Passu is a beautiful village located on the Karakoram Highway at a distance of 150km north of Gilgit and 50 km from Karimabad. This is a popular destination and stopover for travellers to Khunjerab Pass.
Passu is famous for Passu Cones and Mountain Peak called Passu Sar with an altitude of 7478m.
Our Trip to Passu and Shimshal Valley:
The Ibextrails team travelled to Passu from Gilgit before heading out to remote locations in Hunza for trekking and hiking. The regions explored in the trip include Pamir Valley and Shimshal Valley in the Upper Hunza region. This area is home to Himalayan Ibex, Blue Sheep, and Snow Leopards. Our team captured images of these unique animals at an altitude of 20000 feet.
The Upper Hunza region is a heaven for mountaineers and hikers. With temperatures dropping below zero degrees even in summer, the weatherproof outfit is vital for any expedition in the region. Some well-known mountaineers in Pakistan come from this region.
Local guides and trekkers are available at an affordable price as they speak local languages and have extensive regional knowledge of the valleys and remote locations.
A road trip was organized from Gilgit to Khunjerab Pass along Karakoram Highway. The road is covered with snow in Winters and chains need to be mounted on the jeep approaching Khunjerab Pass.
Some people experience altitude sickness when approaching zero points because of a lack of oxygen in the air. It is advisable to carry medication for altitude sickness. A common practice is to eat apricots which helps to a certain extent. However, a quick walk, running, or spinning should be avoided.
There is limited access across the border in winter due to extreme road conditions.
Exploring Shimshal and Hunza Region
Shimshal valley is one the remotest region in Gilgit Baltistan comprising a number of small villages extending over an area of 3800sq.km. The area is accessible by a jeep track from Passu and the road traverses through rough terrain and pastures. The road is made accessible by a number of wooden road bridges connecting this remote region to the rest of the country.
This settlement is located at a distance of 3100m and is one of the largest settlements in the northern territory.
Shimshal region is popular with mountaineers from around the world with some of the highest peaks including White Horn (6000+m) and Manglik Sur. This area has produced some of the best mountaineers in the country.
The people of the region are Wakhi and speak the Wakhi language, with most people belonging to the Shia Ismaili sect.
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