Adventure – Skardu

Location & Detailed Plan

Our Skardu Tour is a true authentic holiday in Pakistan which gives you the opportunity to explore Skardu and the neighboring valleys, in addition to the several lakes, all in close vicinity. Skardu is the capital of Baltistan and an epitome of beauty, serenity and wilderness. Our 7 day Skardu Tour begins from Islamabad.  Your Guide will meet and greet you at the pre-agreed meeting point and hold a group briefing on the tour itinerary, health & safety guidelines and other paperwork. Initially the tour shall head North on the Karakoram Highway passing several valleys and small villages with ample photo opportunities. The night shall be spent at a luxury hotel in Naran.  After breakfast we will continue on our way to Skardu by following the Karakoram Highway with Nanga Parbat (8,000+ m) in the background. After another couple of hours drive, the road diverts off and runs along the Indus River all the way to Skardu. Along the Indus River there are many small villages which are laden with fruits like apricot, cherries and apple trees. Again, there shall be several stops allowing for shopping of locally produced foods and selfies of the snowcapped mountains. Night stay in Skardu. After breakfast your tour shall begin with a short drive to Satpara Lake to enjoy the breath-taking scenery of this crystal-clear blue water lake surrounded by snowcapped mountains. On the return journey, a short detour will take us to the 8th century Manthal Buddha Rock, it is a large granite rock on which Buddha has been engraved. Following breakfast the tour will head towards Kachura village to visit the two incredibly beautiful Kachura Lakes; Upper Kachura and Lower Kachura Lake. Upper Kachura lake is a still water lake surrounded by the giant pillars of the Karakoram mountains. The lower Kachura lake is also known as Shangri-la lake, is within a tourist resort and hotel named Shangri-la Resort. Lunch shall be served at one of the chosen lakes before returning to Skardu. There shall be some free time to explore the local markets before dinner at your hotel. Today the tour will continue towards Khaplu along the Indus then Shyok rivers. It will pass through exquisite, lush green Balti villages on route to Khaplu. Khaplu was the second-largest kingdom of the Yabgo dynasty in old Baltistan. It guarded the trade route to Ladakh along the Shyok River. In Khaplu the stay shall be at the ex-Royal Palace (now part of a luxury hotel) After spending the night in the palace, the morning shall be reserved for shopping at the local bazaar, exploring the town and views (above 2600m) and visit the Chaqchan Mosque, dating from 1370AD and is one of the oldest in the region, Today the tour shall head back to Skardu via Shigar Valley. It will follow the Shyok, Indus and Shigar Rivers to reach Shigar. Shigar is a lush green valley and it is the getaway to K2 and many other famous Treks and peaks. In Shigar, you will visit the historical Shigar fort, which has now been transformed into a museum and a luxury hotel. Lunch shall be served in the beautifully decorated ex Royal Garden before heading back to Skardu. After Breakfast you will head towards Astore via Deosai Plateau. Deosai is 2 hour drive from Skardu and its the second highest altitude plateau in the world at over 4000m The Deosai Plains are home to snow leopards, Himalayan brown bear and many other wild flora and fauna. The road to Astore will be uneven which can be bumpy. We will stop in Deosai for lunch and tea breaks. The return begins...  continue your epic journey on Karakoram highway for a while then turn left and drive on Naran Road to Naran Town for lunch break. After lunch we will continue towards Muzaffarabad and re-join The Karakoram Highway. Overnight stay at Muzaffarabad After breakfast we will head towards Murree Hill Station for a short stay and lunch and then make our way back to Islamabad to conclude the Tour.