Karakoram ridges above the Baltistan valleys

City · Gilgit-Baltistan

Skardu

Skardu is the main town of Baltistan in Gilgit-Baltistan, set at about 2,230 metres on a wide sandy basin where the Shigar river meets the Indus. It is the staging point for expeditions to K2 at 8,611 metres and to four of the world's fourteen peaks above 8,000 metres.

Read the story Photos of Skardu

The story of Skardu

The Skardu valley is roughly 40 kilometres long and up to 10 kilometres wide, one of the largest flat valleys in the Karakoram. Kharpocho Fort, built in the 16th century under Ali Sher Khan Anchan, overlooks the town. Skardu has a cold desert climate, and the dunes at Katpana are among the highest cold deserts in the world. The road from Gilgit was upgraded and paved through the 2010s, cutting the journey to roughly five hours.

What to see in Skardu

Kharpocho Fort
16th-century fort above the Indus, a short climb from the bazaar.
Shangrila and Upper Kachura
Two lakes about 20 minutes from town.
Katpana cold desert
Sand dunes at over 2,200 m, snow-covered in winter.
Shigar Fort
A 17th-century Amacha fort, restored and now a heritage hotel.
Deosai plains
The second-highest plateau on earth at about 4,114 m, open July to September.

Landscape of Skardu

Katpana cold desert

Sand dunes at 2,230 m, snow-covered in winter.

Baltoro and K2

The trail from Askole to Concordia meets four 8,000 m peaks.

Deosai plateau

The second-highest plateau on Earth at 4,114 m.

Rivers and lakes of Skardu

Upper Kachura Lake

Deep green water below the Shangrila resort.

Indus at Skardu

The river runs wide and braided through the valley floor.

Sheosar Lake

An alpine lake on Deosai, frozen until late May.

Food of Skardu

Balti dishes

Mamtu dumplings, prapu noodles and apricot soup.

Butter tea

Salted tea churned with butter, drunk through the winter.

Skardu apricots

Orchards along the Shigar road ripen through July.

Heritage of Skardu

Shigar Fort

A 400-year-old Raja's fort restored as a museum and guest house.

Kharpocho Fort

Built in the 16th century above the Indus, overlooking the town.

Manthal Buddha rock

A carved granite Buddha dated to around the 8th century.

Culture and crafts of Skardu

Truck art

Hand-painted trucks and rickshaws, a craft trade worth millions of rupees a year.

Bazaars

Copper, cloth, spice and book markets in every old city.

Festivals

Basant, Urs gatherings, Shandur polo and the Kalash calendar.

Wildlife of Skardu

Snow leopard

Tracked in Khunjerab and Deosai; a few hundred remain nationwide.

Himalayan ibex

Winter herds on the cliffs above Passu and Shimshal.

Markhor

The national animal, protected by community conservancies here.

Best time to visit

May to September; Deosai is only open roughly July to September.

Getting there

Daily flights from Islamabad, about 1 hour, weather permitting; or 5 to 7 hours by road from Gilgit.

Nearby places

Questions about Skardu

Is Skardu the gateway to K2?+

Yes. Expeditions drive from Skardu to Askole, then trek roughly 5 to 7 days up the Baltoro glacier to K2 base camp.

Can you fly to Skardu?+

Yes, Skardu International Airport handles daily flights from Islamabad, though they are frequently delayed by weather.

Photographs of Skardu

The photo archive is a separate part of Pixistan. Browse images shot in this area once you have read the reference page.

Open the photo archive