About
Chilas sits on the left bank of the Indus River, on the Karakoram Highway, and is the main town of Diamer District. The weather is hot and dry in summer and cold and dry in winter, and the town is surrounded by bare mountains and the wide river. The area around Chilas is one of the richest rock-art regions in the world. Tens of thousands of carvings and inscriptions, left by travellers, traders, pilgrims, and locals over thousands of years, are spread along the Indus. Many are Buddhist, showing stupas, Bodhisattvas, and scenes from the life of the Buddha. Chilas is also the stopover for travellers heading to Fairy Meadows, Babusar Pass, and Astore. Chilas Fort, first garrisoned to protect British supply routes over Babusar, is part of its colonial history.