# Shigar Valley, Gilgit-Baltistan

> Shigar is a fertile valley an hour from Skardu, with a restored fort, one of the oldest mosques in Baltistan, and the road to Askole and the Karakoram.

- **Page:** https://hunzaexplorer.com/destinations/gilgit-baltistan/shigar-valley
- **Type:** Valley
- **Province or region:** Gilgit-Baltistan
- **Best season:** May to November
- **Altitude:** 2,300 m

Shigar is a good place to slow down after Skardu. The old fort, Fong Khar, was restored by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture and is now open to visitors. The Amburiq Mosque in the village is a wooden building of the 14th century, a fine example of the Tibetan and Persian influences on Balti architecture.

Beyond Shigar the road continues to Askole, the last village before the Baltoro Glacier and the trek to K2.

## Highlights

- Shigar Fort, restored by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture
- The wooden Amburiq Mosque
- Orchards and fields along the river
- The road to Askole and the Baltoro

## Seasons in Gilgit-Baltistan

- **Spring (March to April):** Apricot and cherry blossom in the lower valleys, mostly in April. The higher villages are still cold and the high passes are closed.
- **Summer (May to September):** The main season. Every valley is open, and this is the time for trekking, Deosai, the Khunjerab Pass and the K2 approach.
- **Autumn (October to November):** Golden leaves in the orchards and the clearest light of the year. Nights are cold and the first snow reaches the high valleys in November.
- **Winter (December to February):** Cold and quiet. Hunza and Gilgit stay reachable by road, but the high valleys and passes are closed.