Pakistan Sost, Pine Cone Mountains of Passu and Borith Lake 2013

 Karakoram Highway from Sost to  Passu

We spent a few hours at after Custom Formalities to get a couple of things done on our Sorento. We had her serviced (engine oil and oil filter changed) and her side step fixed. 

             

Engine Oil and Oil filter changed and safety checks carried out at this workshop.

We had seen the Tourist Information Office the day before and decided to drop by the office this morning to get some info. Next, we changed some dollars for rupees (1 USD = 98 rupees). 

Then we went in search of lunch. We packed some briyani rice and chapati roti. We left Sost Town at noon local time to head towards Passu and the Attabad Lake.

Back on the KKH Highway... on to Passu. We had just realised that there is a 3 hour time difference between Pakistan and China. We turned our watches and reset the time on our cameras. We came across an army/police check point. After looking through our passport, they wave us through.

 Stacks of wheat stalk left to dry. This is near Khyber village on the KKH.

 Pedestrian bridge for the local villagers at Khyber.

We continued driving south on the KKH. Less than 20 minutes later, we reached the village of Passu.

Passu Pine Cone Mountain


     
We stopped at Passu to take in the amazing mountain sceneries.
These are the Pine Cone Mountains of Hunza valley. It is actually the Tupopdan Mountain.
     

Pine Cone Mountains also goes by several other names - Passu Cones or Cathedral Cones.

Our Sorento and the Pine Cone Mountains.

                 

Pine Cone Mountains in Hunza Valley at the Welcome to Passu sign along the KKH.

Looking upwards to the mountains on the left of the "Welcome to Passu" sign, we catch sight of the  massive Passu Glacier. The bottom edges of the glacier are covered with dirt etc and is black in colour.

 it is just off to the road

Closer look at the Passu Glacier.

According to the Meteorological Department, Pakistan has more glaciers than any other country outside the polar region - more than 7,200 in the Karakoram, Himalayan and Hindukush ranges.

The Passu Glacier is 21km long and is linked to the 57km Batura Glacier, making this one of the longest glacier system in the world's non polar region.

Our Sorento and the Passu Glacier. This the closest our Sorento has been to a Glacier. 

We did not get to see the Passu Peak which is hidden behind the clouds today.

Passu Glacier on the left and the Pine Cone Mountains on the right.

The view of Hunza Mountains on the opposite side.

Wheat and vegetables plots at Passu village

Ready plots.

We left Passu and carried on south towards Husseini village, less than 8km away.

Mountains in the Hunza Valley.







Hunza River.




Green fields at Husseini village.

Borith Lake



At Husseini village, we detoured off the Karakoram Highway and turned right onto the dirt track that will take us to Borith Lake.

The dirt track up was winding and very steep to climb. At sharp hairpin bend, our Sorento struggled to climb in the sweltering heat.

Brief stop to take some photos of the green fields of Husseini village. Then we carried on to Borith Lake.

Borith Lake, near Husseini village, is a saline body of water occupying a small hollow at an elevation of 2,500 meters. 

We rested our Sorento and relaxed for a bit here.

Driving down the dirt track to get back on the KKH.

The steady drive down the steep and sharp hairpin bend on the 2 km track to the KKH.

Once back on the KKH, we continued South towards Attabad Lake. See our next post for our Sorento's Attabad lake crossing adventure.