Recently restored to their original splendor, the rugged fort-palaces in Shigar and Khaplu are attracting visitors once again. Imtiaz Gul is one of them
On top of the world
http://www.thefridaytimes.com/beta2/tft ... 19&page=24

A cup of steaming cappuccino, the roar of the Shigar river, the fast breeze made by the gushing water, a huge walnut tree nearby, massive mountains on three sides and the lively company of friends - it reminds me of William Wordsworth eulogizing "a book of verses, a bottle of wine, a shady tree and you beside me" Wordsworth refused to desire anything else if he possessed all these blessings. And this is precisely what I go through while perched on top of the Shigar Fort, the Palace on the Rock, in high-up Baltistan.
Huge Poplar and Cedar trees cover the lush-green Shigar valley at the bottom of huge mountains, offering a complete contrast to the topography of the region. Even the road from Skardu, the administrative headquarters of Baltistan, to Shigar stands out for the contrasting imagery: once across the Skardu river, you travel across a desert of white glittering sand which gradually disappears behind the craggy and curling mountains before descending into the Shigar valley. From a distance, the Shigar valley strikingly looks like a sprawling oasis, with the mighty Shigar river crisscrossing the vast riverbed to the right of the valley, which has a predominantly Shia Muslim population. (The people here recently voted Azam Khan into the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly.) The valley offers a stunningly contrasting landscape - rocky barren cliffs, cultivated terraces, and orchards all around.
You travel across a desert of white glittering sand which gradually disappears behind the craggy and curling mountains
The valley is practically the gateway to some of the highest mountains in the world, including K-2, Mashabrum 1 and 11, Broad Peak, and Tango Tower. It is also the staging post for the Baltoro mountain range, and used to be the most favoured destination for trekkers from all over the world.
The valley is practically the gateway to some of the highest mountains in the world
If the Shigar Valley is the crown of the Karakorums, the Palace Residence is certainly its centre-piece. Also known as Fong-Khar, or the Palace on the Rock, the site has been restored by Aga Khan Cultural Service Pakistan (AKCSP-P). It is indeed a unique site in the middle of an oasis; a cultural heritage guesthouse where you experience a rugged 17th Century version of luxury, painstakingly restored to the original, though equipped with all the modern amenities and services of a good hotel.
The complex at Shigar comprises the 400-year-old Fort-Palace and two more recent buildings, the "Old House" and the "Garden House". The former Palace of the Raja of Shigar has been transformed into a 20-room heritage guesthouse, with the grand audience hall serving as a museum of Balti culture and featuring select examples of fine wood-carvings, as well as other heritage objects.
While hosting guests, the Palace also offers a lot of Balti history and culture - a blend indeed of the old and the new.
Azam Khan belongs to the Amacha Dynasty, which claims to have ruled the area for 33 generations. His ancestors brought artisans, carpenters and stone-carvers from Kashmir for the construction of the Shigar Fort-Palace, and that resulted in a combination of Kashmiri-influenced carvings and Balti architecture.
It is extraordinary to be so close to nature in its naked form, and to not have to think of the workaday stresses back home.
Almost two kilometres upwards of the Skardu valley lies the sleepy Khaplu town, ahead of the Kargil sector, where Indian and Pakistani forces fought their most recent battle over Kashmir in 1999.
Khalpu, too, boasts another archaeological heritage: the Khaplu Palace and Residence, also restored by the Aga Khan Cultural Service Pakistan (AKCSP-P). This palace is from 1840 and belonged to the Raja of Khaplu and was raised after the Sikh Dogras conquered Baltistan and ordered all Rajas to build new residences. Located at a height of over 8,000 feet above sea level, the palace is now back to its past glory, restored with care and passion, with no cement used in the construction or restoration, which took almost six years. This palace also offers several cozy rooms, equipped with modern amenities such as internet, television, clean hot and cold water and round-the-clock electricity.
Azam Khan belongs to the Amacha Dynasty, which claims to have ruled the area for 33 generations
The Northern Areas - both Gilgit and Baltistan - have many similarly precious archaeological heritage sites, though many are in a lamentably shambolic state. One wishes the government agencies responsible for our heritage would demonstrate the same spirit and commitment as the Aga Khan Cultural Service.
