Islamabad: Straddling the Himalayas and Karakoram mountain ranges, surrounded by Pakistan, China, Afghanistan and India, Gilgit-Baltistan has been named among the top 25 destinations worth visiting in 2025 by CNN.
The list curated by the US broadcaster described Gilgit-Baltistan as a place that “has more tantalising peaks than a lemon meringue pie”.
“The Gilgit-Baltistan region in the Karakoram Mountains isn’t the easiest place to get to — flight schedules can be unreliable, roads can be blocked off seasonally — but it has more tantalising peaks than a lemon meringue pie,” CNN Travel said.
The mountainous region witnesses thousands of local and foreign tourists annually.
The Gilgit-Baltistan region in the Karakoram Mountains isn’t the easiest place to get to — flight schedules can be unreliable, roads can be blocked off seasonally — but it has more tantalising peaks than a lemon meringue pie.” – CNN Travel said.
Besides foreign climbers visit the region for expeditions on various peaks, paragliding and other adventure sports.
Home to 5 eight-thousanders
The US broadcaster said, “It’s home to five of the 14 eight-thousander peaks [i.e. mountains towering above 8,000 metres above sea level] recognised as the world’s highest. That includes K2, the world’s second-tallest mountain but No 1 in terms of difficulty and danger.”
CNN Travel added that hiking in GB “makes the Himalayas look like a traipse in Central Park” but added that travelling alone is “not an option”, noting that Nepal also banned solo hiking throughout that country last year.
According to GB tourism officials, 2,100 foreign adventurers among climbers visited the region in 2023 to scale peaks such as K2, Nanga Parbat, Gasherbrum-I, Gasherbrum-II and Broad Peak after obtaining permits in the summer season.
The number rose to 2,380 in 2024.
Gilgit-Baltistan is a popular tourism destination known for some of the highest peaks, glaciers, pastures, lakes, meadows and its unique landscapes.
