Karakoram Hiway - Day 6

View from the Ambassador Hotel in the morning.


Pasu Valley






Today our first destination is at Borith Lake. As always the road winds around the mountain. I was first disappointed when I saw the lake from faraway because it seemed to me that there was no water. And I thought that Altaf shouldn’t add this extra one into our plan. Looking closely THAT was the reflection of the mountain on the water surface. the water is so clam and clear. I almost couldn’t tell where the reflection starts.

Taking as many photos as we can, we now proceed to Pasu Glacier.

There is a trail for us to walk along the mountain.




Pasu Glacier


Road to Borith Lake and Pasu Glacier.





Next one is one of the Passu area Landmark – Hussaini Suspension Bridge. Taking a breath before walking on this bridge. I walk for a few steps, post for some photos. That’s all. Can’t walk to the other end. Dr. Chic does walk to the other side where the small village is situated.




Hussaini girl and boy.

The fair skinned and light-eyed Hunzakuts claim to be descendants of soldiers lost from Alexander's army as he invaded India. Their language, Burushaski, provides linguists an enigma as it is unrelated to any other language known to man.

We then have lunch at Guikin town and enjoy picking the sweet apples from the restaurant orchard.

Dr. Chic is either trying to take a photo or deciding which one is ripen to taste.



View from the restaurant's garden.

Hunza Valley

The Hunza Valley (Urdu: ہنزہ) is a mountainous valley in Gilgit in the Gilgit-Baltistan autonomous region, an area under the control of the government of Pakistan. The Hunza valley is situated to the north of the Hunza River, at an elevation of around 2,500 metres (8,200 ft). The territory of Hunza is about 7,900 square kilometres (3,100 sq mi). Karimabad (formerly called Baltit) is the main town, which is also a very popular tourist destination because of the spectacular scenery of the surrounding mountains like Ultar Sar, Rakaposhi, Bojahagur Duanasir II, Ghenta Peak, Hunza Peak, Diran Peak and Bublimating (Ladyfinger Peak), all 6,000 metres (19,685 ft) or higher.

Last stop for today is at the art’s carpet woven center. The price is over my budget for the souvenir. (small one about Baht 1,000 apiece)

Color ful truck, of which we really enjoy taking photos of them in this trip.

Tonight we stay at the Eagle's Nest Hotel where we can admire the Lady Finger Peak clearly.

Karakoram Hiway - Day5

Today we board the NATCO bus back to Pakistan, cost about 225 RMB. Again we are checked at the Immigrantion office, though this time the bags are X-ray scanned. The passport is thoroughly read and checked. The journey is very tiresome since some of the passengers smoke in the bus. I can open my window to get some fresh air but trade off with the very cold wind. Flurries drifts down on the way to Khunjerab pass.

Finally, we reach Sust and apply for the on-arrival visa. In Thailand the single entry visa costs Baht 1,300and Baht 6,000 for multiple one. So we decide to reapply single entry at Sust, cost about USD 38 per person.

We stay overnight at Ambassador Hotel in Passu.

Karakoram Hiway - Day4

Our plan for including China in this trip is to visit the Livestock Market in Kashgar. We plan to go back to Sust, Pakistan by taking a bus. However since there is only a bus per day and the leaving schedule is too early for us to visit the market, we decide to rent the same car back to Tushkurgan.

The market are mostly for sheep, goat and cow trading. It is very lively. We see a lot of european foreigners comes to visit the market too.

Tomb of Abakh Hoja

Sunday Market. We buy only the grape which is very sweet and plentiful at this of the year.

We then ask our driver to take us to a restaurant. This one is richly decorated, probably from the time that the Russia influenced in this region.

Nice view.

Then we go back to the Tushkurgan. Again pass several check points along the road. And we thought that all hick up in China should be gone by now. Who tells us not to hope for the speedy and smooth trip? The car broke down several time but we spend our time taking pictures while the driver fills the water. All is not that bad, we finally reach the last check point which is a few miles out of the city. Before we know what happens, one of the soldier comes to drive our car, while ours is to go with the military car. And the soldier in our car can't (or don't want to) speak English to us. He drops us and the bags at the same hotel, Traffic Hotel. We are now videoed/photographed by the mobile phone. Can you imagin how confused we are and would really like to know what happens. The hotel staff translates the military officers' question for us: how much we pay for the trip. And tell us that he doesn't know either what happens.

After having dinner and leave the order for a tomorrow morning taxi, I ask the hotel staff again; just in case that he now knows what happens. He tells me that it is about the car permission.

Well, so many stories to tell in just 2 days in China!!!

Karakoram Hiway - Day3

We start our day at the immigration office agian, hopefully that Altaf could go with us to Kashgar. Just no more luck come in our way. So Altaf has arranged a car to take us to Kashgar.

Our first stop for today at Stone Fort


A little girl at the Stone Fort





On the way from Tushgurkan to Kashgar.






At Karakul Lake where we first intended to stay overnight in Yurt here. However, due to the long time spent at the check post and immigration office, we could not get here before night fall.


View along the road.



When we finally arrive at Kashgar, we pass about 4-5 check point that we all have to get off the car, show the passport and register ourselves. I think this is all about the recent conflict between ethnic Uighurs and Han Chinese population in Urumqi. While being there, we see a lot of armed police/soldier conducting round-the-clock patrol.

Finally reaching the Saman Hotel and drop our bags. We visit the Id Kah Mosque and night market.