[box13]And now some good news: it is amazing to see the tourist traffic that places like Shigar and Khaplu can generate; the restoration or repair simply opens up the place to inquisitive outsiders. Not only does it become a source of business and employment - it becomes the engine of growth in far-flung places where people don't even think of going.
So if you want a break from stressful city life, or are fed up with the rigorous daily grind of business in crowded city centers, why not check out Shigar and Khaplu for a picnic on top of the world?
Fort-palaces in Shigar and Khaplu
Khaplu Palace and Residence wins international award for responsible tourism
November 12 (PR): The Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards 2012 were announced at an Awards ceremony held at the World Travel Market 2012 hosted by renowned BBC Hardtalk host, Stephen Sackur. The Khaplu Palace & Residence (KP&R) of Gilgit-Baltistan region restored by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture received ‘Highly Commended’ in the ‘Best in poverty reduction’ category of the responsible Tourism Awards 2012. This was the only project from Pakistan that won an award at the prestigious ceremony.
The Responsible Tourism Awards, founded in 2004 are the most prestigious awards of their kind in the world and are organised by founder responsibletravel.com, with support from media partners Metro, Geographical Magazine (the magazine of the Royal Geographical Society), and World Travel Market, where the Awards are given out. The Responsible Tourism Awards celebrate and inspire change in the tourism industry. The Awards rest on a simple principle – that all types of tourism, from niche to mainstream, can and should be organised in a way that preserves, respects and benefits destinations and local people. Since they were founded, the Awards have attracted over 10,000 nominations from members of the public, leading to 201 unique organisations awarded from 51 countries around the world.
Khaplu Palace was restored by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture’s local company Aga Khan Cultural Service Pakistan with the generous support of the Royal Norwegian Embassy Islamabad. The Palace has been open since July 2011 in Baltistan as a heritage hotel managed by Tourism Promotion Services offering 21 rooms, of which six are in the Palace itself. Over 70 percent of income is spent locally, allowing for Khaplu Palace to be an anchor-point for development.
The judges wrote that, “The Aga Khan Trust for Culture focuses on the physical, social, cultural and economic revitalization of communities in the Muslim world fostering community-based cultural heritage development. They have successfully combined conservation, restoration and re-use for tourism; and the rehabilitation of cultural crafts and historical assets. They have used an entrepreneurial approach, building capacity and developing skills to enhance cultural and natural tourism, improving living conditions and reviving local pride and sense of identity”. The judges noted that, “The restoration work at Khaplu has taken five years, building on previous experiences at Baltit, Altit and Shigar, the Aga Khan Cultural Service Pakistan has maximized the local economic impact and the judges were impressed by the detailed measurement and reporting of both the social and economic impacts of the restoration programme in the construction and operational phases.”
The judges also noted that, “…between 2006 and 2012 individuals from over 400 households in Khaplu were employed and trained in construction work and the hotel employs individuals from 35 households”.
Previously Shigar Fort, also restored by the Aga Khan Cultural Service Pakistan, was awarded the winner in the ‘Conservation of Cultural Heritage’ category at the Responsible Tourism Awards held in 2008 in London.
The Aga Khan Cultural Service Pakistan (AKCS-P) won its first international award in 1997 following the restoration of the historic landmark Baltit Fort in 1996. Since then, AKCS-P has won another 16 awards which include 11 consecutive UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards for Culture Heritage Conservation, two Pacific Asia Travelers Association Awards, two Virgin Responsible Tourism Awards, and two British Airways Tourism for Tomorrow Awards.
http://pamirtimes.net/2012/11/13/khaplu ... e-tourism/
http://www.responsibletravel.com/awards/winners/
http://issuu.com/responsibletravel.com/ ... -winners/1
November 12 (PR): The Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards 2012 were announced at an Awards ceremony held at the World Travel Market 2012 hosted by renowned BBC Hardtalk host, Stephen Sackur. The Khaplu Palace & Residence (KP&R) of Gilgit-Baltistan region restored by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture received ‘Highly Commended’ in the ‘Best in poverty reduction’ category of the responsible Tourism Awards 2012. This was the only project from Pakistan that won an award at the prestigious ceremony.
