The valley stretches along the Hunza River and shares borders with Ishkoman to the northwest, Shigar to the southeast, Afghanistan's Wakhan Corridor to the north, and China's Xinjiang region to the northeast.^[3] It is continuous with the Nagar Valley below the confluence of Hispar and Hunza rivers. The valley floor sits at an elevation of 2,438 meters (7,999 feet). Geographically, the Hunza Valley is divided into three parts: Upper Hunza (Gojal), Central Hunza, and Lower Hunza (Shinaki).

Buddhism and, to a lesser extent, Bön were the primary religions in the area before the advent of Islam.^[4] The region holds several surviving Buddhist archaeological sites, such as the Sacred Rock of Hunza. Since then, most of the population converted to Islam, predominantly following the Ismaili sect. Hunza contains rock inscriptions in the ancient Brahmi script, created by Buddhist monks as expressions of worship and culture.^[5] With most locals converting to Islam, they had been mainly left forgotten, but are now being restored.^[6] Hunza Valley was central in the network of trading routes connecting Central Asia to the subcontinent. It also provided protection to Buddhist missionaries and monks visiting the subcontinent, and the region played a significant role in the transmission of Buddhism throughout Asia.^[7]

Historian Ahmad Hassan Dani believes that the Sakas (Scythians) used the Karakoram route to invade Taxila. The Sacred Rock of Hunza has petroglyphs of mounted horsemen and ibex, along with Kharoshti inscriptions that list the names of Saka and Pahlava rulers.^[8] The rock also contains inscriptions from the Kushan period, showing the Saka and Kushan suzerainty over the Hunza and Gilgit regions.^[9]

Hunza began to separate from the Gilgit region as a separate state around 997 A.D., but decisive separation occurred with the establishment of the Ayash ruling family in the 15th century. The neighbouring Nagar state also separated in the same manner, and internecine battles between the two states were endemic.^[10] Following the invasion of Kashmir by the Mughal nobleman Mirza Haidar Dughlat, the Mir of Hunza established diplomatic relations with Kashgaria (Yarkand Khanate). After Kashgaria came under Chinese control, he continued relations with Kashgaria by paying an annual tribute of gold dust of 16 tolas to the Chinese government in Yarkand. In return for that token tribute, Hunza enjoyed territorial rights in the Raskam Valley and grazing rights in the Taghdumbash Pamir.^[11][12]

Hunza was an independent principality for more than 900 years. In the early 1800s, Hunza played a vital role in the British "Great Game". After the British suzerainty was established over South Asia by 19th century, the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir was created under the 1846 treaty of Amritsar. In 1891 Hunza accepted the British suzerainty. The Mir of Hunza, Mir Safdar Ali Khan, fled to Kashgar, China, and the British army installed his brother Mir Nazim Khan (1892–1938) as a puppet ruler of Hunza Valley, but all orders were passed by British officers who were appointed in the capital Gilgit."^[13] Hunza princely state bordered Xinjiang (autonomous region of China) to the northeast, Pamir to the northwest, the Gilgit Agency to the south and the former princely state of Nagar to the east, and survived until 1974, when it was finally dissolved by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. The state capital was the town of Baltit (now known as Karimabad); another old settlement is Ganish.^[14]

According to an account written by John Biddulph in his book Tribes of the Hindoo Koosh:

The ruling family of Hunza is called Ayesha "aya-sha" (heavenly). The two states of Hunza and Nagar were formerly one, ruled by a branch of the Shahreis, the ruling family of Gilgit, whose seat of government was Nagar. First [M]uslim came to Hunza-Nagar Valley some 1000 years (At the time of Imam Islām Shāh 30th Imam Ismaili Muslims). After the introduction of Islam to Gilgit, married a daughter of Trakhan of Gilgit, who bore him twin sons, named Moghlot and Girkis. From the former, the present ruling family of Nager is descended. The twins are said to have shown hostility to one another from birth. Thereupon their father, unable to settle the question of succession, divided his state between them, giving Girkis the north/west, and to Moghlot the south/east bank of the river.^[15]

On 4 January 2010, a landslide blocked the river and created Attabad Lake (also called Shishket Lake), resulting in 20 deaths and 8 injuries and effectively blocked about 26 kilometres (16 mi) of the Karakoram Highway.^{[16][17][18][19]} The new lake extends 30 kilometres (19 mi) and rose to a depth of 400 feet (120 m) when it was formed as the Hunza River backed up.^[20] The landslide completely covered sections of the Karakoram Highway.^[17][20]

