Cruising Over the Roof of Pakistan I Skardu to Islamabad I 26-Hour Journey Completed in 36 Minutes

#skardu #pakistaninternationalairlines #skarduairport Cruising Over the Roof of Pakistan I Skardu to Islamabad I 26-Hour Journey Completed in 36 Minutes Special Thanks: Qaisar Abbas, Media Journalist, Skardu Music: Binu Kumar, Kerala, India ‪@SoundSFX‬ (Under License) For Support: Buy Me a Coffee buymeacoffee.com/gilanilogs Syed Zulfiqar Arshad Gilani Easy Paisa: 0321 875 5750 IBAN: PK22TMFB0000000091196140 Standard Chartered Bank A/C 01714038001 Swift Code: SCBLPKKXXXX IBAN: PK36SCBL0000001714038001 Bank Alfalah A/C 5501 5000422906 Swift Code: ALFHPKKAXXX IBAN: PK06ALFH5501005000422906 #historicalplaces #heritagepakistan #pakistanhistory #pakistantourism #historyofpakistan #pakistanheritage #pakistan #pakistani #baltistanculture #gilgitbaltistanculture For a return flight from Skardu to Islamabad, sitting in a Window Seat on the Left Side (Seat A) offers an extraordinary panoramic vantage point. While passengers on the right side (Seat F) look directly down at Nanga Parbat, Seat A points North and West toward the primary Karakoram and Hindu Kush ranges. On a clear day, this side provides sweeping views of the world's highest cluster of peaks, including K2, Broad Peak, and the Gasherbrum massif. [00-05 Mins] Takeoff & Zulu Bend (Kachura Lakes & Indus River) | [05-15 Mins] Climb Out (K2, Shigar, and the Karakoram Range) | [15-30 Mins] Cruising Alt (Deosai Plateau, Astor, Valley of Gilgit) | [30-45 Mins] Transition Zone (Kaghan Valley & Saif-ul-Muluk) | [45-60 Mins] Descent & Arrival (Tarbela Dam, Margalla Hills, Islamabad) Minutes 00–05: Takeoff and the "Zulu Bend" The plane roars down the runway at Skardu International Airport, which is uniquely situated in a cold, high-altitude desert. As the aircraft gains altitude, look out your window to spot the turquoise waters of Upper Kachura Lake and Shangrila Lake (Lower Kachura) nestled against the cliffs. You will immediately see the winding, braided paths of the mighty Indus River slicing through the valley floor. To safely escape the deep valley walls, the pilot immediately executes a tight, sharp "Z-shaped" turn sequence known by aviators as the Zulu Bend. This forces the aircraft to navigate safely between immediate mountain peaks before clearing the valley rim. Minutes 05–15: The Peak of the Karakoram The plane climbs rapidly toward its cruising altitude of roughly 24,000 to 28,000 feet, threading through massive mountain corridors. Look backward and toward the North-East. Rising cleanly above the horizon in the far distance is the unmistakable, colossal triangular pyramid of K2 (8,611m), the second-highest mountain on Earth. Flanking K2, you can visually trace the jagged shapes of Broad Peak and the Gasherbrum I & II peaks. Closer to the aircraft, you will look straight down into the mouth of the Shigar Valley. Minutes 15–30: Cruising Over the Roof of Pakistan The aircraft reaches its maximum altitude, drifting smoothly across the boundary where the Karakoram, Himalaya, and Hindu Kush mountain ranges collide. Looking directly down and slightly left, you will peer over the edges of the vast Deosai Plains (the world's second-highest plateau) and the hidden Astor Valley. On the opposite side of the cabin (Seat F), Nanga Parbat is passing closely. From your Seat A perspective, looking North-West, you can see the expansive alpine wilderness spreading toward Gilgit and the rugged sub-ranges of the Hindu Kush. Minutes 30–45: The Transition Zone The harsh, grey, glaciated granite of Baltistan begins giving way to softer, greener pine-covered ridges as the flight moves south into the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Look down to see the jagged ridges surrounding the Kaghan Valley. If you follow the ridges carefully on a clear summer day, you can spot the gleaming blue dot of Lake Saif-ul-Muluk cradled high in the mountains. Towns like Mansehra and Abbottabad will soon appear as small clusters of civilization on the valley floors below. Minutes 45–60+: Descent into the Capital The captain idles the engines and initiates a steep descent over the Pothohar Plateau. The temperature rises, and the rugged wilderness fully shifts into urban architecture. You will fly directly past the massive, sprawling turquoise expanse of the Tarbela Dam—one of the largest earth-filled dams in the world. As the plane aligns with the runway, look out to see the lush green ridge-lines of the Margalla Hills hugging the boundary of Islamabad. The flight concludes with a smooth touchdown at the modern Islamabad International Airport (ISB). Follow us on: Facebook:   / gilanilogs   Twitter:   / gilanilogs   Instagram:   / zulfiqargil.  . WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaBl...