John Mock & Kimberley O'Neil

Kalash Valleys

• typical Hindukush valley

• only valleys in which earlier old (Vedic) religion survives in world
• distinct language
• cultural aspect main tourist attraction

• ancient cedar forests
• natural resources - morel mushrooms, pine nuts

• cultural tours
• seasonal festivals
• limited day hikes</ul

• easy access
• two hour drive from Chitral

Chitral Gol

• rugged terrain
• very attractive mountain panorama
• high rocky mountains

• hunting bungalows of ex-Mehtar of Chitral: Birmogh Lasht, Kasavir, and Merin

• endangered species - markhor and snow leopard. Markhor is a red-listed species
• large healthy male and female markhor populations
• snow leopard, black bear, birds
• healthy stand of forest (ie, chilgoza and chir pine
• edible plants (morel mushrooms)
• wildflowers

• hiking
• wildlife viewing
• jeep trips for sunrise or sunset
• bird watching
• Chitral Gol National Park

• very easy
• existent trail network (in disrepair)

Shishi & Golen Valleys

• many side valleys
• lakes
• clear streams
• high mountains

• traditional Kho villages

• cedar forests
• wildlife (ibex, snow leopard, bear, birds)
• wild mushrooms<

• trekking

• open zone
• three hour drive from Chitral

Lutkho Valley

• south side of Tirich Mir
• hot springs at Garam Chashma
• Gazikistan meadows

• friendly villages

• none

• trekking
• mountaineering

• open zone; restricted beyond Garam Chashma

Turikho Valley

• Tirich Mir and Istor-o-nal; highest peaks in Hindukush

• none

• wildlife (large mammals, birds)

• trekking
• mountaineering

• open zone; restricted beyond Rich Gol

Upper Yarkhun Valley

• arid, broad valleys
• high rocky mountains
• Karambar lake and meadows; largest alpine grassland besides Deosai Plains

• Wakhi communities in Broghil
• former Central Asian trade route
• friendly Kho communities

• wildlife in side valleys
• wildflowers in Karambar meadows
• world-class migratory water fowl site (Karambar lakes)

• trekking
• bird watching
• horseback riding

• open zone; restricted beyond Lasht

Upper Ghizar River Valley

• clear streams and lakes

• Shandur Polo tournament

• world-record trout from Hundrup River
• peat bogs

• trekking
• mountaineering
• kayaking and rafting
• Shandur-Hundrup National Park

• open zone
• Gilgit-Chitral road

Yasin Valley

• high mountains
• wide valleys

• isolated traditional
• Burusho communities
• well-tended attractive fields and villages

• wildlife

• trekking
• cultural touring

• open zone; restricted beyond Darkot to Darkot An
• jeep roads to all trail heads

Ishkoman Valley

• large valley glaciers
• Karambar lakes

• herders in summer pastures
• multiple languages and cultures (Shina, Khowar, Gujar, Wakhi)

• Karambar lakes (should be RAMSAR site)
• Karambar meadows

• trekking
• bird watching
• rafting

• open zone; restricted beyond Imit in Karambar Valley
• jeep roads to all trail heads

Bagrot & Haramosh Valleys

• Diran and Haramosh peaks

• traditional Shina-speaking villages

• wildlife

• trekking
• mountaineering
• jeep safaris
• fishing

• open zone
• new jeep road to Bagrot two hour drive from Gilgit
• Gilgit-Skardu road access to Haramosh

Nanga Parbat

• Nanga Parbat

• traditional culture in Rupal Valley

• wildlife

• trekking
• mountaineering
• jeep safaris
• Fairy Meadows

• open zone
• Fairy Meadows close to KKH

Kaghan Valley

• Babusar Pass and lakes

• none

• high altitude lakes and plateau
• famous trout streams

• trekking
• jeep safaris
• fishing
• mountain biking

• open zone
• close to Islamabad

Naltar & Pakora Valleys

• lakes in Naltar Valley
• 5000m to 6000m peaks

• none

• wildflowers

• trekking
• mountaineering
• butterfly catching
• day trips/picnics to Naltar/Naltar Lake

• open zone
• along KKH two hour drive from Gilgit

Nagyr

• Rakaposhi, Diran and Spantik peaks
• stunning glaciers
• high altitude Rush Lake

• ancient Burushaski-speaking culture
• attractive well-tended villages

• wildflowers
• Bar Valley Project (ibex)
• other wildlife

• trekking
• mountaineering
• butterfly catching
• wildlife viewing
• Central Karakoram National Park (ie, Hispar Glacier)

• open zone
• along KKH two to three hour drive from Gilgit

Hunza Proper

• Ultar peaks

• Baltit and Altit forts
• former Mir's palace
• ancient Burusho culture
• attractive well-tended villages

• abundant fruit

• limited trekking
• day hikes
• mountaineering
• cultural touring
• mountain biking on KKH

