Shyok is the valley of the
Shyok River, the main tributary of the
Indus River in
Ladakh of
Jammu and Kashmir. Central Asian traders, who ventured on this treacherous route for centuries, would have given this name.
The northern part of the valley, the region of the
Karakoram range in Ladakh, has names related to death. Here, cold winds blow at a tremendous velocity. The rarefied air makes the crossing of this route particularly difficult.
Originating from the Khumdang Glacier, which can be accessed from Shyok Valley, the Shyok River takes a southerly route through the valley after it is joined by the Nubra River.
