Under the shadows of the valley of Tirichmir from the Hindu Kush mountain ranges of the the valley of Chitral is a fascinating combination of scenic beauty and cultural diversity. The land of apples, apricots, pears and pomegranates, Chitral stretches from 1,094 m to 7778 m above sea level at Tirichmir Peak. With its collection of rugged mountains, gushing rivers, hot springs and fruit-laden orchards, Chitral truly is an enchanting part of Pakistan. The area is bordered by Afghanistan in the north and west, with the narrow Afghan Wakhan corridor separating it from Tajikistan, Dir Kohistan in the south and Gilgit in the east. Chitral can be accessed via several mountain passes, the most famous being the Lowari Top (3,118 m) approximately crossing the Hindu Raj (a spur of the higher Hindukush) in the south and the Shandur Pass (3,798 m) forming the eastern gateway from Gilgit. Other passes include the Dorah Pass from Badakhshan in Afghanistan and the Broghil (3,798 m) from the Wakhan Corridor in Afghanistan. Although these two passes represented the main arteries of the ancient Silk Route to Yarkand and Kashgar in China and Badakhshan in Afghanistan, they are not much in use today.