Skardu Tours

Skardu is the capital of Baltistan and the launch point for almost everything worth seeing in the eastern Karakoram. Set at about 2,230 metres on a wide bend of the Indus, the town is ringed by turquoise lakes, a cold sand desert, centuries-old forts and the road that carries every K2 expedition toward Askole. If you only have time for one region of northern Pakistan, Skardu packs the most variety into the fewest miles.

This page brings our Skardu trips together in one place so you can compare them by length, price and style instead of hunting across the site. Whether you want a short lakes-and-forts loop, a week based at a lakeside resort, a summer crossing of the Deosai Plateau, or a full Gilgit-Baltistan grand tour that pairs Skardu with Hunza, every itinerary below is privately guided and fully customisable. As a licensed local operator based in Gilgit-Baltistan, we arrange the flights or transport, hotels, permits and guide, and shape the days around your pace.

Below you will find our featured Skardu packages, the reasons the valley is worth the trip, how to get there by air or by road, how to choose between a 3-, 5- or 8-day plan, the best time to visit, and answers to the questions travellers ask us most.

A 3-day Skardu tour fits a fly-in, fly-out weekend: the Kachura lakes, the Katpana cold desert, Shigar Fort and the viewpoints around town, ideal if your flights hold and you are short on time. A 5-day tour adds a full day on the Deosai Plateau in summer, plus Khaplu Palace and the Shigar valley, and is the most popular length for first-time visitors. An 8-day tour or longer lets you travel one way by road and one way by air, take in Sadpara and Basho valley, and add the Manthokha waterfall or a night at a heritage fort without rushing.

Because every trip is private, these are starting points rather than fixed departures. Tell us how you want to arrive, how much altitude and driving you are comfortable with, and whether Deosai is a priority, and we will match the length and route to you. Skardu also combines naturally with Hunza, so many guests fold it into a longer Gilgit-Baltistan grand tour.

Skardu is a rewarding trip from April to October. Spring, in April and May, brings apricot and cherry blossom to the valley and the first clear, mild days, though the higher ground still holds snow. Summer, from June to August, is warm and settled, and it is the only window when the Deosai Plateau is open and free of snow, so any trip built around Deosai has to fall in these months. Autumn, from mid-September into October, is many photographers' favourite: golden poplars, crisp air and the sharpest mountain views of the year before the cold returns.

Winter, from November to March, is cold and quiet, with snow on the passes and the Deosai road firmly shut, but the lakes and desert under snow are spectacular for travellers who do not mind the chill and the higher chance of flight delays. For most visitors we recommend June to September for the fullest access, or late September to mid-October for the colour and the clear skies.