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In late October, in the Khaplu Valley, Trinh Nam Thai and Pham Bich Ngoc were almost speechless at the scene that unfolded before them: rows of birch trees ablaze with golden sunlight, the Shyok River winding gently through the mountains, and in the distance, the snow-capped peak of Karakoram sparkling.
During their 18-day journey following the golden autumn in Pakistan, what they brought back was not just photographs, but also an indescribable emotion – a feeling of encountering the beautiful harmony between nature, architecture, and the cultural essence of the Baltistan region.
Autumn scenery in the Pakistani border region.
Khaplu - The tranquil jewel of Baltica
Located at an altitude of over 2,600 meters in the Ghanche district of Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan, Khaplu is often described as a hidden gem nestled among majestic mountains. Formerly the capital of the small kingdom of Khaplu Khanate, the town retains its rare ancient charm and tranquility.
Walking through the narrow, cobblestone alleys, Khaplu Fort, also known as Yabgo Khar, appears from afar like an ancient palace amidst the golden foliage. Built over 700 years ago, it was once the residence of the Baltistan kings, but has now been restored by the Aga Khan Foundation and transformed into a heritage hotel and small museum. “When I stepped into the courtyard, I could clearly feel the breath of time on every wooden plank, stone wall, and the autumn light filtering through the old window frames,” Thai recalled.
The leaves change color in the Khaplu Valley.
Not far away is Khaplu Mosque – an ancient mosque with architecture that blends Tibetan, Kashmiri, and Islamic styles. Its intricately carved wooden roof and balconies open out to the valley, where the sound of prayers echoes softly in the breeze.
The Balti people are descendants of ancient Tibetans; they live a slow-paced and peaceful life. They speak the Balti language, a branch of the Tibeto-Burman language family, and are mostly Shia or Sufi Muslims. Although religion has changed, their music, festivals, and ancient customs have been preserved. Women are the soul of the valley: they cultivate barley, gather firewood, tend gardens, and harvest autumn fruits. In Thai's lens, the image of a Balti woman carrying a bundle of firewood on her back, walking along a village road covered in golden leaves, is a moment both simple and profound, as if time here flows slower than in the rest of the world.
These photos capture the simple daily life of the Balti people in Pakistan.
Haldi Cones - stone spears in the middle of autumn
From Khaplu, Mr. Thai and Ms. Ngoc drove about forty minutes southwest to reach Haldi – a small village nestled at the foot of the Haldi Cones mountain range. The road wound through the valley, where patches of golden grass interspersed with black rocks and white snow. Amidst this scenery, the Haldi Cones range stood majestically, with dozens of sharp peaks over 5,000 meters high, like giant spears reaching towards the sky.
The Haldi Cones mountain range rises majestically with dozens of sharp, spear-like peaks.
The scenery here is particularly spectacular at sunrise and sunset, when golden light bathes the mountain peaks. Haldi Cones is called "Patagonia in Pakistan," but for Thai, it's more than just a comparison. In the quiet space, with a cold wind blowing through the dry trees, Thai and Ngoc gazed at the changing colors of the mountain range. The last rays of sunlight slid across the rocky outcrops, reflecting off the thin layer of snow, leaving them with a scene both majestic and fragile, as if autumn were gently dissolving into the Karakoram sky.
The late autumn sunset casts its light upon the Haldi Cones mountain range.
Machlu - a village on the Shyok River
From the center of Khaplu, travel about 12 km southeast, crossing a small bridge over the Shyok River, to reach Machlu village – a lush green oasis nestled in an arid valley, considered one of the most beautiful sunset spots in the Baltistan region.
Golden terraced rice paddies cascade down the mountainside, with the distant silhouette of the 7,821-meter-high Masherbrum peak – one of the famous mountains of the Karakoram range – rising majestically. Machlu has largely retained its pristine, untouched beauty, devoid of commercial resorts or hotels. Here, visitors can spend the night in cozy homestays, sipping black tea brewed with milk and sugar – a familiar drink of northern Pakistan – and listening to the stories of the gentle Balti people, proudly recounting the land they have lived in their entire lives.
Autumn scenery in the villages of Pakistan
As the sun sets and the light hits the summit of Masherbrum, the entire valley seems to burst into a golden glow, Mr. Thai said.
While the golden season still lingers...
Thai said, "Taking photos here isn't just about finding the right frame, but about capturing the very breath of the land." Autumn in Khaplu isn't noisy or ostentatious, but quiet, like the way the Balti people live, and profound, like the silent Karakoram mountain range on the horizon.
As he left Khaplu, Mr. Thai looked back: the trees along the roadside were still golden, the Shyok River flowed gently, and the distant mountain peaks were still shrouded in early morning mist. Even though autumn had passed, that beauty remained in every frame, in every heartbeat, like a promise from nature to those who had ever set foot in this land - Khaplu, the golden autumn in Karakoram.
Mr. Trinh Nam Thai and Ms. Pham Bich Ngoc stand before the golden autumn foliage of Pakistan.
At this time of year, Hunza – a valley located in northern Pakistan, near the Chinese border and nearly 500 km from Khaplu – is also ablaze with golden hues, and locals say: “In about a week, Khaplu will enter its most beautiful time of autumn. It’s a moment of transition, where light, the scent of leaves, the sound of the wind, and memories blend together,” Thai said.
