Last Updated on: 3rd March 2026, 01:34 am
Skardu is one of the major towns of the Gilgit-Baltistan territory, a region that’s fast becoming recognized as one of the world’s most beautiful. There’s quite a lot to do around the area, but a great way to get oriented is to start with an easy hike that you can do with no need for a driver. This guide covers the hike to both Kharphocho Fort and the Narsok Organic Village.
For more information on the rather complicated process of reaching Skardu and where to stay in town, be sure to check the end of the article.
About This Hike
THE BASICS: This hike takes you to two notable locations in Skardu: Kharphocho Fort and the Narsok Organic Village. Located just a few kilometers outside of town, the ‘trailhead’ is essentially your hotel, so the total time and distance will vary slightly based on where you’re staying.
With that said, all in all, the hiking time should last about 2.5 hours. This does not include time spent at the fort or the village, but you should set aside at least four hours for this excursion.
The total walking/hiking distance is approximately 10.5 km, with an elevation gain of roughly 150 m.
All in all, this is an easy hike, but given the high elevation of Skardu itself, you may find yourself getting tired fairly quickly.
On that note, this is a great first hike to do upon your arrival in the region, as it can help get you acclimated.
WHAT TO BRING: There’s nothing special you need to bring for this hike, especially considering how you can eat lunch at the Narsok Organic Village.
But it’s absolutely imperative that you apply lots of sunscreen. Skardu lies at 2500 m above sea level. So though it may be much cooler than Islamabad, the sun is very, very strong here. Despite applying plenty of sunscreen, I somehow still got badly burned in the beginning of my trip, and it took me days to heal.
RECOMMENDED APPS: This hike isn’t featured on AllTrails, but you should be able to navigate using offline map apps like Organic Maps or Maps.me. While you’re unlikely to get too lost, the locals are helpful and will point you in the right direction if you’re confused.
Hiking to Kharphocho Fort
Though one of Skardu’s best-known landmarks that looms over the city, actually finding Kharphocho Fort can be somewhat tricky given the labyrinthine nature of Skardu’s streets.
As it was my first full day in town, and I also couldn’t resist taking some detours to get views of the surrounding mountains. But as I’d soon learn, the best was yet to come.
Even after reaching the bottom of the fort, finding the trailhead isn’t so obvious at first. I had to climb up a mound of dirt to reach it, which, while not so bad on the way up, would be a challenge to get down a few hours later
One you find the start of the dirt trail leading to the fortress, it won’t be long before you’re already looking down on central Skardu, a city of roughly 100,000 people.
And this must be one of the world’s most stunning contrasts between a town and its surrounding mountains. I’d been to plenty of scenic mountain destinations around the world, but I couldn’t remember feeling quite as small as I did here.
According to a local, the ones that can be seen on this hike are roughly 5,000-6,000 above sea level – far from being the largest in Gilgit-Baltistan.
While not terribly steep, it is indeed a tiring uphill climb to reach Kharphocho Fort. But you’ll find a few places to take a rest along the way.
As mentioned above, given Skardu’s elevation of 2500 m above sea level, those coming from lower elevations might find themselves getting tired easily.
Before long, after walking up a series of switchbacks, you’ll find yourself looking up at the entrance to Kharphocho Fort – also simply known as Skardu Fort. At the time of writing, entrance to the fort costs PKR 200 for foreigners.
I found the sole caretaker to be asleep upon my arrival, but after calling out to him, he came over and gave me a ticket. Proceeding into the fort then required squeezing in through a tiny door.
The main reason to hike up to Kharphocho Fort isn’t so much for the fort itself but for the views. There are many better-preserved forts throughout Gilgit-Baltistan.
But while the fort may be in quite a dilapidated state, it does have an interesting history.
A fort has stood here since at least the late 16th century when Baltistan was ruled by the king Ali Sher Khan Anchan (r. 1580–1633). He was part of the Maqpon dynasty, which ruled Skardu for over 700 years.
And for centuries, the fort played a vital role in controlling trade routes linking Kashmir, Ladakh, and Central Asia.
