Gilgit River in the context of "Indus River"

The Indus (/ˈɪndəs/ IN-dəs) is a transboundary river of Asia and a trans-Himalayan river of South and Central Asia. The 3,180 km (1,980 mi) river rises in western China, flows northwest through the disputed Kashmir region, first through the Indian-administered Ladakh, and then the Pakistani-administered Gilgit-Baltistan, bends sharply to the left after the Nanga Parbat massif, and flows south-by-southwest through Pakistan, before bifurcating and emptying into the Arabian Sea, its main stem located near the port city of Karachi.

The Indus River has a total drainage area of circa 1,120,000 km (430,000 sq mi). Its estimated annual flow is around 175 km/a (5,500 m/s), making it one of the 50 largest rivers in the world in terms of average annual flow. Its left-bank tributary in Ladakh is the Zanskar River, and its left-bank tributary in the plains is the Panjnad River which is formed by the successive confluences of the five Punjab rivers, namely the Chenab, Jhelum, Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej rivers. Its principal right-bank tributaries are the Shyok, Gilgit, Kabul, Kurram, and Gomal rivers. Beginning in a mountain spring and fed with glaciers and rivers in the Himalayan, Karakoram, and Hindu Kush ranges, the river supports the ecosystems of temperate forests, plains, and arid countryside.

The Karakoram (/ˌkɑːrəˈkɔːrəm, ˌkær-/) is a mountain range in Asia located primarily in the Kashmir region. The range spans the borders of Pakistan, China, and India, with the north-western extremities of the range extending into Afghanistan and Tajikistan. The Karakoram contains four of the fourteen eight-thousanders, the highest of which is K2, the second highest mountain on Earth.

The Karakoram begins in the Wakhan Corridor in western Afghanistan and extends eastwards into Indian-administered Ladakh and Chinese-administered Aksai Chin, as well as the Chinese province of Xinjiang. Most of the Karakoram is located within the Pakistani-administered Gilgit-Baltistan region. The Karakoram is bounded on the east by the Aksai Chin plateau, on the north-east by the edge of the Tibetan Plateau, and on the north by the river valleys of the Yarkand and Karakash rivers, beyond which lie the Kunlun Mountains. At the north-west corner are the Pamir Mountains. The southern boundary of the Karakoram is formed west to east by the Gilgit, Indus, and Shyok rivers, which separate the range from the north-western end of the Himalaya. These rivers flow north-west before making an abrupt turn south-westwards towards the plains of Pakistan. Roughly in the middle of the Karakoram range is the Karakoram Pass, which was part of a now unused trade route between Ladakh and Yarkand.

Gilgit (/ˈɡɪlɡɪt/; Shina: گِلیٗت IPA: [ɡi˧.leː˨˦t̪]; Urdu: گِلْگِت IPA: [ˈɡɪlɡɪt̪]) is the capital and most-populous city in Pakistani-administered Gilgit–Baltistan in the disputed Kashmir region. It is located in a broad valley near the confluence of the Gilgit and the Hunza rivers. It is a major tourist destination in Pakistan, serving as a hub for trekking and mountaineering expeditions in the Karakoram mountain range of Northern Pakistan.

Gilgit was once a major centre for Buddhism; it was an important stop on the ancient Silk Road, and today serves as a major junction along the Karakoram Highway with road connections to China as well as the Pakistani cities of Skardu, Chitral, Peshawar, and Islamabad. The city's economic activity is mainly focused on agriculture, with wheat, maize, and barley as the main crops.

Ghizer District (Urdu: ضلع غذر) is a district of the Pakistan-administered Gilgit-Baltistan region in the disputed Kashmir region. It is one of the 14 districts of Gilgit-Baltistan. The former Ghizer District that existed from 1974 to 2019 spanned the entire upper Gilgit River Valley (also known as the Ghizer River Valley). In 2019, the former district was divided into the Gupis-Yasin District in the west and the present, smaller Ghizer District in the east. Less than 13.5% of the district consists of alpine pastures, with over 83% of remaining area being barren or permanently snow covered.

Shandur Lake (Urdu: شندور جھیل; Khowar: شندور چھت) is a high-altitude lake located in Gupis-Yasin District, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan. It is located in between the Shandur Pass and Shandur Polo Ground, and is a primary source for Gilgit River. It is the 5th largest lake in northern Pakistan by surface area.

Shandur Ice Sports Challenge is held at the Lake from December 24 to 28, and features ice hockey and speed skating, between the teams of Chitral and Gilgit Baltistan.

Juglot or Jaglot (formerly Sai) is a town located in the Gilgit District of Gilgit-Baltistan region in Pakistan. It is situated 45 kilometres (28 mi) southeast of the regional capital city of Gilgit on the Karakoram Highway. The town is situated at the junction of three major mountain ranges: the Karakoram, the Hindu Kush and the Himalayas. The confluence of the Gilgit and Indus river is also located nearby.

Juglot is also the junction where the roads to Gilgit and Skardu split into different directions: the road to Skardu branches off by about six kilometres towards Gilgit.