I cross dangerous borders again, but my trusted Indian co will keep me out of harms way. Skardu (which I have unfortunately failed to visit during my 12 months stay in Lahore, Pakistan) is a city located in Gilgit−Baltistan, Pakistan. Wikipedia says, it is situated at an elevation of nearly 2,500 metres (8,202 feet) in the Skardu Valley, at the confluence of the Indus and Shigar Rivers. The city is an important gateway to the eight-thousanders of the nearby Karakoram mountain range. The Indus River running through the region separates the Karakoram from the Himalayas. 

Skardu is a fairly peaceful city with wonderful surroundings; yet, when you look at the map, it is just two flight hours away from Kabul, one of the most dangerous places on earth these days.

 

 

 

 

 

Why did I write in the title “or maybe not”? Because after I took off and had a look around, I realized, how magnificent the area here is, so I decided to cancel my flight plan and have a closer look at what this wonderful place has to offer. Also the map with that big lake promised some interesting vistas.

 

 

 

Over Skardu

 

 

 

 

 

Isn’t this just fabulous. Move this area to the Alps or Rocky Mountains, and real estate prices would go through the roof. And here? Hardly anyone lives here. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for viewing

Wow - Razer sharp caps Bernd !! .

Glad you took a detour. Great scenery to discover and just enjoy.

John

Indeed great scenery and shots! 🙂 

Great scenery and of course beautiful shots ! 👍🏽

cheers 😉

Thank you Bernd for this lovely series of an area of predilection for me too. I look forward to the Orbx mesh. Fabulous indeed.  Alaska ? Forgotten . PNG ? Neglected. The Himalayas and Central Asia, the new bush country l

Thank you all for your kind comments, my friends !

8 hours ago, Dominique_K said:

Alaska ? Forgotten .

Pssst, Dominique, someone here might hear that 😃😃

Thanks to you, I think this area may get more popular!......you certainly need to research where your nearest airfield might be....I look forward to it.

 

6 hours ago, ozcanuck55 said:

Thanks to you, I think this area may get more popular!......you certainly need to research where your nearest airfield might be....I look forward to it.

 

There are plenty of airfields inside and along the massifs. People have been living here for millenia, this is a touristic region (Simla where Bernd gave up to fly, was a British summer station already in the 19th century) and the military of the dominant powers need platforms close to their borders

 The point is finding the trajectory in the narrow valleys and passes with a non- pressurized aircraft and « diving » to land if you fly higher than the peaks in a pressurized one, knowing that the approach charts are not exactly in abundance. 

25 minutes ago, Dominique_K said:

The point is finding the trajectory in the narrow valleys and passes with a non- pressurized aircraft and « diving » to land if you fly higher than the peaks in a pressurized one, knowing that the approach charts are not exactly in abundance. 

Next to enjoying the surroundings (you had talked about this in another thread), this is the most interesting (may I say "fun") part of it!

Breathtaking mountain scenery...throughout...!! The 2nd shot is so evocative of the place...!!

And a lovely plane too, btw...!

Gorgeous shots!