Travel to Pakistan: Hanuchal Channel

Although there are hundreds of spectacular irrigation channels in northern Pakistan, the Hanuchal Channel is especially well known, because it was sponsored by the much-publicized Aga Khan Rural Support Program. It lies on the right-bank of the Indus River, a few miles upstream from that river's confluence with the Gilgit River.

For much more on Hanuchal and the AKRSP, see The Periphery: Rural Development in Hunza.

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The "dam," such as it is: a stony hand reaching into the creek and catching most of the water, at least in summer.

The natural channel drops quickly, so the artificial one soon is high above it.

The vertical setting.

The main channel joins the Indus River, while the artificial one now hugs a cliff hundreds of feet above the Indus. The downstream channel is indicated by the trees in the background that follow the canal contour.

A better look at the overhanging cliff.

Looking down to the Indus from the channel at this point.

The path turns into a crawl-space where the channel passes under the overhang.