After a schoolgirl is married off at the age of nine, she leaves behind her life in pastures and sets out on a long journey to become the first graduate woman of her remote village. Tucked away in the mighty Karakoram mountains of Gilgit Baltistan–Pakistan, there is a village called Shimshal which people know as … Read more
“My name is Daulat Amin. Perhaps God wanted me to become the guardian (Amin) of a treasure (Daulat) and what bigger treasure than the knowledge (Ilm)?” Born in 1945, Daulat Amin was the first matriculate teacher from Shimshal. When Daulat was young, his family suffered an economic shock after their 300 goats and sheep, and … Read more
“It is unfortunate that mountaineering has no value in our country. Everywhere I go, I have to tell who I am and narrate my achievements. In other countries, mountaineers are considered as heroes and don’t have to introduce themselves.” Fazal Ali is a veteran high altitude porter (HAP) from Shimshal, Gilgit Baltistan, Pakistan. He has … Read more
“In 2004, there were so many climbers on K2 that I felt I was in Raja Bazar, Rawalpindi. Two years later, we were only two people on 8,000m tall Broad Peak in winter. At that time, I learnt that the most difficult part of mountaineering is descending without a rope. That experience still helps me … Read more
They call it the Savage Mountain. It is the second-highest peak on Earth. For every four people who summited K2 (8,611m), one died on the mountain. On 1st August 2008, twenty-five climbers left Camp IV to attempt the K2 summit, but eleven never returned. It was a perfect day for climbing, one in a million, … Read more
They call it the Savage Mountain. It is the second-highest peak on Earth. For every four people who summited K2 (8,611m), one died on the mountain. On 1st August 2008, twenty-five climbers left the Camp IV to attempt the K2 summit, but eleven never returned. It was a perfect day for climbing, one in a … Read more
“I was only five when dad passed away. Mom worked hard to raise us. My elder sister and I helped her with everything, at home, in farming the land and raising animals. Once mom had to go to the Yazghil Pasture at over 3,500 meters. There was no one to accompany her, so I went … Read more
KAHANI MERI is a song based on the true story of Kaavan, the world’s loneliest elephant. After spending 35 years of his life in chains at Islamabad Zoo, on November 29, Kaavan is leaving for a sanctuary in Cambodia. Soon he will be roaming free with three other elephants in a wildlife sanctuary, but around … Read more
This is the story of Kaavan—the world’s loneliest elephant. Kaavan was born in 1985 in Srilanka, and at the age of 1, gifted to Pakistan. He endured almost 35 years of his life in chains at Islamabad Zoo. An elephant named Saheli was brought in and remained as Kaavan’s partner for 22 years until her … Read more
“We all thought it was our day. It was beautiful and sunny out there. We were only 500 metres from the summit, seven climbers strung together by ropes on a steep slope. The last thing I remember from the climb is the sight of our lead climber lifting his ice axe and sinking it into … Read more
From Passu, a jeep track covered with dust and shadows clings to steep mountains and zigzags on its way to Shimshal—The Valley of Mountaineers. Over 20 Shimshalis from 250 households here have climbed 8000ers. Qudrat Ali is one of them. He is among the top climbers of Pakistan. His first adventure was a 3-day trek … Read more
“If you love mountains, you cannot ignore the hardships of people living in the mountains.” These are the words by Saad Munawar (Saad Munawar – The Mountain Writer), who is a mountaineer and a writer from Islamabad. He is the author of two books. In 2019, he and Qudrat Ali made a world record by … Read more
33,105 km with you, my dear bicycle! Four years, sixteen countries, the entire length of South, Central and North America. Some mountains climbed, some deserts crossed, and a few plateaus travelled. Together we endured rain and snow, dust and sand, winds and storms, and sun and shadows. We shared smiles and tears, joy and pain, … Read more
The sun had set behind the mountains, and as the light faded, hordes of tourists started disappearing from the Torres lookout. Our legs ached after a day-long hike on our first day in Torres del Paine National Park in Chile. All the campsite we had spotted during the day were all already full. We kept … Read more
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