Autumn Season in Gilgit-Baltistan: Hunza or Skardu
Autumn season is one of the most favorable season to visit the Northern Areas in Pakistan. When autumn season is on peak in Gilgit-Baltistan, its beautiful and hilly valleys transform into a vivid canvas of crimson, gold, and deep orange color palates against the snow-capped mountain peaks of the Karakoram and Himalayan ranges. Hunza and Skardu become as the top choices for travelers on the beginning of autumn season.
Visual Appeal in the Landscape
Hunza Valley: Hunza is place of terraced orchards of cherry, apricot and apple trees under the cover of mountainsides with splendid touch of iconic peaks like Rakaposhi, Ultar Sar, and Passu Cones. The multiple colored foliage forms a unique blend alongside the villages. It becomes easy for travelers to get a close photography of vibrant colors of landscape.
Skardu: Skardu is a high-altitude landscape with vast river basins and lakes, and vast area of cold desert. Various valleys like Khaplu, Shigar and Upper Kachura give expansive views of popular trees with bright yellow color. The light foggy & misty evenings of Katpana Desert capture a unique set of colors in your camera.
Facilities & Amenities
Hunza
Accommodation: In Hunza, wide range of accommodation from PKR 4000 to PKR 60000 available. Several guesthouses and affordable hotels can be easily booked in Autumn season, whereas for luxurious accommodation the options are available like Serena Altit.
Dining in Hunza: There are several best quality cafes are available to have tea or coffee with snakes. Riverside local food and fishing dining is the superb quality in Hunza.
Connectivity & ATMs: For mobile communication and internet, 4G coverage is available with SCOM and Zong. Service is also available on the main highways. There is no problem to withdraw money in Hunza, ATM machines are available in Karimabad and Aliabad.
Skardu
Accommodation: Skardu is more affordable than Hunza. Standard family hotels are easily available in Skardu, Khaplu, and Shigar in the range of PKR 4000 to PKR 15000 per night.
Dining: In Skardu, the best quality local Balti food along main menu is easily available. Small tea stalls also offer best quality tea on the roadside.
Connectivity & ATMs: 4G network of SCOM and Jazz well is available only in Skardu, whereas that service is not available in the other remote valleys of Skardu. In the same way, ATMs are only available in central Skardu town, whereas it becomes difficult find ATMs in other areas.
Peak of Autumn Season
Almost the timing of autumn season in both of the valleys is same from mid of October to mid of November.
In the towns of Upper Huza like Passu and Gojal, foliage timing is normally from mid to late October, whereas in Lower Hunza such as Karimabad and Nagar it starts from end of October to early November.
In surrounding areas of Skardu, the autumn season starts early from mid of October to the end of October. Whereas in the main Skardu town and Shigar, the autumn season begins in the end of October to begining of November.
Accessibility & Logistics
Hunza: Hunza is located on the Karakoram Highway that is available at mid of December. It is a best quality paved road and any type of vehicle can be used to drive. From Gilgit Airport, Hunza can be accessed within 2 to 3 hours drive. All of the surrounding valleys of Lower Hunza as well as Upper Hunza are fully connected with paved roads.
Skardu: Direct flight to Skardu main town is available from Islamabad based on the weather conditions, whereas it takes 6 to 8 hours to reach at Skardu after getting off from KKH. Accessing other valleys from Skardu is only possible by using 4x4 jeep, so it becomes difficult and expensive to move the remote areas of Skardu.
Level of Difficulty
Hunza: Travel difficult is from Easy to Moderate in visiting Hunza Valley. Due to Karkoram Highway, it accessibility becomes much easy. Most of the terrains in the surrounding valleys are also fully paved and ideally available to drive own vehicle. A moderate level of trekking is normally required in Altit & Baltit forts and few treks in Passu village. Hunza trip is easy for families, couples and sole riders.
Skardu: Skardu offers Moderate to Extreme level of difficulty for tourists. Long drive is required to access Skardu by getting off from KKH. Most of the valleys in Skardu require 4x4 jeeps and hiking treks. It is best for adventure lovers and explorers.
Hunza or Skardu - In Short Summary
| Feature | Hunza | Skardu |
| Culture | Vibrant local culture, historical forts, local foods | Balti Life Style, historic palaces, and local Balti food |
| Major Autumn Spots | Baltit Fort, Altit Fort, Passu Cones, Attabad Lake, and Nagar | Shangrila Resort, Upper Kachura Lake, Shigar Fort, Khaplu Palace, Katpana Desert |
| Road Conditions | Excellent across KKH | Fully paved main road, 4x4 jeep treks |
| Flight | No direct flight. From Gilgit, 2.5 hours drive | Direct flight is available |
Final Conclusion to Select Hunza or Skardu
Hunza if preferable choice if need easy accessiblity without any difficulty and can drive own vehicle along KKH. No jeep trek or hikking is required.
Hunza is best to observe the vibrant colors of autumn season directly on the paved roads without any effort. With minimum logistics, traveler can enjoy the scenic beauty of Hunza and its surrounding valleys.
Skardu is preferable for adventure lover in the remote valley using 4x4 jeeps and dtrekking in the high-altitude mountain treks. Skardu will be choice of adventure seekers in the cold deserts and historical forts.
The most attractive feature of Skardu is the availability of direct flight to Skardu International Airport from Islambad, Karachi, or Lahore.
Ready to travel in this Autumn Season in the Hunza Valley, check out our complete Hunza Travel Guide.