A Hunza family trip works best with school-age children, four or five nights in the valley, and a base in Karimabad or Altit in a hotel with parking at the door. Keep each day to one main outing, such as the Altit garden, a slow boat on Attabad Lake in life jackets that fit, the flat walk to the Passu glacier or sunset at Eagle's Nest, and rest in the afternoons. The hard part is getting there, so fly to Gilgit if you can, or split the road into days of no more than five or six hours.
This guide sets out a day-by-day plan for Hunza with children, the walks that suit them and the ones to save, how to handle the lake, what to look for in a family hotel, and who the trip suits. For choosing between Hunza and Skardu, see our Gilgit-Baltistan family trip guide.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Best ages | School-age children; toddlers with a slower plan |
| Nights in Hunza | Four or five |
| Best base | Karimabad or Altit, with parking at the door |
| Best months | June, or late August into September |
| Longest drive day | Five to six hours, finished in daylight |
| Easy outings | Altit Royal Garden, Attabad boats, Passu glacier, Eagle's Nest |
| Save for older children | Hussaini bridge, Ultar Meadow, Khunjerab |
| Medical help | Pharmacies and medical facilities in Aliabad; main hospitals in Gilgit |
Getting to Hunza with children
Flying is the kindest option. PIA flies from Islamabad to Gilgit in about an hour, and Karimabad is two to two and a half hours by road from the airport. The catch is that the small aircraft are often cancelled in cloud, so hold a spare day and a road plan as a fallback.
By road in summer, the route over the Babusar Pass breaks naturally into three family-sized days:
- Islamabad to Naran, six to eight hours.
- Naran to Chilas over Babusar Top, four to five hours. Cross the pass in the morning and keep the stop at the top short: it is 4,173 metres.
- Chilas to Karimabad, five to six hours. Leave Chilas early to beat the heat.
That makes three days each way, so a road trip needs at least ten days to give the children five in Hunza. Stop every two hours, keep water and snacks in the car, and finish each day in daylight. Overseas visitors should note that the UK government advises against all travel on the Karakoram Highway between Mansehra and Chilas, which the Babusar route avoids. Our Islamabad to Hunza road guide covers both routes.
A five-day family plan in Hunza
This plan keeps driving inside the valley to a couple of hours a day and leaves the afternoons free.
Day 1: arrive and do nothing
Settle in, eat early and let everyone adjust to the height of Karimabad, about 2,500 metres. A short evening stroll is plenty.
Day 2: Altit and sunset at Eagle's Nest
Walk through old Altit to the Royal Garden, an apricot orchard beneath Altit Fort with paths and benches, and have lunch at the Kha Basi Café there. The guided tour of the fort takes about 45 minutes, with steep stairs and low doorways, so it suits children of about eight and up. Rest after lunch, then go up to Eagle's Nest at Duikar for sunset with a local driver. The viewpoint has drops and no railings, so keep small children in hand.
Day 3: Attabad Lake, Gulmit and the Passu glacier
Leave by 8 am and be at the Attabad landing while the water is calm, before the crowds. After a boat ride, drive on for lunch in Gulmit, then to Passu for the lower glacier walk: about 2 km of flat, stony ground to a viewpoint below the ice, an hour and a half there and back. Look at the Hussaini suspension bridge from the bank on the way home. Back in Karimabad by late afternoon.
Day 4: a slow day
Choose one thing: Baltit Fort in the morning for older children, a hotel pool if you are staying somewhere with one, or a short walk along a water channel above Karimabad. Keep the afternoon free.
Day 5: Khunjerab or Borith
For older children who have been well all trip, the Khunjerab Pass is a long day to 4,693 metres with a short stop at the top. For younger ones, a quiet morning at Borith Lake, above Hussaini, with ducks on the water in spring and autumn, is a gentler choice.
Keep one extra day spare for the weather or a tired child.
