The best time to visit Skardu for most people is from late June to mid-September, when Deosai is open, both roads from Islamabad are passable and every valley is green. April is the month for blossom, the second half of October for autumn colour and clear air, and winter suits travellers who want snow and silence and can live with cancelled flights. If you can pick only one month, choose early September.
The right month depends on what you want most, so this guide goes through the year month by month, then season by season, with the trade-offs each one brings: Deosai's short opening, summer crowds, the monsoon on the Karakoram Highway and the winter flights.
The short answer
- For Deosai and the full Skardu trip: July to early September.
- For blossom: April, sometimes from the last days of March.
- For photography and quiet: late September and October.
- For snow: December to February, with spare days built in.
- For families on school holidays: June to August, booked early.
Skardu month by month
| Month | Verdict | Deosai | Getting there |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Deep winter; for the well prepared only | Closed | Fewest flights; road open but slow |
| February | Still winter, a little less harsh | Closed | Flights often disrupted |
| March | Thaw; unsettled, with the first blossom at the end | Closed | Flights unsettled; road open |
| April | Blossom month, before the crowds | Closed | Spring weather still cancels flights |
| May | Green, mild, uncrowded | Closed | Babusar usually opens late May or June |
| June | Summer starts; Deosai opens during the month | Usually opens in June, snow permitting | Busy from the school holidays |
| July | Peak season: flowers on Deosai, hot days in town | Open | Busiest; monsoon risk on the KKH |
| August | Peak season; long, warm days | Open | Busy, especially around 14 August |
| September | The best all-round month | Open, until the first snow | Settled weather, fewer people |
| October | Autumn colour and clear air | A gamble; closes with the first heavy snow | Usually settled; Babusar closing |
| November | Cold, quiet, last of the colour early on | Closed | Fewer flights; Babusar closed |
| December | Winter sets in; snow possible | Closed | Fewest flights; road open but slow |
For average temperatures and rainfall in each month, see our Skardu weather by month guide.
Spring: blossom without the crowds (March to May)
Spring in Skardu is about the orchards. Apricot blossom leads the way, and cherry and other fruit trees follow through April. Shigar, Khaplu and the villages around Skardu turn white and pink against a backdrop of snow still on the high peaks. In a warm year the first flowers open in the last days of March.
The trade-off is that the high country is still closed. Deosai is under snow and will be for another two months, and the side valleys can be muddy. March and April also have Skardu's most unsettled weather: the town's wettest month is March, and in April 2025 a spell of bad weather grounded eight flights in and out of Skardu. Keep a spare day.
May is underrated. The blossom is over, but the valley is fully green, days are warm without being hot, and the summer crowds have not arrived. If you want Kachura, Shigar and Khaplu in comfort and don't mind missing Deosai, May is a very good month.
Summer: Deosai and the long days (June to August)
This is the only time you can see everything. Deosai opens, the roads are at their most reliable and the days are long. It is also when most Pakistani families travel: the school holidays and 14 August fall in these months, and Eid adds its own peaks whenever it falls.
What summer brings with it:
- Heat in town. Average July highs in Skardu are just over 30 °C, and some days go much higher. The sun at 2,200 metres is strong. Plan sightseeing for mornings and evenings, and rest in the middle of the day.
- Crowds and prices. Hotels at Kachura and in town fill up, and flights sell out well ahead around the holidays. Book early, and see our Skardu trip cost guide for what summer adds to a budget.
- The monsoon on the road. Skardu itself gets very little rain, but July and August bring landslides and flash floods to the KKH and Babusar. In July 2025 a cloudburst near Babusar killed several tourists. If you are driving, build in a spare day and keep an eye on the forecast.
- Cloud on the flight. Summer is the best season for flying, but monsoon cloud can still ground flights. Our Islamabad to Skardu flight guide covers how to book around it.
June is the gentlest of the three months, but Deosai may not open until late in the month. July brings the wildflowers on the plateau, and August is still full summer, with the plateau green and the days long.
