Photo by Muhammad AwaisWebsite
Skardu is the gateway to the greatest concentration of high mountains on earth, the launch point for K2 and the Karakoram, and a destination of cold deserts, turquoise lakes, ancient forts and the vast Deosai plateau. It rewards a proper itinerary rather than a rushed weekend, and this guide lays out a complete 7 day Skardu plan, day by day, with shorter and longer variations, plus how to get there, the best time to go and what it costs. Whether you fly in or drive the Karakoram Highway, this is how to spend a week in Skardu without missing the highlights or exhausting yourself on the long mountain roads. ## How many days do you need in Skardu? Skardu deserves more time than people expect, because the sights are spread across several valleys and the roads are slow. A bare minimum is four days, enough for the town, the Kachura lakes and either Shigar or a Deosai day. Five to six days lets you add Khaplu or Deosai comfortably. **Seven days is the sweet spot**, giving you Skardu town, Shigar, Khaplu, the Kachura lakes, a full Deosai day and time to breathe. Ten days or more opens up Basho valley, the Cold Desert nights and longer treks. This plan is built around the ideal seven days. ## Getting to Skardu **By air.** The Islamabad to Skardu flight takes under an hour and is the fastest way in, though it is weather dependent and cancellations are common, so always keep a road backup. A one way seat starts around 25,850 rupees and rises to 45,000 to 70,000 in peak season. **By road.** The drive up the Karakoram Highway from Islamabad takes a long but spectacular day and a half to two days, broken at Chilas or Besham. An intercity bus costs about 7,000 to 10,000 rupees one way, far cheaper than flying. From Lahore and Karachi, most travellers route through Islamabad. For the full breakdown see our [Skardu trip cost](/blog/skardu-trip-cost) guide. ## The 7 day Skardu itinerary ### Day 1: Arrive and settle in Fly into Skardu or arrive off the long road, check into your hotel and take the day gently to adjust to the altitude of around 2,200 metres. Explore Skardu town, the bustling bazaar and the Kharpocho Fort above the Indus for sweeping views over the river and the valley. Keep the first day light, especially if you have flown straight up from the plains. ### Day 2: Shigar valley and Shigar Fort Drive out to the historic Shigar valley, about an hour from Skardu, to visit the beautifully restored Shigar Fort, a centuries old raja's palace now run as a heritage hotel and museum. Continue up the green valley with its orchards and old wooden mosques, a gentle, cultural day that eases you into the rhythm of the region before the bigger excursions. ### Day 3: Deosai National Park and Sheosar Lake A full, unforgettable day crossing the Deosai plains, the second highest plateau on earth at around 4,100 metres, by jeep. Watch for Himalayan marmots and, if you are lucky, brown bears, picnic among the summer wildflowers, and reach the deep blue Sheosar Lake at 4,250 metres. This is a long jeep day on rough tracks, so start early and dress for the cold even in summer. See the full [Deosai destination guide](/destinations/deosai-national-park). ### Day 4: Khaplu valley and palace Head east to the Khaplu valley, about two to three hours from Skardu, home to the magnificent Khaplu Palace, another restored royal residence and heritage hotel, and the old Chaqchan Mosque. The drive along the Shyok River is beautiful, and Khaplu makes a serene, history rich contrast to the wild plateau of the day before. Stay overnight in Khaplu or return to Skardu. ### Day 5: The Kachura lakes and Shangrila A more relaxed day at the famous Kachura lakes. Visit the serene Upper Kachura Lake, with its clear cold water ringed by mountains, and the Lower Kachura Lake at the Shangrila Resort, the postcard scene with its red roofed restaurant. There is time for a boat ride, a lakeside lunch and easy walks, a gentle day to recover from the long jeep excursions. ### Day 6: Cold Desert and Manthoka, or Basho Choose your final big day. Option one is the Sarfaranga Cold Desert, one of the highest deserts in the world, with its dunes against snow peaks, magical at sunset and for overnight camping. Option two is a drive out to the Manthoka Waterfall in the Kharmang valley, or for the adventurous, the green Basho valley with its meadows and rough tracks. Tailor this to your energy and the season. ### Day 7: Town, shopping and departure Use the last morning for anything missed, last minute shopping for