Karimabad, 2 forts & family home

---

From Attabad lake we rode south to the high tourist resort of Karimabad.

Stayed in 'Hill top hotel' at a reduced rate 1500rb approx 15$, always get a recommendation, for a discount.



This is a town of two forts where the Hunza royalty have lived through the ages, both are now just tourist destinations. HRH from UK is due to land here in 2017 to judge their performance as world heritage sites, nothing so grand for us. Having cup of local 'Milky tea' with the guide Mohammed & his family was something different.

---

Photos

Balti fort
Steeped in history, many generations of kings, & arctifacts. Look out for kings advisor quarters, or where 'spin doctor' lived, guide liked the name.

path to fort
We followed our nose's right up to fort, bit step.

Alto fort commanded Hunza valley.
Good view of Rakaposhi 7700m.
A class out from school with teachers, doing a dance & sing routine. Bikes parked just out of shot.

Green lines on hillside
Irrigation intreagues me as an engineer.
So they extract water from glacial rivers as high as possible, the run as wide possible to maximise growing area.
Think the abundance of trees provide shade.

Irrigation
River runs down narrow slot from glacier.
Two near impossible channels dug in cliff carry water to communities on either side, water = life here.

leaving Balti fort
Really was steep and narrow, but no gravel.

looking down to Alti fort
Lower fort was still 300m above Hunze river.
Tough justice here, murderers were thrown off side.
Also the jail was part of sewage system.

King's brother tied to Pillar & bricked in!
Bit of a dark side to this!

Lobby
Step off a real narrow street into Mahmoud's home..

Mahmoud's family
3m square room, they sleep on floor to either side of fire.
Cooking with gas ring fitted on top of gas cylinder.
Tea made with goats milk boil in pan! was actually OK.