Autumn: the photographers' season (September to November)
September is, for many, the best month of the year in Skardu. The summer crowds have gone, the air clears, the weather is settled and Deosai is usually still open. Nights start to cool, but days in town are warm and bright.
October belongs to the colours. Through the second half of the month the poplars along the Indus and in Shigar turn gold, and the mountains stand out sharply in the clear air. Deosai may still be open early in the month, but it can close at any moment with the first heavy snow, and Babusar begins to shut. It is a quieter, calmer trip, with cold mornings and evenings.
November is cold, with nights below freezing, but the early part of the month can still be clear and still. It is for people who want Skardu almost to themselves and have warm clothes.
Winter: snow, silence and cancelled flights (December to February)
Winter in Skardu is properly cold. January nights average around −8 °C and have dropped below −20 °C. Upper Kachura freezes solid, Katpana's dunes can lie under snow, and the valley is almost empty of visitors. For photographers and anyone curious about Balti life out of season, it is a remarkable time.
It needs careful planning:
- Flights are fewer and less reliable. Cancellations are common, and after several bad-weather days in a row, getting a seat out can take time. Keep at least two spare days.
- The road stays open, but slowly. The KKH and the Jaglot–Skardu road are kept open through winter, but snow, ice and rockfall can close them. Babusar is shut.
- Check your hotel's heating. Ask specifically about room heating, hot water and power backup before you book.
- Deosai and the high valleys are closed, and some side roads are not worth attempting. The road to Khaplu is kept open all year, though, so Shigar and Khaplu remain possible day trips on clear days.
When does Deosai open?
Deosai's opening decides the shape of most summer trips to Skardu. The plateau averages over 4,000 metres and is under snow from roughly October or November until June. In most years the track from Skardu opens some time in June and stays open until the first heavy snowfall, most often in October. The reliable window is July to mid-September.
The dates move every year with the snow. In a heavy snow year the opening can slip towards July, and heavy rain can close the track for a day or more even in high summer. If Deosai is the point of your trip, aim for mid-July to the end of August, and don't build a late-September or October trip around it without a fallback. Our guide to whether Deosai is open or closed explains how to check before you go.
Our Skardu and Deosai trip is timed for these months and gives the plateau two days. For the other seasons, our guide to the seasons across the north shows what else is open when.
Which month should you choose?
- First visit, want the full picture: late July to early September.
- Families with children: June or August, when schools are out, but book flights and rooms early and keep the Deosai day gentle.
- Couples and honeymooners: late April, May, September or October, for quieter lakes and easier bookings.
- Photographers: April for blossom, October for colour, January for snow on the dunes.
- Short on time: fly, and pick late June or September, when flights are generally more reliable than in spring or winter and Deosai is usually open.
- Avoid if you can: Eid weekends and 14 August, when prices peak and Kachura is crowded, and mid-winter, unless snow is the point.
Frequently asked questions
Which month is best for Skardu?
September is the best all-round month: Deosai is usually still open early in the month, the weather is settled and the summer crowds have gone. July and August are best if Deosai's flowers and wildlife are the priority.
Is Skardu worth visiting in winter?
Yes, if you want snow, empty landscapes and a very cold, quiet trip. Expect cancelled flights and closed high roads, and keep at least two spare days.
When is Deosai open?
Usually from some time in June until the first heavy snow, most often in October. July to mid-September is the safest window for a visit.
When is the blossom season in Skardu?
Mostly in April, starting with apricot blossom. In a warm year it can begin in the last days of March.
Is Skardu too hot in summer?
Days in town can pass 30 °C in July and August, with strong sun, but nights are cool and Deosai is cold. Sightsee in the morning and evening and rest at midday.
When should I avoid going to Skardu?
Avoid Eid weekends and 14 August if you dislike crowds, and don't plan a winter trip without spare days for cancelled flights.
