Budget Travels

Shimshal is made up of four major hamlets; Farmanabad, Aminabad, Center Shimshal, and Khizarabad. Farmanabad is a new settlement that comes first on reaching Shimshal. Aminabad is announced by vast fields of stones hemmed in by dry stone walls, and fortress-like houses of stone and mud. As you approach Shimshal look for a glimpse of Odver Sar (6,303m), also known as Shimshal Whitehorn. Shimshal obtains hydroelectricity from the Odver stream from the warmer months of the year, June to October. Lack of electricity for seven months is a major problem for the local community because during this period they have had to rely on kerosene oil, firewood, solar plates, and Compressed Natural Gas in cylinders as alternatives. A small hydro electricity power station of 0.200MW is under construction at Kuk area of Shimshal that is scheduled to be complete in 2017.