In the 19th century, the fort was finally taken over by the Dogra dynasty. And more recently, Kharphocho was the scene of fighting during the first Indo-Pakistan War of 1947–1948.
And it doesn’t appear to have been touched since.
I spent awhile walking around the fort while taking in the breathtaking views of the Karakoram Mountains and the Indus River down below.
I also went around to examine the various structures, one of which is the ruins of an old mosque.
Making my way to the very highest point of the fort, I had to be a bit careful. It involved light scrambling up some steep rocks, and I then had to closely watch my footing when coming down. But this part of the visit is completely optional.
Feeling I’d seen it all, it was eventually time to head back down the way I came. But once at the base of the fort, it wasn’t yet time to return to central Skardu.
Hiking to The Narsok Organic Village
When finished with the fort, you’ll want to head northeast and walk alongside the Indus River to reach the Narsok Organic Village.
But even with an app in hand, I still had some difficulty identifying the exact trail. At first I chose the wrong path, and, walking past some local houses, residents figured where I was trying to go and pointed me in the right direction.
Before reaching the river, you’ll walk for a while along a narrow ridge trail on the side of the rock. This section isn’t too difficult, but you’ll obviously want to watch your step, as there are no guardrails.
The trail will gradually descend and curve around. And before long, you’ll find yourself walking along the sandy riverbank of the Indus, heading north.
As spectacular as the views from the top of the fort are, looking at the mountains from across the Indus River is just as impressive.
I also happened to pass by a cricket game taking place on the riverbank – easily one of the world’s most scenic cricket pitches!
All in all, getting to the Narsok Organic Village is mostly an easy and flat walk. And as no roads go there, this is the same route that villagers must traverse to get to and from town.
Developed in the 2000s, the Narsok Organic Village was established for both eco-tourism purposes and to supply the region with pesticide-free produce.
Here, local villagers grow things like barley, buckwheat, apricots, and various vegetables.
As a solo visitor, there didn’t seem to be a whole lot to do other than walk around. But there is an on-site restaurant that serves delicious food.
The restaurant offers typical Pakistani cuisine but of course, everything is organic. I ordered spinach with roti along with a lassi. They charged me PKR 1200 for everything which may have been the tourist price, but still reasonable for an organic meal.
Next, I did a loop around the village and, after determining I’d seen everything, I began the long walk back to town.
During the return journey, I remained in total awe of these towering mountains, while I also enjoyed looking up at Kharphocho Fort from the opposite side.
Eventually, I found myself overlooking Skardu again. As this full hike only lasted several hours, I still had some time left over for another excursion.
But while Kharphocho Fort and the Narsok Organic Village can easily be reached on foot from town, most other attractions and hikes around the area require a vehicle. Check out our guide to the top things to do in Skardu for more information.
Additional Info
The autonomous territory of Gilgit-Baltistan is part of the broader Kashmir region, which, before the Partition of 1947, was part of the Princely State of Jammu and Kashmir.
Today, Gilgit-Baltistan is controlled by Pakistan and can only be entered from within Pakistan or via the land border with China. While we won’t be getting into politics here, many maps of India include Gilgit-Baltistan in its territory, which can make trip research especially confusing.
Pakistan actually controls two Kashmiri territories, the other being Azad Kashmir. To make matters even more confusing, when many Pakistanis use the word ‘Kashmir,’ they’re often specifically referring to Azad Kashmir – not the entire region.
As its name suggests, Gilgit-Baltistan consists of two main divisions. Skardu is the capital of the Baltistan division, and the city of Gilgit is the capital of the broader Gilgit division (and also of the entire Gilgit-Baltistan territory).
Accordingly, these are the two main transport hubs of the region. You can find direct buses from Islamabad to both cities, while both Skardu and Gilgit are home to the region’s airports.
But Skardu is also a destination in its own right, with plenty to do around the area. Gilgit, on the other hand, may have plenty of hotel and shopping options, but it should only be thought of as a place to pass through.
Another must-visit destination in Gilgit-Baltistan, meanwhile, is the Hunza Valley, with its main hubs being Karimabad and Aliabad. Part of the Gilgit division, that region is a lot closer to Gilgit than it is to Skardu.
