Keris Valley: Gateway to Ghanche and the Indus-Shyok Confluence

Keris Valley (also spelled Kiris) is the first village of Ghanche district as you drive east from Skardu, and it is where the Shyok River joins the Indus. It is known locally as the gateway to Ghanche, and in recent years it has become a photo stop because of a suspension footbridge over the Shyok that people on social media call the "Door to Heaven". Most visitors give it an hour on the way to Khaplu; some turn it into a short half-day from Skardu.

This guide covers where Keris is, what is actually there, when it looks best and how to fit it into the Skardu to Khaplu drive without adding a day.

Where is Keris Valley?

Keris sits beside the Shyok River, east of Skardu, at the point where the valley opens into the Indus basin. The Gilgit-Baltistan tourism department describes it as the last village in Ghanche before the district meets Skardu, and puts it at about 33 km from Skardu and 70 km from Khaplu. Wikipedia gives 39.3 km from Skardu. The difference is partly where each source measures from, so plan on somewhere between 35 and 40 km by road and about an hour of driving.

The road is the same one that carries traffic to Khaplu, Machulu and Hushe. If you are working out the whole drive, our Skardu to Khaplu road guide covers the full distance, timings and the places in between, and this page stays with Keris itself.

What is there to see in Keris?

Keris is a stop for the setting more than for any single monument. The sights that sources agree on are:

• The pedestrian suspension bridge over the Shyok. This is the reason most people stop. It is a footbridge, not a vehicle crossing, and visitors describe it as easy and safe to walk. The name "Door to Heaven" comes from the view: turquoise water below, green fields beyond, and snow peaks at the top of the frame.
• The confluence of the Indus and Shyok. The Shyok rises from the Rimo Glacier and is roughly 550 km long before it meets the Indus near Keris. Locally it is called the "river of death" for its force.
• Old village houses and fields. The tourism department notes the village is known for its green fields and historic houses. It is a working village, so walk through it quietly.
• Religious sites. The same department lists the shrine of Hazrat Mir Mukhtar and Ali Mosavi and the house of the Noorbakhshia pir among the valley's landmarks. These are places of worship and community, not tourist attractions, so ask before entering and dress modestly.
• An old canal and one of the region's older hydropower installations, listed by the tourism department. Do not expect signage or a visitor route for either.

A little further along the road, the Hamayun bridge crosses at the confluence. A travel writer who made the trip described it as the only road link between Ghanche and Skardu, originally steel and since rebuilt in concrete. Check its current state locally if you are driving after heavy rain or flooding.

When to visit Keris

The tourism department recommends the cherry blossom season and the summer months. In practice that means April for blossom along the Shyok valley, and May to September for green fields and clear days. Our guide to apricot blossom between Skardu and Khaplu covers the spring window in more detail, and the best time to visit Khaplu covers the wider season.

Autumn, from October, turns the poplars along the Shyok road yellow. Dawn's reporting on the valley describes the paved road lined with poplars, and the leaves fall onto it in autumn. Winter is cold and the village is quiet; the bridge is still there but you are visiting for the river and the stillness, not the colour.

Midday light flattens the confluence. Mornings, when the sun clears the ridge, and the hour before sunset suit photography best.

How to fit Keris into the road to Khaplu

Keris sits roughly a third of the way along the drive, so it works as a natural first stop rather than a detour.

1. Leave Skardu early. Aim to be on the road by 8 am. The whole trip to Khaplu is a little over 100 km and one writer who drove it in July 2015 recorded about two and a half hours without stops, so with Keris and other stops you want most of a day.
2. Stop at Keris for 45 to 60 minutes. Walk the footbridge, look at the confluence from the bank and have tea if a roadside stall is open.
3. Carry on to Khaplu through Ghawori, Yugo, Kharfaq and Barah, all small settlements along the Shyok. Kharfaq Lake and Khaplu Palace are good next stops.

If you are not going as far as Khaplu, Keris is a reasonable short outing from Skardu, though it is not a full day on its own. Our list of day trips from Skardu has better-paired options.

Practical tips

• Cash and fuel. Fill up in Skardu. Carry cash, since card payment is unreliable in the villages along the road.
• Footbridge etiquette. Cross a few people at a time, don't jump or sway the bridge, and keep children close to you.
• River safety. The Shyok is cold, fast and silty. Keep back from the banks and do not swim.
• Village manners. Ask before photographing people, and especially before photographing women.
• Weather and landslides. The road beside the river can be blocked after rain, so check conditions in Skardu before setting out.

Is Keris worth a stop?

Yes if you are driving to Khaplu anyway: it costs an hour and gives you the start of the Shyok valley, a bridge worth crossing and a view of two great rivers meeting. It is not worth a separate trip if your time in Baltistan is short; Shigar, Deosai or Khaplu's palace give more for the same effort.

Travellers who like quiet villages and photography will enjoy it most. Anyone expecting a developed attraction with a ticket booth, cafes and a car park will be disappointed.

Frequently asked questions