In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · Pakistan
Shimshal
Go for 2–3 days if you want high-altitude hiking and a remote village experience; skip if you only have a day in Hunza — the 55 km 4×4 road takes 2.5 hours each way.
Shimshal is an isolated village at 3,100 m in the Gojal region of Gilgit-Baltistan, reachable only by a rough 4×4 track from the Karakoram Highway near Passu. It offers access to glaciers, multi-day treks and a traditional mountain lifestyle. Most visitors stay 2–3 nights to hike Yazghil glacier or attempt the Shimshal Pass trek.
- Country
- Pakistan
- Best months
- May–October
- Avoid
- November–April (road may be blocked by snow)
- Stay
- 2 nights
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 2,000–4,000 excl. bed · Mid Rs 4,000–8,000 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.
Get in
By air
- GIL · Gilgit Airport
- About 4–5 hours by car to Passu, then 2.5 hours 4×4 to Shimshal
Typical fares
- Shared 4×4 Passu ↔ Shimshal
- about Rs 1,000–1,500 per person, 2.5 h (check)
- Private 4×4 Passu ↔ Shimshal
- about Rs 5,000–8,000 one way (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
Walking is the only way within the village and to trailheads. A 4×4 is needed for the road from Passu; locals run shared jeeps daily.
See and do
Known for
- Yazghil glacier
- Shimshal Pass trek
- Shimshal White Horn (Adver Sar)
- Remote mountain village life
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Passu | Shared 4×4 from Shimshal, about 2.5 h | About 3 h |
| Karimabad | Shared 4×4 to Passu, then bus or taxi to Karimabad, about 1 h | About 4 h |
Sleep
- Central Shimshal village
- All accommodation is here; Sifat Guesthouse and Shimshal Tourist Lodge are the main options.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Assalam-o-Alaikumas-salam-u-alay-koom |
| Thank you | Shukriyashook-ree-ya |
| How much? | Kitna hai?kit-na hai |
| Yes / No | Haan / Nahihaan / na-hee |
| Where is…? | …kahan hai?ka-han 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 road is narrow, with sheer drops and river crossings — not for nervous drivers.
- Foreigners must sign in at the police post just off the Karakoram Highway.
- No ATMs or banks; bring enough cash (PKR) for your stay.
- Altitude: 3,100 m; allow a day to acclimatise before hiking.
- Mobile coverage is limited; check with your provider.
Shimshal is safe for tourists, but the road and altitude are the real risks. Travel with a local guide for treks and carry a satellite phone or personal locator beacon if going beyond the village.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Shimshal yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Yazghil glacier
- Shimshal Pass trek
- Shimshal White Horn (Adver Sar)
- Remote mountain village life
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Shimshal, revision 4531397 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4531397
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/shimshal). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.