The Valley of Mountaineers | Shimshal Valley | Gilgit-Baltistan | Pakistan

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Shimshal Village is located in Gojal of Hunza Valley, It lies at an altitude of 3,100 m above sea level. The river of Shimshal is formed by 3 sources: Khurdopin Glacier, Shimshal Pass and Zardgorban. While flowing it also got some other water sources get add up in it and finally it meets in Attabad lake. Shimshal is a border village that connects the Gilgit-Baltistan with China. Shimshal is away about 55 km from Passu.
The valley is the gateway to the Shimshal Pass, a relatively popular trek with enthusiastic trekkers and mountaineers. If you’re just a casual mountain lover, don’t let that discourage you. Even if you don’t want to do the Shimshal Pass trek, Shimshal Valley is a peaceful retreat, and a great place to stay for a few days.
Shimshal valley has its largest adventure area in Hunza and is a major attraction for tourists. Its mountains like Distaghil Sar (7,885 m), Shimshal White Horn (6,303 m) Minglik Sar (6,150 m), Lupghar Sar (7,200 m), Yazghail Sar (6,000 m), Kunjut Sar and others are well known among mountaineers. Gigantic glaciers include Malangudhi, Yazghail, Khurdopin (5,800 m), Braldu, Odver, Ver Zharav, and main passes are Chafchingoal, Khurdopin, Mai Dur, Braldu, Boi Sam and others. Shimshalis are to Pakistan as Sherpas are to Nepal. More than twenty well known mountaineers from this valley have made Pakistan proud in the field of tourism. Some people call it " The Valley of Mountaineers". First lady climber Samina Baig who summit Mount Everest along with all highest peaks in the world. Many other girls are being trained by Shimshal School of Mountaineering, Shimshal. As concerns of men some of them are Rajab Shah, Mehrban Shah, Shambi Khan, Aziz Ullah, Qudrat Ali, Sarwar Ali, Shaheen Baig, Ali Musa, Amr Uddin Shah, Amin Ullah Baig, Sajjad Karim, Aziz Baig, Qurban Muhammad, Tafat Shah, Farhad Khan, Wahab Ali Shah, Fazl Ali, Hasil Shah, Yousaf Khan, Muhammad Ullah, Ezat Ullah, Muhammad Bari, Shafa Ali, Muhammad Abdul joshi, Saeed Ahmed, Jalal Uddin, mehrban karim and others. Rajab Shah has the distinction of scaling all five peaks more than eight thousand meters located in Pakistan. Rajab Shah and Mehrban Shah have received Presidential Award for Pride of Performance in recognition of their extra ordinary achievement in the field of tourism and mountaineering.

Shimshal Valley can only be reached by 4X4 jeep, Jeep ride from the Passu. Only one or two Jeeps make the journey each day. There is no set timing for Jeeps, and supply depends on demand. It’s highly recommended to reserve a seat a day or two in advance. Most guesthouses in the Passu or even at Hunza can help you arrange a seat on the Jeep. The three to four-hour Jeep ride costs 500 Rs per person, assuming there are 10 people in a Jeep. If there are fewer people, the price goes up, but you can bargain a little on the price. The drive into the valley is gorgeous, as you follow the narrow valley on a precipitous road eventually leading to the sprawled hamlet of Shimshal.
Foreigners need a permit to visit Shimshal, but at the time of writing the police checkpoint let foreign travelers through as long as they promised to only visit Shimshal and its direct surroundings. If you wish to go on a multi-day trek—for instance to the Shimshal Pass—you require a permit that can only be arranged through a tour agency. Shimshal Valley has several guesthouses. All are basic and charge around 1,000 – 2,000 per night. Food will cost another 200 – 300 Rs per meal. If the cost seems steep, remember Shimshal is a remote valley. Facilities are basic, and food simple, and both are hard to make accessible in the valley. There are several multi-day treks that can be done in Shimshal. However, these require prior arrangement and, in most cases, prior permission. Contact a tour agency if you wish to do a multi-day trek in the Shimshal Valley. There are also several day hikes in Shimshal valley. Further down the valley are several glaciers. The first glacier, Yazghil Glacier, is about three hours’ walking from Shimshal. Trekking to the glacier requires no guide and can be done by inexperienced trekkers. The walk is beautiful, and the view of the multiple peaks in the distance once reaching the glacier is a rewarding experience. To visit the other glaciers, you must cross Yazghil, something I only recommend doing with a local guide, or if you’re a trekker with ice climbing experience.

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