Ganish village

Six kilometers (3.5 miles) beyond Aliabad, the Karakoram Highway (KKH) makes a sweeping S-bend down past Ganish village to the bridge across the Hunza River. Ganish, on a fertile flat and above the river, is guarded by an old watchtower and fort. The old mosque is also worth a visit. In the pool in front of the tower all the local children learn to swim. Until this century boys had to swim across the Hunza River to prove that they could escape or attack across the river when necessary. Until the British came in 1891, the men of Hunza used to keep a sword, gun, shield and a loaf of bread (which was replaced every eight days) beside their doors; when the drums beat the alarm from Altit fort, heralding the approach of raiders, each man would grab these things and run for the fort. (Presumably his family went too.) www hunzo com