The places that earn their fame
Some destinations survive their photographs; Hunza's do. Attabad Lake really is that shade of turquoise, the view from Eagle's Nest at sunset really does take in six 7,000-metre peaks, and the walk through Baltit Fort really does feel like walking through 700 years of mountain history. These three — plus the Passu Cones rising like a cathedral over the Karakoram Highway — are the core of any first visit.
What the photographs don't show is how close together everything is. Karimabad, the forts, and Eagle's Nest sit within twenty minutes of each other; Attabad, Gulmit, the Hussaini Bridge and Passu line up along one hour of highway. You can see the valley's highlights without a single early start — though sunrise at Duikar deserves one.
How to plan it
With 3 days: day one for Karimabad, Baltit and Altit Forts and a Duikar sunset; day two for Attabad Lake, Gulmit, the Hussaini Suspension Bridge and the Passu Cones; day three for the Khunjerab Pass day trip — the world's highest paved border crossing at 4,693 m, with ibex and yaks usually grazing near the gate.
With 5 days, add the two-day Rakaposhi Base Camp trek from Minapin or a half-day jeep trip to Hopper Glacier in neighbouring Nagar. Spring visitors (late March–April) should build the itinerary around blossom; autumn visitors (October) around the golden poplars at Altit and Gulmit.
