Rakaposhi (Sindh)

 

Rakaposhi, also known as Dumani, is situated in the Karakoram Range and is located in the center of Nagar Valley. It is the 12th highest peak in Pakistan at an elevation of 25,551 feet. It gives an exceptional view from the Hunza valley and the Karakorum Highway. It is also a place of different endangered species such as snow leopard, brown bear, and Marco Polo sheep, etc. It is clearly visible from Karakoram Highway and its viewpoint on Karakoram Highway, is located in the town of Ghulmat in Nagar Valley.

About Nagar

Nagar district is located next to the Gilgit district in Gilgit Baltistan at an altitude of 8,822 feet on the Karakoram Highway. It was part of the Nagar-Hunza district, it is constituted as a separate district in July 2015. Nagar Khas is the major town and administrative headquarter of the Nagar district.

Nagar district is bounded by Hunza, Shigar, Gupis-Yasin, and Gilgit districts. It connected with other cities in Pakistan by the Karakoram Highway. In the vicinity of Nagar district, there are magnificent scenic views of the Karakoram Highway running through the mighty mountains of the Karakoram Range.

Nagar Valley, also known as Nagar Khas, was a princely state and remained independent status for more than twelve hundred years. In 1974, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, prime minister of Pakistan, dissolved the princely state and included it in the Gilgit-Baltistan territory. The entire region is mountainous having an altitude between 3,000 to 5,000 meters above sea level in the Karakoram Range. Nagar Valley is the homeland of many high mountain peaks including Rakaposhi, Golden Peak, Diran Peak, and Rush Peak.

Rakaposhi, also known as Dumani, is the highest mountain in the Nagar district. It can also be seen in Bagrot and Danyor valleys. It is the only mountain in the world, which has more than 5,000 meters in height from its base camp to the summit. Mike Banks and Tom Patey performed a successful ascent on Rakaposhi in 1958. The area around Rakaposhi is declared a community park to preserve several endangered species such as snow leopards, Marco Polo sheep, brown bears, and wolves.

The view of Rakaposhi from the Karakoram Highway is so much attractive, therefore a number of visitors stay there for hours to have got pictures of the Rakaposhi peak. Rakaposhi is also viewed from Hunza Valley in the Upper Hunza Gojal district.

Rush Lake is situated at an altitude of 15,400 feet near Rush Pari Peak in Nagar Valley. It is the highest alpine lake in Pakistan and the 27th highest lake in the world. It is located at a distance of 15 km from Nagar City to the north of Miar Peak and Golden Peak. Trekkers on the trek of Rush Lake also have an opportunity to view Spantik or Golden Peak, Miar Peak, Ultar Sar, Malubiting, and Phuparash Peak.

Hispar Valley is located at a distance of 28 km from Nagar Khas and just 2 km after the Hispar Glacier, which is 49 km long. Hispar Pass can be used to access the Shigar district from the Hispar valley. Hispar Muztagh, a subrange of the Karakoram Range, is located in the Nagar district north of the Hispar Glacier. It is the second highest subrange of the Karakoram, whereas the Baltoro Muztagh is the highest subrange of the Karakoram Range. The Dastaghil Sar at an elevation of 25,869 feet is the highest mountain in the Hispar Muztagh range.

Hopar Valley is situated at a distance of 10 km from the Nagar Khas. It has beautiful scenic views of lush green grasslands and fields with a panoramic view of Golden Peak. It is also a gateway to the Golden Peak and Hopar Glacier. It is also a base camp to scale the Hispar Muztagh Peak. It is also known as the valley of glaciers, those are the Hoper glacier, Barpu glacier, Daranci glacier, Miar glacier, and Supulter glacier. In the green pastures of Hopar valley, you can see yaks as well as wild animals such as bears and Himalayan ibex.

Golden Peak, also known as Spantik Peak, is located in the Spantik-Sosbun Mountains subrange of the Karakoram in the Hispar Valley. Its height is 23,054 feet from sea level. The route to climb the peak starts from the Arandu village. It was first scaled by Karl Kramer in 1955.

Snow Lake, also known as Lukpe Lawo, is a high-altitude glacier basin at an elevation of 16,000 feet above sea level in the Karakoram Range. It is not a lake of water, but rather a cup of snow. It is basically the end of the Biafo and Hispar glaciers and is about 16 km wide and spread down from the Hispar Pass and makes one of the longest glaciers outside of the polar regions. It is not easy to access due to being covered with ice and low temperature. It can be accessed from village of Askole, from there trek first leads toward K2 Basecamp, then turns northwest toward Biafo glacier to access the Snow Lake.

Chaprote is one of the oldest villages in the Nagar district. It is the most scenic area full of terraced fields and fruit orchards. It also gives a beautiful panoramic view of the Rakaposhi. Chaprot Pass is a high mountain pass having an elevation of 16,090 meters in the northwest of Chaprote valley in the Nagar district. Gappa valley is a lush green tourist spot in the Chaprot Nagar district. It is full of natural forests, grasslands, and streams with a magnificent view of the Rakaposhi. The Gappa valley can be accessed within one and a half hours from the Karakoram Highway via Chalt.

Chumar Bakhoor is situated at an elevation of 5,520 meters in the Sumayar Valley of Nagar district. It is a gemstone mining area of various precious stones such as aquamarine, quartz, apatite, and fluorite. The Sumayar valley is located at the confluence of the Hunza River and the Nagar River. It has several tourist attractions such as Dumani mountain, Diran Peak, Silkiyang Peak, Silkiyang glacier, Menamgusham meadows, Memuber stream, and Chumar Bakur.