The Responsible Tourism Awards, founded in 2004 are the most prestigious awards of their kind in the world and are organised by founder responsibletravel.com, with support from media partners Metro, Geographical Magazine (the magazine of the Royal Geographical Society), and World Travel Market, where the Awards are given out. The Responsible Tourism Awards celebrate and inspire change in the tourism industry. The Awards rest on a simple principle – that all types of tourism, from niche to mainstream, can and should be organised in a way that preserves, respects and benefits destinations and local people. Since they were founded, the Awards have attracted over 10,000 nominations from members of the public, leading to 201 unique organisations awarded from 51 countries around the world.
Khaplu Palace was restored by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture’s local company Aga Khan Cultural Service Pakistan with the generous support of the Royal Norwegian Embassy Islamabad. The Palace has been open since July 2011 in Baltistan as a heritage hotel managed by Tourism Promotion Services offering 21 rooms, of which six are in the Palace itself. Over 70 percent of income is spent locally, allowing for Khaplu Palace to be an anchor-point for development.
The judges wrote that, “The Aga Khan Trust for Culture focuses on the physical, social, cultural and economic revitalization of communities in the Muslim world fostering community-based cultural heritage development. They have successfully combined conservation, restoration and re-use for tourism; and the rehabilitation of cultural crafts and historical assets. They have used an entrepreneurial approach, building capacity and developing skills to enhance cultural and natural tourism, improving living conditions and reviving local pride and sense of identity”. The judges noted that, “The restoration work at Khaplu has taken five years, building on previous experiences at Baltit, Altit and Shigar, the Aga Khan Cultural Service Pakistan has maximized the local economic impact and the judges were impressed by the detailed measurement and reporting of both the social and economic impacts of the restoration programme in the construction and operational phases.”
The judges also noted that, “…between 2006 and 2012 individuals from over 400 households in Khaplu were employed and trained in construction work and the hotel employs individuals from 35 households”.
Previously Shigar Fort, also restored by the Aga Khan Cultural Service Pakistan, was awarded the winner in the ‘Conservation of Cultural Heritage’ category at the Responsible Tourism Awards held in 2008 in London.
The Aga Khan Cultural Service Pakistan (AKCS-P) won its first international award in 1997 following the restoration of the historic landmark Baltit Fort in 1996. Since then, AKCS-P has won another 16 awards which include 11 consecutive UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards for Culture Heritage Conservation, two Pacific Asia Travelers Association Awards, two Virgin Responsible Tourism Awards, and two British Airways Tourism for Tomorrow Awards.
http://pamirtimes.net/2012/11/13/khaplu ... e-tourism/
http://www.responsibletravel.com/awards/winners/
http://issuu.com/responsibletravel.com/ ... -winners/1
Monday, December 31, 2012
Skardu: The Shigar Fort Residence
http://www.chaipluscake.com/2012/12/ska ... dence.html
Skardu: Khaplu Palace & Residence
http://www.chaipluscake.com/2012/12/ska ... dence.html
Skardu: The Shigar Fort Residence
http://www.chaipluscake.com/2012/12/ska ... dence.html
Skardu: Khaplu Palace & Residence
http://www.chaipluscake.com/2012/12/ska ... dence.html
‘Bees Futti’ (The twenty feet high) – Khaplu Palace, Skardu valley, Pakistan
Excerpt: 
The Khaplu Palace was like the other historical buildings of Pakistan, fully derelict, almost destroyed. Then, Agha Khan Foundation took its charge and made it part of Marriott Hotels chain of Pakistan. Not only the present state of Khaplu Palace is commendable, the rooms are well maintained and the overall look of this old center of government is simply inspiring. The rooms where the rulers once used to sit are adequately decorated while keeping the cultural look as well as blending in with the artificial lighting arrangements. Besides, the Agha Khan Foundation invested in refurbishing the old walls and wooden structure along with the necessary arrangements for safety against fire hazards. This seems exciting because the overall look is way beautiful than the Lahore fort, which is usually symbolized as the icon of Punjab.
