Description
A complete Guide to the best and shortest trekking in Hindukush Attar pass is an incredible adventure holidays destination.
Ghizer, the land of lakes is located to the west of Gilgit. It is full of nature and has great potential for the tourism industry. It is considered the hub of Hindukush, which stretches to the Hindu Raj in the west, touching the border with Afghanistan. They have the best and shortest trekking attractions. And to the east, the Karakorum and Pamir Ranges can be easily accessed by easy short trekking routes. If you are a real nature lover, no doubt you will choose to visit the less-visited parts of Pakistan. There is a lot to see and enjoy in the real natural environment, but it is less visited.
What does this Article include in the Best and shortest Trekking?
In this article, I will walk you through some of the best and easiest short-trekking opportunities. There are many amazing places to go to in the north of Pakistan, but Ghizer is unique among them. In what ways is it different? I will tell you here in this post. I am pretty sure this will encourage you to choose to enjoy your holidays. The first and, for most, there are places to choose that are easy to reach and walk through, as well as some challenging ones too. There are several opportunities for day hikes and even a month-long trekking potential.
Apart from all these, unlike any other part of the north, it has the potential for awesome passes to cross from one valley to another. It is completely different from Karakorum and Himalaya trekking. While going through, you will witness the natural beauty of rivers, lakes, waterfalls, and snowy peaks. All these give you an inner joy of nature. You must pay a visit once in your life for a real holiday. Check out here to choose your holiday destination.
What are the best places to go for a short trek in the Ghizer Valley?
Holiday Hikes Pakistan is your travel buddy to take you to amazing places in Pakistan. Without a doubt, this post will amaze you by showing you the best short trek to go on. Stay connected with us for more beautiful places to choose for your adventure. There are amazing places you can visit without any previous experience. Above all, the hospitality of the mountain communities in Hindukush is unbelievable. The porters accompanying with you are always giving hands. You will not have any issue trekking in this best place in the world.
Attar Pass (4,600 meters) from Ishkoman to Yasin Valley
This is a fascinating trek with mind-blowing highlights throughout the whole trip. The trek is an easy five-day walk that begins from one of the beautiful villages, Ishkoman. It ends in Darkot Yasin Valley, a historical mountain village in the Ghizer District. While going on this beautiful trek, you will enjoy nature. You will witness the amazing hospitality of the mountain communities of north Pakistan. It is a long-lived culture. There are summer villages on the trek you will come across. You can visit the cottages to experience the life there. How do these people live and what is their life standard?
This trek starts from Ghotlti, the last village of the Ishkoman valley, surrounded by the white-headed peaks of the Hindukush. Three different trekking routes lead from this village. To the west is Chiantir Gah, which leads to the 35-kilometer Chiantir Glacier that connects to Broghil Chitral. We will tell you about this stunning trip in a future post because it needs the experience to go on. The other trek is to Punji Pass, which also leads to Darkot Yasin. However, we are discussing the Attar Pass.
Day 1 Trek to MathanTir the best and shortest Trekking
The first day to Mathan Tir is an easy walk of five hours. It begins on a jeep road to ends in the first summer village of Handis. Then on a clear donkey path, passing through lush green meadows, thick forest, and spectacular views of snow-capped peaks. You will see some of the summer villages with locals welcoming you out of their homes. They will be very happy if you meet them while visiting their homes.
This is the most interesting day of the trek. You will camp at a lush green campsite with clear spring water on one hand and a river on the other. The views from the camp are awesome, and there are also summer pasture houses nearby that you may visit. You will sleep listening to the nearby river sound, witnessing the life in nature. From here, we have a 3-hour walk westward that takes you to the tiny, beautiful Sout Gah Lake located at 4,000 meters. There is a two-day trek that leads to Chiantir Gah on the other side and down to Ghotolti.
I explored this trek with an Italian alpinist who used to visit these mountains from the year 2000 to 2009. They climbed several peaks in the Attar and Chiantir Gah and discovered the Chiantir Glacier Trek as well. I had the honor of guiding them and naming the pass Amin Pass on their map. We explored the Chiantir Glacier in 2004 and went on this trek to Broghil and Darkot over Zindhgram Pass.
Day 2 trek to Attar Lake One of the best places of my life
It is an amazing day, a 3-hour walk through the beautiful part of this trip. A surprise on this day is that as you go higher, you see greener. The snow-covered peaks all around steal the hearts of nature lovers. Like the previous day, you will come across summer pasture houses with welcoming women. Once you see them, they will be very happy and demand medicine. The logic behind asking for medicine is a belief in foreign medicine and doctors’ orders being normal in Pakistan.
Reaching Attar Lake at 4000 meters is an awe-inspiring moment of life. You will find a fantastic place to stop and enjoy nature. The lake, lush green meadows, trees, and, above all, the beauty of these mountains is not anywhere else. If you have enough time to spend, it’s worth planning a rest day to enjoy it more. If you are fond of climbing small peaks, this is the best place for it. There are many peaks of 5,000 to 6,500 meters, most of them climbed by the Italians as I mentioned above.
