Hunza Valley is a mountain valley located in the northern part of Gilgit-Baltistan. Ashkoman lies to the northwest, Shugar to the southeast, China’s Xinjiang region to the northeast, and Afghanistan’s Wakhan Corridor to the north. The Hunza Valley has an elevation of about 2,438 meters or 7,999 feet. When it comes to graphical representation, the Hunza region can be visually categorized into three distinct regions: Upper Hunza, Middle Hunza, and Lower Hunza. Due to the former sites of Buddhist sanctuaries in and around the Sacred Rock of Hunza, many Buddhist archaeological sites are preserved in the region. It was a major trade route from Central Asia to the subcontinent.
Religious Transition and Historical Artifacts in Hunza Valley
Initially, the majority of the region was Buddhist but when Islam came, most of the population converted to Islam. Therefore, the Buddhist presence is only present in the archaeological sites because the rest of the Buddhists migrated to Leh centuries ago. There are many graffiti and ancient stone inscriptions left by the monks as a form of worship and in keeping with their culture. Hunza and Azad over 900 years and early 1800s were occupied by the British and the British army sent Mir Safdar Ali Khan’s ( the ruler of Hunza) brother Mir Nazim Khan as the ruler of the Hunza Valley but he was a puppet ruler controlled or ordered by the British officers.
Hunza Valley is a popular tourist attraction due to its climate and scenic views. The valley has many mountains for visitors like Ultar Sar, Diran Peak, Spantik, and many more. There is no doubt that the people of Hunza Valley live a healthy lifestyle. While staying in the Hunza Valley, great research has been done to uncover the mysteries of the Hunza people such as Robert McCarrison(Northern Ireland physician), Henri Coanda (who spent six decades studying the glacial water ), and many other personalities.
Daring Rescue Mission on Altar Sar Peak, Hunza Valley
In July 2018, 3 climbers were trapped in the snow above 5,800 meters on Altar Sar Peak near the Hunza Valley. At that time the weather condition was very severe and it became difficult to save them on Ultar Sar. Two foreigners were successfully rescued. The British High Commissioner described the mission as “remarkable and dangerous”. The local climbers are experienced and know the mountains well. Now all such treks are supervised by the tourism agency.