Skardu is the main town of Baltistan, set in a wide valley where the Indus meets the Shigar, and the starting point for K2 and the Baltoro.
Skardu is at the confluence of the Indus and Shigar rivers, in a basin ringed by bare mountains. It feels different from Hunza: wider and drier, with Balti villages that look towards Tibet and Ladakh. Climbers and trekkers pass through on the way to K2, Broad Peak and Masherbrum, and day visitors come for the lakes and the dunes of Katpana.
Skardu is also the base for Deosai, the Shigar and Khaplu valleys, and Basho. Give it at least three days.
Around Skardu
The Kachura lakes, Upper and Lower, are half an hour from town and a good first outing. The Katpana cold desert, with its dunes and views of snow peaks, is close to the airport. Satpara Lake, which supplies the town's water, is on the road to Deosai. Above the town stands the ruined Kharpocho Fort, a short climb with a wide view of the confluence.
Roads and flights
The roads to Deosai and Shigar depend on the snow, and the flights from Islamabad are cancelled often in bad weather, so we leave a day of slack either side of any itinerary that begins or ends here.
Highlights
- Upper and Lower Kachura lakes
- Katpana cold desert and its dunes
- Shangrila and Satpara lakes
- The road to Deosai
- Expeditions and treks to K2
