Phander Valley (Gilgit Baltistan)

 

Phander valley is located in Gupis-Yasin district in Gilgit-Baltistan at the distance of 184 KM from Gilgit on Gilgit Shandoor Road. The valley is quite flat like a palm, that's why it is called Phander as meaning of Phan is palm in Khowar language that is local language of the town.

There are four beautiful lakes in the Phander valley, in which Phander lake is the largest lake. In this area, the Gilgit River shows an attractive landscape by cutting its passage into several strands, which again merge into one at the end of the valley.

About Gupis Yasin

Gupis Yasin is located in the west of Gilgit-Baltistan in the high mountains of the Hindu Kush Range at a distance of 187 KM from the Gilgit main city. It is given the status of district in 2019 and separated from Ghizer district including Gupis, Yasin, and Phander Tehsil.

It has boundaries with Upper Upper Chitral, Ghizer, Swat, and Upper Kohistan districts. It has strategic importance due to the high mountain pass connected with Yarkhun Valley in the Chitral district and Broghil Pass that connects with Wakhan Corridor in Afghanistan and Tajikstan through the Chitral district.

There are number of high mountain passes in the Gupis Yasin district. The Thoi pass connects Yasin to Yarkhun in Chitral, the Assumber Pass connects Yasin to Ishkoman, the Darkut Pass connects Yasin with Wakhan and Chitral, Shandur Pass connects Gupis with Chitral, and Buroghul Pass connects Yasin with Brughol.

Gupis Yasin can be accessed via Karakoram Highway from Islamabad, then turn left toward Gilgit. After crossing Gilgit City and Ghizar, you will be in the beautiful valley of Gupis Yasin in the high mountains of the Hindu Kush Range.

In the Gupis Valley, there are several lush green and attractive tourist places. These valleys always has pleasant and spell-bound weather. Phander village is the most beautiful location in Gupis along the Gilgit River and is also much famous among tourists due to its splendid beauty. It is also famous for trout fish in Phander lake. The Phander Lake is the most attractive point to visit in Phander village. It is located at a distance of 170 km from Gilgit City. There are several guest houses and hotels in the Phander Valley, in which PTDC Phander is most famous. The most famous location is Shandur Pass at an elevation of 12,500 feet. It is always covered with snow during winter, whereas in the summer season it becomes a vast meadow. In the month of July, a festival called Shandur Festival is held here, in which the people of Chitral and Gilgit participate.

Ghamubar Zom is a mountain at the elevation of 6,518 meters above sea level near Darkot in Yasin Valley. It can be clearly seen from Darkot as well as Rawat villages. From Darkot Pass, one can observe its peak more closely.

Shandur National Park, which covered an area of 8,000 acres, was established in 2012 for the purpose of preserving various botanical plants as well as a number of different animal species.

Shandur Lake is just located near the Shandur Pass on the left side of Chitral-Gilgit Road. It is a high mountain glacier lake in the Hindu Kush Range. The Gilgit River that travels across also Gupis-Yasin district also originates from the same lake and merges into the Indus River at Jaglot in Gilgit.

Yasin Valley is a high mountain valley in the Gupis-Yasin district connected with the Wakhan Corridor. It is situated along the Ghizar River at a distance of 148 km from Gilgit city. Assumbur Pass is a favorite tourist in the Yasin Valley, which connects the Ishkoman Valley with the Yasin Valley. There are several valleys that attract tourists in Yasin Valley. It is famous for wildlife lovers due to the number of migratory birds from the Wakhan Corridor Afghanistan and Tajikstan.

The Koyo Zom is the highest peak in the Hindu Raj mountain, at an elevation of 22,546 feet, in Gupis Yasin in the Hindukush Range on the boundary of Gupis Yasin and Chitral. Hindu Raj Range is the mountain range between the Hindu Kush and Karakoram Range.