Astore is one of the six districts of the Northern Areas of Pakistan. The district contains the Astore Valley and is bounded to the west by Diamer District (from which is was separated in 2004), to the north by Gilgit District, to the east by Skardu District and to the south by North-West Frontier Province, Neelum District of Azad Kashmir. According...

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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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Swat (Pakhto: سوات) is a valley and an administrative district in the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) of Pakistan located 160 km/100 miles from Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan. It is the upper valley of the Swat River, which rises in the Hindu Kush range. The capital of Swat is Saidu Sharif, but the main town in the Swat valley is Mingora....

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The Rupal Valley is located in the Astore District of Pakistan’s Northern Areas. It lies just south of 8,126 meter Nanga Parbat and is popular for treks to the mountain’s Rupal Face, one of highest mountain faces in the world. Rupal Village is located in the valley at 35°13′38.76″N 74°42′26.60″E / 35.2274333°N 74.7073889°E...

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Bandala is a valley in Azad Kashmir located about 26 kilometres from Bhimber in Pakistan. The valley stretches from the river Tawi in the east to the Samahni valley in the west. The Reech Pahari (Bear Mountain) runs parallel on the northern side and the Baghsar mountain on the southern side. The valley is about 10 kilometres long and about 1.5 kilometres...

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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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The Mustagh Pass or Muztagh Pass is a pass across the Baltoro Muztagh range in the Karakorams which includes K2, the world’s second highest mountain. The crest of the Baltoro Muztagh marks the present border between Pakistani and Chinese territory.

There are actually two passes, the eastern or ‘Old’ Mustagh Pass (alt. about...

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The Mintaka Pass (also known as Minteke Pass) (el. 4709 m./15,450 ft.) is a mountain pass in the Karakorum Mountains, between Pakistan and Xinjiang in China. The Mintaka Pass and the nearby Kilik Pass (4,827 m or 15,837 ft (4,827 m) high; 37° 05′ N; 74° 41′ E), 30 km to the west, were, in ancient times, the two main access points into...

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The ‘Kilik Pass’ (el. 4827 m./15,837 ft.), 30 km to the west of Mintaka Pass is a high mountain pass in the Karakorum Mountains between Pakistan and Xinjiang in China. The two passes were, in ancient times, the two main access points into the Upper Hunza Valley (also called Gojal Valley) from the north.

It should not be confused...

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The Khyber Pass, (also spelled Khaiber or Khaybar; Urdu: درہ خیبر) (altitude: 1,070 m or 3,510 ft) is the mountain pass that links Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Throughout history it has been an important trade route between Central Asia and South Asia and a strategic military location. The summit of the Khyber Pass is 5 kilometres (3.1...

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