Last Updated on: 9th March 2026, 05:19 am
Nestled in the heart of Gilgit-Baltistan at around 2,500 meters above sea level, Skardu is one of the world’s most breathtaking places. The city is surrounded by towering mountains of the Karakoram range, while its outskirts are home to high-altitude deserts, scenic lakes, and ancient forts. This guide covers the top things to do in Skardu that you shouldn’t miss.
But how much time do you need? That partly depends on how you’ll be arriving, as you’ll need at least a day to recover from the long bus ride from Islamabad. Ideally, you should give yourself at least three to four full days to see everything covered below.
On day one, you can hike to Kharphocho Fort and the Narsok Organic Village, followed by a visit to the Manthal Buddha Rock with a driver.
The next day, hire a driver to take you to Mansur Rock, the Sarfaranga Cold Desert, and Shigar Palace. And on another day, a driver can take you to the Kachura Lakes.
For more information on reaching Skardu and the best places to stay, be sure to check the end of the article.
Hike to Kharphocho Fort & Narsok Organic Village
A great way to get acclimated to Skardu’s elevation of 2500 m is to start with an easy hike that you can do with no need for a driver. This hike takes you to two notable locations in Skardu: Kharphocho Fort and the Narsok Organic Village.
We’ve already covered this hike in-depth in a separate guide, but what follows is a brief summary.
All in all, this excursion should take you several hours. Begin by hiking to Kharphocho Fort, which dates back to the 16th century. But it’s certainly seen better days, and the main reason to come now is for the views.
When finished, you can enjoy a scenic walk alongside the Indus River, eventually making it to the Narsok Organic Village.
Developed in the 2000s, the village was established for both eco-tourism purposes and to supply the region with pesticide-free produce.
While there’s not a whole lot to do other than walk around, you can enjoy a delicious meal at the on-site restaurant.
Hike to Mansur Rock
Arguably the top highlight of the entire Skardu region (well, unless you’re adventurous enough to visit K2), the hike to Mansur Rock is short, steep, and breathtaking.
Again, we’ve covered it in-depth in a detailed trekking guide, so we’ll just briefly summarize it here.
Just getting to the trailhead is part of the adventure, as the access road climbs steeply via switchbacks.
Then, 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.
One of the great things about the hike to Mansur Rock is that 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 for the rock itself, it measures 11.5 m long, with 4 m anchored to the ground. The remaining 7.6 m jut our upward into the air, and the rock is mostly stable enough to walk on top of. Just be careful, as it’s a long, long way down if you fall.
See The Manthal Buddha Rock
The Manthal Buddha Rock is one of the few attractions around Skardu that’s walkable from the center. It’s located in Manthal village, about 3 km outside of the city. If you’re also visiting Satpara Lake (not featured in this guide), you should be able to have your driver drop you off along the way.
At the time of writing, entrance costs PKR 500 for foreigners.
The Buddhist carvings on this large boulder date back to the 8th century AD, which was considered to be a Golden Age of Buddhism in the region.
Centuries ago, Gilgit-Baltistan was predominantly Buddhist, and Skardu had been part of the Tibetan Empire since its founding in the 7th century AD.
The area converted to Islam later than the rest of the subcontinent, with the shift gradually taking place between the 14th-16th centuries. (As an interesting side note, Baltistan today is mostly Shia, in contrast to Pakistan’s large Sunni majority.)
These rock carvings depict the Buddha along with Bodhisattvas, while on either side are standing depictions of Maitreya, the ‘future Buddha.’
Look carefully and you can also spot some inscriptions, presumably in the Balti language. Notably, the local Balti language is actually a Tibetic language, though the people in Skardu don’t visually resemble Tibetans very much today.
Visit Skardu's Cold Deserts
Skardu is known for its high-altitude cold deserts, which were formed due to the rain shadow effect created by the surrounding Karakoram mountains. The peaks trap wet air masses on the windward side, leaving Skardu relatively dry.
Combined with tectonic, climatic, and erosional processes over thousands of years, what’s resulted is one of the world’s most unique desert environments.
Surreal images of Skardu’s dunes with snowcapped mountains in the background are what initially drew me to the region. But having been there, despite how impressive Skardu is overall, the cold deserts, unfortunately, were a disappointment.