wordpress.com/2016/01/10/bees-futti-the-twenty-feet-high-khaplu-palace-skardu-valley-pakistan/
Excerpt: 
The Khaplu Palace was like the other historical buildings of Pakistan, fully derelict, almost destroyed. Then, Agha Khan Foundation took its charge and made it part of Marriott Hotels chain of Pakistan. Not only the present state of Khaplu Palace is commendable, the rooms are well maintained and the overall look of this old center of government is simply inspiring. The rooms where the rulers once used to sit are adequately decorated while keeping the cultural look as well as blending in with the artificial lighting arrangements. Besides, the Agha Khan Foundation invested in refurbishing the old walls and wooden structure along with the necessary arrangements for safety against fire hazards. This seems exciting because the overall look is way beautiful than the Lahore fort, which is usually symbolized as the icon of Punjab.
wordpress.com/2016/01/10/bees-futti-the-twenty-feet-high-khaplu-palace-skardu-valley-pakistan/
Shigar Fort
Shigar Fort was visited by some members of the Heritage Team in 2015.
Shigar Fort is built upon a massive boulder and is 400 years old. It is locally known as Fongkhar, "Palace on the Rock". Shigar Fort is at the foot of a steep rock formation, on top of which lie the ruins of the original Fort. It was the former royal residence of the Rajas of Shigar.
The twentieth ruler of the Amacha dynasty, Raja Hassan Khan came in power in 1634. However, he lost his kingdom to other invaders. With the help of Moghul emperor Shah Jehan and his forces, he managed to regain the throne. The Raja brought many artisans from Kashmir to Shigar and went on to build the fort. In the 1950's, Shigar Fort was gradually abandoned.
The restored Shigar Fort Residence is the first exclusive heritage house in Pakistan. It is a one hour drive from Skardu airport.
More photos and news on this link:
http://www.ismaili.net/timeline/2005/pa ... /main.html
Shigar Fort is built upon a massive boulder and is 400 years old. It is locally known as Fongkhar, "Palace on the Rock". Shigar Fort is at the foot of a steep rock formation, on top of which lie the ruins of the original Fort. It was the former royal residence of the Rajas of Shigar.
The twentieth ruler of the Amacha dynasty, Raja Hassan Khan came in power in 1634. However, he lost his kingdom to other invaders. With the help of Moghul emperor Shah Jehan and his forces, he managed to regain the throne. The Raja brought many artisans from Kashmir to Shigar and went on to build the fort. In the 1950's, Shigar Fort was gradually abandoned.
The restored Shigar Fort Residence is the first exclusive heritage house in Pakistan. It is a one hour drive from Skardu airport.
More photos and news on this link:
http://www.ismaili.net/timeline/2005/pa ... /main.html
http://www.thenational.ae/arts-life/ult ... rdu-valley
A luxe experience in Pakistan’s Skardu valley
Usman Ahmad
March 22, 2016
The National
Shortly after leaving the airport, our minivan hurtles across a rolling open road in Skardu, one of the great eastern valleys of Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan region. The breakneck driving speeds are the sole reminder of the frenzied chaos we have left behind in the lowlands below. Instead, we find ourselves in a sort of parallel universe, untarnished by any trace of commotion. Passing under gentle skies alongside skinny poplar trees and serenely toiling farmers, one could be forgiven for thinking they had just entered a scene from the works of the old English pastoral writers such as Gilbert White, rather than what is considered to be one of the most volatile countries on Earth.
Amidst a Taliban insurgency and ever-increasing sectarian schisms, Pakistan does not represent an obvious travel destination. Years of turmoil have bludgeoned its international reputation, including its status as a place of tourism. The focus on the unrest, however, overshadows the fact that much of Pakistan can be visited safely – as long as a few elementary precautions are taken – as well as the incredible beauty and riches of the country that await those willing to see beyond the widely enshrined negative perceptions.
Nowhere is this better exemplified than in the valleys of Baltistan, which stand out as havens of peace, all but free from the perniciousness of extremism. Much of the tranquillity of the region comes from high standards of education, relative gender equality and a tolerant religious outlook, stemming from the various moderate forms of Shiism most here follow. This, coupled with incredible mountain landscapes, some of the world’s largest glaciers and a people who have preserved significant parts of their ancient culture, makes this part of the world an unspoilt paradise, ripe for exploration.
