Ghizer District is northernmost part of the Northern Areas of Pakistan. Its capital is Gakuch. Ghizer is also a contact point between Gilgit and Chitral (which are connected via Shandur Pass). Ghizer is a multi ethnic district and three major languages are spoken. Khowar, Shina and Burushaski are spoken in Ghizer. There are also a few Wakhi speakers...

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The Kalash (Urdu: کیلاش ;Nuristani: Kasivo) or Kalasha, are an ethnic group of the Hindu Kush mountain range, residing in the Chitral district of the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan. They speak the Kalash language, a member of the Dardic family of Indo-Aryan Languages.

There is some controversy over what defines the ethnic characteristics...

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Ishkoman is a high mountain valley in the Hindukush and Karakorum mountains, in the northwest region of Gilgit in the Northern Areas of Pakistan. Ishkoman is connected to the Yasin Valley by a high mountain pass.

The ownership of Ishkoman has changed hands several times over the years. It has been under the rule of the Mehtar of Chitral, the...

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Zagaran pass (el. 16,420 ft.) is a high mountain pass that connects Yarkhun river valley in Chitral to the Gupis valley (Gupis tehsil of Ghizer district) in Gilgit in Pakistan.

The pass is about 3 miles southwest from Bahushtar Zom peak (5704 m) and about 5 miles east-southeast from Malo Zom peak (5652 m). The border between Chitral and Northern...

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Shandur Top (el. 12,200 ft.) is a high mountain pass that connects Chitral to the Gilgit in Pakistan.

The top is flat, a plateau and can be crossed between late April and early November. The grade is very gradual, and the area is crossed by small streams of trout. Grazing in summer is plentiful.

Every year there is a polo match played...

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Lowari Pass (or Lowari Top) (el. 10,230 ft.) is a high mountain pass that connects Chitral with Dir in the North West Frontier Province, Pakistan. Lowari Top is a relatively low pass, by far the lowest pass to enter Chitral, the rest all being 12,000 to 15,000 feet.

Lowari Top is closed by snow from late November to late May every year. During...

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Darkot pass (el. 15,430 ft., open May thru October) is a high mountain pass that connects Yarkhun river valley in Chitral to the Ghizar valley (Gupis tehsil of Ghizer district) in Gilgit in Pakistan. It is also known under name Darkut.

The pass is about 10 miles to the east of Koyo Zom (Zum) peak (6872m), the highest peak in Ghizer district....

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Broghol, also spelled Broghil, Boroghil and several other ways, (el. 3798 m./12,460 ft.) is a high mountain pass that crosses the Hindu Kush and connects the Wakhan Corridor of Afghanistan with Chitral in Pakistan.

Broghol is a relatively low pass. It was closed for about three months each winter because of snow, but for much of the rest of...

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Chitral or Chatrāl (Urdu: چترال) basically translated as field in the native language Khowar, is the name of the tribe, town, valley, river, district and former princely state in the Malakand Division of the Northwest Frontier Province of Pakistan. Chitral Town, capital of the Chitral District, is situated on the west bank of the Chitral (or...

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Tirich Mir (alternatively Terich Mir, Trich Mir and Terichmir) is the highest mountain in the Hindu Kush region of northern Pakistan, and the highest mountain indisputably in Pakistan (several peaks higher than Tirich Mir are in Northern Areas).

The mountain was first climbed in 1950 by a Norwegian expedition consisting of Arne Næss, P....

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