Skardu Blossom Tour
Request a quoteExplore
Skardu Valley & Deosai Tour
A six-day cultural tour of the forts, lakes and cold desert around Skardu, with a day on the high Deosai Plains for Sheosar Lake, marmots and a chance of brown bears.
- 6 Days
- Easy
- 4,100 m (Deosai Plains)
- June – September
At a glance
Duration6 Days
GradeEasy
Max altitude4,100 m (Deosai Plains)
Group size2–14
Best seasonJune – September
Start / endSkardu
TypeTour
RegionSkardu
Group pricing
Per person in USD, full-board — the larger your group, the lower the per-person cost. We confirm your exact all-in figure in writing before any deposit.
| Group size | Per person |
|---|---|
| 7–10 people | $950 |
| 4–6 people | $1,100 |
| 1–3 people | $1,400 |
Excludes international flights, Pakistan visa, insurance, personal equipment and tips.
Fixed 2027 departures
Guaranteed small-group dates for the 2027 season. Prefer your own dates? Every trip can also run privately inside its season window.
| 20 Jun 2027 → 25 Jun 2027 | Book this date |
|---|---|
| 10 Jul 2027 → 15 Jul 2027 | Book this date |
| 25 Jul 2027 → 30 Jul 2027 | Book this date |
| 8 Aug 2027 → 13 Aug 2027 | Book this date |
| 22 Aug 2027 → 27 Aug 2027 | Book this date |
| 5 Sept 2027 → 10 Sept 2027 | Book this date |
Trip highlights
- A full day on the Deosai Plains at around 4,000 m
- Sheosar Lake, marmots and a chance of Himalayan brown bears
- Shigar Fort (Fong-Khar), a restored fort-palace
- Lower Kachura Lake (Shangrila) and quieter Upper Kachura
- Katpana (Sarfaranga) cold desert dunes
- Manthal Buddha Rock, a relic of Buddhist Baltistan
- Kharpocho Fort above Skardu town
Overview
This six-day cultural tour of Skardu, in Pakistan's Gilgit-Baltistan, covers the forts, lakes, cold desert and old rock carvings of the valley, plus a full day on the Deosai Plains, a high plateau at around 4,000 m. It suits curious travellers who want easy walking and a mountain landscape without committing to a trek.
Skardu, at about 2,230 m, is the main town of Baltistan and stands where the Indus and Shigar rivers meet. The valley days are short drives with easy walking: Kharpocho Fort above the town, the Buddha carved into a rock at Manthal, the dunes of the Katpana (Sarfaranga) cold desert, and the two Kachura lakes, including the Shangrila resort on Lower Kachura. None of it asks for more than ordinary fitness.
Culture is the thread through these days. Baltistan was Buddhist before Islam arrived, and Balti, the local language, belongs to the Tibetic family; the carving at Manthal and the forts of Skardu and Shigar belong to different chapters of that history. Shigar Fort, known locally as Fong-Khar (the palace on the rock), was the seat of the Shigar rulers and has since been restored and opened to visitors.
The Deosai Plains are a different landscape altogether: a treeless plateau at around 4,000 m, protected as a national park and snowbound for much of the year. In summer it is open grassland and wildflowers, with Sheosar Lake as the usual stop. Himalayan brown bears live here but are shy and sightings are never guaranteed; marmots are far easier to see. The track from Skardu is rough in places and the weather can turn quickly, so we start early and advise warm layers.
When to come
Deosai sets the calendar. The plateau is typically accessible only from about late June to September, and the exact opening date depends on how much snow the winter left. The valley sights can be visited outside those months, but this programme is built around a day on Deosai, so it runs only in the summer window.
- Late June to September: Deosai is open and the full six-day programme runs as described.
- April to early June: the valley is open and green, but Deosai is usually still under snow, so this itinerary does not run.
- October: autumn colour in the valley, with Deosai usually snowbound again.
- November to March: winter, with Skardu cold and Deosai under snow.
Itinerary
6 stages over 6 days, starting and finishing in Skardu. Routes can be shortened, extended or privately dated.
