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Voykit pocket guide · Pakistan
Gulmit
Half a day to one night: walk the glacier, see the museum and old tombs, then move on to Passu or Karimabad.
Gulmit is the administrative centre of Upper Hunza, a quiet village on the Karakoram Highway with views of the Shatabar glacier and the Hunza River. It works as a short stop for walks, the small Gulmit Museum and the tomb of Salim Khan III. Most travellers stay one night or pass through on the way to Passu or Sost.
- Country
- Pakistan
- Best months
- May–October
- Avoid
- December–February (cold, some roads may close)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- PKR
- Money
- Pakistani rupee (PKR, Rs) in cash for almost everything outside big-city hotels and malls; carry US dollars as backup.
- Daily spend
- Budget Rs 3,000–5,000 excl. bed · Mid Rs 5,000–8,000 excl. bed · High Rs 8,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Jazz, Zong, Telenor and Ufone sell SIMs with passport and biometric registration at franchise shops (not usually at the airport).
- Emergency
- Police 15 · Rescue 1122 · Edhi ambulance 115
- Plugs
- Types C, D · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two- and three-pin sockets; power cuts (load-shedding) are common, especially in the north.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 5–10%.; Driver / guide: Rs 1,000–3,000 a day.; Hotel staff: Rs 200–500.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap; bottled water everywhere.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels; squat toilets with a water jug or hose elsewhere.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Meal at a guest house | Rs 400–800 |
| Local bus Gulmit → Passu | Rs 100–200 |
| Jeep hire to Borith Lake (one way) | Rs 1,500–2,000 |
| Gulmit Museum entry | Rs 200–500 (check) |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- GIL · Gilgit Airport
- About 2.5 h by road; flights are weather-dependent
Typical fares
- Gulmit → Passu (local bus)
- about Rs 100–200, 20 min (check)
- Gulmit → Karimabad (local bus)
- about Rs 300–500, 1.5 h (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Gulmit is walkable. For longer walks or to reach Borith Lake, hire a local jeep or driver.
See and do
Known for
- Views of Topek Dan and Falful Peak
- Gulmit Museum (traditional artifacts)
- Tomb of Salim Khan III
- Walks to Borith Lake and over the Gulkin glacier
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Passu | Local bus or jeep along the KKH, about 20 min | About 30 min |
| Borith Lake | Walk or jeep from Gulmit, about 1 h on foot | About 1.5 h |
| Sost | Local bus or jeep along the KKH, about 1 h | About 1.25 h |
| Karimabad | Local bus or jeep along the KKH, about 1.5 h | About 2 h |
Sleep
- Along the Karakoram Highway
- Most hotels and guest houses are on or just off the KKH; easy access, views of the peaks.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | السلام علیکمas-salamu alaykum |
| Thank you | شکریہshukriya |
| How much? | کتنا ہے؟kitna hai? |
| Where is the bus? | بس کہاں ہے؟bus kahan hai? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: 'Assalam o alaikum', right hand on heart; handshakes between men; avoid: Offering a hand to a woman first
- Hospitality: Accept tea; let hosts pay the first time; avoid: Refusing all offers
- Dress: Shalwar kameez is comfortable and appreciated; avoid: Shorts and sleeveless tops
- Shrines: Cover heads, shoes off, sit quietly at qawwali; avoid: Filming without permission
- Conversation: Cricket, food and family are safe topics; avoid: Religion, India and the army with strangers
Scams and watch-outs
- The ATM at the National Bank does not accept foreign cards: bring cash from Aliabad or Gilgit.
- Last reliable transport on the KKH passes before dark; arrange onward rides in advance.
- Walks on the glacier require a local guide: crevasses are not marked.
Gulmit is safe for tourists. Normal precautions: avoid walking alone after dark, keep valuables out of sight, and check road conditions before heading to higher passes.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Gulmit yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Views of Topek Dan and Falful Peak
- Gulmit Museum (traditional artifacts)
- Tomb of Salim Khan III
- Walks to Borith Lake and over the Gulkin glacier
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Gulmit Continental Hotel: gulmitcontinentalhotel.com/
- Sarai Silk Route Hotel: saraisilkroutehotel.com/
- Wikivoyage: Gulmit, revision 5204255 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5204255
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/gulmit). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.