Gilgit vs Skardu: Which Should You Visit?

Gilgit and Skardu are the two great hubs of Gilgit-Baltistan, the gateway towns through which almost every northern Pakistan adventure passes. Travellers often weigh them against each other, but the honest truth is that they play different roles: Gilgit is primarily the regional capital and transport junction, the connector to Hunza and the north, while Skardu is more of a destination in its own right, the staging post for the Karakoram giants, lakes and the Deosai Plains. This guide compares them on what each actually is, access, scenery and things to do, their value as a base, season and weather, and who should choose which, so you can plan with a clear head.

The quick verdict

Choose Skardu if you want a destination with its own spectacular sights, turquoise lakes, ancient forts, cold desert and the road toward K2 and Deosai. Choose Gilgit if your trip is really about Hunza and the upper Karakoram Highway, since Gilgit is the natural hub and launch point for that side of the north, with its own quieter valleys nearby. In short, Skardu is somewhere you go *to*; Gilgit is somewhere you go *through* on the way to Hunza, Naltar and beyond. Most northern trips actually involve both, because they anchor the two main arms of Gilgit-Baltistan.

At a glance: Gilgit vs Skardu

The quick side by side before the detail below.

Factor	Gilgit	Skardu
Role	Regional hub and crossroads	A destination in its own right
Altitude	~1,500 m (milder)	~2,200 m (colder)
Best for	Base for Hunza, Naltar, upper KKH	Lakes, forts, Deosai, K2 treks
Headline sights	Kargah Buddha, gateway to Naltar Valley	Shangrila and Kachura lakes, Shigar fort, Deosai
Distance to Hunza	~100 km, 2.5 to 3 hours	Farther, via Gilgit
Access from Islamabad	2-day drive or ~1 hour flight	2-day drive or ~1 hour flight

What each one actually is

Gilgit is the administrative capital of Gilgit-Baltistan and its busiest transport hub, sitting at a relatively low altitude of around 1,500 metres where several valleys and the Karakoram Highway meet. It is a working town more than a postcard destination: bazaars, transport stands, government offices and the regional airport. Its appeal for travellers is mostly as a base and a crossroads, with attractions like the Kargah Buddha rock carving and the gateway to the gorgeous Naltar Valley nearby. Skardu, by contrast, sits higher at around 2,200 metres in a wide valley of the Indus, and is far more of a scenic destination: a high cold desert ringed by the Karakoram, with lakes, forts and the launch point for the world's greatest mountains. Gilgit connects; Skardu rewards.

Distance and access

Both are reachable the same two ways from Islamabad: a long overland drive of roughly two days on the Karakoram Highway and the Skardu road, or a flight of about an hour when the mountain weather cooperates (both have airports). Between the two, Gilgit to Skardu is around 200 km, roughly 5 to 6 hours along the Indus on a much-improved road. Gilgit is the closer of the two to Hunza, around 100 km or 2.5 to 3 hours further north, which is exactly why it functions as the hub for that side. See our distances and drive times guide for the full picture, and the Gilgit travel guide and Skardu travel guide for each in depth.

Scenery and things to do

This is where Skardu pulls clearly ahead as a destination. Skardu offers turquoise lakes like Shangrila and Upper Kachura, the Katpana cold desert, the forts of Shigar and Khaplu, day trips onto the vast Deosai Plains in summer, and the trekking routes toward K2 base camp and Concordia. There is days of genuine sightseeing here. Gilgit, as a town, has fewer headline sights of its own: the Kargah Buddha, river views and bazaars are pleasant but modest. Its real draw is what lies around it, above all the stunning Naltar Valley with its coloured lakes, and its role as the springboard to Hunza. So for things to actually do on the spot, Skardu wins; Gilgit's value is in its surroundings and connections. See things to do in Skardu and the Naltar Valley guide.

As a base

Both make useful bases, but for different itineraries. Gilgit is the better base if your focus is Hunza and the upper Karakoram Highway, since it is the closest hub, has the transport links and sits at the junction for Naltar, Hunza and the road toward Khunjerab. Skardu is the better base if you want the Baltistan highlights, the lakes, forts, Deosai and the big-mountain treks, all of which radiate from it. Many travellers use Gilgit briefly as a transit stop and spend their real nights in Hunza or Skardu, where the scenery and accommodation are stronger. If you only have to pick one to actually stay and explore, Skardu gives you more to do without moving.

Season and weather

Both are warm-season favourites, with summer (roughly May to September) the prime window, when the roads are clear, the high lakes and Deosai are open, and flights are most reliable. Gilgit, sitting lower, tends to be milder and warmer than Skardu, which is higher and noticeably colder, especially at night and in the shoulder months, with bitter winters. Both are reachable year round by road and air, but the high-altitude highlights around Skardu, like Deosai, are strictly summer-only. If you are travelling in the cooler shoulder season, Gilgit's lower elevation makes it a touch more comfortable, while Skardu rewards those who come in the full summer window. Time your trip with our best time to visit Pakistan guide.

Who should choose which

Choose Gilgit if your trip is built around Hunza and the upper Karakoram Highway, if you want a convenient hub with good transport links, or if you are heading to Naltar Valley. It is the practical choice as a connector rather than a sightseeing end in itself. Choose Skardu if you want a destination packed with its own spectacular sights, lakes, forts, desert and Deosai, or if you are aiming for the great Karakoram treks. For most travellers, Skardu is the more rewarding place to actually spend time, while Gilgit is the gateway you pass through. If you are weighing these against the other big northern names, our Hunza vs Skardu and Skardu vs Naran comparisons will help you place them.

Nearby valleys and side trips

Part of what defines each is what sits around it. From Gilgit, the standout side trip is the Naltar Valley, a short but rough drive away, famous for its vividly coloured lakes, pine forests and ski slopes; the Kargah Buddha carving and the Ghizer valley road toward Phander and Shandur also branch from here, opening up some of the quietest scenery in the north. From Skardu, the side trips are arguably even grander: the Shigar and Khaplu valleys with their restored forts, the Katpana cold desert and sand dunes, the Manthoka waterfall, the Sadpara and Kachura lakes, and above all the summer crossing onto the Deosai Plains. So while neither town is purely about its own centre, both are launchpads, and Skardu's surrounding sights tend to be the more spectacular and varied, whereas Gilgit's strength is the access it gives to Naltar and onward to Hunza.

Food, culture and where to stay

Both towns reflect the rich Balti and wider Gilgit-Baltistan culture, with their own breads, apricots, dried fruits and hearty mountain dishes, and a warm, hospitable feel. Gilgit, as the bigger administrative centre, has busier bazaars and a wider spread of everyday services, while Skardu has leaned more into tourism, with a growing range of guesthouses, hotels and a few standout properties like Shangrila and Shigar Fort that make it a comfortable place to base for several days. Accommodation in Gilgit is functional and fine for a transit night, but for atmosphere and lakeside or fort stays, Skardu has the edge. Whichever you base in, hiring a local driver for the mountain legs is the sensible, comfortable choice, and you can taste the regional cuisine more fully through our Hunza and Gilgit-Baltistan food guide.

Can you do both?

Yes, and many northern itineraries naturally include both, because they sit on the two main arms of Gilgit-Baltistan that branch near Jaglot. A classic loop runs up the Karakoram Highway through Gilgit to Hunza, then doubles back and east along the Indus to Skardu, or vice versa. Gilgit tends to be a transit night, while Hunza and Skardu get the real days. Allow at least a week or more to do the region justice given the long mountain drives, and build in buffer days for weather and the chance of a cancelled flight. Plan the route with our northern Pakistan itinerary and how to plan a trip to Pakistan guides, and browse both on the destinations page.

The bottom line

Gilgit and Skardu are not really rivals so much as two different roles in the same region. Gilgit is the capital and crossroads, the hub for Hunza and the upper north, pleasant but more functional than scenic. Skardu is the destination, a high desert of lakes, forts and giant mountains that rewards a proper stay. If your trip centres on Hunza, you will pass through Gilgit and may base there; if you want Baltistan's own spectacular sights, make Skardu your base. And if you have the time, do both, because together they open up the whole of Gilgit-Baltistan, the gentler Hunza side reached through Gilgit and the wilder Baltistan side anchored by Skardu, which is really the best way to understand just how vast and varied this one region is.