Pakistan Spring Blossom Photography Tour
Apricot, cherry and almond trees in flower under peaks still deep in snow: the softest season in the Karakoram, and one of the shortest.
For a few weeks in spring, the orchards of Gilgit-Baltistan flower all at once. White and pink blossom fills the terraces while the mountains above are still in full winter snow.
Blossom climbs the valleys with the warmth. It begins in the lower villages in late March and reaches Passu and the high villages of Baltistan around the middle of April, so a tour can follow it upward.
Spring is also the quiet season. The summer crowds have not arrived, the air is clean, and village life moves back into the fields, which makes it a good time for photographs with people in them.
- Peak blossom
- Late March to mid-April
- Regions
- Hunza, Nagar, Passu, Skardu, Khaplu, Machulu
- Conditions
- Cool, changeable, soft light
- Access
- Karakoram Highway; flights to Gilgit and Skardu
Locations
What you will photograph
Lower Hunza and Nagar
The first orchards to flower, usually in the last days of March.
Karimabad and Altit
Blossom on the terraces below the forts, with Rakaposhi behind.
Passu
The last of the Hunza blossom, around mid-April, in front of the Passu Cones.
Skardu and Shigar
Orchards around the Kachura lakes and Shigar Fort, in the first half of April.
Khaplu and Machulu
Whole villages in bloom along the Shyok River, outstanding from the air where drones are permitted.
Light and season
When to go
- Overcast days are welcome: soft light holds the detail in white blossom.
- A single day of wind or rain can strip the petals, so a few flexible days in the plan make a real difference.
- Peak dates move by about a week from year to year with the temperature.
See the month-by-month guide to the best time to photograph Pakistan.
From my archive
Photographs from Spring Blossom in Northern Pakistan
Practical notes
Before you travel
- Babusar Pass is closed in spring, so travel is by the Karakoram Highway or by air.
- Mornings are cold; some higher guesthouses are only just reopening.
- A longer lens compresses blossom against the peaks; a wide lens works inside the orchards.
- Orchards are private land. I arrange access with the families who own them.
Plan your trip
Photograph Spring Blossom in Northern Pakistan with me
Tell me your dates and what you want to photograph, and I will plan a private itinerary around the light. Tours are operated through Travelbug, the travel company I co-founded, which arranges transport, stays and permits.
Every tour is privately quoted. No fixed packages or departure dates.
Questions
Good to know
When is blossom season in Hunza?
From late March in lower Hunza to about mid-April in upper Hunza around Passu. The peak in any one village lasts roughly a week.
What kind of blossom is it?
Mostly apricot, along with cherry, almond, peach and apple. Hunza and Baltistan are known for their apricot orchards.
Is spring a good time to visit northern Pakistan?
Yes, for photographers. It is quiet, the light is soft and the snow line is still low, though the weather is more changeable than in autumn.
Can I combine blossom in Hunza and Skardu?
Yes. The two bloom within days of each other, and a longer itinerary can cover both by road through Gilgit.
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Muhammad Asmar Hussain
Award-winning Pakistani landscape photographer, Sony Brand Ambassador for Landscape Photography, TEDx speaker and Co-Founder of Travelbug. Published by National Geographic and a winner at the Sony World Photography Awards. More about Asmar.