Hunza Valley – Heaven on Earth

Hunza Valley

A valley situated in the extreme North of Pakistan,/often referred to as “heaven on Earth”, Hunza is one of the most beautiful valleys in the world. This lush green valley has an abundance of mountains, glaciers, natural beauty, and an extremely rich culture. This valley is situated up in the north close to the border of China in the Karakoram Ranges, one of the highest ranges of mountains in the world, far from the reach of constant power, deprived of a solid infrastructure and at the mercy of the extreme weather, land-sliding, and floods. For a considerable amount of time this valley has been cut off from the rest of the country in history, which leaves Hunza a little less developed but richer in cultural values and heritage and that only adds more beauty to this already-so-beautiful valley.

Following are some key features that you need to know about the picturesque Hunza Valley

Landscape/Location

This mountainous Valley is located in the extreme north of Pakistan, in the region of Gilgit Baltistan. It is bordering with the Wakhan Corridor of Afghanistan and the Xinjiang region of China. Basically, Hunza is surrounded by Mountains in every direction; some mountains like the Rakaposhi are covered in snow the entire year while some get snowfall only in winters. There are numerous glaciers present in the Valley of Hunza. The Glaciers not only provide a scenic beauty but also serve as adventurous trekking route for adrenaline rush seekers.

Weather of Hunza

The Hunza Valley observes four seasons a year; spring, summer autumn/fall and winter. Every season appears with its own intrinsic beauty. Hunza is famous for producing one of the best- qualified Cherries, Apricots, Almond, Walnuts and many other fruits. So in the season of Spring Cherry, Almond and Apricot blossoms blanket the valley of Hunza in its Pink-White flowers. In summers the Hunza Valley is all green and lush. A pleasant site for the human eyes. Fall is one of the most beautiful seasons and in Hunza, the broad spectrum of colors takes fall/autumn to a next level. Yellow, red, orange, brown and etc. are the most commonly observed fall colors in Hunza. Winters are really dry, harsh and cold with a lot of snowfall on the mountains and a little snowfall in the Valley.

The Literacy rate

Hunza has the highest literacy rate in the Country. With a bomb literacy rate of 90%, Hunza serves as an example for the rest of the country. Despite the difficult and harsh living conditions, education is taken very seriously in the Hunza Valley which is why the literacy rate is the highest in this valley as compared to the rest of the country. The most crucial factor that transformed the educational setup in Hunza was the contribution of Aga Khan III, Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah, who convinced the then Mirs (kings) of Hunza state to place greater emphasis on education. In 1946 a total of 16 schools were established which were named, the Diamond Jubilee Schools. Today there are hundreds of Diamond Jubilee and other private and public Schools in the Hunza Valley serving quality education to the natives.

The people are extremely hospitable

This beautiful valley has the friendliest and hospitable people. The natives will invite the tourists to stay with them, experience their culture, they will share their food, fruit, and their homes without expecting anything back in return. The people of Hunza are very polite, courteous and tolerant. Despite having a literacy rate of almost 100%, the humility, culture and traditional values of the natives is still intact. The polite and welcoming nature of the people of Hunza makes the sightseeing and mountaineering expeditions of the tourists two times better.

The rich Culture

Hunzai people carry their culture with them wherever they go and this is one of their strongest points. Almost every aspect of their life is influenced by their strong cultural values and traditions. You can see these cultural values being reflected in their art, architecture, music, lifestyle, food, dressing, and traditions like marriage, death, and religion. Hunzai culture is one of the most fascinating cultures of the world because it influences almost every single aspect of an individual’s life.

The Languages

Three languages are spoken in Hunza which are known as Burushashki, Wakhi, and Shina. The majority of the people speak Burushashki followed by Wakhi and then shina. Burushashki is written as Urdu and Persian but the origin is still not determined. Burushaski’s common structure consists of words from several languages like Balti, Pashtu, Persian, English, Chinese and The language of Central Asian Countries.

Famous Destination Points

Following are the most visited or the most well-known destination points in the Hunza Valley. These include historical buildings as well as scenic destinations.

Baltit Fort

Altit Fort

Khunjerab Pass

Atabad Lake

Borith Lake

Rush Lake

Duikar

Passu

Rakaposhi and its viewpoint

The Hunza valley is not just an ordinary valley with a scenic beauty but it is a place which has an overwhelming amount of value, tradition, and richness of both; culture and natural beauty. One who visits the Hunza Valley is bound to fall in love with all its aspects and return to it again and again. These factors make the tourists not just from Pakistan but from all over the world, visit Hunza every single year.

 

 

 

 

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