Two days is enough to see Khaplu properly: the palace and mosque on day one, and a jeep run up the Hushe road as far as Machulu on day two, before driving back to Skardu. Most visitors to Khaplu do it as a single long day trip from Skardu, which works for the town itself but leaves no time for the valleys around it.
This itinerary assumes you are travelling by car or with a driver from Skardu, and it sets out what to do on each day, how long each stop takes, and how to adjust it if you have more or less time.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| From Skardu | 103 km, about 3 hours each way |
| Day 1 | Drive to Khaplu, the palace, Chaqchan Mosque, the Khanqah |
| Day 2 | Saling and Machulu by jeep, then drive back to Skardu |
| Overnight | One night in Khaplu |
| Vehicle | A normal car for the road; a jeep for the Hushe road stretch |
| Good for | Couples, families and anyone who wants Khaplu without rushing it |
Day 1: Skardu to Khaplu, the palace and the mosques
- Leave Skardu by 7 or 8 am. The road runs east along the Indus, crosses near the Indus–Shyok confluence, and follows the Shyok upstream through Keris and a string of orchard villages. Fill the tank in Skardu before you go.
- Arrive in Khaplu by mid-morning, after about three hours' driving. Check into your hotel and leave the car if you are staying centrally.
- Khaplu Palace, one to two hours. The former royal residence, known locally as Yabgo Khar, was built in 1840 and restored by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture between 2005 and 2011. Walk the gardens, then the museum rooms, and pay the entry fee at the gate if you are not staying there. Our full guide to Khaplu Palace covers what to look for inside.
- Lunch in Khaplu.
- Chaqchan Mosque, 30 to 45 minutes. A short walk from the palace, this timber, stone and mud building is traditionally dated to 1370 and linked to the Sufi preacher Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani. It is a working mosque, so go outside prayer times and dress modestly. See our guide to the Chaqchan Mosque for its history and visiting etiquette.
- The Khanqah-e-Mualla, 20 to 30 minutes. One of the region's larger Noorbakhshi prayer halls, built in 1712, and an easy stop on the same walk as the mosque.
- Evening. If there is daylight and energy left, walk up towards Thoqsikhar, the hilltop above town where the old fort of the Khaplu rajas stood before the Dogra conquest of the 1840s; allow around two hours up and down. Otherwise, rest at the hotel for an early start the next day.
Day 2: Saling, Machulu and back to Skardu
- Leave by 8 or 9 am for the Hushe road, which crosses the Shyok at Saling, about 15 to 20 minutes from Khaplu.
- Saling, a short stop. An orchard village at the mouth of the Hushe valley, with fish farms and a lake used for trout and camping. Beyond it, the paved road gives way to a track.
- Machulu, one to two hours. Roughly halfway up the valley, Machulu is one of its larger villages, with terraced apricot orchards and an old wooden mosque. This is a reasonable turning point for a two-day trip: going further, to Kande and Hushe village itself, adds another two to three hours each way and is better suited to a third day.
- Back to Khaplu for lunch, then on the road to Skardu by early to mid-afternoon.
- Arrive back in Skardu by evening, allowing for the same three-hour drive plus stops.
If you have three days instead of two
Add a night in Khaplu and push on up the Hushe road to Hushe village itself, a little over 3,000 metres and the last village in the valley, for the closest roadside view of Masherbrum. That drive is about two and a half to three hours each way from Khaplu, on a narrow jeep track, and is a full day on its own.
Is two days worth it, or should you just do a day trip?
If your main interest is the palace and the mosque, a single long day trip from Skardu covers both and saves a hotel night; our Skardu and Deosai tour includes Khaplu this way, as a day out from a Skardu base. Two days is worth the extra night if you want to see Machulu and get a real sense of the Hushe valley, or if six hours of driving in a single day does not appeal, particularly with children or older parents in the car.
Frequently asked questions
Is one day enough for Khaplu?
One day is enough to see the palace and Chaqchan Mosque as a return trip from Skardu, but it leaves no real time for Saling, Machulu or the Hushe valley beyond a brief glimpse.
How far is Khaplu from Skardu?
About 103 km, roughly three hours each way on a paved road that follows the Indus and then the Shyok river.
Do I need a jeep to visit Khaplu?
No, a normal car is fine for Khaplu town and the road from Skardu. A jeep or high-clearance 4x4 is needed only if you continue up the Hushe road beyond Saling.
What should I see in Khaplu if I only have half a day?
Khaplu Palace and the Chaqchan Mosque, both in town and a short walk apart, are the two stops to prioritise if time is short.
Can I combine Khaplu with the Hushe valley in two days?
You can reach Machulu, about halfway up the Hushe valley, and get back to Skardu on day two. Reaching Hushe village itself and returning to Skardu realistically needs a third day.
