# Khaplu Valley, Gilgit-Baltistan

> Khaplu is a quiet valley in eastern Baltistan, known for the Khaplu Palace, the Chaqchan Mosque and the Hushe valley, which leads to Masherbrum.

- **Page:** https://hunzaexplorer.com/destinations/pakistan/gilgit-baltistan/khaplu-valley
- **Type:** Valley
- **Province or region:** Gilgit-Baltistan
- **Best season:** May to November
- **Altitude:** 2,600 m

Khaplu lies about three hours east of Skardu along the Shyok River. The palace of the old rulers, the Yabgo, was built in the 19th century and has been restored by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture. In the village stands the Chaqchan Mosque, among the oldest in the region, with a carved wooden interior that shows clear Tibetan and Kashmiri influence.

From Khaplu a road continues to Hushe, the village at the head of the valley under the pyramid of Masherbrum, and the starting point of several trekking routes.

## Highlights

- Khaplu Palace (Yabgo Khar)
- Chaqchan Mosque
- Hushe valley and Masherbrum
- Apricots in July

## 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.