Pakistan’s Nuristan : Buzkashi of Sheikhanandeh
Located further into the Kalash Valleys is the village of Sheikhanandeh (often spelled “Sheikhandeh,” though “Sheikhanandeh” is the more common pronunciation). This…
Kashmir Markhor in rut
Here is a report on the Kashmir Markhor I observed during the breeding season. Last time, they were still clashing horns to…
Experience the Joshi Festival: Days in Kalash Valley (Vlog)
As May arrives, the Kalash Valley awakens in its full glory. We’ve woven together the essence of the Joshi Festival—from the intimate…
Chawmos Festival – Mandaik : The Kalash Rituals Still Alive to This Day
Here is a report on the Kalash’s Chawmos Festival. The day after the ritual of ‘Kuta Mru’, the ‘ Mandaik ‘ takes…
Buddhist Archaeological Sites in the Upper Indus River: Manthal Buddha Rock and the Petroglyphs
I’ve written multiple times about the rock carvings along the Indus River near Chilas, but I’d like to do so again today…
Pakistan Railways Our Recommended Route: Peshawar to Attock, Across the Indus River Bridge
On Pakistan’s railways, you’ll be able to enjoy the country’s rich history and old-fashioned atmosphere. Each station has been preserved from the…
From Pakistan to China over the Khunjerab Pass, A Border Crossing Report from Sost to Tashkurgan
The following is a report on my experience crossing the border from Sost, a town on the Pakistani border, over to Tashkurgan…
Islamabad to Skardu Domestic Flight Report
The domestic flight from Islamabad to Skardu is known for its spectacular mountain scenery when the weather is clear. In particular, Nanga…
The Indian Pangolin
The following is a report on my experience observing the Indian pangolin. In what amounted to a mysterious coincidence, the day…
Chawmos Festival – Chanja Rat: The Kalash Rituals Still Alive to This Day
Chanja Rat is the day of the big bonfire to bid farewell to Balimain, and it can be considered the climax of…
Chawmos Festival – Pushao Adu: The Kalash Rituals Still Alive to This Day
The period of the Kalash Chawmos Festival known as “Ditch” is considered to be highly sacred. On the day of Pushao Adu,…
Chawmos Festival – Shishao Adu: The Kalash Rituals Still Alive to This Day
The ceremony to welcome the god Balimain of Kalash had finally begun. The following is a report on the women’s purification day…
Chawmos Festival – Kuta Mru : The Kalash Rituals Still Alive to This Day
It is early December in the Kalash Valley. The harvests have all been completed and the livestock have come down from the…
Deosai National Park Wildlife Camp in Autumn – In Search of the Himalayan Brown Bear
In autumn, we went to Deosai National Park in search of Himalayan brown bears before they hibernate. This is a report on…
Over the Baltoro Glacier, the Trek to Broad Peak B.C. and K2 B.C., Part 2
The following is the continuation of a photo report of Teppei Kamitani’s 2024 season excursion to the Baltoro Glacier—titled “Over the Baltoro…
Over the Baltoro Glacier, the Trek to Broad Peak B.C. and K2 B.C., Part 1
The following is a photo report on a 2024 season excursion to the Baltoro Glacier—titled “Over the Baltoro Glacier to Broad Peak…
Shimshal Pamir & Summiting Minglik Sar (6,050m), Part 2
The following is a documentation of the second part of our Shimshal Pamir mountain journey in Aug-Sep 2024, tracing the route from…
Shimshal Pamir & Summiting Minglik Sar (6,050m), Part 1
The following is a report on a journey to the 6,000m peak of Shimshal Pamir from late August to September 2024. Shimshal…
Kaghan Valley ; Himalayan Bird Watching in Summer
The best places to go birding and see Himalayan birds in Pakistan are the Margalla Hills in winter and the Kaghan Valley…
Over the Khyber Pass
The Khyber Pass is located between Peshawar and the border with Afghanistan. Since ancient times, it has been an important pass on…
Re-discovering Afghanistan：Bamiyan Valley
“Bamiyan? There are no more big Buddha statues there, right?” In March 2001, two huge Buddha statues, one 55 meters and the…
The Joshi Spring Festival: A Kalash Ritual
The Joshi Festival is held at the end of the long winter to celebrate the arrival of spring. Locals dress up in…
Re-discovering Afghanistan: Band-e Amir
Band-e Amir is a group of lakes located 75 km west of Bamiyan at an altitude of approximately 3,000 meters. Band-e Amir…
Butkara I – Gandhara Site of the Swat Valley
Butkara I is an archaeological site in the Swat Valley, which was one of the centers of Gandhara. It is known for…
Re-discovering Afghanistan : The Kyrgyz Buzkashi, Wakhan Corridor
Buzkashi being held on the shores of Lake Chaqmaqtin, Wakhan corridor, in summer. It is practised among the Kyrgyz peoples of the…
“Alter Rock”, Thalpan – Petroglyphs along the Indus River
The Altar Rock at Thalpan is located on the sandy north bank of the Indus River. The rock is carved with motifs,…
Hunza, “Shangri-la” surrounded by apricot blossoms
In late March, the Hunza Valley is blanketed in pale pink apricot blossoms. The fields are green with wheat sprouts. After the…
Re-discovering Afghanistan: the majestic Minaret of Jam
One of the two World Heritage Sites in Afghanistan, Jam minaret and archaeological remains of Jam in the mountains of Ghor Province,…
Climbing Shatung Peak, a 5,000-meter summit on Deosai Plateau
We finally fulfilled our long-cherished dream to climb Shatung Peak in the Deosai Plateau. That became possible only inn summer 2023, while…
Re-discovering Afghanistan: Wakhan Corridor, and the Kyrgyz in the Afghan Pamir
Wakhan Corridor, Afghanistan is the “last frontier” for travelers who love unexplored areas. Unpaved rough road, bumby and dusty, has been completed…
