Skardu Autumn Tour golden foliage Pakistan Karakoram
Lower Kachura Lake and the Shangrila Resort cottages reflected in still water near Skardu
Sarfaranga Cold Desert near Skardu, Gilgit-Baltistan
Shyoser lake Deosai
Shigar Fort, a restored 17th-century palace on a rock, with spring blossom in the foreground

Skardu Tour Package — 6 Days from Islamabad

The Skardu Tour Package is a 6 days guided trip in Gilgit-Baltistan, northern Pakistan, topping out at 4,142 m. It is graded Easy to Moderate — sightseeing pace, one high-altitude jeep day — short day walks. 7 fixed departures are open from $480 per person, all-inclusive from Islamabad.

Skardu is the town every Karakoram journey passes through, and it deserves more than a transit night. This six-day package from Islamabad is the complete first visit: the flight up the Indus with Nanga Parbat off the wingtip, Kharpocho Fort above the bazaar, the 17th-century fort and carved mosque of Shigar, sunset on the dunes of the Sarfaranga Cold Desert, a full day on the Deosai Plateau at Sheosar Lake, the blue water of Shangrila and Upper Kachura, and a day east to Khaplu's palace before the flight home.

You travel in a private vehicle with a Skardu driver-guide who is from here, sleeping in clean mid-range hotels with mountain views and eating real Balti food alongside the standard menu. We build the schedule around the Islamabad-Skardu flight, hold a road fallback for weather, and tell you honestly which days are long. Local hands, real safety, fair price.

Want a different shape? This page is the starting point: go lighter with the 5-day Skardu City Tour, softer with the Skardu Luxury Tour and its heritage stays, deeper into jeep country on the Deosai Jeep Safari to Astore or the Astore & Rama Lake Tour, further east on the Khaplu & Hushe Valley Tour, or time it for the cherry blossom or autumn gold.

Duration
6 days5 nights
Max altitude
4,142 mhighest point
Grade
Easy to Moderate — sightseeing pace, one high-altitude jeep day
Days on foot
short day walksthe rest is travel
Group size
Max 1min age 4
Best season
April – Octoberopen April – October
Departures open
7next 19 Sep 2026

Skardu Tour Package Price

From $480 per person in a group of four to six — private vehicle and driver-guide for six days, five nights in mid-range hotels, all meals, Deosai park fees and every entry ticket. We book the Islamabad-Skardu flights for you at cost; fares are separate because they change with the date. Exact quotes on WhatsApp within the hour.

Fixed Departures

Fixed departures are scheduled dates you join as part of a group, rather than arranging your own trip. 7 dates are currently open, each capped at 6 people. Every date is the same price, $480 per person. A $150 deposit reserves a place. The availability column shows how many places are left on each date.

DepartureDatesPriceAvailabilityDepositBook
Departure 0119 Sep – 24 Sep2026$480 /person6 of 6 places$150Book now
Departure 023 Oct – 8 Oct2026$480 /person6 of 6 places$150Book now
Departure 0317 Oct – 22 Oct2026$480 /person6 of 6 places$150Book now
Departure 0412 Apr – 17 Apr2027$480 /person6 of 6 places$150Book now
Departure 0521 Jun – 26 Jun2027$480 /person6 of 6 places$150Book now
Departure 0616 Aug – 21 Aug2027$480 /person6 of 6 places$150Book now
Departure 074 Oct – 9 Oct2027$480 /person6 of 6 places$150Book now

Private & customised groups

These are private departures, priced by the size of your party rather than by a set date. Pick the band that matches your group and the price per person is fixed at that rate, across 3 options. The more of you who travel, the less each person pays — from $1,090 for Solo (1 Person) down to $480/pp for 4-6 Persons. What each band covers is set out in the table.

Group sizePriceWhat it includes
Solo (1 Person)$1,090Private vehicle and driver-guide to yourself for six days — your pace, your photo stops.
(2-3 Persons)$620/ppOne vehicle, shared. The sweet spot for couples and small groups.
(4-6 Persons)$480/ppBest per-person rate. Families welcome — the pace is gentle and the walks are short.

Is this trip right for you?

Yes — this is one of the easiest trips to say yes to.

Graded Easy to Moderate — sightseeing pace, one high-altitude jeep day.

short day walksDays on footthe rest is travel
4,142 mhighest pointWe build in time to acclimatise.
4minimum age

Good to know

The highest point is 4,142 m, so altitude counts here. The itinerary is built around acclimatising and your guide sets a pace that gets you there comfortably.

You’re ready ifyou enjoy a full day out and do not mind some hours on the road.
Give yourself a little longer ifyou would like to feel fresher. A couple of walks beforehand makes the short strolls even easier.
This might not be your trip ifyou are after long days on foot and nights in a tent. Tell us and we will point you at one.

One thing we do insist on: travel insurance that covers helicopter evacuation.

Travel Plan

Itinerary — Skardu Tour Package

Six days built around the Skardu flight: the town and its fort, Shigar and the cold desert, a full Deosai day, the lakes, and Khaplu — with the schedule shaped to absorb a weather-delayed flight without losing a day of the valley.
6 days

The hour-long flight up the Indus with Nanga Parbat off the wingtip. Afternoon climb to Kharpocho Fort above the town, sunset over the rivers, first walk through the bazaar. If weather grounds the flight, we switch to the road plan and re-shape the week — you lose scenery time, not the trip.

North into Shigar: the restored 17th-century fort, the carved timber Amburiq Mosque, apricot lanes. Late afternoon on the dunes of Sarfaranga — the world's highest cold desert — for sunset against snow peaks.

A full jeep day on the second-highest plateau on earth: wildflowers in July, brown bears with luck, tea at Bara Pani and lunch by Sheosar Lake. Back down to Skardu to sleep low.

