Ishkoman Valley
A complete travel guide to Ishkoman Valley Ghizer Gilgit Baltistan Pakistan
After crossing the beautiful headquarter of the Ghizer district of Gilgit Baltistan via Ishkoman road , you will enter puniyal valley. After leaving central headquarter Gahkuch towards north your right hand side road leads you towards Ishkoman valley. After driving for 10 to 15 minutes you Will reach the beautiful village Golodas.
After crossing 4 villages of Ishkoman valley, there comes a Police check post in a small village called “Kochdah,” the first village of Ishkoman Valley .After Crossing first village of Ishkoman Valley kochdah there comes the the most developed village of Ishkoman Valley interms of infrastructure, this village is known as Chatorkhand.
After crossing Chatorkhand valley you will enter pakora then after that shonas , Barjungle ,Nobahar and Gish Gish.All these small villages are interconnected.After crossing Gish Gish, You will drive on a deserted mountain road for only 20 to 30 minutes to reach the central point of immit valley and Ishkoman proper valley,at that central point you will also find a police check .
Immediately after the police check post the ,the left road will lead you toward Ishkoman proper valley and the straight road will lead you toward Immit valley.After immit there comes Mujavar ,Bilhanz,Barswat,Borth and Matramdas the last village of gilgit Baltistan.
Best time to visit Ishkoman Valley?
The best time to visit Ishkoman Valley is May-august. In these months other cities of Pakistan are hitting over 40°Celcius ,but Ishkoman Valley might dip below 20°Celcius at the same time.
And there is also a possibility that you may see snow at some places. . Therefore these months are the ideal time to visit Ishkoman Valley.Because you will also enjoy the fruits and fishing over there in this time.
Disadvantage: During these days there is a huge flux of local tourists from across Pakistan.
How to Reach to Ishkoman Valley Ghizer
From Gilgit to Ishkoman
A local Hiece service is the best option. You have to book a ticket from Ishkoman Ada puniyal road near Muhamadi mosque Gahdi bagh.Vehicles leave every hour between 10 am to 5 pm. The ticket costs just 400 rupees. Once you are on the Hiace van, it takes 2 hours to reach Gahkuch, and there you have rest for tea, and then the journey again begins, and after 1 hour you will enter in IshkomanValley(Chatorkhand).
So it takes 3 an hours to reach Ishkoman by local transport. But in return to Gilgit, the vehicles are leaving early at 5 am in summer and 6 am in winter. So you have also take care of its return.
Where to stay in Ishkoman Valley
In Chatorkhand, there are many hotels and Guesthouses you can easily find accommodation over there. But all these hotels and guest houses have limited resources but are budget-friendly, and the food they are serving is organic. But the cost may vary with the demand of tourists
Budget hotels and guest Houses in Ishkoman valley
Bam e dunya guest house KochdahContact-(058144) 20234
FB :https://www.facebook.com/bam.e.dunya5/What’s app-(+92 311 6000222)
It is situated near Tehsil in kochdah with a beautiful building. I stayed in this guest House. This is clean and has a warm bed and attached washroom . They are Serving clean healthy and organic foods.
It also offers home like environment for families.
Royal guest House birgal
Contact #(058144) 20044
RGH Birgal is situated just at the beginning of Ishkomen valley,which is about 100km from Gilgit and about 25km from Gahkuch.In Ishkoman birgal valley, Royal guest House is a luxury and well-furnished
guest House. Single and double bedrooms with attached washroom. It also serves Tradition and organic food on order,fresh trout fish and other local dishes.
Zohaib guest House Chatorkhand
This guest House is situated in Chatorkhand valley ,near Aga khan health center Chatorkhand.The guest House is clean and well furnished, and the staff is very caring.Rooms are outstanding, cooperative staff best place to stay with families. Neat and clean bedding and washroom with all amanities,also serving fantastic good healthy complimentary breakfast.
Khyber guest house immit Ishkoman
Contact-+92 355 5093334.
Khyber guest House is situated in center immit near Central jammatkhana.Khyber guest House is providing Good Service. It has Humble Staff. Excellent Location. It is a very decent and affordable place to have a stay with family.Khyber guest House is also providing Comfortable Furniture, Excellent Food and Clean Environment
Things to do in Ishkoman valley
There are many places very near to nature in Ishkoman Valley. Like sitting near a river and inhaling the fresh air.
Visit Atar lake
Attar Lake, a beautiful natural water reservoir that lies at an altitude of around 4000 meters above the sea level. The Lake is surrounded by beautiful wild flowers and snow- capped peaks.Attar Lake is about 4 km long magnificent lake amid the high mountains of Hindukush between Yasin valley Darkot and Ishkoman Valleys. The lake is surrounded by a circle of snowy peaks and hanging glaciers.
Short hikes and village walks
Walkthrough a village through the streets; you will chit-chat with people in fields, offering you to sit with them and have some fun. There are tracks to hike on mountains in immit and Ishkoman where shepherds take their goats and sheep for grassing.
Day trip to Barswat valley
Barswat valley is one of the beautiful village of Ishkoman valley with beautiful lake. From Immit it takes 1.30 hours to reach there. This is big greenery, but most of the part is damaged by floods. There are many big bib stones. This valley is counted among the most beautiful places in Pakistan.A lake that doesn’t look real… Even when you’re standing right in front of it. Lake was born out of tragedy when a massive landslide occurred in 2018. The flow of the Ishkoman River was blocked, and the new-famous lake was created in its wake. Its bright-blue turquoise waters make it one of the most beautiful places in Pakistan.
Visit Qurumber lake Ishkoman
This is a very lovely place in the entire Ishkoman valley.Karomber Lake (4,300m) is world’s 31st highest lake according to multiple sources. The lake is not far than one mile from Karambar pass that connects Broghil with district Ghizer. The distance between the two furthest corners of the lake is 1.95 miles (3.13 km). The area of the lake is at least 2.56 square kilometers. The discharge of the main lake flows into another mini lake before moving downstream towards Broghil. Another beautiful lake called Ribat lake is at least 1 miles away from Karomber lake.
Have chai in someone’s home
The people are very hospitable. It’s their culture to offer you tea and food at their homes. There boiled eggs with tea are amazing.Sit with local women, and just laugh, and the young girls will play the role of translators.
Language, culture, and religion in Ishkoman
The inhabitants are primarily wakhi, Khowar-speakers Ismaili Muslims, followers of the His Highness Prince Aga Khan. Also, there are Sunni Muslims in some villages.
They are sober and peaceful, and well educated. You will see girls and women walking around in streets and roads openly, which is rare in other rural parts of Pakistan. There are co-shools, and the literacy rate of this generation is almost 100 %. No child is out of school. They have an excellent transition a majority of their elders are illiterate or very less educated.
Mobile and internet service in Ishkoman
Zong, Scom and Telenor are operating in Ishkoman valley, but SCO is the only network providing data service at very expensive rates. There is network issue in some places.
Local guides in Ishkoman Ghizer
If you are looking to explore Ishkoman valley, spend at least ten days over there. Then, go trekking with local tour guides. I met the best guide who will help you to explore the whole valley.Arshad Munir is a university student associated with the tourism industry. He is also a social activist. He is the best guide who knows all the borders and has himself many times traveled different tarcks, and in his past seven years in the tourism, the industry has guided many local and international tourists and has a good record. You can reach him by Facebook here
