Nearby Attractions
Gilgit is a very special place to visit with a wide variety of outdoor opportunities for visitors. Here’s a rundown of some of the favorites, which are highly unique in this part of the world. Gilgit makes a good base station for traveling around Pakistan.
Places Around Gilgit
Naltar Valley
Naltar is a spectacular and picturesque valley near Gilgit city in the Gilgit–Baltistan region in the extreme north of Pakistan. Naltar is 40 km (25 mi) from Gilgit and can be reached by jeep able road. Naltar is a forested (pine) village known for its wildlife and magnificent mountain scenery. There are ski lifts under the ‘Ski Federation of Pakistan’. Although Naltar is a summer resort as well, it is famous for the Ski competition and the Ski Chairlift over there.
Kargah Buddha
It is actually a rock carving at a ravine in the Gilgit city just at a distance of 10 kilometers from the city center which is visited by almost every tourist who visits the Gilgit city. Actually, the Kargah is the name of the small hamlet on the outskirts of Gilgit city and the carving has been given the name of Buddha because according to the people of the region the carving was carved by the Buddhists in the seventh century and excavated in 1938-1939 by the archaeologist.
FESTIVALS
Shandur Polo Festival
Every year during the second week of July there is the Shandur Polo Festival. It’s a traditional event that highlights a tug of war pitting the teams of Chitral and Gilgit against one another. It’s enjoyable to watch the highly competitive races to see who the final winner is. There are also polo games and many other activities to behold. Folk music is abundant and there is a dance of the warriors. Situated at more than 3,700 meters above sea level, this is a spectacular event. On the final day of the festival, there are usually thousands of participants and onlookers from all around Pakistan as well as those from the world over. It is located at the top point of Shandur on the side of the Shandur Lake.
