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Shyok River
Shyok river
Course of the Shyok
Etymology	"the river of death"
Location
Country	India, Pakistan
Territory	Ladakh (India), Gilgit-Baltistan (Pakistan)
District	Leh (India), Ghanche (Pakistan)
Physical characteristics
Source
• coordinates	35°21′N 77°37′E / 35.35°N 77.62°E / 35.35; 77.62
Mouth	Indus River
• coordinates	35°14′N 75°55′E / 35.23°N 75.92°E / 35.23; 75.92
Basin size	33,347 km (12,875 sq mi)
Discharge
• location	Yugo gauging station, Pakistan.
• average	1041 m/sec
• minimum	859 m/sec
• maximum	1199 m/sec
Basin features
River system	Indus River
Tributaries
• left	Chip Chap River, Galwan River, Chang Chenmo River
• right	Nubra River, Hushe 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°46′N 77°08′E / 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 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.

Name

The name Shyok (or Shayog) is derived from Tibetan ཤག་མ (shag) 'gravel' + གཡོག་ (gyog) 'to spread' and therefore means 'gravel spreader', referring to the large quantities of gravel that the river deposits when it floods. The name is sometimes incorrectly glossed as 'river of death'.

Valley

The Shyok Valley is the valley of the Shyok River. It is near the Nubra Valley. Khardung La on the Ladakh Range lies north of Leh and is the gateway to the Shyok and Nubra valleys. The Siachen Glacier lies partway up the latter valley.

Tributaries

The Chang Chen Mo River is formed in the vicinity of Pamzal in Changchinmo plains of Ladakh and flows westward. It ends when it empties into the Shyok River.

The Galwan River is in the southern part of Aksai Chin, Galwan originates in the area of Samzungling and flowing to the west which joins the Shyok River.

The Nubra River is a tributary of the Shyok River, which flows into the Indus River. It flows in the Ladakh region of India.

The Saltoro River begins in the skirts of the Saltoro Kangri peak ridge and flows to the southwest. Another branch starts from the western Siachen glaciers and flows to the west to join it at Dumsum village. North of the Ghursay Valley, it meets Mashburm Peak's Hushe River and empties into Shyok River in southwest.

Tourism

Siachen Base Camp tourist adventure, many monasteries, Pangong Tso etc. are tourism opportunities.

Gallery

• Shyok in Khaplu Valley
• Kharfaq and Yugu
• Road marker map

See also

• Saser Muztagh
• Nubra River
• Galwan River

References

• Sharad Singh Negi: Himalayan Rivers, Lakes, and Glaciers. Indus Publishing 1991, ISBN 81-85182-61-2
• H. N. Kaul: Rediscovery of Ladakh. Indus Publishing 1998, ISBN 81-7387-086-1, p. 30-31 (restricted online version (Google Books))

Footnotes

1. ^ Harish Kapadia (1999). Across Peaks & Passes in Ladakh, Zanskar & East Karakoram. Indus Publishing. p. 230. ISBN 978-81-7387-100-9. Shyok: river of death. (Sheo: death).
2. "India WRIS Geoviewer". Retrieved 30 September 2024.
3. "Detection of Sediment Trends Using Wavelet Transforms in the Upper Indus River". Retrieved 13 May 2024.
4. "Turtuk, the village on the India-Pak border, is where the clichés stop and fantasies begin". Archived from the original on 15 May 2015.
5. Aerial view of river junction
6. Bennett-Jones, Owen; Brown, Lindsay; Mock, John (1 September 2004). Pakistan and the Karakoram Highway. Lonely Planet Regional Guides (6th Revised ed.). Lonely Planet Publications. p. 306. ISBN 978-0-86442-709-0. Retrieved 26 August 2009.
7. Peter, F. A. (1977). "Glossary of Place Names in Western Tibet". The Tibet Journal. 2 (2): 5–37. JSTOR 43299854. Retrieved 18 November 2022.

