SHIMSHAL PASS TREK

Shimshal Valley (2,880m) is situated in the northeast of the Hunza Valley and about 52km and on three and half hours driving distance from the Karakoram Highway. This spectacular trek have a lot of attractions for various kinds of tourists and takes you to one of the most remote inhabited area of the Karakaram mountain region. It has many of the still unclimbed peaks above 7000m and some of the longest glaciers and a wide range of wildlife like the famous snow leopards and mountain bears, a large number of blue sheep population and mountain ibex and many other wildlife species of the area. It begins through the narrow gorge, which opens up in the Shimshal Valley in Upper Hunza region.

Shimshal Valley is one of the oldest settlements of Wakhi people in the Upper Hunza region. There are around 130 household and above than 1200 people. The Shimshal Pass trek attracts and provide great opportunities to the trekkers to explore several glaciers, peaks, passes, meadows, streams, lush green land, wild flower pastures and you will see the wildlife in Shimshal national park. Beyond the main Shimshal Valley, there are the summer pastures known as Pamirs, the most scenic place around. Options to go to Askole at the head of K-2 trek via Shimshal and Lupke La passes or go to the Karakoram Highway via Chafchingol Pass are available. As a whole Shimshal Pass trek is an excellent trek for all the adventure seekers in the Pamir region.

Shimshal Pass trek lies in Shimshal Valley and is the farthest end of the Gilgit Baltistan to the northeast of Upper Hunza Valley and particularly Passu village. It takes few days from the Shimshal Valley to reach the high altitude Shimshal Pass 4,700 meters. The pasture over here is so desolate stretching all the way to China and widely known as the Pamir pasture which has some peaks ranging above 6000 meters and this is one by the way is called the Mingling Sar.there are another one called Quz Sar which means the top of the shade where there is no sun shine at all. These peaks are the focal point of the trekkers for being spectacular in the vicinity of these peaks lie some beautiful lakes with grassy banks. The mighty K-2 can be seen from Shimshal Pass.