The Shikari Tower
The oldest part of the fort.
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Altit Fort is an ancient fort in the town of Altit in the Hunza Valley, Gilgit-Baltistan, originally home to the rulers of Hunza before they moved to Baltit Fort about three centuries later. It and above all its Shikari Tower are around 1,100 years old, making it the oldest monument in Gilgit-Baltistan. It stands above a deep rock cliff over the Hunza River. The word Altit means this side down in Burushaski, a language isolate. Tradition says that in the 16th century a local prince married a princess from Baltistan, who brought craftsmen who built both forts. The fort won the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Award for Cultural Heritage Conservation in 2011. You enter by a garden of apricot and walnut trees, then the fort with its stone and timber walls. A guide leads you through the rooms and tower, and from the wooden terraces you see the close-packed houses of the village below. On the other side the cliff drops sheer towards the river, so stay away from the edge. It is about 1.4 km in a straight line from Baltit Fort and about 3 km from central Hunza. The restored village around it deserves a quiet walk after your visit. Nearby cafes serve local dishes, and spring, with its apricot blossom, is the finest time.
The oldest part of the fort.
Village houses below.
Blossom in spring.
Altit town, Hunza Valley, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan
Altit is older and smaller and was the first seat, while Baltit became the later one.
Yes, easily, as the distance between them is short.
