Cold deserts, glacial lakes, and the wide Indus valley — Skardu is Baltistan's heart and the gateway to the high Karakoram. A tour here mixes gentle sightseeing with genuine high-altitude wilderness.
Skardu sits in Baltistan, the eastern half of Gilgit-Baltistan, where the landscape turns drier and the mountains taller. A Skardu tour is built around the town as a base, with day trips to the surrounding lakes, deserts, and valleys. It's a step wilder than a Hunza tour — distances are longer and some stops climb high — but the core sights remain accessible by road and jeep.
A typical tour visits Shangrila (Lower Kachura Lake), Upper Kachura, the Katpana cold desert, Shigar Valley with its old fort, and the Manthal Buddha rock. The big draw for many is Deosai National Park, one of the highest plateaus in the world, reached by a jeep track that's only open in the warmer months. Skardu is also the road head for serious Karakoram treks, so many expeditions start their journey here.
| Getting there | Fly Islamabad–Skardu (weather-dependent) or drive via the Karakoram Highway and Skardu Road — a long, scenic route. Most tours include the road option as backup. |
| Days 1–2 | Arrive and acclimatise in Skardu. Explore the bazaar, Katpana desert, and Kharpocho Fort viewpoint. |
| Lakes day | Shangrila and Upper Kachura lakes, often combined with Shigar Valley and Shigar Fort. |
| Deosai day | Full-day jeep excursion onto the Deosai plateau (seasonal, roughly July–September). |
| Return | Fly or drive back. Build in a buffer day for the often-cancelled Skardu flight. |
This is a general outline. Operators commonly adjust the order, add a rest day, or extend toward Khaplu and the Shyok valley.
Most Skardu tours include transport with a driver, accommodation, some meals, and a guide or coordinator. Because Deosai and a few other stops need a 4WD, jeep hire is often a separate line — check whether it's bundled or extra.
Typically excluded: domestic flights and the cost of a backup if they cancel, Deosai park fees, personal expenses, tips, and insurance. Prices move with group size, season, vehicle, and hotel standard, so treat any quoted figure as a broad range and ask for an itemised, current quote.
For Skardu, ask specifically about the Deosai jeep arrangement, the vehicle's condition, and how flight cancellations are handled, since the Skardu flight is notoriously weather-dependent. A written itinerary with named hotels and a clear inclusions list tells you a lot about how an operator works.
Local Baltistan-based operators tend to know the jeep tracks and seasonal access best. Compare a couple of quotes rather than taking the cheapest blindly. When ready, get a vetted quote, or sketch your own route first with the free trip planner.
Most Skardu tours run 6 to 9 days. That allows for arrival, the lakes and valleys around town, and a full day on the Deosai plateau, plus a buffer for the weather-dependent flight.
May to October is the main window. Deosai National Park is typically only accessible from around July to September because of snow. Spring and autumn are good for the lakes and lower valleys.
Not always. Deosai needs a 4WD and is seasonal, so jeep hire and the day trip may be a separate cost. Confirm whether it's bundled when you read the quote.
It varies widely with group size, season, vehicle, and accommodation, so any figure is only a broad range. Get a current, itemised quote from a vetted operator for an accurate price.
Yes. The Skardu flight is weather-dependent and often cancelled, so many travellers drive in via the Karakoram Highway and Skardu Road. It's long but scenic, and most tours can arrange it.