Before Baltit, there was Altit. This fort stands at the edge of a sheer cliff that drops hundreds of metres to the Hunza River, and it is believed to be about a thousand years old, making it the oldest surviving building in Gilgit-Baltistan.
Its watchtower, the Shikari Tower, gave the rulers of Hunza a view far up and down the valley. Inside are small dark rooms, low doors and carved wooden windows, built to keep out the winter cold.
The Aga Khan Trust for Culture restored the fort and the old village around it, and it opened to visitors in 2007. The project was later honoured with a UNESCO Asia-Pacific award for heritage conservation. Its royal garden, with apricot and apple trees, is a peaceful place to rest.
