Skardu: The Complete Travel Guide

Skardu is the capital of Baltistan and the staging town for almost every serious expedition in the Karakoram, K2, Broad Peak, the Gasherbrums. It also rewards travellers who never plan to walk anywhere near a glacier. The valley sits at 2,230 m in a wide, sandy basin where the Indus and the Shigar rivers braid through cold desert dunes, ringed by 6,000-m peaks. This skardu travel guide covers what we plan for clients who want the place itself, plus the side trips that make a Skardu week one of the best in Pakistan.

Where Skardu sits

Skardu is the largest town in Gilgit-Baltistan's Baltistan division, roughly 8 hours by road east of Gilgit and a 1-hour flight from Islamabad when the weather plays. The cultural footprint here is Balti, Tibetan-rooted, Shia Muslim, with its own language, architecture (carved wood, mud-and-stone) and food. It feels distinct from Hunza in every way that matters.

When to visit Skardu

Getting to Skardu

By air

PIA flies Islamabad-Skardu most days; the new Skardu International Airport has occasional Dubai and Sharjah connections. The flight is one of the most spectacular in the world, Nanga Parbat off the right wing on a clear morning, but it is weather-dependent. Treat the flight as a bonus, not a plan: build at least one road day into any itinerary that includes a Skardu flight.

By road

Two routes. The Karakoram Highway via Chilas to Gilgit and then east to Skardu is open year-round (~22 hours from Islamabad, broken across two days). The Babusar Pass road via Naran is faster but only open roughly July-September. From Gilgit or Hunza, Skardu is a 6-8 hour drive on the Skardu Road, a stretch that has been almost fully blacktopped over the last three years and is now a genuinely pleasant drive.

Where to stay

• Serena Shigar Fort, a restored 17th-century Raja's fort an hour outside town. Eight rooms, Balti craftsmanship, the most atmospheric stay in the north. Book months out.
• Serena Khaplu Palace, sister property, equally extraordinary, in a much less visited valley.
• Shangrila Resort, Lower Kachura, the famous lake-shore resort. Tourist-heavy in summer but a fine lunch stop.
• Skardu Serena Hotel, modern, reliable, in town. The default for groups.
• Mashabrum Hotel and similar mid-range, clean, simple, central; what most independent travellers actually use.

In and around Skardu town

• Kharpocho Fort, sunset view over the Indus braid and the cold desert.
• Upper and Lower Kachura lakes, short drive; Upper is the prettier swim.
• Sarfaranga (cold desert), drive across dunes to the foot of the Karakoram. Surreal at dawn.
• Manthal Buddha rock, 9th-century rock carving on the edge of town; a reminder of pre-Islamic Baltistan.
• Polo ground, if you're in town for a tournament, go.

Shigar valley

An hour north of Skardu, Shigar is a string of orchard villages along the Shigar river under huge granite walls. Shigar Fort is the obvious centrepiece; the valley above (Basha, Braldu) is the trailhead for the K2 trek. Even without trekking, a Shigar day with lunch at the fort and a walk through Chinpa or Marapi village is one of the best days you can have in Baltistan.

Khaplu and the road east

Khaplu sits 2.5 hours east of Skardu in the Ghanche district, the last major valley before the Line of Control. Khaplu Palace (Serena) is the stay; the Hushe valley above it is the trailhead for Masherbrum and K6/K7 base camps and, for non-trekkers, the most beautiful drive in Baltistan in autumn. Foreign passport holders need an NOC for some sections beyond Khaplu, we arrange it.

Deosai plateau

Deosai, Land of Giants, is a high alpine plain at 4,100 m that opens only roughly late June to early October. It is one of the largest plateaus in the world, home to the Himalayan brown bear, and in July it carpets with wildflowers. Day trip from Skardu (long, ~10 hours) or overnight camp at Bara Pani. Cold even in August; bring real layers.

The road and the trek to K2 base camp

K2 base camp at Concordia (4,600 m) is reached on foot from Askole village, 6 hours north of Skardu. The classic trek is 12-14 days return, June to early September. We run it as a private expedition with porters, cook crew, and a high-altitude guide; it is not a casual decision. For a taste of the route without the commitment, drive to Askole and walk the first day to Jhola.

Practical notes

• Altitude: Skardu town is only 2,230 m, fine for almost everyone. Deosai (4,100 m) and Concordia (4,600 m) need acclimatisation.
• Connectivity: SCOM and Zong work in town; nothing on Deosai or in the Hushe upper valleys.
• Permits: NOC required for some areas east of Khaplu and for K2 trek. We handle it.
• Cash: ATMs in Skardu town only; carry rupees beyond it.
• Food: Balti cuisine, mamtu (dumplings), chapshurro (meat bread), apricot soup. The Serena and Shigar Fort kitchens are excellent.

Sample itineraries built around Skardu

• 4 days: Skardu town, Shigar Fort overnight, Upper Kachura, Sarfaranga sunrise.
• 6 days: add Deosai overnight and Khaplu Palace.
• 8 days: add Hushe valley and a day walk under Masherbrum.
• 14 days: K2 base camp trek with full support.