Gohar Aman Tower

Gohar Aman's Tower

Gilgit Town, Pakistan Sights › Tower
In the grounds of the Army Public School (Hayat Shaheed), a crumbling adobe tower is all that remains of Gohar Aman's Tower, a fort built by Gohar Aman in the 1850s. There's not much to look at and the school is pretty security conscious. The school principal may be happy to escort you to the tower and provide a potted history.

Pakistan And China Border.

Pakistan And China Border.

Naltar Valley

Naltar is a valley near Gilgit and Hunza in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan. Naltar is 40 km (25 mi) from Gilgit and can be reached by jeeps. Naltar is a forested (pine) village known for its wildlife and magnificent mountain scenery. Now the communication is available by the efforts of Pakistan army signal corps (SCO special communication organization). There are ski lifts under the 'Ski Federation of Pakistan'. Transport is available from Gilgit to Naltar but during a specific time after that own arrangement.

There is a base camp of 'Pakistan Air Force' at Naltar. Ski Competitions are held at Naltar under the supervision of PAF. Naltar Bala and Naltar Pine are two villages of Naltar valley. N.Pine Is at a distance of 34 kilometers (21 mi) and Naltar Bala at 40 kilometers (25 mi) from Gilgit. There is a main village known as Nomal between Naltar valley and Gilgit. A road from Nomal goes to 'The Silk Route' To China. Recently government constructed an 18 MW hydropower project near Naltar Pine to fulfill the power requirement of the area as well as Gilgit. The road from Gilgit to Naltar Pine is metalled and is non-metalled from Naltar Pine to Naltar Bala.

Education rate in this valley is too much poor. A government high school and an NLI public school is there at Naltar Bala and a middle school for girls is under construction.

The Beautiful Misgar Valley of Gojal

Misgar Valley is one of the most beautiful and geographically important regions of Gilgit-Baltistan. Misgar is home to the Mintika pass that connects Pakistan with China. The historic Kilik pass is also located in Misgar and it leads travelers to Afghanistan. The historic “Kalam Darchi Fort” [Fort of the Naked Saint], constructed by the Britishers to keep a watch on Russian and Chinese advances, is also located in Misgar. The fort is in a dilapidated condition and demands the attention of relevant authorities

Fairy Meadows Gilgit Baltistan,Pakistan

Fairy Meadow
Fairy Meadow is a lush green plateau, at 3300 m, offering a breath taking view of Majestic Nanga Parbat (The Killer Mountain). Many people have called it the "Heaven on Earth". These lush, green meadows and forests lie at the base of Nanga Parbat at the western edge of the Himaliyan range in Pakistan. Fairy Meadows is a very peaceful and relaxing place to enjoy the mountain atmosphere and hospitality of the local people. The name Fairy Meadows is part of the legend that Fairies have their heaven on this lush green plateau. Hermann Buhl, the Austrian climber who made the first ascent of Nanga Parbat in 1953, named it Fairy Meadow due to its wonderful scenery.

It is about 540 km drive through Karakorum Highway, from Islamabad to Raikot Bridge (1400 m). Where local Jeeps will take you up to the Tatto village, it is one and half hour exciting drive from Raikot Bridge to the last village of Tatto (2900 m). Crossing through the most impressive view of Karakorum Highway & River Indus. On arrival at Tatto village, it starts trekking on very easy and simple route to Fairy meadows. It is a great experience to have overnight in fixed camping side, or in the traditionally built wood Huts, which offers magnificent view of the North face of the Nanga Parbat. There are several short walks on this plateau, including the full day excursion up to the base camp (3900 m) of Nanga Parbat. It is very easy walk through the forest till then the edge of the plateau call Beyal Camp (3500 m). Whereas the trek from Beyal Camp to base camp is little difficult along the Raikot glacier. Nice hotels and bungalows are available at the meadows, but you may also choose to camp in the grassy sites. After reaching Raikot Bridge one has to take a one and a half hour jeep ride just to get to the hiking point, at this point the track becomes very narrow and jeeps aren't accessible beyond it. Then after an at least two and half hour hike straight up the hill you reach Fairy Meadows.

Since 2010, many new hotels have been built which provide rooms at affordable rates, the food however is a bit expensive compared to what you get in cities but one can't complain when meat, pulses and potatoes are available at this remote place as well. Locals have established a small village at fairy meadows also. Horse riding is also available here. The polo matches that are organized for tourists here are a delight to watch. The lush green meadows also serve as a football or cricket ground for tourists.
The place is closed in the winters due to heavy snowfall and is accessible only in the summers. June-July is the best time to visit this place. The Nanga Parbat base camp is accessible from Fairy Meadows, and if the tourists desires to visit the base camp then hiring a local guide would be good option. It is at least a total of a three and a half hour hike depending on your level of fitness.

BAGROTE VALLEY'S VIRGIN CHARMS

The picturesque Bagrote valley has retained its natural scenic beauty even in these times of change. Barely 40 kilometers from Gilgit, it is sandwiched between Bilchar Dobani and the awesome serenity of the Rakaposhi.

The Diran peak looks on from the snow-covered sierras that surround it and the rugged grandeur of glaciers like the Barche, Gargooh, Yuneh, Rakaposhi and Dodoormal. It is glacier terrain from which a host of streams and rivulets flow converging near ChiraKhama glaciers giving the visual prospect a kaleidoscopic character.

Winters here offer another spectacular panorama when all the water courses get frozen except the Bagrote nullah gushing forth from ChiraKhama glaciers.

But it also shrinks somewhat, its turbulent flow of summer days now calm and quiet. The onset of winter wraps everything in a white sheet and the place becomes unrecognizable from its summer mantle of green velvet.

But now that summer is in full bloom, the steppes of lush green acreage spread back into the hinterland that forks into Gargooh steppe on the left and the Gutoomi pastures on the right inside the valley past Gusonar and Sat. Darejah is the vantage point that offers a panoramic and clear view of the tall heights of Diran, Rakaposhi and Dobani peaks in one sweep of the eye. Barchi, nearby, is yet another hamlet seasonally inhabited by people, that offers enchanting views of mountain scenery.

But only while the summer lasts. Come winter and the shepherds leave the pastures with their cattle retiring to lower slopes of the valley. But for a half century now potato farming has increasingly provided people with livelihood. Not much farther is Silili that offers adventure tourism as far as Skardu.

Now a mega-conservation project, the “Central Karakoram National Park” (CKNP) covering a wide range of area from Rakaposhi view point in Nagar and extending towards Shigar in Baltistan, has been launched with financial assistance of the Italian government.

Feasibility study of this giant project is in progress. Bagrote would assumes centrality in the scheme as it has been accorded the status of ‘model valley’.

Hopefully the implementation of this conservation park would help conserve flora and fauna of the area as well as its cultural heritage.

It will simultaneously throw open environmentfriendly tourism opportunities in the whole of the project area.

Shina Language

Shina (also known as Tshina) is a Dardic language spoken by a plurality of people in Gilgit-Baltistan of Pakistan and Dras in Ladakh of India. The valleys in which it is spoken include Astore, Chilas, Dareil, Tangeer, Gilgit, Ghizer, and a few parts of Baltistan and Kohistan. It is also spoken in Gurez, Drass, Kargil, Karkit Badgam and Ladakh valleys of Jammu and Kashmir. There were 321,000 speakers of Gilgiti Shina as of 1981, and an estimated total of speakers of all dialects of 550,000. Many Shina speakers are also found in Pakistan's major urban centres of Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Abbottabad, Hyderabad and Karachi.