TREK TO CHUMAR BAKOOR MINE
CHUMAR BAKOOR mine is located at the altitude of 4350 M around in the Summyar Valley of the Nagar- Giltgit Baltistan, very famous aquamarine mine in Hunza-Nagar Valley. The aquamarine crystals from this mine have reputation of bigger size in the world but color is not very good as compared to Shigar in Skardu and Haramosh mines. Their working season on mine is late July to around mid of October, depending over the earlier snow fall of the season. During this period most of the male villagers are on the mine working in the season and there is big traffic from the village to the mine, transporting the mining material and daily use goods, food. There are around 100 huts and 700 to 900 people (miners), looks like a village in the high mountain. They have their own traditional hospitality on mines, are enjoying working on the mine in the mountains.
It is very interesting to visit this mine to meet the miners and see their way of mining, life on high altitude mine. There is very fantastic view of Diran Peak 7256M, Summyar Peak 5800M and over look of Hunza Valley that is great. The area is in the range of Karakorum which is the youngest as well as highest mountain range in the world, their pegmatites those contain variety of gemstones, are few million years old. The mining region is rising around 100 to 150 meters with near vertical cliffs, due to high altitude the cavities or pockets are almost always frozen. It is very hard to doing mining at an altitude and local miner's claims that it is highest mine in the world.
The access is very easy and simple, can have driven 2hrs from Karimabad-Hunza to the end of Jeep road in Summyar Valley that is around 3200 M then 45 minutes trek to Madurkuche 3400M (camping place), just above the snout of the Glacier where water is available. It is steep trek about 2-4 hrs then traverse 15-20 minutes to the mine, It is around 1000 m ascent and decent, can reach in one day to the mine (5-7 hrs) trek.
ITINERARY:
Suitable period: End of July to Mid of October
Altitude: 4350 M (around 1000 M ascent and decent)
Day-01: Arrival to Islamabad airport and transfer to hotel, in the rest time of sightseeing in Islamabad and Rawalpini.
Day-02: Drive to Chilas (10-11 hrs) via Naran and Babu Sar Pass or on the Karakorum Highway 12-14 hrs, overnight at hotel in Chilas.
Day-03: Continue from Chilas to Karimabad-Hunza via Gilgit, overnight at hotel.
Day-04: Visits of ruby mines in Hunza Valley, overnight at hotel.
Day-05: Drive to Summyar, where jeep road ends then walk 45 minutes to Madurkuchi, overnight in the tent.
Day-06: Trek 5-6 hrs to mine, overnight in the tent.
Day-07: Trek down to the road then drive to Karimabad, overnight at hotel
Day-08: Drive to Chilas via Gilgit /hotel
Day-09: Continue to Islamabad via Babu Sar Pass or Karakorum Highway/hotel
Day-10: Departure from Islamabad (drop to the airport)
CHUMAR BAKOOR mine is located at the altitude of 4350 M around in the Summyar Valley of the Nagar- Giltgit Baltistan, very famous aquamarine mine in Hunza-Nagar Valley. The aquamarine crystals from this mine have reputation of bigger size in the world but color is not very good as compared to Shigar in Skardu and Haramosh mines. Their working season on mine is late July to around mid of October, depending over the earlier snow fall of the season. During this period most of the male villagers are on the mine working in the season and there is big traffic from the village to the mine, transporting the mining material and daily use goods, food. There are around 100 huts and 700 to 900 people (miners), looks like a village in the high mountain. They have their own traditional hospitality on mines, are enjoying working on the mine in the mountains.
It is very interesting to visit this mine to meet the miners and see their way of mining, life on high altitude mine. There is very fantastic view of Diran Peak 7256M, Summyar Peak 5800M and over look of Hunza Valley that is great. The area is in the range of Karakorum which is the youngest as well as highest mountain range in the world, their pegmatites those contain variety of gemstones, are few million years old. The mining region is rising around 100 to 150 meters with near vertical cliffs, due to high altitude the cavities or pockets are almost always frozen. It is very hard to doing mining at an altitude and local miner's claims that it is highest mine in the world.
The access is very easy and simple, can have driven 2hrs from Karimabad-Hunza to the end of Jeep road in Summyar Valley that is around 3200 M then 45 minutes trek to Madurkuche 3400M (camping place), just above the snout of the Glacier where water is available. It is steep trek about 2-4 hrs then traverse 15-20 minutes to the mine, It is around 1000 m ascent and decent, can reach in one day to the mine (5-7 hrs) trek.
Suitable period: End of July to Mid of October
Altitude: 4350 M (around 1000 M ascent and decent)
Day-01: Arrival to Islamabad airport and transfer to hotel, in the rest time of sightseeing in Islamabad and Rawalpini.
Day-02: Drive to Chilas (10-11 hrs) via Naran and Babu Sar Pass or on the Karakorum Highway 12-14 hrs, overnight at hotel in Chilas.
Day-03: Continue from Chilas to Karimabad-Hunza via Gilgit, overnight at hotel.
Day-04: Visits of ruby mines in Hunza Valley, overnight at hotel.
Day-05: Drive to Summyar, where jeep road ends then walk 45 minutes to Madurkuchi, overnight in the tent.
Day-06: Trek 5-6 hrs to mine, overnight in the tent.
Day-07: Trek down to the road then drive to Karimabad, overnight at hotel Day-08: Drive to Chilas via Gilgit /hotel Day-09: Continue to Islamabad via Babu Sar Pass or Karakorum Highway/hotel Day-10: Departure from Islamabad (drop to the airport)
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