This valley is situated on the Indus River; it divides the Karakoram Range from the Himalayas in Gilgit Baltistan, Pakistan. The Skardu Valley, surrounded by the Karakoram’s peaks, serves as a starting point for hikers entering the mountain range.
The Karakoram, the Himalayas, and the Hindu Kush converge in the Gilgit-Baltistan area, which is prized by climbing enthusiasts, high-altitude trekkers, and visitors for its breathtaking vistas and trekking paths.
It is a popular stopping point for visitors on a Pakistan trip. The city’s airport is situated at over 2,000 metres above sea level. It is bordered by glaciers and some of the world’s most spectacular peaks, including K2, the second-highest peak after Mt Everest.
Best things to do in Skardu
Sightseeing and boat riding are two of the best things to do in Skardu. It also includes the following:
- Hiking
- Fishing
- Climbing
- Desert Safari in the Cold
- Shopping
13 must-go places to visit in Skardu valley are the following:
- Deosai National Park
- Basho valley
- Upper Kachora Lake
- Manthal Budha Rock
- Cold desert
- Shangarila Lake
- Shangrila resort
- Shigar Fort
- Nansoq Organic Village
- Sheosar lake
- Skardu fort
- Khaplu Fort
- Satpara lake
Following is the description of the ten most beautiful places in Skardu:
Deosai national park
The Skardu Tour is never complete without visiting Deosai’s vast grasslands. The land of Giants. Deosai National Park is an alpine meadow (plateau) and National Park in Gilgit Baltistan, situated between the districts of Skardu, Astore, and Kharmang. Skardu District encompasses the majority of the territory.
The Deosai Plains, with an average height of 4,114 meters (13,497 feet) above sea level, is the world’s second-highest plateaus.
Deosai National Park is home to Brown Bears. Tourists find perfect peace in this section of Skardu because the plains are deafeningly quiet, allowing them to hear their heartbeat. There are also uncommon flora and animal species to be found there. Additionally, the sunrise and sunset views are a must-see once in a lifetime.
Basho Valley
Basho is a lovely and gorgeous valley near Skardu city, about an hour and a half drive from the main city. The valley is surrounded by a beautiful evergreen forest of pine, juniper, and other tree species, meadows, and gushing, gurgling, and trickling streams, all of which contribute to its status as a piece of heaven. Even in the summer, the tops of the peaks are covered with snow.
Basho Valley is one of Pakistan’s best places to observe the Himalayan and Karakoram Mountain ranges simultaneously. The nicest part is that you may return to Skardu city by a jeep route after exploring the valley. The road going up to the pastures is unpaved, and only a Jeep or Toyota can get to the top.
Upper Kachora Lake
Upper Kachura Lake is 70 metres deep and contains pure water (230 ft). The temperature is 15 degrees Celsius (59 degrees Fahrenheit) in the summer season. In the winter, the surface is completely frozen. At a lower height, the upper Indus River runs close.
Because of its rugged terrain and lack of infrastructure, the Upper Kachura Lake’s beauty remains nearly unspoiled and mainly unseen by visitors.
The area is notable for its wild apricot – Prunus armeniaca orchards and has a diverse flora typical of the Western Himalaya subalpine conifer forests ecoregion. Hiking, brown trout, and Himalayan mountaineering are among the recreational activities available at Upper Kachura Lake.
Manthal Budha Rock
Manthal is a settlement in Skardu located on the right bank of the Hargisa River. This hamlet is home to a Buddhist rock. When Buddhism was prevalent in Skardu, Buddhists sculpted this Buddhist rock.
Buddhist monks of the period yearned for drawings of their visions, experiences, and pictures of Buddha accompanied by Tibetan writings. Until the mid-fourteenth century A.D., when Islam arrived in Baltistan, these Buddhist rocks were the site of their devotion.
Cold dessert
The Cold Desert, commonly known as Katpana Desert or Biama Nakpo, is elevated in Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan region, situated close to Skardu. Large dunes dot the desert, occasionally blanketed in snow throughout the winter.
The Katpana Desert is one of the highest deserts on the planet. Even though the desert officially spans Ladakh’s Khaplu River to Zanskar, the primary desert zone is Skardu and Shigar Valley.
This is one of Pakistan’s most attractive tourist sites in the Northern Areas. It’s known as the Skardu Region’s Cold Desert. It is a fantastic spot to visit because of its captivating cool evenings and gorgeous sandy scenery.
The Katpana Desert has enormous dunes that provide a beautiful spectacle. It is situated at a height of almost 7 303 feet. It is one of the world’s highest deserts.
Shangrila Lake
The Shangri la Lake, also called the upper Kachura Lake, is surrounded by red hut homes. It’s nearly at the altitude of 2499 metres. The lake lies a few kilometres from Lower Kachura Lake and attracts visitors due to its breathtaking beauty.
