At 63 kilometers (39 miles) in length, the Baltoro Glacier is one of the longest non-polar glaciers in the world.

It’s located in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan, home to some of the world’s highest mountains.

The glacier runs through part of the region’s Karakoram mountain range, near a mountain known as K2, highest mountain in the region at 8,611 meters (28,251 feet).

Three other nearby mountains within 20 kilometers all top 8,000 meters as well. The glacier gives rise to the Shigar River, which is a tributary of the Indus River. Several large tributary glaciers feed the main Baltoro Glacier, including the Godwin Austen Glacier, flowing south from K2; the Abruzzi and the various Gasherbrum Glaciers, flowing from the Gasherbrum group of peaks; the Vigne Glacier, flowing from Chogolisa, and the Yermandendu Glacier, flowing from Masherbrum. The confluence of the main Baltoro Glacier with the Godwin Austen Glacier is known as Concordia; this location and K2 base camp are popular trekking destinations. The trough of this glacier is very wide. Small valley glaciers form icefalls where they meet the trunk glacier. The sidewalls vary from very steep to precipitous. The glacier has carved striations on the surrounding country rocks. Moving ice has formed depressions, which serve as basins for numerous glacial lakes. The glacier can be approached via the important Balti town of Skardu.