Gupis Valley: Fort, Lake and Crossroads

Gupis valley lies on the Gilgit River about 110 km west of Gilgit city, at 2,176 metres, at the point where the road through Ghizer forks: north into the Yasin valley, or west past Khalti Lake to Phander and the Shandur Pass. The drive from Gilgit takes two and a half to three hours. Most travellers use Gupis as a junction and a night stop, and its two sights, a late 19th-century fort and a trout lake that freezes hard enough to walk on, are both within half an hour of the bazaar.

This guide covers the fort and its disputed history, Khalti Lake, the distances in each direction, and how to use Gupis in a Ghizer trip.

Where is Gupis, and how do you get there?

Gupis is a small town on the main road that follows the Gilgit River west from Gilgit through Gahkuch towards Chitral. Wikipedia gives the distance from Gilgit as 112 km; a routing check from the centre of Gilgit gives 108 km. Either way, allow two and a half to three hours with a tea stop at Gahkuch, the last large bazaar on the way, about 40 km short of Gupis.

• By car or jeep. The road is the main Gilgit to Chitral route. Our Gilgit to Phander guide covers the drive and what kind of vehicle it needs.
• By public transport. Vans and jeeps for Gupis, Yasin and Phander leave from Gilgit. We have not verified current fares or departure times, so ask at your hotel the evening before.

Administratively, Gupis has changed hands on paper. Until 2019 it was part of Ghizer District. That year the Gupis and Yasin tehsils were split off to form Gupis-Yasin District, the westernmost district of Gilgit-Baltistan, with three tehsils (Gupis, Yasin and Phander) and a population of about 95,000. Locally, and on this site, "Ghizer" is still used for the whole valley.

Gupis Fort

The fort stands above the town with a view down the valley, which is the reason it was built there.

Its date is disputed, and the three versions in circulation cannot all be right:

• 1894. The federal Department of Archaeology and Museums lists the fort as built in 1894 by the Kashmir state's Imperial Service troops, as a staging camp for soldiers moving between Gilgit and Chitral. This is the best-supported date and the one we would use.
• 17th century. Wikipedia's article on the former state of Punial attributes a fortress here to Raja Bahadur Khan.
• 1805. The Pamir Times has reported that the British built it in 1805 "according to some sources", which does not fit the history of the region: there was no British presence in Gilgit at that time.

The 1894 date makes sense of the building. The Gilgit Agency had been set up in 1889, the frontier with Afghanistan and Russian Central Asia was the preoccupation of the day, and the road west to Chitral needed supply posts. A year after the fort was built, in March and April 1895, Colonel Kelly's relief column of about 400 Sikh Pioneers and 900 Hunza irregulars marched from Gilgit up the river valley and over the snowbound Shandur to relieve the siege of Chitral.

The department describes halls five metres high and watchtowers that once mounted cannon. Inside the outer wall are living quarters, stores, offices and prison cells. The Gilgit Scouts and later the Northern Light Infantry used the fort for a time.

Can you go inside?

Not reliably. In 2017 the Pamir Times photographed the fort deserted and crumbling, with livestock grazing inside. In August 2025 the Aga Khan Development Network announced that Serena Hotels had partnered with the Northern Light Infantry to restore it. We have not been able to confirm how far that work has progressed, so expect either a building site or a closed gate, and ask at the gate or in the bazaar before walking up. The exterior and the view are free and take half an hour.

Khalti Lake

Khalti Lake is about 9 km west of Gupis, right beside the Phander road. It formed where the river was blocked near the village of Khalti, and it is larger than it looks from the car: about 2.3 km long, up to 460 metres wide and 24 metres deep, at an altitude of 2,217 metres.

Two things bring people here. The lake holds trout, descended from fish first released in the river upstream at Golaghmuli, and in winter it freezes thickly enough that local people walk across it. A PTDC motel stands beside the lake with a view over the water; check that it is operating before you plan a night there. Our Khalti Lake guide has the detail.

Which way from Gupis?

North to Yasin. The Yasin road leaves the river at Gupis and climbs into a broad valley of orchard villages. Yasin village is about 20 km up, which makes it an easy half-day from a Gupis base. Our Yasin valley guide covers it.

West to Phander and Shandur. The main road continues past Khalti Lake to Phander, about 55 km on, and then climbs to the Shandur Pass at around 3,700 to 3,800 metres. The pass is under snow in winter. See our guides to Phander valley and the Shandur Pass.

Yasin and Phander lie in different directions, so do not try to see both in one day from Gupis.

Where to stay and what to carry

Gupis has a few simple guesthouses in and around the bazaar, and the PTDC motel at Khalti Lake is the nearest thing to a hotel. Standards are basic, and in July and August it is worth booking ahead. Our guide to hotels in Ghizer covers accommodation along the valley.

• Fuel. Fill up in Gahkuch or Gupis. Fuel is less reliable up the Yasin valley and towards Shandur.
• Cash. Carry enough for the whole Ghizer leg from Gilgit.
• Warm clothes. At nearly 2,200 metres the evenings can be cold even in summer.

When to go, and is it safe?

May to October is the practical season, with the orchards in blossom in spring and the valley at its most colourful in October. In winter the Shandur road beyond is snowbound and the lake freezes, so check the road before travelling. Our guide to the best time to visit Ghizer breaks this down by month.

Gilgit-Baltistan is not included in the UK government's warnings against travel in Pakistan. Foreign visitors must register with the local authorities. The same advice does warn against the N45 road between Chitral city and Mardan and against anywhere within 10 miles of the Afghan border, which matters if you plan to continue over the Shandur and leave Chitral by road to the south. Read our note on whether Ghizer is safe and check current guidance first.

Is Gupis worth a stop?

As a destination, no. There is an hour of sightseeing here, two if you linger at the lake.

As a place to break the drive, yes. Leaving Gilgit after lunch, sleeping at Gupis or Khalti and reaching Phander the next morning is a far better day than arriving in Phander after dark. Our Ghizer valley itinerary shows how it fits a four-day loop.

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