Hunza Valley in Autumn |
The Hunza is situated at an elevation of about 900 metres (3,000 ft).
For many centuries, Hunza has provided the quickest access to Swat and Gandhara
for a person travelling on foot. The route was impassable for pack
animals; only human porters could get through, and then only with
permission from the locals. Hunza was easily defended as the paths were
often less than 0.5 metres (20 in) wide. The high mountain paths often
crossed bare cliff faces on logs wedged into cracks in the cliff, with
stones balanced on top. They were also constantly exposed to regular
damage from weather and falling rocks. These were the much feared
"hanging passageways" of the early travel accounts that terrified
several famous Chinese Buddhist monks such as Xuanzang.
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