The Ultar Meadows hike starts right behind Baltit Fort in Karimabad and climbs the gorge of the Ultar stream to a summer pasture at about 3,270 metres, below the Ultar glacier. Most fit walkers take three to five hours up and two to three down, so it is a full day out, done between June and September. It is the best walk you can start on foot from a Karimabad hotel, but it is steep, rough in places and not a stroll.
This guide covers where the trail starts, how the climb goes, what you see at the top, and whether it is worth carrying a tent up to spend the night. The other walks in the valley, from easy water-channel paths to the Passu glaciers, are in our guide to hikes in Hunza.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Start | Behind Baltit Fort, upper Karimabad (about 2,500 m) |
| Ultar Meadow | About 3,270 m |
| Height gain | Roughly 800 m |
| Time | 3 to 5 hours up, 2 to 3 hours down |
| Difficulty | Moderate to hard: steep, loose in places |
| Best months | June to September |
| Food and water | Carry both; a summer tea hut has operated at the meadow but is not guaranteed |
| Guide | Recommended, especially the first time |
Where does the Ultar trail start?
The trail begins at the top of Karimabad, just behind Baltit Fort. Walk up through the bazaar and the lanes around the fort, and you reach the irrigation channel that carries water out of the Ultar gorge to the terraces of Karimabad and Altit. The path follows that channel into the mouth of the gorge.
From most hotels in Karimabad you can walk to the start in 15 to 20 minutes. Don't rely on signs: floods and landslides have moved the path through the gorge more than once, so ask at your hotel which way in is currently used.
The route, step by step
The climb has three distinct parts. Times are for a steady pace with short rests.
- Along the water channel, about the first hour. The path runs beside the channel into the gorge, with the fort behind you and the walls of the canyon closing in. It is the easiest part of the day, but the edges are narrow and the stones by the water are slippery.
- Up the gorge, two to three hours. The trail leaves the channel and climbs steeply over rock, gravel and grass on the side of the gorge. This is the hard part: loose ground, a few short scrambles, and exposed sections where a slip would matter. Some walkers report a steep stretch with a fixed cable. Go slowly, and step aside for anyone coming down.
- Onto the meadow, the last half hour or so. The gorge opens out past shepherds' huts onto the grass of Ultar Meadow, a summer pasture used by families from Baltit. The glacier and its icefall fill the head of the valley in front of you.
Coming down is quicker but needs more care on the loose sections. Leave the meadow by early afternoon to be back before dark.
How long does it take, and how hard is it?
A fit walker used to hills will reach the meadow in about three hours; someone less used to steep ground, or still feeling the altitude, can take five. Allow a whole day and you will not be rushed.
It is harder than the distance suggests. You gain roughly 800 metres, most of it in the middle section, starting from about 2,500 metres, where the air already has noticeably less oxygen than in Islamabad. If you are comfortable on a long, steep hill walk at home, you will manage it; if you struggle on stairs, it will be a very long day.
Two things make it easier. Do it after two or three days in Hunza rather than on the day you arrive, so your body has adjusted to the height of Karimabad. And start early, around 7 am, so you climb the steep section in the cool of the morning rather than the midday sun.
What you see from Ultar Meadow
The meadow sits at the foot of the Ultar glacier, which pours down from the Ultar Sar massif in a series of stepped icefalls. Ultar Sar itself, 7,388 metres, rises about 10 km north-east of Karimabad; its main summit was first climbed only in 1996. Beside it are the sharp spire of Bubli Motin, the peak everyone calls Lady Finger, and Hunza Peak.
It is one of the few places around Karimabad where you are close enough to a big glacier to hear it, as stones and ice break away from the icefall. On the way down, the gorge frames a view straight across the valley to Rakaposhi and Diran.
Don't walk onto the glacier or up to the base of the icefall. The ice is unstable and the rockfall is real; the view from the meadow is the point.
Should you camp at Ultar Meadow?
