INTRODUCTION

GILGIT-BALTISTAN

It is northernmost territory of Pakistan, formerly known as “Northern Areas”. It is geographically stated in a very important pinnacle in the world. Its borders touches Xinjiang region of China in the northeast, Pakistan controlled Kashmir in the south, the province of Khyber Pukhtunkhawa to the west, Wakhan corridor to Afghanistan in the north and India controlled Kashmir to the southeast.

Gilgit-Baltistan is a self-governing autonomous region covering an area of 73,000 sq.km together with princely states of Hunza, Nagar and Baltistan region.

It is a mountainous region with five peaks having more than eight thousand meter height like K2 and Nanga Parbat. This region is home for world’s highest mountain ranges i.e. Karakoram, Himalayas and Hindukush. Furthermore, world’s three longest glaciers outside Polar region are in GilgitBaltistan i.e. Biafo Glacier, Batura Glacier and Baltoro Glacier.

It is a unique thing about this region that being a small area its climate varies quite a lot. Town areas of Gilgit and Chilas are very hot in Summer yet cooler at night and valleys like Hunza, Nagar, Yasin, Astore, Khaplu and Phunder are cold even in summer. Climate in this region varies after every 35km.

Karakoram Highway is main route to reach GilgitBaltistan. It is almost 580km from Islamabad to Gilgit city. Pakistan International Airlines have also provides 2 flights a day. It takes one hour from Islamabad to Gilgit.

People of this region are tourist friendly and warmly welcome the outsiders.