And so it is that my family and I find ourselves in Skardu. In those summers where we don’t manage a trip abroad, our family holidays usually take the form of a budget jaunt exploring the northern areas of Pakistan. Part getaway, part desperate escape from the stifling heat of the Punjab, our penchant for adventure means that the tourist-friendly hotspots are eschewed for something off the beaten track, even with two young children in tow. Admittedly, our experience this time around is far more luxe, though it’s still one that is relentlessly hidden away.
Tucked away in the verdant valleys of Shigar and Khaplu lie two old fort palaces that have, in recent times, been converted to first-rate heritage hotels by the Aga Khan Cultural Service Pakistan, the local arm of the Aga Khan Historic Cities Programme, an effort that focuses on the restoration of historic structures and other urban-regeneration projects. While similarly restored boutique residences are studded across the length and breadth of neighbouring India and China, they are much rarer in Pakistan and even less celebrated. Things are beginning to change, though, and these unheralded gems are increasingly attracting charmed visitors.
Shigar, or to give it its original name Fong Khar (Fort on the Rock), is where we head first for a two-night stay. The original fort was built in the 17th century by the ruler of the Amacha dynasty, from stone and timber to blend in with the rock formations of the mountains surrounding it. The building, a crumbling wreck by the time it was taken over by the Aga Khan Cultural Service, required five years of work and over a million dollars to return it to its former glory before it was finally inaugurated in 2005. Open from March to November, the hotel can delight in the best of the Baltit seasons once winter has given way – from the cherry blossoms of spring and the festivals of summer to the blushing scarlet colours of autumn.
The pampering begins from the moment we arrive, as a waiter greets us with a tray of freshly pressed apricot juice from the hotel’s own orchard, which also boasts walnuts, cherries and grapes. It is just the tonic to galvanise our weary spirits. Already this is not the Pakistan of popular imagination.
As the mood begins to lift, we are joined at our table by Sarwat Majeed, the genuinely warm residence manager at Serena Prestige Club, whose cheerfulness is attuned to the lively breeze blowing into our veranda. Majeed came to Shigar in 2014 after initially working for Serena – part of the commercial arm of the Aga Khan Foundation and the group that runs the hotels – in an administrative capacity, though she was eventually moved into an operational role.
The transition from the capital city, Islamabad, to a more remote surrounding was less strenuous than expected, says Majeed. The change, she admits, was eased by the warm generosity with which the townspeople accepted her into the local community.
“I had no problems at all when I came, and I found the attitude of the people here even better than in Islamabad," she says. “One of the things I learnt here is that you can be both religiously observant and open-minded at the same time. This was something I had never come across before."
Although there are more family-friendly options in the newly constructed garden house that opens onto the grounds, we choose to take a room in the fort itself, which instantly transports us to a bygone age of romantic austerity.
Standard rooms in the fort are small and refreshingly simple. Dark walnut floors set the aesthetic tone alongside rustic furnishings that are enlivened with contemporary accents. The original low-hung ceilings only add to the comfy feel. Wi-Fi is accessible only in the garden, but it is a small price to pay for a stay in such a sumptuous setting.
Luxury, though, does not mean an absence of rigour. Indeed it would be remiss to idle away the days in what is known as the gateway to K2, the world’s second-tallest peak, and after settling in we gather the necessary accoutrements and foray outside the hotel.
Being keen hikers, we decide to get a feel of the place by walking up the Shigar Rock to see the ruins of Kari Dong, the first ancient fort of the valley dating back to the 11th century. It is a short and steady march up to the final approach, but getting to the top requires a difficult scramble over an almost vertical wall of boulders. With both our children willing in spirit but apprehensive in thought, we forgo the climb and content ourselves with surveying the landscape from a less elevated vantage point. A late meander through the town builds the appetite for dinner.
Our meal, taken in the quaint courtyard of the hotel restaurant, consists of chicken ginger curry and palak paneer (a gravy of puréed spinach and cottage cheese) scooped up in neat slices of tandoori roti. The bread is delicious and soft, and both the main dishes make for reasonable fare. If there is a complaint during our trip, however, it was the overall quality of the food. For one thing, it is exorbitantly expensive, even for a luxury resort. The local Baltit cuisines on offer are also limited and there was a lack of rusticness and subtlety of flavour, normally associated with food born of a rich melting pot of influences.
