IN THE SHADOW OF THE INDUS DISCOVERING THE RIVERS OF GILGIT BALTISAN

Pakistan has become synonymous with the famed Rondu Gorge on the Indus, one of the most challenging sections of whitewater in the world. But the Indus is far from the only river in Gilgit-Baltistan, which houses some of the highest mountains in the world as well as some of the world’s biggest glaciers outside of the polar regions. When the summer sun heats up, all that gradient and water creates a lot of rivers. After a trip in November 2016, Kristof Stursa and Joe Rae-Dickins knew they had to return to Pakistan, not to prove themselves on some of the hardest whitewater around, but to further experience the Pakistani hospitality, the grandeur of the landscape, and the rivers lying in the shadow of the Indus.

Words by Kristof Stursa, Joe Rae-Dickins

Once a central hub for explorers who wanted to confront the rugged beauty of its mountainous landscapes, things changed drastically for Northern Pakistan following the now-infamous attacks on September 11th, 2001. Links to Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda created a dangerous reputation and led tourism to decline to almost zero. For years, only a handful of individuals dared disregard the travel advisory warnings. The stories of those who did issued a subtle challenge to the media’s stereotypes, describing hospitable locals struggling to adjust to the new dynamic and breathtaking scenery. Nearly two decades on, things are changing for the better. Imran Khan, Pakistan’s new Prime Minister, has placed eco-tourism promotion high on his priority list, inviting foreigners back to this land of majesty and mystery. Though bureaucratic struggles remain,…

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Kayak Session (Digital) - 1 Issue, Spring 2019

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