Would you like to visit one of the oldest settlements in Hunza?
The village of Avgarch is said to be 900 years old, inhabited by the wakhi people who migrated here from the Wakhan of now Afghanistan.
There used to be a jeep road between Jamalabad, the village where the trek starts and Avgarch, and villagers and tourists alike were able to go on day trips to the mountains. Unfortunately, due to a huge rockfall and flood the road was badly damaged, and now it’s only accessible on foot.
How to get there
The trek to Avgarch starts from the village of Jamalabad, approximately 30 minutes ride from Passu, and 10 minutes from Sost. You can take a passenger van or a taxi to the village.
Boibar
If you have the strength or on a multi day hike, you can continue to Boibar.
There are two bridges to cross, and after a while you will see scattered houses and buildings.
After crossing a stream you can countinue your hike on the mountainside towards the glacier.
The trek
Don’t follow the sign on the Karakoram Highway suggesting to you to take the lower route, instead, walk up the next road to the village of Jamalabad, and follow the water canal for a while. The view is much better from there.
After a while you will cross a bridge, and the terrain will start to look more rugged.
After a while you will cross another bridge, and a bit later you will see the first views of Avgarch above. Follow the serpentines up to the village, and you have arrived!
There are a few locals who stay in Avgarch in the season, so there is a chance you will be invited for a tea. They don’t have much though so it is a nice touch to take them something special from Jamalabad, like a bag of dried apricots.
Make sure you take a look at a 900-year-old juniper tree that is the symbol of life!
Where to stay
You can camp in Avgarch or Boibar, and cook your own food.
There is a guesthouse in Jamalabad called Chilmindak Homestay Jamalabad, you can sleep and eat there the night before/after and rent any camping equipment you may need. There’s no shop in the village as of 2024, so take your own supplies from Sost or Passu.
