Khaplu
Khaplu (35° 10' 0 N, 76° 19' 60 E, altitude 2,560m) is the capital town of the Ghangche District of northern Pakistan. Lying 103 km (64 miles) east of Skardu town, it was the second-largest kingdom in old Baltistan. It guarded the trade route to Ladakh along the Shyok River.
Skardu
Skardu is the principle town and capital of Baltistan district, one of the districts making up Pakistan's Northern Areas (also part of the Pakistani-administered part of Kashmir). Skardu borders Kargil district (within Indian-administered Kashmir) to the east, Astore to the south, Kashmir and Azad Kashmir to the south east and Gilgit district in the west. Skardu is located in the 10 km wide by 40km long Skardu Valley, at the confluence of the Indus river (flowing from near Kailash in Tibet and through neighbouring Ladakh before reaching Balistan) and the Shigar river. Skardu is situated at an altitude of nearly 2500 m (8,200 feet), the town is surrounded by gray-brown coloured mountains, which hide the 8,000 metre peaks of the nearby Karakoram range.
Skardu, along with Gilgit, are the two major tourism, trekking and expedition hubs in the Northern Areas. It is the mountainous terrain of the region, including four of the world's fourteen Eight-thousander peaks (8,000m and above), which attracts the attention of tourists, trekkers and mountaineers from around the world. The main tourist season is from April to October - outside this time, the area can be cut off for extended periods by the snowy, freezing winter weather.
Accessible from Skardu by road, the nearby Askole and Hushe Valleys are the main gateways to the snow covered 8,000 m peaks including K2, the Gasherbrums, Broad Peak and the Trango Towers, and also to the huge glaciers of Baltoro, Biafo and Trango. This makes Skardu the main tourist and mountaineering base in the area, which has led to the development of a reasonably extensive tourist infrastructure including shops and hotels. However, the popularity of the region results in high prices, especially during the main trekking season.
Treks to the Deosai Plains, the second highest in the world (at 4,100 m or 13,500 feet) after the Chang Tang in Tibet, either start from or end at Skardu. In local Tibetan language, Deosai is called Byarsa, meaining 'summer place'. With an area of approximately 5,000 square kilometers, the plains extend all the way to Ladakh and provide habitat for snow leopards, ibex, Tibetan brown bears and wild horses.
Gorikot
Gorikot is the largest Valley in the Astore District of Northern Areas of Pakistan. It is also the District Headquarter for Astore District. The local name for the village is "Gué"
The following are the small Villages associated with Gorikot Valley
- Gaiynrike
- Dingott
- Domosur
- Kutaan
- Shring-Darr
- Sargale
- Ahmadabad
- Hilbeche
- Kinidaas
- Pakoroye
- Daryaal
Chilas
Chilas is a small town located in the Northern Areas, Pakistan. It is connected to the Silk Road by the Karakoram Highway which links it to Islamabad in the south via Dassu, Mansehra, Abbottabad and Haripur. In the north, Chilas is connected to the Chinese cities of Kashgar and Tashkurgan via ,Gilgit and Sost.
Gilgit
Gilgit is the capital city of the Northern Areas, Pakistan. Its ancient name was Sargin which later on came to be known as Gilit and it is still called Gilit or Sargin-Gilit by local people.In Brushaski,it is named Geelt. Sikh and Dogra conquerors gave it name of Gilgit. Ghallata is considered its name in ancient Sanskrit literature. It is the headquarter of Gilgit District. Gilgit city is one of the two major hubs on the Northern Areas for all mountaineering expeditions of Karakoram to Himalaya peaks, the other hub being Skardu.
Gilgit has an area of 14,680 mi² (38,021 km²). The region is significantly mountainous, lying on the foothills of the Karakoram mountains, and has an average altitude of 1,500 m (5,000 ft). It is drained by the Indus River, which rises in the neighbouring regions of Ladakh and Baltistan.
Ghizer District
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 in Ishkoman.
District Ghizer is Northmost part of the Northern Areas and hence the extreme north of the country. It joins with Wakhan strip on its north-west, and Chine on its northmost bourders. On its west, there is Chitral District of NWFP; and on its east is situated Gilgit. Diamer District is on its south, which is again a part of the Northern areas. Gakuch is the capital of the Ghizer District.
The highest peak in Ghizer District is Koyo Zum (6,871 m) (Hindu Kush Range) which lies on the boundary of Ghizer District and NWFP. Some of the main places in the district are Ishkoman and Yasin valleys. Other places include Gupis, Chatorkhand, Imit and Utz.
Diamer District
Diamer District is the district where the Karakoram Highway enters Northern Areas of Pakistan from the NWFP. Chilas is the capital of the Diamer district. Astore District was carved out of Diamer District in 2004.
The Diamer District is bounded by Astore District in the east, NWFP in the south / south west (separated by Babusar Pass or Babusar Top), Ghizer District in the north / northwest and Gilgit District in the north / north east.
Before Karakoram Highway was opened in 1978, the only road to reach Gilgit town from the south was a rough track north from Balakot to Babusar Pass (via Kaghan, Naran, Besal and Gittidas) and further north through Babusar Gah to Chilas. The road up to Besal is in better condition but from Besal to Babusar Pass is still a rough track.
Astore Valley
Astore Valley is a District in the Northern Areas of Pakistan. It was carved out of Diamer District in 2004. Nowadays there is a little bit of conflict between Gorikot and Eidgha for district headquarters.
Astore valley has a moderate climate during summer. In winter it can snow up to 6 inches (15 cm) in the main valleys and up to 2–3 feet (60–90 cm) in the mountains. In Mirmalik valley it snows up to 6 feet in February. Astore is at the foothills of Nanga Parbat, the 9th highest peak in the world. In the south of Nanga Parbat massif lies the Rama Valley which is home to the Rama Lake with facilities provided to the visitors. It has a hotel namely PTDC hotel constructed by the government of Pakistan. Astore valley is simply the the best area for the tourists to visit because of its location in the foothills of Choungrah peak. On the back side of Chougrah peak are Nanga Parbat and Raikot peaks. These peaks are some of the highest peaks in the world, they are part of the Karakoram range of mountains. Most of the rivers of Pakistan originate from this range, these rivers propagate most parts of Pakistan.
Ghanche District
Ghanche District is the easternmost district of the Northern Areas, Pakistan. To its northeast is Aksai Chin (China), to the north and northwest is Skardu District, to its west is Astore District and to its south is the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. The line of control along the eastern most region of Ghanche District cuts through the Siachen Glacier and is not permanent because of the conflict (It has been proposed by moderates in Pakistan and India to make the Siachen Glacier region a Peace Park).
The capital of Ghanche District is Khaplu. This is the coldest place within Pakistan also called the "Third Pole" with temperatures reaching below -20°C in the winter. Khaplu and Hushe valleys form the gateway for the great Baltoro Muztagh, the subrange of Karakoram that includes the mighty peaks of K2 (8,611 m), Broad Peak (8,047 m), Gasherbrums (8,000+ m) and Masherbrum (7,821 m) (all of which are included in the Skardu District).
