Rupal Valley

Rupal Valley is located in Astore District, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan. A picturesque valley known for its lush terraced fields and the dramatic presence of Nanga Parbat in the background, Rupal is a romantic and surreal destination.

Its name originates from the reflection of moonlight off the mountain, which illuminates the valley even when the moon itself isn’t visible—a poetic phenomenon that adds to the mystique of this isolated village.

Rupal means the moonlight. On moonlit nights, when the moon rises behind the mountains in front of Nanga Parbat, the people of Rupal deep below cannot see it at all. But when its light hits the white snow of Nanga Parbat in front, it reflects this moonlight like a mirror and throws it down into Rupal. Thus, even though the moon is not visible in Rupal, there is moonlight. That is why people call it Rupal.