# Shimshal Valley, Gilgit-Baltistan

> Shimshal is one of the most remote villages in Pakistan, reached by a jeep road that the villagers largely built themselves, and the base for treks to the Shimshal Pamir.

- **Page:** https://hunzaexplorer.com/destinations/gilgit-baltistan/hunza-valley/gojal/shimshal-valley
- **Type:** Valley
- **Province or region:** Gilgit-Baltistan
- **Part of:** Gojal (https://hunzaexplorer.com/destinations/gilgit-baltistan/hunza-valley/gojal)
- **Best season:** May to October
- **Altitude:** 3,100 m

For centuries Shimshal was reached only on foot, through gorges above the Hunza River. A jeep road opened in 2003, largely dug and blasted by the villagers over many years. Shimshal is known across the country for its mountaineers, and most families still keep yaks, sheep and goats on the high Pamir pastures in summer.

When the herds come down in the autumn, the village celebrates the Kuch festival. If you want to see this, plan carefully, because the dates follow the herders' calendar.

## Highlights

- The jeep road from Passu
- Village life among the Wakhi
- The Shimshal Kuch festival
- Treks to the Pamir pastures

## Tours to Shimshal Valley

- [Shimshal Kutch Festival Tour](https://hunzaexplorer.com/tour/kuch-festival-shimshal.md): 16 days, Festival Tours
- [Shimshal Pamir Trek](https://hunzaexplorer.com/tour/shimshal-pamir-trek.md): 16 days, Trekking

## 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.