For a short trip, choose Skardu if you want easy access, a choice of hotels and several different sights within a day's drive, and choose Astore if you want to be at the foot of Nanga Parbat with fewer facilities and fewer people. Skardu has an airport and a long list of places to stay. Astore has a road, a handful of hotels and the Rupal Face, which is often described as the highest mountain face in the world.
They are not rivals in every way. The two valleys are joined by the Deosai plateau, and many travellers do both. But if you only have three or four days and must pick one, the differences in access, comfort and pace decide it.
| At a glance | Astore | Skardu |
|---|---|---|
| Town altitude | About 2,600 m | About 2,228 m |
| Reached by | Road only; via Jaglot from Gilgit, or over Deosai | Road, or flight from Islamabad |
| Main sights | Rama Meadows and Lake, Rupal Face, Minimarg, Deosai edge | Shangrila, Satpara, Kachura lakes, Shigar, Deosai, Baltistan forts |
| Places to stay | Few hotels, rest houses, camping | Wide choice, from budget to resort |
| Main season | Summer, roughly June to September | April to October |
| Pace | Quiet, more walking and jeep tracks | Busier, more roads and day trips |
How do you get there?
Skardu is the easier of the two. It has an airport, which became a designated international airport in December 2021, and PIA operates flights to it. By road it sits about 180 km off the Karakoram Highway along the Baltistan highway. Our guide to flights to Gilgit and Skardu covers what to expect, including the weather cancellations that can disrupt a short trip.
Astore has no airport. You reach it by road, either from Gilgit through Jaglot (about 112 to 128 km depending on the source, and open year round) or from Skardu over the Deosai plateau (about 143 km, and closed from roughly November to June because of snow). Most visitors fly to Gilgit or Skardu, or drive from Islamabad, and then continue by road. See our guides from Gilgit to Astore and Islamabad to Astore.
A short trip suffers most from travel time. If you have only three days, a flight to Skardu gives you the most time on the ground. Astore adds a long approach by road, and the last stretch to its best viewpoints needs a jeep.
Scenery: what you actually see
Astore is about one mountain and its surroundings. At Rama you walk through pine forest to a lake under Nanga Parbat, and in the Rupal valley you can see the Rupal Face, which rises about 4,600 m above its base. Official Gilgit-Baltistan tourism material also points to Rama's forests of pine, cedar and juniper and to the wildlife of Deosai. See our guides to Rama Lake and the Rupal valley.
Skardu is wider. Within a short drive there are Satpara Lake, the Kachura lakes at around 2,500 m, Shangrila, and the valleys of Shigar and Khaplu a little further. Deosai is also easier to reach from Skardu: about 35 km, and three to four hours by jeep according to one guide. Our places to visit in Skardu lists them.
If a short trip means seeing as many different landscapes as you can, Skardu wins. If it means one great view and time to look at it, Astore is the better fit.
Where you stay
Skardu has the deeper hotel market, from budget rooms to resort hotels, and you can usually book in advance with some confidence. Astore town has few hotels, with simple guesthouses and, further up, the rest house and cottages at Rama and basic stays at Tarashing in Rupal. Several guides advise booking ahead, particularly in peak weeks. Our hotels in Astore guide describes the options by area.
If your group needs reliable hot water or a choice of restaurants, Skardu is the safer bet. If you are comfortable with a guesthouse or a tent, Astore is workable.
Crowds and cost
Skardu is the busier of the two in summer, particularly around Eid and in July and August, when the lakes and the road to Deosai fill up. Astore is quieter, partly because it is harder to reach and has fewer beds.
On cost, we are not printing a single comparison figure because sources differ and change with the season. The main variable in Astore is jeep hire, since every road beyond town is a jeep road. See our Astore jeep rent guide and Astore trip cost. In Skardu, trip cost depends most on whether you fly and what class of hotel you choose.
Best time for each
Skardu's main tourist season runs from April to October, with a cold semi-arid climate and severe winters; the lowest temperature on record there is -24.1 degrees Celsius. Our guide to the best time to visit Skardu goes month by month.
Astore's practical window is shorter. Most sources point to June to September, with May and September used for trekking, and the high routes such as Deosai and Minimarg closed by snow for much of the year. Our best time to visit Astore valley guide has more.
Is it safe?
Gilgit-Baltistan itself is not on the UK government's list of areas it advises against travelling to, and Pakistani families do travel to both valleys in summer. The route to the region matters more than the valleys. The UK advises against all travel on the Karakoram Highway between Mansehra and Chilas, which is the stretch used by drivers coming from Islamabad via Besham and Dasu; Babusar avoids it in summer, and flying avoids it altogether. Anyone travelling on a foreign passport should check their own government's advice, because it can void travel insurance. Check local news and police advice before you set out.
Minimarg beyond Astore lies close to the Line of Control, so permissions and checkpost timings apply there. See our Minimarg guide.
So which should you choose?
Choose Skardu for a first northern trip with family, for a trip that includes a flight, for anyone who wants a choice of hotels, or for a group with different tastes. It has more to see in a short time and the easiest logistics.
Choose Astore if Nanga Parbat is the reason for the trip, if you like walking and don't mind simple lodgings, and if you would rather have a quiet valley than a busy one. It suits couples and friends more than a family with small children or elderly parents, because the tracks are rough and facilities are thin.
Do both if you have five days or more. Drive the Deosai road in summer from one to the other, which links the two in a long day. Our Astore itinerary and Skardu and Deosai tour show how the pieces fit.
Frequently asked questions
Is Astore better than Skardu?
Neither is better outright. Skardu is easier, with more hotels and sights. Astore is quieter and closer to Nanga Parbat. The right choice depends on your time, your group and how much comfort you need.
Can I visit Astore and Skardu in one trip?
Yes, over the Deosai plateau, which is about 143 km between Skardu and Astore. The route is closed from roughly November to June because of snow, so it is a summer option only.
Which is better for families?
Skardu usually suits families better because of the airport, the wider choice of hotels and shorter day trips. Astore works for families who are comfortable with jeep tracks and simple stays.
Which has better weather?
Skardu is lower, at about 2,228 m, and its season is longer, from April to October. Astore is higher at about 2,600 m and has a shorter summer window, so nights can be cold.
Do I need a jeep in both places?
In Astore, yes, for Rama, Rupal and Deosai. In Skardu, you can reach many sights by car, though Deosai needs a 4x4.
