Last Updated on: 9th March 2026, 01:59 am
Skardu’s Mansur Rock (confusingly also known as Marsur Rock) is one of Gilgit-Baltistan’s most photogenic natural formations. The arrow-shaped boulder juts dramatically into the sky, overlooking the Hussainabad Valley and Indus River. In the following guide, we’ll be covering everything you need to know about the steep hike up to see it.
And for more information on reaching Skardu and where to stay, be sure to check the end of the article.
About This Hike
THE BASICS: The hike to Mansur Rock is relatively short yet steep. As such, it could either be considered moderate or strenuous, depending on how experienced a hiker you are and how well you’ve acclimated to the altitude.
From the trailhead, the hike to the rock is just about 2.3 km, yet there’s an elevation gain of over 800 m. The final destination, meanwhile, rises up to 3600 m above sea level.
All in all, the full roundtrip hike, including rest time at the top, took me 4 hours – but I’d consider myself to be a bit on the quicker side.
Located roughly 11 km outside of town, getting to the trailhead itself is an adventure. In a proper vehicle, the drive to the trailhead from central Skardu should take about 30 minutes via a steep series of switchbacks.
WHAT TO BRING: Given the steepness of the hike, you will absolutely need decent shoes for hiking. Also, trekking poles are highly recommended – particularly for the descent.
And it’s absolutely imperative that you apply lots of sunscreen. There is zero shade on this hike, and you’ll be above 3,000 m the entire time. Even if the weather sometimes feels cool in the Skardu area, the sun is incredibly strong here.
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.
Reaching the Trailhead
Just getting to the trailhead is part of the adventure, as the access road climbs steeply via switchbacks. This shouldn’t be a problem if you’re in a Jeep, or maybe even a normal sedan. But I was on the back of a motorbike.
My driver, a local, never mentioned how tough the drive would be when I told him my plan. But the bike struggled with both our weights on the steep, uneven dirt road. We even toppled over 2-3 times!
‘No problem, no problem,’ he’d say each time. But it sort of was a problem. I had to walk long stretches on my own before getting back on, and I was already out of breath by the time I reached the trailhead.
Had I known what was in store, I definitely would’ve paid more for a driver with a car. But to be fair, aside from this rough stretch, we made to everywhere else we had planned for the day without incident.
I happened to be traveling in spring, and near the trailhead, we passed by numerous cherry blossoms in full bloom. It was a beautiful sight that already made for a memorable highlight before the hike even began.
Hiking to Mansur Rock
I just so happened to get to the trailhead right as a group about twenty hikers from Romania showed up. They were on a longer Gilgit-Baltistan trekking tour with a local guide, and we started the hike together.
The trail begins through a grassy area past local homes and farms (I was shocked to find a tiny village all the way up here).
But eventually, as indicated on the Organic Maps app, you’ll want to turn left. It’s not so obvious, however, where you’re supposed to turn.
Look for a narrow dirt trail leading straight up a rocky incline. Mansur Rock isn’t visible yet, but this steep incline is pretty much what you’ll climb for the entire journey.
Note that there are no signs or trail markers along the trail. A few cairns mark confusing sections, but they’re sparse.
So it’s not just the altitude and the steep incline you’re dealing with to get to Mansur Rock, but also confusing sections where the trail seems to fade away or split into two.
That’s why a navigation app is imperative. Some Pakistani hikers I later met in another part of the region told me that without apps or a guide, they never managed to find Mansur Rock.
Before long, one hiker from the Romanian group and I found ourselves far ahead of the rest of the group. And as the local guide stayed behind with some of the older members, relying on my app was key.
One of the great things about the hike to Mansur Rock it’s completely open. There are no mundane forested sections, and you’ll get spectacular views of the surrounding Karakoram range right from the beginning.
As mentioned, this isn’t a very long hike, but it was arguably my favorite hike that I did in Gilgit-Baltistan.
Not only are the mountain views impressive from the start, but as you climb higher, you overlook the sandy banks of the Indus River – an interesting contrast with the snowcapped mountain peaks.
And while Mansur Rock is obviously the highlight, you’ll pass by plenty of other interesting rocks and boulders along the way. Simply put, Skardu is one of the most scenic places I’ve ever visited in my life.
After making a lot of progress, we encountered yet more confusing sections of the trail. But with a bit of trial and error, we figured it out.
As mentioned, you can’t see Mansur Rock itself until the end. Therefore, there aren’t really any landmarks you can lock your eyes on as you make the ascent.
One major landmark you should spot near the end, however, is a massive boulder. If Mansur Rock didn’t exist, then this boulder would probably take its place as the main landmark overlooking the Hussainabad Valley.
Once you see it, you should feel relieved that you’re very close, as Mansur Rock sits right behind it.
Shortly past the boulder, there it was – the iconic arrow-shaped Mansur Rock. Incredibly, the rock wasn’t discovered until as recently as 2017.
The formation measures 38 feet (11.5 m) long, with 13 feet (4 m) anchored to the ground, while the remaining 25 feet (7.6 m) jut our upward into the air.
Mansur Rock’s width narrows from 15 feet (4.5 m) at the base to just 2.5 feet (0.75 m) at the tip.
The rock is mostly stable enough to walk on top of – even mostly to the tip. Just be careful, as it’s a long, long way down if you fall.
In modern times, anything even remotely Instagram-worthy gains popularity fast, and I was glad to have arrived ahead of the other hikers.
After taking more photos and eating a small lunch, it was time to make the descent.
Given how steep and slippery the ascent was, I wasn’t looking forward to climbing down. But taking it very slowly, step by step, I made it with only one slip. All in all, the descent took me nearly as long as the way up!
Finally, I was back in the valley, heading back to where my driver waited. The views remained incredible, and it was hard not to repeatedly stop for more photos.
Mansur Rock was just our first stop of the day, and we’d continue on to Sarfaranga and Shigar Fort. Be sure to check our broader guide to the top things to do in the Skardu area for more information on getting around and organizing your time.
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.