About
Altit Fort rises from a rocky cliff that drops hundreds of metres to the Hunza River. It was the original seat of the Mirs of Hunza, who moved to nearby Baltit Fort several centuries later. Parts of the fort, especially the Shikari Tower, are believed to be about 1,100 years old, making it among the oldest monuments in Gilgit-Baltistan. The fort was restored by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture with support from the Government of Norway and has been open to visitors since 2007. Its stone, wood, and mud construction blends into the rocky hillside, and its small rooms, narrow stairways, and viewing platforms give a real sense of how life worked inside a mountain fortress. Around the fort, the old village of Altit is a pleasure to wander through. Narrow lanes, traditional houses, and apricot trees surround the fort, while from the terraces you can see the Hunza River far below and snow-capped peaks beyond.