Katpana Desert
Katpana Desert sits at 2,226 meters (7,303 ft), making it one of the world’s highest deserts. I hired a driver to take me there, expecting the pristine rolling dunes I’d seen in photos. But what I found instead was different.
The whole area is being rapidly developed, with bungalows being built directly on the sand. Much of the desert is blocked off by fences, and I didn’t see any of the expansive dune views I’d been expecting.
Instead, the views of the Indus River from atop what dunes were accessible were the clear highlight.
Later, on another day, when passing the airport area in a car, I did spot a more pristine section of Katpana Desert. But from what I could tell, it was blocked off and inaccessible to visitors.
GETTING THERE: The Katpana Desert is located about 6 km outside of central Skardu, not far from the airport. I encountered a motorbike driver in central Skardu who quoted me PKR 1500 for the return journey, including wait time.
It was supposed to be just a 15-minute drive, but my driver, despite being a local, had never been there, and we kept getting lost. But with new developments scattered everywhere, it was indeed difficult to spot where you’re supposed to turn. Finally, after stopping to ask multiple locals, we ended up finding the main tourist area.
Sarfaranga
The other major cold desert in the Skardu area is Sarfaranga, located roughly 30 km to the northeast of town. Looking back, the best views of the dunes that I got were from a distance as we approached.
I was under the impression you could just park and walk up to the dunes. I’ve visited dune fields around the world, such as in the US, Mexico, India, and China, and was expecting something similar.
But at Sarfaranga, the nearest road seems to have been deliberately placed kilometers away from the dunes across a huge flat desert plain. The only way to reach them, then, is by hiring a private jeep tour.
A jeep driver quoted me PKR 10,000, but then dropped to 8,000. But having already spent several hours hiking to Mansur Rock, and with plans to head onward to Shigar Palace, I hadn’t anticipated the time nor the budget to get close to the dunes.
The whole area seems geared toward ‘adrenaline junkies’ with paragliding and jeep tours. While a 4×4 ride would surely be fun, I really just wanted to walk along the dunes and take photos. Instead, I decided to move on.
One can, at least, enjoy excellent views from Shigar Road. The entire ride between Sarfaranga and Shigar Palace, in fact, is spectacular.
Explore Shigar Palace
Situated about 30 km northeast of Skardu, Shigar Palace (also called Fong Khar, or ‘Palace on the Rock’) sits atop a massive boulder. A fort has stood here since the 11th century, but the current structure dates to 1634 when it was rebuilt by Hassan Khan Amacha.
The Amachas ruled Shigar Valley as vassals of the Mughal Empire until 1842, when they were absorbed into the Dogra Empire, which also conquered Skardu.
After being restored by the Aga Khan Cultural Service Pakistan in 2004, the fort now functions as a museum as well as a luxury hotel. For ordinary visitors, entry to the museum costs PKR 1200 and includes a mandatory guide.
The museum is open daily from around 9:00 to 17:00.
It seems like most visitors enter in groups, but for whatever reason, I had my own guide – maybe due to being the only Westerner at the time.
During the brief tour, my guide showed me various vessels, kitchen utensils, and other artifacts from the fort’s history. Afterward, I was free to explore the garden outside, which is home to the Mughal-style Baradari Pavilion.
When finished, there are still a few other landmarks to check out in the area, including some beautiful wooden mosques. One is the 14th-century Amburiq Mosque that was built by Iranian craftsmen.
It features Tibetan, Kashmiri, and Mughal influences, but I didn’t go inside due to prayers taking place at the time.
Also in the area is the Khilingrong Mosque, an ornate 17th-century wooden structure near the fort. Nearby, meanwhile, is a large polo ground, which is said to be one of the world’s highest.
Visit The Kachura Lakes
Another top activity to do in Skardu is to take a day trip to the Kachura Lakes, best known for the iconic Shangrila Resort situated beside Lower Kachura Lake.
I hired a driver (in a car this time) for around PKR 9000 for the full excursion, and we’d also be making a stop at the scenic Soq Valley.
Before going further, for those with limited time in the region, a visit to the Kachura Lakes isn’t quite as essential as the other locations featured in this list.
Before reaching the lakes, our journey took us along the Kowardo Suspension Bridge which hangs above Indus River. We also stopped by some additional viewpoints of the river along the way.
Upper Kachura Lake
Our first stop was Upper Kachura, which is about an hour away from central Skardu. Situated at an altitude of around 2500 m, the lake has a depth of 70 meters (230 ft).