The visitor will be mesmerised by the lush deep woodland by the lake with red hut houses and the snow-capped mountains. Furthermore, a remarkable diversity of flora and wildlife may be found here.
Shangrila resort
Shangrila was born with the inauguration of the first luxury resort in Skardu in 1983. Muhammad Aslam Khan Afridi, a Pakistani army commander who functioned as the first commander of the Pakistan Army’s Northern Scouts, created the Shangrila Resort Hotel. The resort’s restaurant is noteworthy for being built on the aircraft of a nearby crashed plane.
Shigar Fort
The Shigar Fort, located in Skardu Valley, is a remarkable piece of architecture nestled amid the vast plains of Shigar. The Shigar desert’s cool sand is a marvel in and of itself. Shigar Fort is also the most visited attraction in Skardu because it is a historical monument.
Shigar Fort is a name for a fort located in Shigar; in the town of Shigar, the Fort on Rock is a historic Baltistan and Pakistani fort. The Raja of Shigar’s Amacha Dynasty erected it in the 17th century.
The fort has been renovated by the Aga Khan Cultural Service Pakistan (AKCSP-P), the Pakistan arm of the Aga Khan Historic Cities Program. Serena Hotels refurbished the fort and transformed it into a museum and a high-end hotel. Between 1999 and 2004, the repair was completed at the cost of roughly US$1.4 million.
The fort was once known as the Palace of Rock, and it currently serves as a guest house with 20 rooms and a magnificent hall that houses Baltit cultural treasures.
Nansoq Organic Village
Nansoq is Pakistan’s first organic village. This settlement, located behind the well-known Kharpocho fort, has hosted Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, and Duchess of Cornwall.
The ‘Nansoq Organic community, Skardu’ inhabitants, live in the same antique traditional balti style. Their homes are mostly organic, with very little machining and artificial items. The decision to keep this community in the old style is a symbolic expression of the value of an organic way of living.
Skardu’s first organic town is unrivalled in its beauty and is a testament to its one-of-a-kindness. A whole day is necessary to visit the location and tour the settlement, including a 2-hour journey back.
The initial half of the trekking path is rocky and difficult; caution is advised, especially if travelling with children. Around 70 to 80 individuals live there; all of them are related and live in 17 or 18 households.
Sheosar Lake
In between the huge plains of Deosai, you’ll come upon the fascinating lake of Sheosar Lake. With 13,589 feet above sea level, the world’s highest lake is unique.
The deep blue lake is surrounded by the verdant plains of Deosai, with the deadly mountains of Nanga Parbat in the background, creating a mesmerising sight. Each season at the lake has its allure; the frozen lake in the winter and the kaleidoscope of colours in the summer enchant visitors.
The lake may be reached in two ways. One goes via Skardu and the other through Astore District. By car, the road through Skardu can be completed in a few hours, but hiking it would take two days.
The second route starts in the Astore District. Chilm, the final residential settlement near the plains, is about 4 hours jeep journey from the main Astore town over a semi-metal road.
Skardu Fort
While traversing the Skardu Valley, uncover a secret. The Skardu Fort is one of the oldest forts in the country, dating back to the eighth century. A stunning structure that also has a resemblance to Tibetan architecture.
The fort also has a historic mosque from the 16th century, which dates back to the entrance of Islam. The majestic Skardu Fort is a seven-story structure attracting tourists due to its history and art.
Khaplu Fort
Khaplu Palace is a mediaeval fort and palace in Khaplu, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan, also known as Yabgo Khar. The palace, an architectural marvel and a famous tourist site, were built to replace an earlier fort nearby in the mid-nineteenth century. It was utilised as a royal residence by the Raja of Khaplu.
The Aga Khan Trust for Culture undertook a repair project on Khaplu Palace from 2005 to 2011 as part of the Aga Khan Historic Cities Program. The palace presently houses a Serena Hotels hotel and a museum representing Baltistan’s history and culture.
Satpara lake
Satpara sar Lake is a natural lake in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan, providing water to the Skardu Valley. The Satpara Stream is its source of water.
Satpara Lake is a 2.5-kilometre-long body of water at 2,636 metres (8,650 feet) above sea level. Satpara Lake has grown in size with the installation of the Satpara Dam downstream of the lake.
The physical features of the lake are the following:
- The lake’s main water source is the melting ice of the Deosai plains.
- The lake is 2.5 kilometres in diameter and has a lovely island in the middle.
It is located 8 kilometres south of Skardu and takes 20 minutes to reach by vehicle. Towering peaks encircle the lake. Satpara Lake features a boat-accessible island in the middle of its crystal blue water.
Conclusion
Here is the list and description of the most beautiful places in Skardu, which is a tourist’s attraction. Many foreign tourists visit these places and make vlogs on these places. You can visit these places with your family, especially in the summers. You can book a tour package which will arrange the whole tour for you. For more information and packages, you can check online tour websites in Pakistan. They can give you more detail and guidelines.
