Borith Lake — Hunza Valley Shoreline Camping Above Gulmit

Borith Lake sits on a bench above the Karakoram Highway near Gulmit and Hussaini, about 15 minutes of driving from the Passu turnoff where the Shimshal Road begins. It’s a small, shallow lake with a gravel and grass shoreline. Behind it the Passu Cones, Passu Sar and the Ghulkin glacier basin stack up in the distance. Migratory birds work the water in spring and fall. Locals run a few small guesthouse and tea-stall setups nearby, and camping here is informal, so ask permission before you pitch. Pack out everything, because there’s no trash service and the shoreline is easy to trash.

This makes a good acclimatization night before you commit to the narrow, exposed Shimshal Road. Nights get cold even in summer, and the wind off the glacier can be sharp. Access is by a rough track or a short walk up from the highway side, and conditions change with snowmelt and landslides, so check locally before you drive it. Best window is roughly May through October. Confirm access and any local camping rules ahead of time with people in Gulmit or Passu. Have a dirty day.

Glacier lake camp one valley off the Shimshal Road