Samantha Shea, a digital nomad and travel writer, has been living in the Hunza Valley in Northern Pakistan since 2021. The valley, located at 8,500 feet above sea level on the border with Western China, is surrounded by snow-capped Karakoram mountains and features blue rivers, making it a popular destination for tourists. Shea was drawn to Hunza Valley for its reputation as the safest destination for solo female travelers, as well as its liberal culture towards women. The local community is welcoming of outsiders, with respect and hospitality towards guests being a core value.
Despite electricity coming on for only a few hours a day, the lack of amenities and safety concerns in other parts of Pakistan, Shea found Hunza to be a safe and peaceful haven. The local cuisine shared similarities with her Polish grandmother’s recipes, and the surrounding 20,000-foot peaks made her feel like she was on another planet. However, the lack of reliable electricity meant that she had to always travel with a power bank and find workarounds to stay connected online, with work sometimes being affected by power outages.
Many foreign nationals and local Pakistani people travel to Hunza Valley without incident, despite the US government’s travel advice to avoid certain areas due to potential security threats. Pakistan has been named an up-and-coming adventure vacation by Forbes, and top holiday destination by CN Traveller.
Shea’s journey to Hunza Valley began at college, where she fell in love with backpacking. Despite never having traveled outside the US, she backpacked through India, Pakistan, and other countries, and decided to pursue a career in freelance travel blogging after graduating from the University of Miami in 2019. After returning to her family home in the US due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, Shea spent the next year learning Urdu, delivering for DoorDash, and establishing herself as a digital nomad.
Shea found it easier and more fun to travel in Pakistan than in India, with fewer scammers and less trash on the streets, and the roads in better condition. She believes that Hunza Valley is a hidden gem that more people should explore, with its welcoming community and stunning natural beauty.