apricots, gemstones and pashmina in the bazaar, and a final look at the Indus before your flight or the start of the long road home. If flying, keep the schedule flexible in case of a weather delay. ## Shorter and longer versions **A 4 to 5 day Skardu trip:** keep Day 1 arrival, Day 2 Shigar, Day 3 Deosai and Day 5 Kachura lakes, dropping Khaplu and the Cold Desert. This covers the essentials without the long eastern drive. **A 10 day plus trip:** add the Basho valley, an overnight in the Cold Desert, the Manthoka and Kharmang excursions, and for trekkers the routes toward Askole and the great Karakoram base camps. Skardu can fill two weeks easily for the adventurous. **Combine with Hunza:** many travellers pair Skardu with Hunza on a longer northern loop, linking the two by the Indus road or by returning through Gilgit. See our [northern Pakistan itinerary](/blog/northern-pakistan-itinerary) and the [Hunza vs Skardu](/blog/hunza-vs-skardu) comparison. ## Best time to follow this itinerary The Deosai day is the limiting factor: the plateau is only open and snow free from roughly July to September, so to follow this full plan you need the midsummer window, with late July best for the wildflowers. Outside that window, from May to June and into October, Skardu town, Shigar, Khaplu and the Kachura lakes are all still accessible, so you can run a Deosai free version in the shoulder seasons. The cherry blossom season in early spring is a beautiful, special time for the valleys, while winter is cold, quiet and stunning under snow, with the Cold Desert at its most dramatic, but Deosai and some roads close. ## What this trip costs A week in Skardu can be done on a wide range of budgets. A careful independent traveller might spend roughly 70,000 to 120,000 rupees for the week excluding flights, while a comfortable trip with good hotels and a private jeep runs higher, and luxury heritage stays at Shigar Fort or Khaplu Palace push it up further. The jeep days for Deosai and the valleys are the main variable cost, so sharing a vehicle across a group is the single biggest saving. Package tours covering this kind of itinerary are widely sold from the cities. The full breakdown is in our [Skardu trip cost](/blog/skardu-trip-cost) and [Pakistan trip cost](/blog/pakistan-trip-cost) guides. ## Why Skardu rewards a full week It is tempting to treat Skardu as a quick add on to a northern trip, but the geography argues against rushing it. The headline sights sit in four different directions from the town: Shigar to the north, Khaplu to the east along the Shyok, Deosai to the south, and the Kachura lakes and Cold Desert to the west. Each is a half to full day with slow mountain driving, and trying to cram them into two or three days means long hours in a jeep and little time to actually enjoy each place. Spread over seven days, the same sights become a relaxed, varied week: a fort day, a wilderness day, a lake day, a desert evening, with room to absorb the altitude and the scale of the Karakoram. Skardu is also the kind of place where the journeys between sights are themselves the experience, the Indus gorges, the confluence of great rivers, the apricot orchards in bloom, so building in time rather than racing through is the whole point. Travellers who give Skardu a proper week almost always rate it the highlight of their Pakistan trip. ## Who this itinerary suits This plan is built to work for a wide range of travellers. Families and older visitors can follow it comfortably, since most of it is jeep based with only gentle walking, and the heritage hotels at Shigar and Khaplu add real comfort. Couples and photographers get the lakes, the forts and the Cold Desert sunsets. Adventurers can swap the gentler days for treks toward Basho or the Karakoram. The one group that should adjust the plan is anyone visiting outside the July to September window, who should simply drop the Deosai day and add another valley or lake excursion instead, since the rest of the itinerary runs across a much longer season. In short, there is a version of this week for almost everyone, from a gentle family holiday to a hard charging mountain adventure, which is part of what makes Skardu such a rewarding base. ## Practical tips - **Acclimatise on day one:** take it easy on arrival, especially if you flew up from the plains. - **Keep the flight flexible:** Skardu flights are often delayed or cancelled for weather, so build in a buffer day. - **Share jeeps:** the Deosai and valley excursions cost the same per vehicle, so fill it to cut the