# Naltar Valley, Gilgit-Baltistan

> Naltar is a side valley near Gilgit with pine forest, a small ski area, and several lakes in shades of green, blue and turquoise.

- **Page:** https://hunzaexplorer.com/destinations/pakistan/gilgit-baltistan/naltar-valley
- **Type:** Valley
- **Province or region:** Gilgit-Baltistan
- **Best season:** May to November; skiing in winter
- **Altitude:** 2,800 m

Naltar is reached from Nomal, about 40 minutes from Gilgit, along a jeep track of two hours that climbs through a pine forest. At the top there are meadows and a group of lakes whose colours, from blue to green, depend on the minerals in the water and the light.

It is a good day or overnight trip from Gilgit, and in winter a modest ski area opens here.

## Highlights

- The coloured Naltar lakes
- Pine forest and meadows
- Skiing from December to March

## 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.