On 1 July 2018, Pakistan Army pilots rescued 3 foreign mountaineers stuck in a snow avalanche above the height of 19,000 feet (5,800 m) on Ultar Sar Peak near Hunza. The weather conditions had made it difficult for the Army helicopter to go forth with a rescue operation on the 7,388 metres (24,239 ft) high Ultar Sar. Nonetheless, they completed it. Bruce Normand and Timothy Miller from the UK were successfully rescued alive while their companion Christian Huber from Austria had succumbed to the avalanche.^[21][22] Britain's High Commissioner Thomas Drew in Pakistan termed the mission "remarkable and dangerous".^[23][24]

The Hunza Valley is home to several high peaks that rise above 7,000 m in its the surroundings. These include Distaghil Sar, Batura, Batura II, Batura III, Muchu Chhish, Kunyang Chhish, Shispare, Passu Sar, Kanjut Sar, Yukshin Gardan Sar, Pumari Chhish, and Momhil Sar.

The valley provides views of several mountains, including Ultar Sar 7,388 m (24,239 ft), Bojahagur Duanasir II 7,329 m (24,045 ft), Ghenta Peak 7,090 m (15,631 ft), Hunza Peak 6,270 m (20,571 ft), Darmyani Peak 6,090 m (19,980 ft), and Bublimating (Ladyfinger Peak) 6,000 m (19,685 ft).

Hunza Valley has a diverse religious history with it being home to several historic religious sites like the ancient watchtowers in Ganish village, Baltit Fort on top of karimabad which was built by the Mirs about 800 years ago, which is a historic landmark for hunza and Altit Fort (at the bottom of the valley).

Hunza also houses several lakes in its vicinity including Attabad Lake, Borith Lake, Shimshal Lakes, Hassanabad Lake. It is also home to the 57 km long Batura Glacier, the fifth-longest glacier in the world outside the polar region,^[25] is surrounded by Shispare, Batura, and Kumpirdior peaks.

The Khunjerab Pass, standing at a height of 4,693 meters (over 15,000 feet above sea level), is the highest paved international border crossing in the world. Strategically located on Pakistan's northern border and China's southwest border, it connects the two countries via Gilgit-Baltistan, making it a significant landmark of the Hunza Valley.^[26] Hiking treks include Ondra Poygah Gulmit and Leopard Trek Shiskhat.^[27]

The valley is popularly believed to be one of the inspiration for the mythical valley of Shangri-La in James Hilton's 1933 novel, Lost Horizon.^[28]

The local languages spoken include Burushaski, Wakhi and Shina. The literacy rate of the Hunza valley is more than 95%. The establishment of community schools that provide high quality education, and the influence of the Aga Khan Mirs, contributing towards building universities for higher education have directed towards the high literacy rate in Hunza Valley, especially for girls.^[29] The historical area of Hunza and present northern Pakistan has had, over the centuries, mass migrations, conflicts and resettling of tribes and ethnicities, of which the Shina people are the most prominent in regional history. People of the region have recounted their historical traditions down the generations. The Hunza Valley is also home to some Wakhi, who migrated there from northeastern Afghanistan beginning in the nineteenth century onwards.^[30] The majority of residents in Hunza belong to the Ismaili Shia sect. They believe that Aga Khan V is their religious figurehead and transcendent. He is also believed to be the biggest promotor and contributor towards the literacy success and overall well-being of the people of Hunza and the valley itself.^[28]

The longevity of Hunza people has been noted by some,^[31] but others refute this as a longevity myth promoted by the lack of birth records.^[32] There is no evidence that Hunza life expectancy is significantly above the average of poor, isolated regions of Pakistan. Claims of health and long life were almost always based solely on the statements by the local mir (king). An author who had significant and sustained contact with Burusho people, John Clark, reported that they were overall unhealthy.^[33]

However, whether or not their putative longevity is true, it is undoubtable that the Hunza people lead a healthy lifestyle along with a healthy diet. Many researchers have lived with the Hunza people to answer this mystery including Robert McCarrison who did not discover a single person with diseases such as cancer, stomach ulcers or appendicitis. The research shows that high levels of exercise due the landscape and geography allows for them to be active and agile which factors in with their longevity, along with consumption of apricot seeds and oils, and the glacier water which contains minerals.^{[34][better source needed]}

• Nagar District
• Bagrot Valley
• Shamanism in Hunza