Explore the Breathtaking Seasons of Northern Pakistan: A Journey Through Nature’s Wonders

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EBS1’s World Theme Travel heads to northern Pakistan — a place where spring blooms and winter snows coexist. The episode stitches together flower-filled valleys and icy mountain passes, while spotlighting mountain communities that have kept their traditions alive for generations.

Part 4, “Meeting Two Seasons,” of Pakistan! People Are the Landscape — airing on the 14th — showcases northern Pakistan’s sweeping scenery along the Karakoram and Hindu Kush ranges. Travel writer Kim Ung-jin leads viewers through mountain villages, glaciers, and snowfields beyond the passes, exploring pockets where different seasons overlap.

The trip kicks off in Pasu, a tiny mountain village north of Hunza. The jagged Pasu Cones — toothlike peaks that slice into the sky — are among the region’s most dramatic sights. Below them, the Hussaini suspension bridge, often called one of the world’s most dangerous, hangs across the gorge. Watching people cross that swaying rope bridge in high winds delivers pure, stomach-dropping tension.

Past the bridge lies the Hopper Glacier. This hulking river of ice, born deep in the Karakoram, still holds vast blocks of ice even as spring arrives. Narrow glimpses between melting crevasses reveal the raw, overwhelming power of northern Pakistan’s landscape.

Meanwhile, the Sundur Pass — sitting at 3,700 meters — remains locked in winter. Vehicles sit stranded on snow-packed roads because they lack winter gear, and at the end of a trail that cuts across the snowfield, the mountain town of Chitral finally comes into view in the Hindu Kush.

In Chitral, locals operate a hand-cranked cable car to cross the river. Villagers on the far bank, wearing the traditional pakol cap, welcome travelers. From Chitral Fort on the hill, the episode also traces the history of the Mahtar royal family, who ruled the area in the 18th and 19th centuries.

The journey closes in the secluded Kalash Valley. Little known to outsiders until the late 19th century, the Kalash people have preserved a distinct culture and faith for generations. The episode lingers on their daily rhythms, showing how closely their lives follow the cycles of nature.

Women at the village communal mill invite the crew into their homes and share a mountain meal. Their fierce sense of community, thriving amid unforgiving terrain, brings a warm, human note to the trip’s final scenes.

Episode 4 captures the charm of northern Pakistan — where snowy peaks, flower-strewn paths, glaciers, and meadows coexist. Through the stories of people who’ve kept their traditions intact for generations, the episode reminds viewers that people truly are the landscape.

World Theme Travel — Pakistan! People Are the Landscape, Part 4: “Meeting Two Seasons” airs on EBS1 at 8:40 p.m. on the 14th.