Skardu: See
Skardu city center
K2 Museum, near K2 Motel, displays pictures
1 Karphocho Fort (Skardu Fort) (کھر فچو). The name is translated into The king of Forts. Built in the 16th century on a hill overlooking the town, this imposing fort has seen several battles, lastly in the 1948 Kashmir War. The mighty Indus snaking along just a few metres beneath your feet among the silvery white sands is an awesome sight. Foreigners: Rs 200, locals Rs 50. (updated Feb 2025)
Satpara Lake About 8 km (5 miles) north of Skardu and 20 minutes by jeep lays Sadpara Lake, surrounded by glacial mountains, which are mirrored in its crystal clear waters. The lake has a fairytale island in the middle, which can be reached by country boats that one can row. This lake also abounds in fish and provides good fishing.
Shangrila Lake About 32 km (20 miles) from Skardu and 1 hour by jeep lies the shimmering peaceful deep Shangrila lake, also called Kachura Lake, teeming with brown trout. During spring many exotic and colourful flowers adorn its banks, while peach, apricot and apple trees are laden with blossoms in April. Later in the summer one can taste the apples, which are a delicious variety. Also see Shangrila resort.
Shigar Valley: The gateway to the great mountain peaks of the Karakorams, Gasherbrum, and K2, is 23 km away from Skardu via jeep road. Shigar valley’s gentle, irrigated slopes are filled with terraces of wheat, maize and barley. Its orchards of apricots, mulberries, peaches, plums, pears, apples and nuts are unique to Baltistan. The wooden mosque in the middle of the town was built by Kashmiri carpenters several hundred years ago.
Khaplu Valley: This beautiful valley of the Shyok River is 103 km east of Skardu. Khaplu is the starting point for most trekking and climbing expeditions. Many famous mountains such as Masherbrum, Saltoro, Sia Kangri, K-6, K-7 are here. Chaqchan Mosque is one of the earliest mosques in Baltistan (1504 AD), attributed to Syed Ali Hamdani. There is a Palace of Raja of Khaplu and remains of Thors
Narsok Organic Village Hike: Quiet agricultural village with a spring and local fruit and jam available seasonally. Only accessible by foot, there is a path starting at the base of Karphocho Fort to the east that makes for a nice hike with views over the Indus River and surrounding mountains, although the path along the rock face is exposed to heights in a couple sections. From Skardu to Narsok can be done in about 1 hour, or the entire rock can be circumnavigated in about 3 hours when the river is low in the winter.
Buddha Rock Carvings: Dating back to 8th century AD, a huge Buddha figure surrounded by small Buddhisatvas is carved on a rock, 3 km from Skardu across Sadpara Nullah on Skardu-Sadpara Road. Pre-historic men and animal figures are carved on rocks along Kachura Lake. Some rock carvings and diagram of a monastery near Perkuta (Mehdi Abad) Nalah are also found. Rs 500 (Feb 2025).
2 Shigar Fort. In the town of Shigar. Now a hotel.