# Altit Fort, Gilgit-Baltistan

> Altit Fort is among the oldest monuments in Hunza, standing on a sheer cliff above the river and the terraced fields of Altit village.

- **Page:** https://hunzaexplorer.com/destinations/gilgit-baltistan/hunza-valley/central-hunza/altit-fort
- **Type:** Historic site
- **Province or region:** Gilgit-Baltistan
- **Part of:** Central Hunza (https://hunzaexplorer.com/destinations/gilgit-baltistan/hunza-valley/central-hunza)
- **Best season:** March to November

Altit is older than Baltit and quieter. The fort was the first home of the ruling family before they moved to Baltit, and its watchtower looks straight down some 300 metres to the Hunza River. It has also been restored by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture.

Combine it with a walk through Altit village, which has some of the best-preserved traditional houses in the valley, and with tea at one of the small cafés near the fort.

## Highlights

- The cliff-edge watchtower
- The old village and its narrow lanes below
- Sunset from the courtyard

## Seasons in Gilgit-Baltistan

- **Spring (March to April):** Apricot and cherry blossom in the lower valleys, mostly in April. The higher villages are still cold and the high passes are closed.
- **Summer (May to September):** The main season. Every valley is open, and this is the time for trekking, Deosai, the Khunjerab Pass and the K2 approach.
- **Autumn (October to November):** Golden leaves in the orchards and the clearest light of the year. Nights are cold and the first snow reaches the high valleys in November.
- **Winter (December to February):** Cold and quiet. Hunza and Gilgit stay reachable by road, but the high valleys and passes are closed.