The postcard lakes in the morning light — boating on Lower Kachura, the quieter blue of Upper Kachura — then the ninth-century Manthal Buddha Rock and a slow evening in town.

East along the Shyok to Baltistan's second kingdom: the 1840 Khaplu Palace, the 700-year-old timber Chaqchan Mosque and the carved old town, with the Shyok braiding silver on the drive home.

The morning flight out, with the whole week replaying below you. We schedule departures with buffer time in Islamabad in case the flight moves.

What’s included in the price

Every fixed departure is all-inclusive from Islamabad. This is exactly what your $480 per person covers, and the handful of things it does not — so there is nothing to settle at the trailhead.

Included in the price

  • Private vehicle and driver-guide for six days
  • Five nights in clean mid-range hotels
  • All meals
  • Deosai National Park fees
  • All fort
  • Palace and mosque entry tickets

Not included

  • Islamabad-Skardu flights (booked by us at cost)
  • Personal spending
  • Drinks
  • Tips for the driver-guide

Why Karakoram Venture

Because the people who take you up this mountain are from it. Our guides grew up in these valleys, and they are our own team — not a booking desk handing you to whoever is cheapest that week. Every one of them is certified by the Alpine Club of Pakistan, holds Wilderness First Aid, and has between five and twenty years on high-altitude ground.

Because the safety is real, and we will name it rather than imply it. A satellite phone travels in every camp, we hold established helicopter-rescue contacts for this region, and we tell you exactly which travel insurance to carry. Budget operators cut precisely these things, because you cannot see them on a web page.

Because the price is honest. Local infrastructure is why $480 per person covers the trip from Islamabad rather than a stripped-down base rate. Exactly what it includes — and the handful of things it does not — is set out above.

How to book this trip

Four steps from here to the mountains

  1. 1Pick your dateA fixed departure above, or private dates you choose.
  2. 2Send the requestThe form on this page, or WhatsApp. Name, party size, date.
  3. 3Pay $150 per personThat holds your place. We reply within 24 hours.
  4. 4Balance 30 days beforeThen we take over: flights, hotels, permits, crew.

No card details on this page. Nothing is charged until you confirm.

More About the Skardu Tour Package

Booking & Payment

  • A deposit of $150 per person confirms your dates and vehicle. Balance is payable on arrival in Skardu
  • Book through our website or directly on WhatsApp — we confirm within the hour in season

Cancellation Policy

  • Cancel 30+ days before departure: full refund of the deposit. 7-29 days: half the deposit. Under 7 days: the deposit is forfeit
  • If your Skardu flight cancels for weather
  • We move to the road plan or re-date the tour — we do not charge for the weather

Flights & Transport

  • We book Islamabad-Skardu flights on your behalf at cost
  • Fares are separate because they change with the date. Private car or 4x4 with driver-guide throughout
  • The Deosai day is by Land Cruiser

Health & Altitude

  • Skardu sits at 2,230m
  • Sightseeing is gentle. The Deosai day touches about 4,140m for a few hours
  • We cross in daytime and sleep in Skardu. Children from four travel comfortably

Important Notes

  • Carry at least 2 recent passport-size photos for verification and documentation.
  • A valid passport (foreign nationals) or CNIC (Pakistani nationals) is mandatory for booking and travel.
  • Keep your original passport or CNIC with you throughout the tour for security checks and hotel check-ins.
  • Foreign nationals need a valid passport and the correct visa; any NOC and trekking/restricted-area permits are arranged by Karakoram Venture.

Special Information

  • Professional and experienced Tour Manager available from start to end of the trip.
  • Delicious and fresh daily meals included from Day 1 until departure.
  • No complimentary meals provided on flights or during transit stops.
  • Follow updated state travel policies carefully for a hassle-free journey.

Transportation Details

  • Comfortable and spacious A/C Coaches for long trips and intercity travel.
  • Sturdy 4x4 jeeps for mountain roads and sightseeing (up to 7 pax per vehicle).
  • Reliable 4x4 vehicles (Land Cruiser / Prado) for off-road and high-altitude excursions.

Arrival & Departure Guidelines

  • Day 1: Report at the designated airport on time as per schedule.
  • Final Day: Depart after successfully completing the full itinerary.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Skardu tour package cost?

From $480 per person for six days in a group of four to six, with private transport, hotels, all meals and a driver-guide. Couples pay $620 per person and solo travellers $1,090, because the vehicle is the main cost. The Islamabad-Skardu flight is booked by us at cost and paid separately, since fares change with the date.

Is it better to fly or drive to Skardu?

Fly if you can. The flight takes about an hour with a full view of Nanga Parbat; the road takes two hard days. Flights are weather-dependent, so we build the itinerary to absorb a delay and hold a road fallback. Our guide on getting to Skardu covers both in detail.

When is the best time to visit Skardu?

April for blossom, June to September for Deosai and the full itinerary, late September to October for autumn colours. The Deosai day needs the plateau road open, roughly mid-June to September; outside that window we substitute Basho or Katpana desert.

What is actually included?

Private vehicle and driver-guide for all six days, five nights in clean mid-range hotels, all meals, Deosai National Park fees and all entry tickets. Not included: flights, personal spending and tips. No hidden extras on arrival.

Can this be combined with a trek or with Hunza?

Yes. This package is the base layer: add the 7-day Skardu & Hunza Tour to see both valleys, or talk to us about stepping up to Deosai jeep routes, the Khaplu side, or a K2 Base Camp trek in the same trip.

What visa do I need?

A standard Pakistan tourist visa, applied for online. No permits are needed for anything on this itinerary; the Deosai park fee is included.

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