The next morning we rise at a comfortable hour and fortify ourselves with a breakfast of local apples and sweet brownies. With plenty of time at our disposal, we meet our guide for the day, Shabbir, and head towards the 14th-century Amburiq Mosque, another Aga Khan restoration site and Unesco World Heritage Site. We take the road through the town before crossing onto a narrow pathway that curves through trees and scattered cottages.
Shabbir is a loquacious guide in the very best sense of the term – informative, friendly and engaging. In the kilometre or so it takes us to reach the mosque he has, among other things, whisked us through 700 years of local history as well as considerably increased our botanical knowledge of the region.
For all the weight of its history, the mosque is a petite structure built in the distinctive Tibetan-inspired Baltit style, and our stay there is a short one. Next up is an hour-long ascent up a nearby hilltop, which is home to several ancient Buddhist rock carvings and a picnic spot for our lunch.
In the summer months, local polo matches are held on Saturdays and Tuesdays. Having held a long unfulfilled dream of visiting the famous Polo Festival in Shandur, the opportunity of watching a local contest is too good to pass up, and our afternoon is spent perched on a stone wall watching a rip-roaring spectacle high on intensity and skill, but seemingly lacking in order.
Early the next day, we bid our farewells to Shigar and its wonderful staff, and drive three hours through silver-grey sand dunes to arrive at Khaplu, once home to the Yabgo dynasty, which presided over the second-largest district in Baltistan.
For all of Shigar’s charms, the Khaplu Palace or Yabgo Khar (Fort of the Roof) is a structure of pure poetry and is so indescribably beautiful the only way to appreciate it is by inhaling its ethereal grace. The half-octagon timber entrance is an especially stirring sight, as spectacular as the desolate mountains that cradle it and a fitting seat of government for the old kings, who used to rule over the territory from within its cavernous chambers.
Once we are here, we do not want to leave and what is left of the day after our arrival is passed by drinking hot chocolate in one of the jharokas (traditional overhanging balconies) and surveying the gardens before a light dinner and an early sleep.
Khaplu, like Shigar before it, followed a similar trajectory of rehabilitation and restoration. It also undertook the same commitment to responsible tourism as its sister hotel, and a significant slice of the fort’s earnings go back to serving the needs of the local community.
For the rest of our stay, the hotel acts as an excellent base for discovering the local area, including a much-heralded trout farm (which is a perfect spot for lunching on an array of fried fish), more ancient heritage sites and another polo match, all met with warm welcomes and generous hospitality.
One thing that is noticeable is the unexpectedly large number of sightseers who visit the hotels. The upturn is a relatively new phenomenon explained in part by the popularity of a current television drama serial, Diyar-e-Dil, based on the novel by Pakistani author and screenwriter Farhat Ishtiaq and filmed almost entirely at the residences. There were five families this year alone who came over from the UAE for a holiday after seeing the hotel on TV.
One evening, Abid, a gentle giant of a guest-relations officer, calls me over to show a clip of the show on his phone in which he appears in a brief speaking role. He chuckles as the video finishes, but then laments the fact that because the setting of Diyar-e-Dil is meant to take place near Peshawar, the region and the people are not getting the full recognition they deserve.
He has a point. But slowly and surely people are coming. And as we found out for ourselves, those who do are in for a wondrous time, which no account can fully encapsulate.
A luxe experience in Pakistan’s Skardu valley
Usman Ahmad
March 22, 2016
The National
Shortly after leaving the airport, our minivan hurtles across a rolling open road in Skardu, one of the great eastern valleys of Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan region. The breakneck driving speeds are the sole reminder of the frenzied chaos we have left behind in the lowlands below. Instead, we find ourselves in a sort of parallel universe, untarnished by any trace of commotion. Passing under gentle skies alongside skinny poplar trees and serenely toiling farmers, one could be forgiven for thinking they had just entered a scene from the works of the old English pastoral writers such as Gilbert White, rather than what is considered to be one of the most volatile countries on Earth.
