Photo: Mountainsoil · CC BY-SA 4.0Field guides / Gilgit Division / Gilgit & Naltar / Kargah Buddha, Gilgit
Field guide · Heritage
Gilgit Division
Gilgit District · Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan
Kargah Buddha, Gilgit
Kargah Buddha is an archaeological site located about 6 miles west of Gilgit in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan.
Kargah Buddha features a large carved image of Buddha, standing at 50 feet (15 meters) tall, on the cliff face of Kargah Nala. This carving is believed to date back to the 7th century and is an important representation of early Buddhist art in the region. Gilgit was a major center of Buddhism from the 3rd to the 11th century. The site includes the remains of a Buddhist monastery and stupas, where Sanskrit manuscripts were discovered in 1931. Local legends associate the Buddha with a myth of a man-eating giantess who was trapped by a holy man.
Why go
- ✦A 15-metre Buddha carved on the cliff of Kargah Nala, around the 7th century
- ✦Near a monastery where Sanskrit manuscripts were found in 1931
- ✦Linked with a legend of a man-eating giantess
Visiting today
The Kargah Buddha in Gilgit remains a well-preserved historical and tourist site under the protection of the Gilgit-Baltistan Archaeology Department. Regular maintenance and visitor access continue under provincial heritage management.
Planning tip
Best Time to Visit, April–June or September–October. Gilgit's summer can pass 40 °C and its winters freeze. The 7th-century Buddha is carved high on the cliff face of Kargah Nala, a short drive from Gilgit town, well kept and open to visitors.
Getting there, Carved on the cliff face of Kargah Nala, a short drive west of Gilgit town, Gilgit-Baltistan.
What to Do
Make Kargah Buddha, Gilgit Part of a Trip
GreenPak resorts and journeys within 5 km of Kargah Buddha, Gilgit.
Nearby
Straight-line distance from Kargah Buddha, Gilgit, within 5 km.