After parking, it’s a bit of a walk down to the lake itself. But what is there to do? Well, renting a canoe seems to be pretty much the only option.
Upper Kachura is indeed a beautiful lake, but don’t expect to spend a whole lot of time here. It seems especially popular with domestic travelers who are keen on spending the whole day relaxing by the water.
But after snapping some photos, I was ready to move on after twenty minutes or so.
Similar to Katapana Desert mentioned above, the lake area already seems to be suffering from aggressive overdevelopment with little cohesive planning or foresight.
There are, at least, a few restaurants in the area, and feeling hungry, I ate some delicious daal mash. But had I known more about our next destination, I would’ve held off eating for a bit longer.
Soq Valley
Next, we headed to Soq Valley, a scenic valley through which the Shigarthang Lungma stream runs through. First we stopped at a (slightly hazardous) wooden bridge from which to view some rapids.
And then we headed to a calmer riverside area nearby, stopping at a restaurant ran by my driver’s friend (of course).
It certainly was a beautiful place, but I’d just eaten by Upper Kachura Lake, and there was nothing else to do here. Had I known, I would’ve enjoyed sitting at one of the riverside tables for a meal, as the prices seemed reasonable.
I don’t think it’s an understatement to call Skardu one of the most breathtaking places on the planet. But it’s only recently started to get hyped up online. And as I learned during my visit, not all of the places touted as ‘must-visits’ on the internet are equal in reality.
Lower Kachura Lake (Shangrila Resort)
Our final destination was Lower Kachura Lake, most known for the Shangrila Resort. Before heading there, we first enjoyed it from an overheard vantage point.
The lake has been home to the Shangrila Resort Hotel since 1983, which was founded by Aslam Khan Afridi – the first commander of the Northern Scouts of the Pakistan Army.
Afridi named it after Shangri-La, the idyllic Himalayan paradise in James Hilton’s 1933 novel Lost Horizon. In the novel, plane crash survivors encounter Buddhist monks who guide them to a seemingly earthly paradise meaning ‘heaven on Earth’ in Tibetan.
As mentioned above, Skardu was once part of the Tibetan Empire, so the theme is fitting.
If you’re not a hotel guest, you can still enter the premises, but tickets cost PKR 1000 at the time of writing. Inside, you’ll find not just Shangrila, but several other hotels, with new ones currently under construction.
The grounds are well-maintained with manicured gardens and great lake views. With limited access, the atmosphere is also noticeably more peaceful than that of Upper Kachura.
Floating atop the water is the Pagoda Restaurant, which features mock-Chinese architecture to match the Shangrila theme. And it seems to have become the de facto symbol of the entire resort.
Also nearby is a DC-3 aircraft fuselage that was converted into a cafe as a reference to the novel’s plane crash.
Interestingly, the resort grounds even contain ancient petroglyphs that date all the way back to 2000 BC! So there’s a little bit of something for everyone here.
But if you’re not a hotel guest and don’t have the budget for the restaurant, you’re unlikely to spend more than an hour or so at Lower Kachura Lake.
More Around Skardu
There are plenty of more things to do around the Skardu area that weren’t covered in the guide above. Here are some additional highlights:
Satpara Lake: This lake is known for its turquoise water from glacial melt. You can rent boats or walk the short trails around it. But despite appearing relatively close to central Skardu on a map, most drivers will quote you at least PKR 4000 for the roundtrip journey due to poor road conditions.
Khaplu: Khaplu is a two-hour drive east of Skardu and is home to the restored Khaplu Palace (now a small museum), plus the 700-year-old Chaqchan Mosque. The area also has traditional Balti houses and orchards.
K2: Skardu is the main hub for anyone heading to K2 Base Camp. Treks usually start with a jeep to Askole, then 7–10 days of hiking along the Baltoro Glacier. From there, you can see K2, along with Gasherbrum and Broad Peak. Despite being the world’s second-highest mountain, K2 is not visible from any of the areas featured above.
Deosai Plateau: Deosai is reached by jeep from Skardu in 4–6 hours and is one of the highest plateaus in the world at around 4,000 m. But for that reason, it’s only accessible in summer. If the timing is right, you can spot brown bears or marmots, along with the scenic Sheosar Lake.
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.