Amidst a Taliban insurgency and ever-increasing sectarian schisms, Pakistan does not represent an obvious travel destination. Years of turmoil have bludgeoned its international reputation, including its status as a place of tourism. The focus on the unrest, however, overshadows the fact that much of Pakistan can be visited safely – as long as a few elementary precautions are taken – as well as the incredible beauty and riches of the country that await those willing to see beyond the widely enshrined negative perceptions.
Nowhere is this better exemplified than in the valleys of Baltistan, which stand out as havens of peace, all but free from the perniciousness of extremism. Much of the tranquillity of the region comes from high standards of education, relative gender equality and a tolerant religious outlook, stemming from the various moderate forms of Shiism most here follow. This, coupled with incredible mountain landscapes, some of the world’s largest glaciers and a people who have preserved significant parts of their ancient culture, makes this part of the world an unspoilt paradise, ripe for exploration.
And so it is that my family and I find ourselves in Skardu. In those summers where we don’t manage a trip abroad, our family holidays usually take the form of a budget jaunt exploring the northern areas of Pakistan. Part getaway, part desperate escape from the stifling heat of the Punjab, our penchant for adventure means that the tourist-friendly hotspots are eschewed for something off the beaten track, even with two young children in tow. Admittedly, our experience this time around is far more luxe, though it’s still one that is relentlessly hidden away.
Tucked away in the verdant valleys of Shigar and Khaplu lie two old fort palaces that have, in recent times, been converted to first-rate heritage hotels by the Aga Khan Cultural Service Pakistan, the local arm of the Aga Khan Historic Cities Programme, an effort that focuses on the restoration of historic structures and other urban-regeneration projects. While similarly restored boutique residences are studded across the length and breadth of neighbouring India and China, they are much rarer in Pakistan and even less celebrated. Things are beginning to change, though, and these unheralded gems are increasingly attracting charmed visitors.
Shigar, or to give it its original name Fong Khar (Fort on the Rock), is where we head first for a two-night stay. The original fort was built in the 17th century by the ruler of the Amacha dynasty, from stone and timber to blend in with the rock formations of the mountains surrounding it. The building, a crumbling wreck by the time it was taken over by the Aga Khan Cultural Service, required five years of work and over a million dollars to return it to its former glory before it was finally inaugurated in 2005. Open from March to November, the hotel can delight in the best of the Baltit seasons once winter has given way – from the cherry blossoms of spring and the festivals of summer to the blushing scarlet colours of autumn.
The pampering begins from the moment we arrive, as a waiter greets us with a tray of freshly pressed apricot juice from the hotel’s own orchard, which also boasts walnuts, cherries and grapes. It is just the tonic to galvanise our weary spirits. Already this is not the Pakistan of popular imagination.
As the mood begins to lift, we are joined at our table by Sarwat Majeed, the genuinely warm residence manager at Serena Prestige Club, whose cheerfulness is attuned to the lively breeze blowing into our veranda. Majeed came to Shigar in 2014 after initially working for Serena – part of the commercial arm of the Aga Khan Foundation and the group that runs the hotels – in an administrative capacity, though she was eventually moved into an operational role.
The transition from the capital city, Islamabad, to a more remote surrounding was less strenuous than expected, says Majeed. The change, she admits, was eased by the warm generosity with which the townspeople accepted her into the local community.
“I had no problems at all when I came, and I found the attitude of the people here even better than in Islamabad," she says. “One of the things I learnt here is that you can be both religiously observant and open-minded at the same time. This was something I had never come across before."
Although there are more family-friendly options in the newly constructed garden house that opens onto the grounds, we choose to take a room in the fort itself, which instantly transports us to a bygone age of romantic austerity.
Standard rooms in the fort are small and refreshingly simple. Dark walnut floors set the aesthetic tone alongside rustic furnishings that are enlivened with contemporary accents. The original low-hung ceilings only add to the comfy feel. Wi-Fi is accessible only in the garden, but it is a small price to pay for a stay in such a sumptuous setting.
Luxury, though, does not mean an absence of rigour. Indeed it would be remiss to idle away the days in what is known as the gateway to K2, the world’s second-tallest peak, and after settling in we gather the necessary accoutrements and foray outside the hotel.
