Karimabad

Karimabad is the capital of Hunza Valley, in Pakistan's northern Gilgit-Baltistan territory. Baltit is the old name of Karimabad. It is named after Prince Karim Aga Khan, the spiritual head of Shia Ismaili Nizari community. People still refer to Karimabad as Baltit. The Guardian ranked it as one of the five "Best Tourist Sites" in Pakistan. Both Baltit Fort and Karimabad village received the World Award of Tourism in 2000 when Indonesia, Australia, India and Britain and other countries competed.GeographyKarimabad town, located on the west bank of the Hunza River, is in the Northern Areas of the Pakistan, in a valley which is at elevation. The town is made up of stone walled steep sloping large terraces. The town was a caravan halting place for people who were traveling through the Hindu Kush mountains to the Vale of Kashmir. It is set amidst snow clad mountain peaks of Rakaposhi (altitude of about ), and glaciers like the Ulter Nala as a backdrop, and deep gorges. Access is by hill road from Gilgit.Flora and faunaThe floral vegetation in the wild consist of roses, pansies, lilies, zinnias, and cosmos, along with trees such as apple, apricot, walnut, mulberry, willow, fir, and poplar trees.The fauna recorded in the village consist of ibex (Capra (genus), duck, red-striped fox, snow leopard (Panthera uncia syn. Uncia uncia), markhor (Capra falconeri) (wild goat), Marco Polo sheep (Ovis ammon polii), and yak (Bos grunniens and Bos mutus)(65,000 in the valley)(maize), fruits, and vegetables grown under irrigated conditions.