| Braldu River | |
| Name Other: | བྲཱལྡུ་ཙང་པོ། |
| Subdivision Type1: | Country |
| Subdivision Name1: | Pakistan |
| Subdivision Type2: | State |
| Subdivision Name2: | Gilgit Baltistan |
| Subdivision Type4: | District |
| Subdivision Name4: | Shigar |
| Length: | 78km (48miles) |
| Discharge1 Avg: | 265m3/s |
| Source1 Location: | Baltoro Glacier and Biafo Glacier, Shigar |
| Source1 Elevation: | 3620m (11,880feet) |
| Mouth Location: | Basha Basna River to form Shigar River at Tigstun, Shigar |
| Mouth Elevation: | 2330m (7,640feet) |
The Braldu River (; Urdu: {{Nastaliq|برالدو ندی) flows in the Shigar District of Gilgit Baltistan in Pakistan. The Braldu River joins the Basha Basna River, and together they form the Shigar River, which is a tributary of the Indus River.[1]
The Braldu River is a long river, that originates from the Baltoro Glacier[1] and flows to the west where it receives melt waters from the Biafo Glacier.[1] The Baltoro Glacier and the Biafo Glacier are among the largest glaciers outside the polar regions. The Baltoro Glacier give rise to the four Eight-thousanders mountain peaks, among them is the K2 8611disp=flipNaNdisp=flip, the second highest mountain peak of the world.[2] The Biafo Glacier holds the Snow Lake, which is 61 mile (100 km) river of ice, it is among the world's longest continuous glacier systems outside of the polar regions.[3]
The Braldu River flows almost eastwards, entirely in the Shigar District of Baltistan and forms the Braldu Valley. The most remote settlement in the valley is the village of Askole, situated at the right bank of the Braldu River. Askole serves as the base camp for mountaineering expeditions and trekking to the various glaciers in this Karakoram Range.[4] Many glacier fed streams joins the Braldu River in the Braldu Valley.
The Braldu River flows through the towns of Testay, Korphe, Shamang, Sino, Maisam Abad, Niyil and Tingstun. It merges with the Basha Basna River before Tingstun to form the Shigar River at the end of the Braldu Valley.[5] [6] The Basha Basna River originates from the Chogo Lungma and the Sokha Glaciers, flows southeastwards. The Shigar River joins the Indus River at Skardu, from the merger of the Braldu River and the Basha Basna River.[5]
The Braldu River is considered to be a super extreme whitewater river. It provides great scope for kayaking, which is practised during the summer from June to August. The first attempt to kayak the river was made in 1978 by a British expedition led by Mike Jones. Jones lost his life trying to rescue a team mate, for which he was awarded the Queen's Gallantry Medal (QGM).[7] [8]