If you ask our guides privately which season they’d recommend to a friend, a lot of them say autumn — and September specifically.
Why September works so well
By September, the peak-summer crowds of June–August have thinned out noticeably, hotel prices soften, and the weather remains clear and stable right up until the first real cold snap. Deosai typically stays open until early October, so you still get access to the plateau.
The visual payoff
Poplar and apple orchards across Shigar and Khaplu turn a deep gold through late September, creating a completely different colour palette from the greens of summer — genuinely one of the most photogenic windows of the year, and far less well-known internationally than spring’s cherry blossoms.
What to expect weather-wise
Early autumn days run 15–22°C, dropping to 5–15°C by late October as winter approaches. Nights get noticeably colder than summer, so pack a proper layer.
Our Skardu Autumn Colours Tour and Skardu & Khaplu Autumn Road Trip are both timed specifically around this late-September foliage window.