cost. - **Pack layers:** days can be warm but the plateau, the lakes and the desert nights are cold. - **Carry cash:** card machines are scarce, so bring enough rupees for the whole trip. - **Book heritage hotels early:** Shigar Fort and Khaplu Palace are limited and popular. ## Related guides Plan the practicalities with our [Skardu travel guide](/blog/skardu-travel-guide) and [things to do in Skardu](/blog/things-to-do-in-skardu), compare it with the other great valley in [Hunza vs Skardu](/blog/hunza-vs-skardu), weigh the plateau against the meadow in [Fairy Meadows vs Deosai](/blog/fairy-meadows-vs-deosai), and budget with the [Skardu trip cost](/blog/skardu-trip-cost) guide. Browse every region on the [destinations](/destinations) page. ## Frequently asked questions **How many days do you need in Skardu?** A minimum of four days covers the essentials, five to six lets you add Khaplu or Deosai comfortably, and seven days is the ideal, taking in the town, Shigar, Khaplu, the Kachura lakes and a full Deosai day without rushing. Ten days or more suits trekkers and the remoter valleys. **What is the best 7 day Skardu itinerary?** Arrive and see Skardu town, then Shigar valley, a full Deosai day to Sheosar Lake, Khaplu valley and palace, the Kachura lakes and Shangrila, the Sarfaranga Cold Desert or Manthoka, and a final morning for the bazaar before departure. It balances culture, lakes, wilderness and rest. **What is the best time to visit Skardu?** July to September if you want to include Deosai, which is only open then, with late July best for wildflowers. May, June and October are good for the rest of Skardu without the plateau, the cherry blossom is lovely in early spring, and winter is cold but spectacular with Deosai closed. **How do you get to Skardu?** By the under one hour flight from Islamabad, which is fast but weather dependent, or by the long, scenic drive up the Karakoram Highway over a day and a half to two days. From Lahore and Karachi most travellers route through Islamabad. **How much does a week in Skardu cost?** Roughly 70,000 to 120,000 rupees per person for the week excluding flights for a careful independent traveller, more for comfortable hotels and a private jeep, and higher still for luxury heritage stays. The jeep excursions are the main variable, so sharing a vehicle saves the most. **Can you combine Skardu with Hunza?** Yes. Many travellers pair the two on a longer northern loop, linking them by the Indus road or via Gilgit, which lets you see both the great valleys of Gilgit-Baltistan in one trip. Allow a good two weeks to do both without rushing the long roads.
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Frequently asked questions
- How many days do you need in Skardu?
- A minimum of four days covers the essentials, five to six lets you add Khaplu or Deosai comfortably, and seven days is the ideal, taking in the town, Shigar, Khaplu, the Kachura lakes and a full Deosai day without rushing. Ten days or more suits trekkers and the remoter valleys.
- What is the best 7 day Skardu itinerary?
- Arrive and see Skardu town, then Shigar valley, a full Deosai day to Sheosar Lake, Khaplu valley and palace, the Kachura lakes and Shangrila, the Sarfaranga Cold Desert or Manthoka, and a final morning for the bazaar before departure. It balances culture, lakes, wilderness and rest.
- What is the best time to visit Skardu?
- July to September if you want to include Deosai, which is only open then, with late July best for wildflowers. May, June and October are good for the rest of Skardu without the plateau, the cherry blossom is lovely in early spring, and winter is cold but spectacular with Deosai closed.
- How do you get to Skardu?
- By the under one hour flight from Islamabad, which is fast but weather dependent, or by the long, scenic drive up the Karakoram Highway over a day and a half to two days. From Lahore and Karachi most travellers route through Islamabad.
- How much does a week in Skardu cost?
- Roughly 70,000 to 120,000 rupees per person for the week excluding flights for a careful independent traveller, more for comfortable hotels and a private jeep, and higher still for luxury heritage stays. The jeep excursions are the main variable, so sharing a vehicle saves the most.
- Can you combine Skardu with Hunza?
- Yes. Many travellers pair the two on a longer northern loop, linking them by the Indus road or via Gilgit, which lets you see both the great valleys of Gilgit-Baltistan in one trip. Allow a good two weeks to do both without rushing the long roads.