Being keen hikers, we decide to get a feel of the place by walking up the Shigar Rock to see the ruins of Kari Dong, the first ancient fort of the valley dating back to the 11th century. It is a short and steady march up to the final approach, but getting to the top requires a difficult scramble over an almost vertical wall of boulders. With both our children willing in spirit but apprehensive in thought, we forgo the climb and content ourselves with surveying the landscape from a less elevated vantage point. A late meander through the town builds the appetite for dinner.
Our meal, taken in the quaint courtyard of the hotel restaurant, consists of chicken ginger curry and palak paneer (a gravy of puréed spinach and cottage cheese) scooped up in neat slices of tandoori roti. The bread is delicious and soft, and both the main dishes make for reasonable fare. If there is a complaint during our trip, however, it was the overall quality of the food. For one thing, it is exorbitantly expensive, even for a luxury resort. The local Baltit cuisines on offer are also limited and there was a lack of rusticness and subtlety of flavour, normally associated with food born of a rich melting pot of influences.
The next morning we rise at a comfortable hour and fortify ourselves with a breakfast of local apples and sweet brownies. With plenty of time at our disposal, we meet our guide for the day, Shabbir, and head towards the 14th-century Amburiq Mosque, another Aga Khan restoration site and Unesco World Heritage Site. We take the road through the town before crossing onto a narrow pathway that curves through trees and scattered cottages.
Shabbir is a loquacious guide in the very best sense of the term – informative, friendly and engaging. In the kilometre or so it takes us to reach the mosque he has, among other things, whisked us through 700 years of local history as well as considerably increased our botanical knowledge of the region.
For all the weight of its history, the mosque is a petite structure built in the distinctive Tibetan-inspired Baltit style, and our stay there is a short one. Next up is an hour-long ascent up a nearby hilltop, which is home to several ancient Buddhist rock carvings and a picnic spot for our lunch.
In the summer months, local polo matches are held on Saturdays and Tuesdays. Having held a long unfulfilled dream of visiting the famous Polo Festival in Shandur, the opportunity of watching a local contest is too good to pass up, and our afternoon is spent perched on a stone wall watching a rip-roaring spectacle high on intensity and skill, but seemingly lacking in order.
Early the next day, we bid our farewells to Shigar and its wonderful staff, and drive three hours through silver-grey sand dunes to arrive at Khaplu, once home to the Yabgo dynasty, which presided over the second-largest district in Baltistan.
For all of Shigar’s charms, the Khaplu Palace or Yabgo Khar (Fort of the Roof) is a structure of pure poetry and is so indescribably beautiful the only way to appreciate it is by inhaling its ethereal grace. The half-octagon timber entrance is an especially stirring sight, as spectacular as the desolate mountains that cradle it and a fitting seat of government for the old kings, who used to rule over the territory from within its cavernous chambers.
Once we are here, we do not want to leave and what is left of the day after our arrival is passed by drinking hot chocolate in one of the jharokas (traditional overhanging balconies) and surveying the gardens before a light dinner and an early sleep.
Khaplu, like Shigar before it, followed a similar trajectory of rehabilitation and restoration. It also undertook the same commitment to responsible tourism as its sister hotel, and a significant slice of the fort’s earnings go back to serving the needs of the local community.
For the rest of our stay, the hotel acts as an excellent base for discovering the local area, including a much-heralded trout farm (which is a perfect spot for lunching on an array of fried fish), more ancient heritage sites and another polo match, all met with warm welcomes and generous hospitality.
One thing that is noticeable is the unexpectedly large number of sightseers who visit the hotels. The upturn is a relatively new phenomenon explained in part by the popularity of a current television drama serial, Diyar-e-Dil, based on the novel by Pakistani author and screenwriter Farhat Ishtiaq and filmed almost entirely at the residences. There were five families this year alone who came over from the UAE for a holiday after seeing the hotel on TV.
One evening, Abid, a gentle giant of a guest-relations officer, calls me over to show a clip of the show on his phone in which he appears in a brief speaking role. He chuckles as the video finishes, but then laments the fact that because the setting of Diyar-e-Dil is meant to take place near Peshawar, the region and the people are not getting the full recognition they deserve.
He has a point. But slowly and surely people are coming. And as we found out for ourselves, those who do are in for a wondrous time, which no account can fully encapsulate.