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Northern Areas of Pakistan, spread over 72,496 sq. km are as fascinating
as its southern region. Amidst towering snow-clad peaks with heights
varying from 1,000 m to 8, 000 meters, the regions of Gilgit, Hunza and
Baltistan recall Shangri-La. The cultural patterns of these regions are as
interesting as its geography. The people with typical costumes, folk
dances, music and sports like polo and buzkashi, provide the traveller an
unforgettable experience. Nowhere is the world is such a great
concentration of high mountains, peaks, glaciers and passes except
Pakistan. Of the 14 over 8,000 meters high peaks on earth, 04 occupy an
amphitheater at the head of Baltoro glacier in the Karakoram range. These
are; K-2 (8,611 m, world�s second highest), Gasherbrum-I (8,068 m), Broad
Peak (8,047 m) and Gasherbrum-II (8,035 m). There is yet another which is
equally great, Nanga Parbat (8,126 m), located at the western most end of
the Himalayas. In addition to that, there are 68 peaks over 7,000 m and
hundreds others over 6,000 meters. The Northern Pakistan has some of the
longest glaciers outside Polar region; Siachen (72 km), Hispar (61 km),
Biafo (60 km), Baltoro (60 km) and Batura (64 km). |