Day 3 Trek to Just Bar 4 hours of walking
You leave the beautiful lake this morning and walk about two hours along with it. It was an exciting day to reach a beautiful spot with fascinating views. At camp at 4,300 meters, eye-catching scenery is there that adds to the joy of your holidays. In the afternoon, you may go on a hike, and climbing a 5000-meter peak is possible. It is a very interesting campsite before crossing the pass.
There are some beautiful peaks. Two of them were climbed by the Italians and named “Twin-brother peaks.” The logic of the name is that both the tops look the same and they are 6,100 meters high. For some technical climbers, it is worth climbing these peaks here.
Day 4 Trek to Bohrek across Attar Pass (4,600 meters)
This day is a bit difficult. You begin ascending towards the pass, crossing wild onions and small bushes. The spring water flowing on the path is an awesome scenario. You will have incredible views as you move higher and the mountains get lower. The closer to the pass, the steeper it gets, an hour’s hard walk to approach it. Once you are on the pass, you will celebrate it by looking at the stunning views on both sides. The Ishkoman side is more beautiful than the Yasin side. It is a bit narrow down to Darkot.
In early July, there will be snow, but in the late season, in August, it gets dry. I have done it several times in August without having any snow. In 2019, with a Polish group, I crossed the pass on the 4th of July, when there was full snow. They enjoy it while descending the other side. For a few people, ascending to the pass was a bit challenging. However, this is the best trek for those who do not have prior experience of 5000 m.
There are several campsites on the Darkot side where you can camp. You can choose any place you want. There is a lovely stream flowing down. On this side, some summer pasture houses are not in use anymore. You may see very few people as the culture is disappearing, unlike the Ishkoman Valley. Camp at 3600 m with great views. In Thui-I a 6,666 m peak in the distance gives an incredible view. There are many peaks still waiting to be climbed in this region.
Day 5: Down to Darkot Village Trekking last day
On a clear path, it takes 4 hours to descend to the village. You will see fields of barley on the way and people working in the field. In August, when it is the harvesting season, you may find many people in the pastures. The views of Ghamabar Peak, Darkot, and Koyo Zom to the right are the mind-blowing highlights of the day. Darkot is the last village of Yasin at 3000 meters in the mountains, connecting to Broghil and the Wakhan Corridor to the east.
The Russian invaders were ambushed at Darkot Pass in the early 19th Century on their way to the subcontinent. This is the reason you may find detailed Russian maps about this part of Pakistan. Furthermore, a sad story of a British explorer, George Hayward, will be told at Darkot, who was killed in 1870. He was on his way to explore the Oxus and Indus. But killed by the King of Yasin at the time, in doubt what he was here for? The story behind his murder is not clear why it happened to him.
The End of the Trek
This trek ends here with the story of George Hayward. Moreover, if you have more time, there are several options here to go on another trek. Some of the unexplored parts are also there. I am working to find some people to make them reach there and bring it to the map of Yasin. The famous Darkot Pass leads from here to Broghil and Ghamubar Pass, a 3-day trek leading from here to the Thui Valley. You can also connect this to Thui Pass (4,499 m) and the Yarkhun Valley (north of Chitral). Nazbar and Zagar Passes to Mastuj, etc. Punji Pass back to Ghotolti as well.
How many more days do I need to add apart from the best trekking?
It depends on the visitors’ time and holidays. Normally, if you are coming from outside Pakistan, you have to plan in that way. If you are from Pakistan, then plan as you wish. Holiday Hikes will help you plan the trip and organize it properly. Usually, it takes 10 days from Islamabad to Islamabad and back again.
What is the best time for Attar Pass trekking in Pakistan?
The best time for this easy trek is mid-July to October because any earlier or later than that will be a little difficult. The pass is covered with snow. But for well-experienced people, it is possible a bit earlier and better. Normally, the best time for Hindukush trekking and climbing is from mid-July to the end of October.
Are there more options if I have more days to visit apart from the best and shortest Trekking?
Of course, you may visit some other villages in the Yasin Valley. Furthermore, going to Shandur and Chitral is the best option if you are interested in seeing more places and enjoying more.Click here…
For those who are interested in watching the Shandur Polo Festival along with trekking, this is the best option because the Shandur Polo Festival is scheduled for the first and second weeks of July. In addition, you can plan for Shandur Polo and, by the end, you can go to Darkot from Shandur and start your trek from there.
Where to stay in Ishkoman and Yasin?
It is a very important question, isn’t it? Obviously, in Ishkoman there are some hotels and guest houses to stay at and dine at. You will have a great experience. Likewise, in Yasin, there are hotels and guest houses available with all the required facilities to stay and dine. However, in Ghotoli and Darkot, you may camp as the trekking begins and ends. To find the best place to stay click here.
Conclusion
Finally, it is one of the best treks in Pakistan. If you are a fan of trekking, then you can plan it. It is worth visiting to explore the hidden treasures. Secondly, for those who don’t like to go to crowded places and like a calm environment? Then this part of Pakistan’s Hindukush Range is the best option. All of these are the reasons I consider this trek the best choice.
In my experience, the people who have been here once always miss these incredible parts of the planet earth. If you have any questions about the holiday trip to Pakistan let us know in the comment box below. For more information, you may also our website at www.hkttreks.com as well.