Arrive in Skardu (about 2,230 m) on the morning flight from Islamabad, or by road if you have added the Karakoram Highway day, and settle into your hotel. In the afternoon we visit Kharpocho Fort, the old hilltop fort above the town, for a first view over the Indus and the Skardu plain. The evening stays light while you adjust to the altitude.
A short drive takes us to Lower Kachura Lake, where the Shangrila resort stands on the shore, and on to the quieter Upper Kachura Lake. There is time for a slow walk by the water and lunch before we return to Skardu in the late afternoon. It is an easy second day.
An early start for the Deosai Plains: the jeep track climbs past Satpara Lake onto a treeless plateau at around 4,000 m. We spend the day on the grassland and at Sheosar Lake, watching for marmots and, with luck, a Himalayan brown bear, then return to Skardu in the evening. The track is rough, so allow for a long day; if the weather closes it, we swap this day with Day 5.
We drive up the Shigar valley, the road that trekking parties take towards Askole and K2, to Shigar Fort, the restored fort-palace known as Fong-Khar. We spend the morning in its courtyards and rooms, then walk through the village lanes around it, and return to Skardu in the afternoon.
A lighter day close to Skardu: the Buddha carved into a rock at Manthal, a reminder of Baltistan's Buddhist past, and the sand dunes of the Katpana (Sarfaranga) cold desert, which looks better in the softer light of late afternoon. There is also time for the Skardu bazaar. We keep this day flexible so it can take Deosai if that trip has had to move.
Transfer to Skardu airport for the flight to Islamabad, or begin the road journey south. Flights depend on the weather and are often delayed, so we advise leaving a day in hand in Islamabad before any international departure.
What’s included
Included
- All ground transport in Pakistan as per itinerary
- Experienced native English-speaking guide
- Hotel accommodation on the road sections
- Full camping equipment and kitchen crew on trek
- All meals during the trekking / climbing period
- Porters for group and personal equipment (within weight limit)
- Trekking / climbing permits and national park fees
- Government liaison officer where required
Not included
- International flights to and from Pakistan
- Pakistan visa fee
- Personal travel and high-altitude rescue insurance
- Personal climbing and trekking equipment
- Tips for guides, cooks and porters
- Any expenses of a personal nature
These are the standard inclusions for our tour programmes and are confirmed in writing on your final itinerary before any payment is taken.
Questions about this trip
Deosai is typically accessible only from about late June to September and is snowbound for the rest of the year. The exact opening date changes with each winter's snowfall, which is why this tour runs only in the summer window.
Bears live on the plateau, but they are shy and range widely, so sightings are never guaranteed. Marmots are far easier to see, and the day is worthwhile for the plateau and Sheosar Lake even if the bears stay out of sight.
Many travellers fly from Islamabad, a flight of about an hour that is often delayed or cancelled when cloud sits on the mountains. The alternative is the road along the Karakoram Highway, which adds at least a day each way.
Walking is short and mostly level, so ordinary fitness is enough. Deosai is at around 4,000 m, where some people notice a headache or breathlessness, so we keep a gentle pace and spend the first two days in the valley at Skardu's lower altitude.
This is graded easy. You should be comfortable walking for several hours a day, on rough ground, across 6 Days. Porters carry the main loads; you carry a light daypack. If you tell us your recent hill days we will give you an honest answer.
The reliable window is June – September. Outside that, conditions on the route make it either unsafe or not worth the money. We can run private departures on any dates inside that window.
2–14. Smaller and private groups are available and often cost less per head than you would expect — ask us for a quote on your own dates.
The headline is the per-person rate for a standard group of 7–10; smaller groups pay a little more per head because fixed costs — guide, permits, liaison officer and transport — are shared across fewer people. Prices are full-board, and we confirm your exact all-in total in writing before any deposit.
Reviews
No reviews yet — be the first to review the skardu valley & deosai tour.
Plan this trip
Practical guides to help you prepare for the skardu valley & deosai tour:
You may like
All trips Similar adventures
Hunza & Skardu Highlights
Request a quoteExplore
Pakistan Highlights Grand Circuit
Request a quoteExplore
Hunza Apricot & Cherry Blossom Tour
Request a quoteExplore