K2
8,611 m, the second-highest mountain on Earth, on the Baltoro side of the Karakoram.
The story of Gilgit-Baltistan
Gilgit-Baltistan is Pakistan's northernmost region, 72,971 km² of the Karakoram, western Himalaya and eastern Hindu Kush. Five of the world's fourteen peaks above 8,000 metres stand here, including K2 at 8,611 metres.
Until 1974 much of it was governed by princely states — Hunza, Nagar, Skardu — each with its own fort and ruler. The Karakoram Highway, finished in 1978 after twenty years of work, replaced mule tracks with a paved road to the Chinese border at Khunjerab, 4,693 metres up.
Most valleys sit between 1,500 and 3,000 metres, which is why apricot, cherry and walnut orchards grow directly beneath glaciers. Burushaski, Shina, Balti and Wakhi are all spoken within a few hours' drive of one another.
Best time to visit
May to October for road access; December to February for snow work in Hunza.
Getting there
Fly Islamabad → Skardu (1 hour) or Islamabad → Gilgit (1 hour). By road it is a 20-hour drive north along the Karakoram Highway.