Check out our upcoming Gilgit-Baltistan itinerary guide to learn more about how to both get around and plan your time in the region.
Skardu has plenty of hotel options to choose from.
I had an excellent stay at Hotel Saspolo which I would highly recommend to budget travelers. The room included a private bathroom and Wifi, while the hotel also had reasonably-priced room service. And they also help set me up with a reliable driver.
For all that, the prices were shockingly low (about $6 per night!), which I originally thought was a mistake at first, but it was indeed the real price.
If you’re not on such a strict budget, highly-rated midrange options in central Skardu include Kesar Palace Hotel & Restaurant and Arish Luxury Suites.
The broader Skardu region is also home to two well-known luxury hotels. One of them is the Shigar Fort to the northeast of town, and the other is the Shangrila Resort to the northwest, both of which are destinations in their own right. (Legend Hotel Kachura is another option near Shangrila.)
Skardu can be accessed directly by bus or plane from Islamabad. While less frequent, you may also be able to find direct flights from Lahore or Karachi.
If you’re already in the region, you can also take a direct minivan or shared taxi from Gilgit, a journey which should take 3-5 hours.
As for direct buses from Islamabad, the journey can last anywhere from around 18-24 hours! And that’s if there are no major incidents, such as landslides or traffic jams, along the way.
The plane from Islamabad to Skardu, meanwhile, takes just one hour. So why even consider such a grueling bus ride?
One simple reason is cost. Flights can cost up to $90 one-way, while the bus ride costs roughly $20.
But another reason is reliability. Flights frequently get cancelled or delayed due to weather or visibility issues. Therefore, if you have limited time in the region, it can be very hard to make concrete plans knowing that your flight may repeatedly get delayed.
In my case, I already had plans to take the bus both ways. But during my trip, a brief war between India and Pakistan happened to break out, and all flights were cancelled for a couple of weeks!
The buses, on the other hand, were running daily as scheduled, so, in contrast to numerous stranded travelers that I met, my plans didn’t get interrupted at all.
Let’s talk more about the bus ride. There’s no way to sugarcoat it – this ride really, really sucks. But it is a way to travel over 600 km for next to nothing, while you’re bound to meet friendly locals during the journey.
Most bus companies weren’t even accepting foreign passengers at the time of my visit, leaving NATCO, a state-run bus company, as the only option. Unfortunately, a lot of NATCO buses are in pretty bad shape.
In my case, aside from the general discomfort of sitting in a cramped bus for so long, the ride mostly went as planned. But if you’re traveling shortly after heavy rain, landslides may delay the journey tremendously.
Another important thing to be aware of is the security situation. There are a lot of security measures in place to keep tourists safe, especially in the province of KPK, through which this bus passes as it travels along the Karakoram Highway.
Before your journey, you must prepare around 15 photocopies (or even more if you can) of both your passport and Pakistani visa. You’ll give these to the driver as the trip starts, and he’ll then pass a copy to police or security personnel at various checkpoints along the way. Fortunately, this means you won’t have to get woken up by the guards.
(Pakistan doesn’t really do centralized digital databases, so oftentimes these officers are just snapping a photo of your papers with their phone and then distributing it to a WhatsApp group with other officers!)
For the record, I felt completely safe while in Pakistan, and a lot of these practices are just extra precautions to keep foreign tourists safe.
If you’re a Chinese national, however, there are extra security precautions in place for you. I don’t have the updated information, so please look that up on your own.
All in all, the best way to get the latest information is to follow various Pakistan travel-oriented groups on Facebook.
Note that even if you already have a Pakistani SIM card, it’s probably not going to work in Skardu. But there is a dedicated telecom company operating in Gilgit-Baltistan known as SCOM.
It’s easy enough to obtain a SIM card there upon your arrival – even as a foreign tourist. Just be sure to go to the MAIN office located on Hameed Garh Road, as no other offices allow foreigners to obtain new SIM cards there. (Most locals don’t realize this and may direct you to the wrong shop.)
In any case, you’ll definitely want to download Gilgit-Baltistan maps for offline use in advance of your trip.