and ends at Nasir Abad, Lower Hunza composed of Khizir abad, Mayoon,
Hussainabad, Khana Abad and Nasirabad. Nasirabad location on Karakorum Highway
makes it as a central village of Lower Hunza. Several high peaks rise above
6,000 m the Hunza valley. The valley provides spectacular views of some of the
most beautiful and magnificent mountains of the world, including Rakaposhi
7,788 m, Ultar Sar 7,388 m, Bojahagur Duanasir II 7,329 m, Ghenta Sar 7,090 m,
Hunza Peak 6,270 m, Darmyani Peak 6,090 m, and Bublimating ,Ladyfinger Peak,
6,000 m. A watch tower is located in heart of Ganish Village, Baltit fort which
are restored by the Aga Khan fund for Culture & heritage. The fort has been
brought into a guided museum you can spend time in the for visiting different
sections of the fort and viewing the slide show in the small hall of the fort.
Baltit Fort stands on top of Karimabad whereas Altit fort lies somewhat lower
down the valley on another outcrop. The valley is popularly believed to be the
inspiration for the mythical valley of Shangri-la in James Hilton's 1933 novel
Lost Horizon. Local languages spoken include Burushaski, Wakhi and Shina,
although many people understand Urdu. The literacy rate of the Hunza valley is
considered to be more than 95%.
Hunza valley has been described as a role model for
Pakistan in terms of its high literacy rate and school enrollment figures.
Virtually every child is trained up to at least high school level. This valley
is comprised of terraced ridges running from the high pastures down to the
river, with extensive irrigation channels bringing melt water from the glaciers
to the terraced fields and villages. A wide variety of crops are cultivated
here; including potatoes, barley, wheat, and vegetables along with apricots,
apples, cherries, almonds, and other fruit or nut crops. Hunza was formerly a
princely state bordering Uyghurstan also called Xinjiang, autonomous region of
China, to the northeast and Pamir to the northwest, which survived until 1974,
when it was finally dissolved by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. The state bordered the
Gilgit Agency to the south and the former princely state of Nagar to the east.
The state capital was the town of Baltit, also known as Karimabad. Another old
settlement is Ganish village. Hunza was an independent principality for more
than 900 years. The British gained control of Hunza and the neighbouring valley
of Nagar between 1889 and 1892 through a military conquest. The then Mir or Tham,
ruler, Mir Safdar Ali Khan of Hunza fled to Kashghar in China and sought what
would be called political asylum. Hunza valley is one of the attractive valleys
of Pakistan.
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