Baltistan, Gilgit-Baltistan

SkarduTravel Guide: Hotels, Car Rental & Tours

Skardu is the main town of Baltistan in Gilgit-Baltistan, set at about 2,230 m on the Indus River. It is the base for Deosai National Park, Shigar, Khaplu and the trek to K2.

The town has the widest choice of hotels in Baltistan and an airport with flights from Islamabad, which makes it the easiest high-mountain destination to reach in a short trip.

Hotels in Skardu Rent a car Tours

Skardu at a glance

Altitude: About 2,230 m
From Islamabad: About 1 hour by air; a long day or two by road
From Gilgit: About 170 km, 5–6 hours by road
Best time: April–October; Deosai roughly June–September

Things to do in Skardu

Shangrila and Upper Kachura Lakes
Two lakes about 30 minutes from town; Lower Kachura is home to the Shangrila resort.
Deosai National Park
One of the highest plateaus in the world, at about 4,000 m, home to the Himalayan brown bear and Sheosar Lake. Open in summer only.
Satpara Lake
A reservoir lake just south of Skardu on the road to Deosai.
Katpana Cold Desert
High-altitude sand dunes near the airport, best at sunset.
Kharpocho Fort and Manthal Buddha Rock
A hilltop fort over the town and a rock carving of the Buddha in Manthal village.
Shigar and Khaplu
Day trips or overnight stays at two restored royal palaces.

Best time to visit Skardu

April for cherry blossom, May to September for Deosai and treks, October for autumn colours. Winters are very cold but the town is reachable and flights continue when the weather allows.

How to get to Skardu

Flights from Islamabad take about an hour and are weather-dependent. By road, Skardu is reached via the Karakoram Highway and the Gilgit–Skardu road along the Indus, about 5–6 hours from Gilgit.