Altit Fort

History and the Shikari Tower

The fort is built of stone, timber and mud in the traditional style of the valley. Its age is usually given as around 900 years, and the Shikari Tower is often described as about 1,100 years old. Rooms are small and doorways low, a design that kept heat in during the long Karakoram winters.

Restoration was carried out by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture with support from the Government of Norway and completed in 2010. It received a UNESCO Asia-Pacific Award of Distinction for cultural heritage conservation in 2011. Entrance fees are collected by the Altit Town Management Society, so part of what visitors pay goes back to the village.

The village and gardens

What makes Altit special is that the old settlement below the fort was restored at the same time. Walking in, you pass through narrow lanes of traditional houses and the royal garden, with apricot and apple trees and views down to the river. There is a café in the grounds, which makes it an easy place to sit for a while.

Wood carvings on the doors and window frames are worth slowing down for. So is the view from the top of the fort, straight down the cliff to the Hunza River.

When to go and practical notes

The fort is visited through the Hunza season, April to October. Blossom time in spring and the gold of late October are the most photogenic weeks. Inside, stairs are steep and ceilings low, so wear flat shoes and mind your head.

Entry fees and opening hours are set locally and change, so we confirm them when we plan your day rather than quote figures here.

Combining Altit with the rest of Hunza

Altit is a short drive or a pleasant walk from Karimabad. A good half-day covers Altit Fort in the morning and Baltit Fort after lunch, with the Eagle's Nest viewpoint above Duikar for sunset. From there, the road north leads to Attabad Lake, the Passu Cones and, in season, the Khunjerab Pass on the China border.