Skardu is safe for tourists in the way that matters most to visitors: crime against travellers is rare, the local army presence is heavy given the region's proximity to the Line of Control, and people are used to hosting outsiders. The real risks in a Skardu trip are practical rather than criminal: the mountain road in and out, the chance of a cancelled flight, altitude, and, for the drive there, a short stretch of the Karakoram Highway that some governments currently advise against.
This guide goes through each of those in turn, rather than general Pakistan travel advice, so you can weigh them against your own trip.
The road: the biggest real risk
More people are hurt or killed on the roads to Skardu than through any other cause connected to travelling there. The routes in are mountain roads through unstable gorges, and serious accidents happen most years. In October 2024, a Rawalpindi-bound coach from Skardu fell into a ravine in Upper Kohistan, killing the driver and a passenger and injuring 36 others. Landslides have also hit buses directly on the Karakoram Highway in the same Kohistan stretch.
The road itself, the paved Jaglot–Skardu section rebuilt in 2021, is in good condition, but it runs through a gorge prone to rockfall, debris flows and, in the worst cases, flood damage that can close it for days. Our guide to Skardu road condition covers where and why it closes and how to check before you travel.
What cuts the risk sharply: drive only in daylight, never push on into the dark, choose an operator or driver with a good reputation, wear a seatbelt where fitted, and build in a spare day so a closure doesn't force a rushed drive to make up time.
Flights: delays more than danger
Flying to Skardu is not dangerous in the way the road can be, but it is unreliable. Every flight depends on clear visibility past Nanga Parbat, since pilots need to see the route rather than fly on instruments alone, and cloud, wind or poor visibility ground flights regularly, especially in winter and spring. A cancelled flight into Skardu usually means the same aircraft's flight out is cancelled too, so delays can compound over several days in a bad spell of weather.
Build at least one spare day into any trip that depends on flying, more in winter and spring, and keep a road option in reserve if you must be somewhere on a fixed date. Our guides to Skardu airport and to flight cancellations cover how to handle a delay without losing the whole trip.
Altitude: manageable if you take it seriously
Skardu town sits at about 2,200 metres, high enough that some visitors feel a mild headache or breathlessness in the first day, especially arriving straight off a flight. It becomes a real concern only if you go higher fast, above all on a day trip to Deosai, which averages over 4,000 metres, or on the hike to Marsur Rock. Move slowly at altitude, drink water, spend a night or two in Skardu before a big day out, and know the warning signs of altitude sickness: a bad headache, nausea, dizziness or confusion, all of which mean going back down. Our guide to altitude sickness in Gilgit-Baltistan covers this across the region.
Security: what's actually true right now
Crime against tourists in Skardu itself is low, and the town and its main sights are not affected by the security concerns that apply to some other parts of Pakistan. Skardu and the rest of Gilgit-Baltistan are not currently listed in the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's advisory against travel, unlike the Karakoram Highway between Mansehra and Chilas, which the UK government currently advises against travelling on. That stretch is part of the standard road route from Islamabad to Skardu, so anyone driving takes note of it even though Skardu itself is not the concern. Flying skips that section of road entirely.
If you are an overseas visitor, check your own government's current travel advice before you go, since it may differ from a Pakistani traveller's assessment of the same trip, and be aware that ignoring it can affect your travel insurance. Pakistani visitors travel to Skardu in large numbers every year regardless. Whatever your nationality, check the news and any local police advice close to your travel dates, since the situation can change.
Putting it together: is Skardu safe?
For most visitors, yes, with the road and the weather as the things to actually plan around rather than crime or unrest. The sensible approach is the same one experienced travellers already use here: fly or drive in daylight with a spare day either side, take altitude seriously on the higher days, and check current conditions, whether that's the road, the flight forecast or the security picture, shortly before you travel rather than relying on anything you read months in advance, including this guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe to drive to Skardu?
The road itself is in good condition, but it runs through a gorge where rockfall, landslides and floods cause real accidents most years. Drive only in daylight, check the road status before setting out, and keep a spare day for delays.
Is it safe to fly to Skardu?
Yes; the main issue is unreliability rather than danger, since flights depend on clear weather past Nanga Parbat and are delayed or cancelled often, especially outside summer. Build in a spare day.
Is Gilgit-Baltistan on any travel advisory?
Gilgit-Baltistan and Skardu itself are not currently listed in the UK government's advisory against travel, though the Karakoram Highway between Mansehra and Chilas, part of the usual road route there, is. Check your own government's current advice before travelling.
Is altitude sickness a risk in Skardu?
Skardu town, at about 2,200 metres, causes only mild symptoms for most people. The real risk is on higher day trips such as Deosai, over 4,000 metres, where moving slowly and knowing the warning signs matters.
Is Skardu safer than driving there?
For most travellers, yes, since it removes the mountain road accident risk entirely, at the cost of weather-related delays. Many people fly one way and take the road the other, to balance the two risks.
