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Published: June 19th 2011
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Shimshal Village
Shimshal villager in HUnza Valley SHIMSHAL KUCH FESTIVAL IN HUNZA VALLEY- PAKISTAN
Shimshal is the remotest area of the Hunza Valley in the Upper Hunza Gogal, bordering with China. Shimshal covers the largest territory within Upper Hunza, from its western reaches bordered by the Hunza River, area extends as far as Baltistan to the east and its northern Khunjerab River demarcates the frontier with China. The access to this valley is from Karakoraum Highway at Passu Village in Gojal through a jeep-able link road 53 km, following a narrow gorge. It takes 3hrs drive on this amazing road from Passu and this road has been opened in 2003, before this road there was 3 days trek to Shimshal from Passu. After the completion of this link road which took around 20 years, the people of Shimshal connected with Karakorum Highway, central Hunza and other southern cities of Pakistan through this link road. This link road has brought a socio-economic revolution in the Shimshal Valley.
The people of Shimshal are Wakhi and speak Wakhi language, their culture and tradition is unique. Due to being remotest and difficult accessibility, much of their tradition and culture have been remained intact. In ancient time these people were passing
Shimshal Pass pasture Pamir
Shimshal Pass in the Pamir with view of Manglik Sar 6050M very simple life dictated by the seasons and nature around them. Their life was circles around the festivals which gave them some entertainment and passing harsh time, waiting for these traditional festivals to celebrate that gives them some joy.
Following the old tradition every year in the month of May, Shimshali people use to take their livestock to high pastures of the Pamir for grazing for the period of five months (May to October). During these five months they take care of their yaks, sheep and goats and collect the butter, cheese, Yeast for their families for the harsh winter season. The most of their income comes from the sale of yaks, which is very expensive also sell the goats now in the market of central Hunza. They sell butter, dry cheese, wool and from the hair of yak make the local carpet. They have very vast pastures and providing grazing for thousands of sheep and goats and these pastures lie in the high altitudes where life is very simple in the nature and hard. Normally Wakhi communities’ livestock is cared by the women, the women and children are going to these pastures with yaks, sheep and goats, this
Pastures in the Pamir
Pasture in the Pamir of Shimshal Valley in Hunza makes the high pastures a lively and colorful to visit. They are going to the pastures all to-gather and their families take them to the pastures and live them for five months with animals. And in October they come down to-gather, on these occasions while going up to the pastures in the month of May and coming down in October make festivals called “KUCH” that means travel.
Coming down from the pastures is around 12th to 18th October of each year and day fixed by the religious person of the village in a week, then all the relatives of them from Village go up to the pastures and collect all the yaks from different valleys and select strong yaks to put the load over them. They start to come down all to-gather from various pastures with yaks, sheep, goats they put all their staff and livestock over the yaks and small children also on the back of yaks. Before entering the village of Shimshal on the bank of the Shimshal River before the bridge spend one night with all these animals like a big caravan and women change their dresses which could bring for them from village. Next day
they enter the village all to-gather with new dresses and thousand of cattle at the same time, their families welcome them at the village, meet with them after five months. At this bridge the tradition of goat sacrifice is still going on as before. All to-gather they go to the mosque and do condolence of the families who lost their relatives during five months. Then they go to their homes with their families after program of eating.
ITINERARY:
Day-01/08th October 2017/2018: Arrival to Islamabad airport, meet with our guide and transfer to the hotel
Day-02/09th October 2017/2018: Fly to Gilgit or drive on Karakorum Highway to Chilas 12-14 hrs, overnight at hotel
Day-03/10th October 2017/2018: Drive to Karimabad Hunza, overnight at hotel
Day-04/11th October 2017/2018: Day free at Karimabad for local visits, overnight at hotel
Day-05/12th October 2017/2018: Continue to Shimshal, drive to newly formed lake and cross by the boat then drive to Shimshal Valley, overnight at guest house or camp
Day-06/13th October 2017/2018: Day free at Shimshal depending over the start of kuch
Day-07/14th October 2017/2018: Trek to Wuch Furzeen 6-8 hrs, overnight in the tent
Day-08/15th October 2017/2018: Trek to Shuizherav 6-8 hrs, overnight in
A family in Shimahal
A local family in traditional house in Shimshal Valley of HUnza Pakistan the tent
Day-09/16th October 2017/2018: Trek to Shimshal Pass 3-4 hrs trek, overnight in the tent
Day-10/17th October 2017/2018: Day free for local exploration
Day-11/18th October 2017/2018: Trek down to Arbab Pureen, overnight in the tent
Day-12/19th October 2017/2018: Trek to the Village
Day-13/20th October 2017/2018: Continue to Karimabad Hunza, overnight at hotel
Day-14/21st October 2017/2018: Drive to Gilgit/hotel
Day-15/22nd October 2017/2018: Fly to Islamabad or drive to Besham/hotel
Day-16/23rd October 2017/2018: Day free at Islamabad to visit Taxila or Rothas Fort or continue from Besham to Islamabad/hotel
Day-17/24th October 2017/2018: Departure from Islamabad (drop to the airport)
NORTH PAKISTAN ADVENTURE
Trekking, Tours and Expeditions
P.O Box 746, Islamabad – Pakistan
Tel/ 0092-51-2855440
Mobile: 0092-333-5276586
0092-344-9477670
northpak@comsats.net.pk
northpakistan@dsl.net.pk
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www.north-pakistan.com
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http://www.elbruztreks.com/Nepal/Trips/Trekking/1/Everest-Base-Camp-Trekking.php
Everest Base Camp Trekking has been a popular destination for trekkers since the very first expeditions to the Nepalese side of Everest in the 1953. To reach this part of the Himalaya within a limited time, we have devised this two week trek to Everest Base Camp which runs directly to and from Lukla. The Everest Base Camp trek, a very well known mountain trek, starts at the upper Phakding and follows the Dudh Kosi valley which climbs up to the Sherpa capital of Namche, a bustling bazaar that’s a junction for trekkers, the local Sherpa and expeditions en route to the mighty Mt. Everest. All along this part of the trail, villages are interspersed with magnificent forests of rhododendron, magnolia and giant firs. In both the early autumn and late spring, the flowers on this portion of the trek make it the kind of walk you will remember for a long, long time. From Namche, we trek along a high traversing path where we have our first good views of Everest and then head towards Thyangboche Monastery, which is a 2 hour climb. The monastery sits at 3867m in a clearing surrounded by dwarf firs and rhododendrons. The monastery is structurally located on a ridge top with commanding views of the Everest landscape. The view from this spot, seen to best advantage in the morning, is absolutely mesmerizing and stunning and is rightly deemed to be one of the most magnificent in the world.We then descend to the Imja Khola and continue to the villages of Pangboche and Pheriche before finally approaching the Khumbu Glacier. We then follow the glacier, first to Lobuche, a vantage point for some spectacular views of the Ama Dablam, Taweche and other peaks and then hike to Gorak Shep for a breather. We also have the opportunity to ascend Kala Pattar [5554m] from where we can get some awesome views of the Himalayan giants which literally numb your senses with breathless admiration that beholds the eye; and makes up for the lung-bursting climb that took you up there. You soon realize it was absolutely worth it. This also includes fantastic views of the south west face of the colossal Mt. Everest. We then trek down to Everest Base Camp at the foot of the Khumbu ice fall before finally making our way back down to .