Fruit season in Gilgit-Baltistan runs from roughly April to October, moving through mulberries and cherries in late spring, apricots and pears in high summer, and apples and grapes into autumn. Hunza, Nagar and the lower valleys around Gilgit and Skardu are where most of this is grown, and orchards line the road through Karimabad, Aliabad and the villages either side of it.
This is a rough calendar for planning a trip around fresh fruit, harvest scenes or the region's famous dried apricots, rather than a precise farming schedule, since ripening shifts a couple of weeks either way with the winter and the altitude of the specific orchard.
The calendar, month by month
| Fruit | Roughly in season |
|---|---|
| Mulberry | April to May |
| Cherry | Late May to July, peaking in June |
| Apricot | May into August, with drying continuing through August |
| Pear | July to August |
| Apple | July through October, peaking September to October |
| Grapes | July to September |
| Walnut | Harvested August to September |
Higher, cooler orchards ripen later than lower ones in the same valley, so on any given week in season you can often find early fruit lower down and later fruit further up the same road.
Blossom before fruit: March and April
Before any of this ripens, Hunza's orchards flower from mid-March into April, apricot blossom first and dominant, with cherry, almond, apple, peach, pear and plum trees also in bloom. Lower Hunza blossoms first, around the second week of March, with the flowering front moving up the valley through Karimabad and into upper Hunza (Gulmit, Passu) by mid to late April. It is a short window, and it moves with the winter, so treat any specific date as approximate.
Cherries and mulberries: late spring
Mulberries ripen first, through April and May, mostly eaten fresh or dried rather than sold widely. Cherries follow close behind, from late May through June and into early July, with June generally the peak. This is when the valleys around Hunza, Nagar, Gilgit and Skardu are producing at full capacity and roadside stalls are at their busiest.
Apricots: the fruit Hunza is known for
Apricots are the fruit most associated with the region, both fresh and dried. They ripen from around May through the summer, with picking and drying continuing into August, when rooftops and courtyards across Hunza are covered in apricots laid out to dry in the sun. If seeing this drying process is part of the trip, plan for July or August rather than a single fixed date, since the harvest spreads over several weeks and varies by orchard altitude.
Apples and grapes: late summer into autumn
Apples begin ripening in July but reach their best from September into October, alongside grapes, which run from around July through September. This is also when the valleys turn colour, so an autumn trip (September to October) combines harvest with the best light of the year, at the cost of the greener, fuller look of a summer visit.
Buying and eating fruit locally
Roadside stalls and small shops through Hunza, and to a lesser extent Skardu and Gilgit, sell fresh fruit by the season and dried apricots, mulberries and walnuts year-round. Fresh fruit is at its best, and cheapest, bought directly in its own season rather than out of it; dried fruit is available regardless of when you travel. Our guide to dry fruits of Gilgit-Baltistan covers the dried side of this in more detail, including what to buy and where.
Planning a trip around fruit season
- For blossom: aim for late March to mid-April, and check nearer the time, since a mild or late winter shifts the whole window.
- For cherries: June is the safest bet.
- For apricot drying on rooftops: July into August.
- For apples, grapes and autumn colour together: late September into October.
Our guide to the seasons in Gilgit-Baltistan covers the wider picture of weather, road conditions and what else is happening each month, so you can weigh fruit season against everything else the trip needs to work around.
Frequently asked questions
When is apricot season in Hunza?
Apricots ripen from around May through the summer, with the drying that Hunza is known for, rooftops and courtyards covered in fruit, running mainly through July and August.
What month has the most fruit variety in Gilgit-Baltistan?
July and August, when apricots are still being picked and dried, pears and grapes are starting, and early apples are coming in. June is close behind for cherries specifically.
Is fresh fruit available in Gilgit-Baltistan in winter?
Not much fresh, though dried apricots, mulberries and walnuts are sold year-round and keep well. A winter trip is better suited to dried fruit shopping than fresh.
Does fruit season affect hotel prices or crowds?
Cherry and apricot season overlaps with the busiest summer travel months (June to August) in any case, so it adds to the season rather than creating a separate rush. Blossom season in late March and April is quieter and can be a good time to combine flowers with lower prices.
