By Hina Haroon
In today’s world, where people seem to be careless—where people don’t even know who lives next door—where people only care about themselves—where hospitality is dying, we have people who welcome you with an open heart, with a smile on their face, and who care about you. People who make you feel at home. From a known person to a stranger, they will welcome you with a smile, offer you something to eat, and greet you like their own family. I am talking about the people of Baltistan—the open-hearted people with love and hospitality rooted in their blood.
As someone who loves to explore the northern part of the country, my heart goes out to the people of Baltistan. Earlier this year, I did my first trek with the travel company Guide to Adventure Pakistan, and it was an absolute pleasure. Since then, I have a special place in my heart for everyone I have met.
This month, when I decided to go back to experience the beautiful autumn, little did I know that I was a guest of the Baltis who would melt my heart again. As beautiful as Khaplu and Skardu are in autumn, the people there are even more beautiful inside and out.
I explored different places in Skardu and Khaplu, and in each place, I met various people who didn’t seem like strangers at all. They were helpful, and they were there to feed us the best food. I remember coming to Deosai, near Satpara-lake a small fish place that is usually full of locals and tourists, but this time of the season, my family and I were the only people there. We checked if the place was open, and luckily, it was.
The owner was so hospitable that he offered to wait while he could cook fish for us. He offered us tea, and considering it was cold, he asked if we would like to sit in his cozy kitchen The fish and pakoras were so on point that I could go again and again just to have them. I mean it.
As I said earlier, no one can beat the hospitality of the Baltis. I remember coming back to Skardu after Khaplu—I will come back to Khaplu as well. Right when we were entering Skardu, there was a small fruit vendor from whom we bought some apples. Before we made a purchase, he offered us slices of an apple and welcomed us to the land of Skardu. He said, “Apka Skardu ke zameen pe khush aamadid” (Welcome to the land of Skardu). After the purchase, he said to us, “Allah apka safar salamat rakhay” (May Allah keep your trip safe). These are the small gestures that are nowhere to be found in this era, and this just melted my heart. So many prayers for the shopkeeper.
Let’s talk about Khaplu a bit. If there’s one place that has my heart, it’s Khaplu—a small town 2-3 hours away from Skardu. Man, that town has my heart. As beautiful as it looks in autumn, that place has some kind of peace. The moment you step into Khaplu, you feel it—you feel it in your heart. That place makes your heart smile as if you were meant to be there. I could stay there forever, as long as I can. If you ever visit Khaplu, which you must, you will understand what I am talking about. The people are so nice there; they will smile at you, the kids will wave, and every person you see will greet you with “salam.” A few places that are a must-visit in Khaplu are Khaplu Fort, Chaqchan Mosque, Khanqa (which is still under construction but a must-visit just to see the beautiful wooden carvings that have been done so far), and Thoqsikhar.
If you wonder where I stayed, then my recommendation will always be Karakoram Lodge Khaplu. Located in the upper part of Khaplu, it offers a breathtaking view of the valley, the Shyok River, and the majestic Karakoram Mountains, along with a wide garden where you can have a cup of tea. One thing I can say is that the staff there is so good. They take care of you like their family—they will make sure that you have your dinner and lunch on time. It is indeed the best place to stay in Khaplu; you will feel it like home, and I kid you not, you won’t feel like leaving.
Coming to the end, I must say that after meeting all these people, you will feel that humanity is not all dead. The simplicity of the Baltis will make your heart smile. I can go on and on, but honestly, I have enough words to describe how amazing these people are.
