Pasu, Gojal
Upper Hunza Valley, Northern Areas, Pakistan

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Pasu was the end to our journey up the Karakoram Highway, as we lacked the Chinese visas to continue over the Khunerjab Pass north of Pasu.

Pasu was a more traveled area, with more western desires available though we were the only foreigners in town this early in spring. This was a lovely little town, with yak and many orchards. Much of this town had been wiped out in 1992 when the glacier below Gulmit blocked the Indus River and flooded the lower settled areas here.

As everywhere in Hunza, the Agha Khan's development works were seen here in the central hub of town and schools. An area across the river had huge letters spelled out on the side of the mountain welcoming him during

Pasu Glacier, the second longest in the world. We hiked above the glacier for a few hours, trying to see the Batura Muztagh, Shishpar, and Pasu peaks which are at the head of the glacier.

The vast littoral landscape at the moraine reinforced our silly hike in Gulmit on the moraine. The huge debris field brought huge amounts of rock down to a melting muddy mess at the base of the glacier.

Here I am, up above Pasu and the glacier. The small peak peeking over the hills to the left of me is Distighil Sar, one of the largest mountains in this area.

While seeming to be distant compared to the nearby mountains, the sunset remained on this peak for nearly ten minutes more than the surrounding hills, reinforcing its status as a huge peak.

After scrambling over the ridge above the Pasu glacier, we came to a plateau with remnant property markers in stone marking now desolate terrain.

Rounding a rock spur, we were surprised to find a large herd of goats coming our way.

These are pictured here as the dark lumps in the picture below.

Eventually, the shepherds emerged following the flock, two brothers, their mother, and their sister.

They invited us to sit and have tea, which we gladly did. During the tea break, they tuned in Radio Iran and we listened to some Persian music on short-wave. They shared their tea and bread, we shared our apricot jelly and nutella; we all shared smiles. They explained that the herd was their villages, that it was their turn this week to take the goats out every morning and return in the evening. The would hike up above the village, let the goats forage for the day.

They directed us to the path to Borit Lake, our destination, and we bid adieu.

We rounded a few more ridges, and descended slightly to an internal valley surround a lake. Spring had barely arrived at this elevation, the fields had not yet sprouted and lacked the lush green of the lower villages. The reflective lake and Ultar peaks behind proved a lovely place to rest.

We went to the dense area of settlement and found the neighborhood chai shop, with a perfect view of lake and peaks behind, seen in the above photo.

Entering the dark interior of the tea shop, we were surprised to see Oprah on satellite TV. I doubt that any of the older men inside understood the show, but they all watched and discussed the show. I can only imagine what they thought was going on.

We got tea and lunch out on the verandah, and enjoyed the gorgeous view. The tall glacier covered peaks beyond are the opposite site of Ultar, the main northern mountain of the central Hunza valley.

In the middle of the afternoon, we took the steep descent to the KKH, where we headed north again back to Pasu. We caught up with an older woman, with whom we slowly hiked along the road.

A passing tractor, towing a trailer full of metal chain-link fence offered us a ride. Catherine, my traveling companion and the old woman shared a seat on the back of the tractor. I rode perched precariously on top of the fencing with two young boys, who laughed at my desperate attempts to hold on. Roughly an hour later, we rounded the last hill and came back into Pasu village.

After a few days in Pasu, we descended down the KKH, stopping in Hunza Valley for a few more days of bliss before heading back to Gilgit. From there we took a helicopter ride of astounding views back to Islamabad, a nicer option than a hellish 22 hour bus ride on the KKH again. I would recommend the KKH ride for the spectacular scenery, geologic education, and adventure; but I would not recommend riding it endlessly - there are more comfortable ways.