Lakes, cold deserts and the gateway to K2
Skardu Valley aerial view. Photo: Khankayani512 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Skardu is the main town of Baltistan and sits in a wide basin where the Shigar River joins the Indus. Sand dunes, lakes and bare rock peaks give it a landscape unlike any other part of the region.
It is the base for the great treks of the Karakoram, including K2 Base Camp, and for easier trips to the Kachura lakes, Satpara Lake and the high plateau of Deosai.
Popular Activities
- Lakes and cold desert day trips
- Deosai by 4x4 jeep
- Fort and rock carving visits
- Expedition and trekking base
Places to Visit in Skardu
8 places chosen by our local guides.
Shangrila Resort and Lower Kachura Lake
The best-known lake of Skardu, with a red-roofed resort on its shore.
More details
Deosai National Park
One of the highest plateaus in the world, a rolling grassland above 4,000 m and home of the Himalayan brown bear.
More details
Katpana Cold Desert
Sand dunes at about 2,200 m on the edge of Skardu, sometimes covered in snow in winter.
More details
Kharpocho Fort
A 16th-century fort on a rock above Skardu, with the best view of the town and the Indus.
More details
Manthal Buddha Rock
A large granite rock carved with a seated Buddha, dating from about the 8th or 9th century.
More details
Where to Stay in Skardu
Shangrila Resort Skardu
Lakeside resort at Lower Kachura Lake, opened in 1983 as the first resort hotel in Skardu.
Hotel One Skardu
3-star hotel on Airport Road in Skardu with a restaurant, free parking and internet, and car rental.
Skardu Baltistan Continental Hotel
Budget-friendly hotel in Skardu city with a garden and a terrace with views over the valley.
Treks in Skardu
Deosai Plains and Sheosar Lake
Gentle walks on one of the highest plateaus in the world, with wild flowers, clear streams and Sheosar Lake.
Burji La Trek: Skardu to Deosai
A steep climb from Skardu to the Burji La, a pass with a wide view of the Karakoram, then down onto the Deosai Plains.
Marsur Rock Hike
A half-day hike above Skardu to a rock ledge that hangs over the valley, a favourite photo spot.
