It originates from a glacier near Bokhar Chu in the Tibetan region at an altitude of 4,164 m in the Kailash Mountain range near the Mansarovar Lake.
- The river flows northwest and enters in Ladakh region in India from a place called Demchok, after entering India Indus river flows in between Karakoram and Ladakh range but more closer to the Ladakh range.
- At a place called Dungti, the river takes a sharp southwest turn and cuts through the Ladakh range and then takes a northwestern course and continues to flow towards the Leh region of Ladakh between Ladhak Range and Zaskar Range.
- After reaching Leh river countinues the northwestern course and reaches the town of Batalik which is in the Kargil district.
- It is joined by the Zaskar River at Leh.
- Near Skardu, it is joined by the Shyok at an elevation of about 2,700 m.
- The Gilgit, Gartang, Dras, Shiger, Hunza are the other Himalayan tributaries of the Indus.
- Now the Indus river enters into the Baltistan region through the city of sakardu and countinues to flow northwest towards the city of Gilgit, Upon reaching the city of Gilgit the river takes a south bend and then turns west and then fully enters the northwest frontier province of Pakistan which is called Khyber Pakhtunkhawa.
- The Kabul River empties into the Indus River near Attock, Pakistan. It is the main river in eastern Afghanistan and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan.
- The river then takes a southwestern course and countinues to flow across the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
- It then flows through the plain in western and southern Punjab province of Pakistan, the river countinues to head towards the Sindhu province of Pakistan.
- Just above Mithankot, the Indus receives from Panjnad (Panchnad), the accumulated waters of the five eastern tributaries—the Jhelum, the Chenab, the Ravi, the Beas, and the Satluj.
- In Sindh Province river accumulates a lot of sediments and forms the Indus river delta before draining into the Arabian sea near Karachi.
- The blind Indus River Dolphin, a sub-species of dolphin, is found only in the Indus River.
Left and Right bank tributaries
- Zaskar river, Suru river, Soan river, Jhelum River, Chenab River, Ravi River, Beas river, Satluj river, Panjnad river are its major left-bank tributaries.
- Shyok River, Gilgit river, Hunza river, Swat river, Kunnar river, Kurram river, Gomal River, and Kabul river are its major right-bank tributaries.
