Shyok River

The Shyok River is a tributary of the Indus River that flows through northern Ladakh and enters Gilgit–Baltistan, in Pakistan, spanning some 550 km (340 mi).

The Shyok River originates at the Rimo Glacier. Its alignment is very unusual, originating from the Rimo glacier, it flows in a southeasterly direction and, joining the Pangong range, it takes a northwestern turn, flowing parallel to its previous path. Shyok Valley widens at the confluence with the Nubra River but suddenly turns into a narrow gorge near Yagulung (34.77°N 77.14°E / 34.77; 77.14), continuing through Bogdang, Turtuk and Tyakshi before crossing into Baltistan. The valley again widens near its Saltoro River junction at Ghursay. The river joins the Indus at Keris, east of the town of Skardu.

The Nubra River, originating from the Siachen glacier, also behaves like the Shyok. Before Diskit, the southeasterly flowing river Nubra takes a northwest turn on meeting the river Shyok. The similarity in the courses of these two important rivers probably indicates a series of paleolithic fault lines trending northwest-southeast in delimiting the upper courses of the rivers.