You can, and it is the better way to see the place: the meadow empties after the day walkers leave, the glacier and Lady Finger at sunset and first light are worth the extra weight, and a hard day becomes two easier ones.
Things to know before you carry a tent up:
- It is cold at night, even in July. You are nearly 800 metres higher than Karimabad; bring a proper sleeping bag, a mat and a warm jacket.
- You carry everything, including enough food. Porters and camping gear can be arranged through hotels and guides in Karimabad.
- The meadow is village pasture. Families graze animals here in summer. Camp where you are told, keep away from the huts unless invited, and carry every piece of rubbish back down.
- Water comes from the glacier streams and needs filtering or boiling.
Gilgit-Baltistan's tourism department asks campers to use designated sites and follow leave-no-trace rules, so ask your guide or hotel to confirm the current arrangement. Our guide to camping in Hunza covers the rules and the other sites around the valley.
Beyond the meadow, a longer route climbs to the Hon Pass ridge for wide views over the valley and the peaks of Nagar. That is a proper trek with at least one night out and a guide, not an extension to a day walk.
Safety: the gorge, the glacier and the weather
The gorge is a steep, active place, and most of the risks on this walk come from it rather than from the height.
- Don't go after heavy rain. Wet rock on the exposed sections is dangerous, and rain loosens stones on the gorge walls.
- Watch for rockfall in the gorge, and don't stop to rest directly below steep, broken slopes.
- Stay off the stream bed. Glacier streams rise through the afternoon on hot days, and after a storm they can flood with little warning.
- Take a guide the first time. Since floods washed away sections of the path, the correct line up the gorge is not always obvious, and people who have gone wrong describe near-impassable ground. A local guide removes that risk, and hotels in Karimabad can find one the evening before.
- Tell your hotel where you are going and when you expect to be back, and don't count on mobile signal in the gorge.
If anyone develops a bad headache, nausea or unusual breathlessness, turn round: the answer to feeling unwell at altitude is always to go down. Our travel guide covers altitude in the north.
What to carry
- At least two litres of water per person, plus a filter or purification tablets
- Lunch and snacks, even if you hope the tea hut is open
- Boots or trail shoes with a good grip, and a walking pole for the descent
- A warm, windproof layer, a sun hat and sunscreen
- Cash, for tea at the hut or a guide
Is the Ultar hike worth it?
For fit walkers with a spare day in Karimabad, yes. It takes you from your hotel door to the foot of a glacier and a 7,000-metre mountain, and shows you the water system that keeps Karimabad green on the way. With a night at the meadow it is one of the most rewarding short outings in the valley.
Skip it, or stop at the water channel, if you are not steady on loose ground, if anyone has bad knees or a fear of drops, or if you have young children with you. The channel walk along the hillside, or the short climb to the Queen Victoria monument above Karimabad, gives a taste of the same views for far less effort.
If you are planning a first trip to the valley, our Gilgit and Hunza page puts Karimabad and its surroundings in context, and our Hunza weather guide shows what to expect month by month.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the Ultar Meadow hike?
Most people take three to five hours to walk up from Baltit Fort to the meadow and two to three hours to come down. Allow a full day, or two if you camp.
How high is Ultar Meadow?
The meadow is at about 3,270 metres, roughly 800 metres above Karimabad. Ultar Sar, the peak above it, is 7,388 metres.
Is the Ultar Meadow hike difficult?
It is a moderate to hard day walk. The path is steep and loose in the gorge, with some exposed sections, so it suits fit walkers who are steady on rough ground.
Do I need a guide for Ultar Meadow?
Many walkers go without one, but a guide is strongly recommended the first time, because floods have changed the path through the gorge. Hotels in Karimabad can arrange a local guide.
Can you camp at Ultar Meadow?
Yes, with your own gear or with equipment arranged through a guide. Nights are cold even in summer, the meadow is used by local herders, and all rubbish must come back down with you.
When is the best time for the Ultar hike?
June to September, when the trail is free of snow. Avoid days after heavy rain, and start early.
