Karim Abad Hunza

Karimabad - Hunza Valley Northern Pakistan

INTRODUCTION:

Karimabad (Urdu: كريم آباد‎) is the capital of Hunza Valley in Gilgit-Baltistan, northern Pakistan. Baltit is the old name of Karimabad. It is named after Prince Karim Aga Khan, the spiritual head of Shia Ismaili Nizari community. People still refer to Karimabad as Baltit. The Guardian ranked it as one of the five "Best Tourist Sites" in Pakistan. Both Baltit Fort and Karimabad village received the World Award of Tourism in 2000 when Indonesia, Australia, India and Britain and other countries competed.
Karimabad town, located on the west bank of the Hunza River, is in the Northern Areas of the Pakistani-administered part of the Kashmir region, in a valley which is at 8,200 feet (2,500 m) elevation. The town is made up of stone walled steep sloping large terraces. The town was a caravan halting place for people who were traveling through the Hindu Kush mountains to the Vale of Kashmir. It is set amidst snow clad mountain peaks of Rakaposhi (altitude of about 25,000 feet (7,600 m)), and glaciers like the Ulter Nala as a backdrop, and deep gorges. Access is by hill road from Gilgit.
The floral vegetation in the wild consist of roses, pansies, lilies, zinnias, and cosmos, along with trees such as apple, apricot, walnut, mulberry, willow, fir, and poplar trees.The fauna recorded in the village consist of ibex (Capra (genus), duck, red-striped fox, snow leopard (Panthera uncia syn. Uncia uncia), markhor (Capra falconeri) (wild goat), Marco Polo sheep, and yak 

Karimabad Hunza

SHORT HISTORY

Karimabad, then known as Baltit, was originally under the monarchic rulership of the Mir of Hunza. The Baltit Fort was built at that time to function as a palace. The locality was known for its slave trade and as a caravan resting stop. Baltit served as the capital of Hunza valley for over 750 years, until the middle of the 20th century. After Pakistan became an independent country in 1947, the Hunza province controlled by Mir joined Pakistan.Earlier, the capital had been shifted from Balit to the lower part of the hills to Karimabad where new buildings were erected and it became the new capital. The town has developed into a tourist place, following the development of the Karakoram Highway, with a number of shopping complexes dealing in handicrafts, hotels, restaurants, and travel agencies.