Journey from Misgar to historical Klik Pass
The Kilik pass (4,827 m or 15,837 ft high; 37° 05 N; 74° 41′ E) lies at about 30km west of the Mintika pass. Kilik and Mintika pass together served as a ancient entry point from China to India. Karavans and traders coming from China and Afghanistan through the ancient Silk Route prefered the Kilik Pass . The area is glacier free and grass covered which provided enough pasture land for the horses, yaks and camels of Karavans and domestic animals alike. Still today, the area around Haaq and Sad Buldi, near Kilik provides some of the best grazing for the Misgari’s livestock.
For details about Qalandarchi for visit ww.gojal.net
(The pictures were taken by Mir Baz Khan and Jabbar Khan during the study tour of the teachers of F.G Boys High School, Gulmit to Klik, during August 2008)
For more pictures visit: ww.khunjerab.multiply.com
YAM. THANKS TO EXPLORE MISGAR AT UR SITE .I SULT YOU TO THIS GREAT JOB AND PRAY YO UR SUCESSES .KEEP COUNTINUE THIS JORNY AND WE SUPPORT U
Misgar village is set in a beautiful mountain environment of verdant, well-tended fields and clear streams irrigating the terraces and flower-covered gardens. The treks along the ancient trading routes, leading north to the Kilik and Mintaka Passes are equally attractive and could be rated as some of the easiest trekking in northern Pakistan.
For more than 1000 years, Kilik and Mintaka were the Silk Routes;s primary passes between China and Hunza and today these broad valleys and extensive alpine meadows, once closed to foreigners, are again accessible. Kilik and Mintaka, two historic passes on Pakistan’s border with China, have been off limits to foreigners since 1947. The 1m-3m wide tails to these gentle passes are easy to follow, springs and trees are abundant, and camp sites are grassy, making this one of northern Pakistan’s easiest treks.
Amongst the earliest travelers along the Silk Route were the pilgrims. A succession of Chinese monks, including Fah Hian, Sung-
Yun and others made their way over the
Wakhan passes to ancient Ghandhara
(Swat), to receive holy Buddhist scriptures
and eventually bring them back to China and Tibet. Whether those early pilgrims passed through Misgar is not clear; clear, however, is that a series of petroglyphs near Kilik, depicting horse riders, hunters, ibex and Buddhist swastikas, show evidence for the long and diverse human usage of this area.
On the butte above Murkushi, a whole
graveyard of old Kyrgyz tombs can be visited and stands as yet another reminder of Misgar’s long and fascinating pass
.
Kilik-Mintaka
Difficult Camps up to 5000 m. Less than 25 km/day, river crossing, glacier ice walking, dangerous scree slopes.
Two mythical passes at the Chinese border. Less than a century ago, they were the final frontier of the British Empire, as shows a fort built at the bottom of the valley. A trek little attended, among the most interesting of Pakistan.
Landscapes vary between sharp needles of the Karakoram and the more eroded relief of the Pamir. Kilik is to visit first, it goes over 4800 m; it is very open and crossed over its entire width by a fence.
Mintaka is the less popular of the two, with luck you can see wolves or bears, and marmots are legions.
Easy to very difficult:
There are no technical difficulties, the path is well marked, many opportunities to camp. It all depends how much time you have. We have walked it in 5 days, 115 km and two passes over 4700 m, it is better to be acclimatized. The ideal is between 6 and 8 days.
5 days (very difficult) to negotiate with his team:
Misgar – Murkushi / Murkushi – Sad Buldi – Kilik visit – Sad Buldi / Sad buldi – Murkushi / Murkushi – Gul Kawja – Mintaka visit – Gul Kawja / Gul Kawja – Misgar.
6 days (difficult) trail classic Misgar – Murkushi / Murkushi – Sad Buldi – Kilik visit – Sad Buldi / Sad buldi – Murkushi / Murkushi – Gul Kawja / Mintaka visit – Gul Kawja – Murkushi / Murkushi – Misgar
7 days (moderate): Misgar – Murkushi / Murkushi – Sad Buldi / Kilik visit / Sad buldi – Murkushi / Murkushi – Gul Kawja / Mintaka visit – Gul Kawja – Murkushi / Murkushi – Misgar
8 days (easy) trail comfort: Misgar – Murkushi / Murkushi – Sad Buldi / Kilik visit / Sad buldi – Murkushi / Murkushi – Gul Kawja / Mintaka visit / Gul Kawja – Murkushi / Murkushi – Misgar
This list may give an idea for planning the route. These camps are not the only ones and there are endless possibilities. It is your own choice.
YAM. THANKS TO EXPLORE MISGAR AT UR SITE .I SULT YOU TO THIS GREAT JOB AND PRAY YO UR SUCESSES .KEEP COUNTINUE THIS JORNY AND WE SUPPORT U
I LOVE MY DEAR VALLY MISGAR
I love MY misgar