External links

• Shyok River at the Encyclopædia Britannica
• Shyok River
• Shyok River
• "Shyok Valley Project - An Experiment In Suof Jammu and Kashmir"

v t e Union Territory of Ladakh
Capital: Kargil; Leh
State symbols	Animal: Snow leopard Bird: Black-necked crane
History	Pre-Independent India Maryul Namgyal dynasty of Ladakh Tibet–Ladakh–Mughal war Treaty of Tingmosgang Dogra–Tibetan War Princely State of Jammu and Kashmir Post-Independent India 1947–1948 India-Pakistan War 1948 military operations in Ladakh 1971 battle of Turtuk 2010 Ladakh floods 2019 Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh reorganisation Conflicts Demchok conflict India–China conflict India–Pakistan conflict Kashmir conflict Siachen conflict
Administration	Districts Politics of Ladakh Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Kargil Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Leh Ladakh Police Ladakh Renewable Energy Development Agency Jammu and Kashmir High Court Lieutenant Governors Ladakh (Lok Sabha constituency)
Geography	General Four types of Himalayan ranges Geology of the Himalaya Ranges Baltoro Muztagh Ladakh Range Saltoro Mountains Zanskar Range Kailash Range Plateau Depsang Plains More plains Sirijap Teram Shehr Plateau Valleys Leh Rupshu Salt Valley Mushkoh Valley Padum Shyok Suru Valley Nubra Zanskar Aryan valley Glaciers Chumik Glacier Drang-Drung Glacier Machoi Glacier Parkachik Glacier Shafat Glacier Siachen Glacier Lakes Tso Moriri Pangong Tso Rivers Sutlej Beas Ravi Shyok Chenab Drass River Indus Zanskar Tsarap Doda Yapola Suru River Markha Galwan Chip Chap Passes Bilafond La Chang la Fotu La Gyong La Indira Col Karakoram Pass Khardung La Kongka Pass Lachulung La Taglang La Marsimik La Namika La Pensi La Rezang La Rimo Sasser Pass Sia La Shingo La Spanggur Gap Zoji La Mountain peaks Bana Top Chumik Kangri Ghent Kangri Gurung Hill India Saddle K12 Saltoro Kangri Sherpi Kangri Tiger Saddle
Human settlements	Meenamarg Burtse Chalunka Chemrey Chushul Daulat Beg Oldi Demchok Diskit Dras Dzingrulma Fukche Hemis Hanle Kargil Khalatse Leh Likir Murgo Nimo Nyoma Padum Panamik Purne Rangdum Sankoo Sasoma Shey Shyok Thiksey Thoise Turtuk Ukdungle Upshi Zangla
Culture	General Music of Ladakh Languages Ladakhi Purgi Balti Zangskari Changthang Brokskat Festivals Bono-na festival
Tourism and wildlife	Wildlife Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary Hemis National Park Karakoram Wildlife Sanctuary Tourism Khurnak Fort Ladakh Marathon Shanti Stupa, Ladakh Siachen Base Camp Indo-Tibetan Buddhist monasteries Alchi Bardan Basgo Chemrey Diskit Hanle Hemis Hundur Korzok Karsha Lamayuru Likir Lingshed Mashro/Matho Monastery Mulbekh Namgyal Tsemo Phugtal Phyang Rangdum Rizong Sani Sankar Saspul Shey Monastery Spituk Stakna Stok Stongdey Takthok Thikse Tserkarmo Tonde Wanla Zangla Zongkul
Transport	Airports Kargil Airport Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport (Leh) Military AGLs Roads Darbuk–Shyok–DBO Road India-China Border Roads Leh–Manali Highway NH1 Leh–Kargil–Srinagar Highway Nimmu–Padum–Darcha road (under construction) Sasoma–Saser La Road Railway Bhanupli–Leh line (Planned) Srinagar–Leh line (Planned)
Infrastructure	General Indian Astronomical Observatory Dams and hydroelectric project Chutak Dumkhar Salal Education Central Institute of Buddhist Studies Defence Institute of High Altitude Research Druk White Lotus School Eliezer Joldan Memorial College Leh, Ladakh Government Degree College, Kargil Phuktal Monastic School Students' Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh University of Ladakh
See also	Borders Line of Actual Control Line of Control Actual Ground Position Line Other Curious BRO roadsigns

• Tributaries of the Indus River
• International rivers of Asia
• Karakoram
• Rivers of Ladakh
• Rivers of Gilgit-Baltistan