Short walks that suit children
| Walk | Time | Ground | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Altit village and Royal Garden | 1 to 2 hours with the fort | Lanes, steps and garden paths | All ages; the fort tour for older children |
| Passu glacier, lower walk | About 1.5 hours return | Flat, loose stone | Most children, in shoes with grip |
| Borith Lake shore | As long as you like | Mostly level | All ages |
| Eagle's Nest viewpoint | A few minutes from the car | Rocky top, open drops | All ages, held close |
| Water channel above Karimabad | 30 minutes out and back | Level, narrow, drops on one side | Older children who walk well |
Save these for later: the Ultar Meadow hike, a steep climb of three to five hours; the Hussaini bridge, which is not for small children; and the higher Passu glacier viewpoints, which involve steady climbing on loose ground.
On the water at Attabad Lake
The boats at Attabad are the part most children remember. A few rules make it safe:
- Choose a slow wooden boat over a speedboat or jet ski with young children.
- Fit the life jackets on the jetty. Ask for child sizes before you agree a price, and if there are none that fit, stay on shore.
- Go in the morning, when the water is calmest.
- No swimming or paddling. The lake is deep and cold all year, and the drop from the shore and the jetty into deep water is sudden.
Our Attabad Lake boating guide explains prices and how to judge the operators. If the children want to swim, do it in a hotel pool: the Hunza Serena Hotel in Karimabad, PC Legacy Hunza, which has a heated pool, and Luxus Hunza on the lake all list one.
Choosing a family-friendly hotel
In Hunza the building matters more than the stars. Before you book, ask:
- Can we park at the door? Many Karimabad hotels are up steep lanes, and carrying bags and children uphill at the end of a long drive is miserable.
- How many stairs are there, and do the terraces have railings? Hillside hotels have drops.
- What exactly are the beds in the family room?
- When does the kitchen serve dinner? Children want to eat early, and in Gojal the hotel may be the only choice.
- How are the rooms heated, and is there a generator? Nights are cool even in summer.
Karimabad is the best base for walking to dinner. Altit is quieter. Aliabad is practical, with easy parking and the valley's pharmacies, but on a busy highway. PC Legacy Hunza, at Nasirabad, lists a children's play area and heated pool but is about 45 minutes from Karimabad. A lakeside hotel works well for one night. Our guide to where to stay in Hunza compares the areas.
Keeping children well
- Altitude. Karimabad is fine for most families after a gentle first day. Keep any trip higher, such as Khunjerab, short, and come straight down if a child is unusually tired, irritable, off their food or complaining of a headache.
- Sun. At 2,500 metres it burns quickly, even when the air feels mild. Hats, sunscreen and sunglasses every day.
- Water and fruit. Use bottled or boiled water, and wash fruit bought on the roadside before eating it.
- Medicines. Bring the children's own, plus oral rehydration salts and a thermometer. The main hospitals are in Gilgit, two hours or more away.
Is Hunza right for your family?
With children of about six and over who travel reasonably well, Hunza is one of the more manageable mountain holidays in Pakistan: the sights are close together on a paved road and the walks are short. It is also a good trip for grandparents, as long as you choose a hotel without too many stairs and leave out Khunjerab.
With babies and toddlers it is harder, mainly because of the journey. Fly both ways if you can, stay in one hotel and do less. If you would rather someone else did the driving, our nine-day Gilgit, Hunza and Khunjerab tour starts in Gilgit and paces the valley over several days, and our Gilgit and Hunza page gives an overview of the region.
Frequently asked questions
Is Hunza good for a family trip?
Yes, especially with school-age children. The main sights are close together on paved roads, the walks are short and the Attabad boats are popular with children. The long journey is the main challenge.
How many days do you need in Hunza with kids?
Four or five nights in the valley, plus the travel days. By road from Islamabad that means ten days or more; flying to Gilgit cuts it to about a week.
Can children go to Khunjerab Pass?
Older children who are well can make a short visit, but it is 4,693 metres, reached in a few hours from Karimabad. Keep the stop brief, and ask a doctor first about babies or any child with a heart or lung condition.
Is Attabad Lake safe for children?
Yes, on a slow boat with a properly fitted child's life jacket and in calm morning water. Nobody should swim or paddle in the lake, which is deep and very cold.
Which area of Hunza is best for families?
Karimabad, in a hotel with parking at the door, so you can walk to dinner and the forts. Altit is a quieter alternative, and Aliabad is practical but on the highway.
What is the best month for a family trip to Hunza?
June, before the monsoon and the peak holiday crowds, or late August into September. Avoid the busiest weeks of July if your dates allow.
