Karimabad

This compact mountain town in Pakistan's Gilgit-Baltistan region serves as the capital of Hunza District, with cafés and restaurants concentrated in a walkable centre and the high peaks of the Karakoram close at hand. Formerly known as Baltit, it sits within the disputed Kashmir region and draws independent travellers looking for a base in one of Pakistan's most dramatic highland areas.

• Population16,000
• Nearest water from center2.1 km
• Nearest mountain from center4.9 km