• open zone
• along KKH two to three hours from Gilgit

Gojal

immense glaciers (eg, Batura, Passu, Mulungutti)

• highest peak in Karakoram west of K2, Destaghil Sar
• many 7000m peaks
• Khunjerab Pass

• Wakhi community
• women in pastures
• shrine of Baba Ghundi Ziarat in Chapursan

• ancient juniper forests (eg, Boiber and Lupgar valleys)
• largest snow leopard population in world in Khunjerab National Park
• Marco Polo sheep
• Blue sheep
• ibex

• trekking
• mountaineering
• wildlife viewing
• jeep safaris
• cultural touring
• mountain biking on KKH
• Khunjerab National Park

• open zone; except Chapursan is restricted
• along KKH four to five hours from Gilgit

Saltoro Valley

• interesting glaciers (eg, Bilafond)

• Balti dress
• old traditions
• Nur Bakhshiya sect
• wooden Kashmiri-style mosques

• none

• trekking
• mountaineering

• closed

Kondus Valley

• rock towers in lower valley and along Kondus Glacier
• hot spring in Kor Kondus

• not as interesting as Saltoro Valley

• none

• world-class rock climbing
• trekking
• mountaineering

• closed
• more removed from Siachen Glacier; some possibility of access if reclassified by GoP

Hushe Region

• high peaks eg, Masherbrum)
• Masherbrum icefall
• four upper valleys that disperse concentration of tourists
• dramatic formations and glaciers
• Gondogoro La and views of four 8000-metre peaks

• Nur Bakhshiya sect
• friendly villagers receptive to tourism
• women in pastures

• alpine forest above Hushe village intact
• wildlife present, but hard to see
• alpine meadows healthy and intact
• villagers limit grazing (eg, Gondogoro Valley) to places where tourists do not go
• abundant wildflowers in Gondogoro Valley and Spangser

• easy to strenuous trekking
• mountaineering
• rock climbing

• very good
• open zone
• road to Hushe village
• link to Baltoro Glacier and Concordia
• about 1,000 tourists per year visit Hushe and its upper valleys (significantly greater percentage than any other Northern Areas valley)
• well-known and popular

Braldu Valley

• Baltoro Glacier
• Biafo-Hispar glaciers - the longest glacial traverse outside polar regions
• extensive ablation valleys in Biafo
• most outstanding scenic beauty in all of Pakistan Concordia and four 8000-metre peaks
• gemstones
• hot spring in Chongo

• traditional Balti villages

• extensive ablation valleys along Biafo Glacier have wildflowers, birds, ponds, and lakes
• wildlife decimated on Baltoro Glacier (primarily due to hunting by military) - blue sheep gone, some ibex present (eg, above Liligo)
• Biafo Glacier reports indicate bears, ibex (readily visible), birds (eagles, large birds)
• meadows unused as pastures

• rigorous trekking
• world-class mountaineering
• rock climbing
• ski mountaineering
• snow boarding
• limited kayaking
• Central Karakoram National Park

• road to Askole needs constant repair and always problematic in peak tourist season because of high water in Braldu River
• Baltoro Glacier most heavily visited; Biafo Glacier fewer visitors
• Biafo is an open zone; Baltoro is a restricted zone.
• Permit/bureaucracy hassles; need to ease formalities and police checkposts

Basha Valley

• Chogo Lungma Glacier and tributary Kero Lungma Glacier
• extensive ablation valleys
• hot spring in Chutron
• gemstones

• Arandu is very traditional Balti village (eg, weave willow/birch) vine bridges, house construction, yak pasturing
• traditional herder's life is easier to see than elsewhere in Baltistan

• wildlife prevalent in upper areas
• abundant seasonal wildflowers in ablation valleys

• trekking
• mountaineering
• hot springs

• open zone
• road to Doko offers easy access

Shigar Valley

• far from mountains
• broad cultivated valley
• Thalle La

• villages
• architecture in mosque (Imam Bargah) is Kashmiri-style wood construction

• none

• day trips from Skardu to see Balti village
• trekkers pass through en route to Braldu Valley and to trek over Thalle La

• open zone
• very easy access; close to Skardu
• frequent transport
• good road and new bridge over Indus River

Panmah Valley

• Panmah Glacier and Dumordo River

• none

• none

• trekking
• mountaineering

• restricted zone

Deosai Plains

• most extensive high altitude plateau in Pakistan (ie, also outside Tibet)
• clear streams and rivers

• none
• a few Gujars in summer

• largest brown bear population in Pakistan
• ibex in hills
• native fish (snow trout)
• unique grasslands
• unbelievable mosquitoes

• jeep safari
• kayaking
• mountain biking
• ski touring
• hiking has widest appeal
• fishing
• Deosai Wilderness National Park

• open zone
• excellent access from both Skardu and Astor Valley
• easily combinable routes/activities

Tormik Valley

• mountain valleys

• unique dress

• wildlife

• trekking

• open zone
• easy access from Stak on Gilgit-Skardu road