20 Best Things to Do in Skardu

Skardu isn't just a place to look at, here's what to actually do while you're there.

Easy, everyone-can-do-it activities

• Boating on Upper Kachura Lake or Satpara Lake
• Dining at Shangrila's famous airplane restaurant
• Touring Shigar Fort and Khaplu Palace
• Walking Skardu Bazaar and trying Balti cuisine
• Photographing Katpana Cold Desert at golden hour
• Hiking up to Kharpocho Fort for sunset views

A step further

• A full-day 4x4 expedition into Deosai National Park
• Spotting Himalayan brown bears in Deosai (June to August, dawn/dusk)
• A short trek and camp in Basho Valley
• Shopping for semi-precious stones and handicrafts in the bazaar
• A day trip to Manthoka Waterfall via Khaplu

For serious adventurers

• Trekking to K2 Base Camp via the Baltoro Glacier
• The Hushe Valley trek
• Gondogoro La as a technical extension of K2 Base Camp
• Motorcycling or self-driving the Karakoram Highway

Seasonal specials

• Cherry blossom viewing in Shigar Valley (April)
• Autumn foliage photography in Shigar and Khaplu (late September)
• Winter photography of snow-dusted Shangrila and Shigar Fort
• A jeep excursion into the remote, permit-required Minimarg and Domail valleys

Most of these are built into our standard tour itineraries, check the Tours page and filter by type (adventure, family, honeymoon) to find the right mix.