Getting Around Skardu: Taxis, Vans and Jeeps

Local transport in Skardu comes down to four things: your feet inside the town, unmetered taxis for short runs, shared vans to Shigar and Khaplu, and a hired car or jeep with a driver for everything else. There are no meters and no city buses, and we found no ride-hailing app operating here, so every fare is agreed before you set off. The sights are spread out, from 5 km to 100 km from the bazaar, so most visitors end up hiring a vehicle by the day.

This guide gives the road distance to each main sight, says which need a jeep, and explains how each kind of transport works and what to settle before you get in.

Distances from Skardu bazaar

Distances are by road from the centre of town. Times are what to allow in summer, not best cases. Kachura, Satpara, Shigar and Khaplu are on sealed roads; Deosai, the side valleys and Askole are jeep tracks.

Walking in town

Skardu is small, and most hotels, banks, restaurants and shops in the centre are within a 30 minute walk of each other. Kharpocho Fort, above the town, is reached by a steep path on foot. Remember the town is at about 2,230 metres: if you have just flown in from Islamabad, walk slowly on the first day.

Hotels at Kachura, Katpana and along the Satpara road are a different matter. They are quiet, and several have fine views, but you will need a vehicle for every meal out and every errand, so count that into the cost when you book.

Taxis within Skardu

Taxis wait at stands at the main roundabouts, marked by small shelters, and both cars and motorcycles carrying a yellow taxi sign take passengers. Any hotel will also ring a driver for you.

Nothing is metered. Before you get in, agree three things: the fare, whether it is one way or return, and how long the driver will wait. For Katpana or Satpara Lake, book a return with waiting time, because you will not find a taxi to bring you back. Fares go up after dark and in the peak weeks of June to August. We do not quote figures, because they change with fuel prices and season; ask your hotel what a fair fare is that week before you bargain.

A day spent on the nearby paved sights, Katpana, the two Kachura lakes and Satpara, works well as one taxi hired for the day, which usually costs less than separate return trips.

Shared vans to Shigar and Khaplu

Shared vans and wagons link Skardu with Shigar, Khaplu and the larger villages. This is how local people travel, and it is by far the cheapest way.

It has limits you should know about.

• No timetable. A van leaves when it is full. Morning is busiest; by mid-afternoon you may wait a long time.
• No proper terminal. Vans load at informal stands, not a signed bus station. Ask your hotel or any shopkeeper where that day's Shigar or Khaplu van leaves from.
• The return. Find out when the last van comes back before you leave, especially from Khaplu, which is three hours away. Missing it means a private hire or a night there.
• Space. Vans are filled before they leave, so travel light. Women travelling alone can ask for a front seat, which is the usual courtesy.

A shared van drops you in the town, so allow for a walk or a local taxi to Khaplu Palace or anywhere outside the bazaar. Our guides to Skardu to Shigar and Skardu to Khaplu cover both roads.

Hiring a car or jeep with a driver

This is what most visitors do, and for anything off the sealed roads it is the only choice. Self-drive hire is uncommon in Skardu; the vehicle comes with a local driver. Cars and vans do the paved circuit, and jeeps or Land Cruisers do Deosai, Basho, Soq and the road to Askole.

Settle these points in advance, in writing or in a message on your phone:

1. Fuel. Is it included in the day rate, or charged separately?
2. The route and the hours. Name every stop. "Skardu sightseeing" means different things to you and to the driver.
3. Overnight trips. Who pays for the driver's food and room on Deosai or in Khaplu?
4. The vehicle. A jeep for Deosai should have good tyres, a spare and a working handbrake. Look before you agree.
5. Cancellation for weather. Deosai and the side valleys close after rain or snow, and you should not pay in full for a day that cannot be driven.

On a rough track the driver matters more than the vehicle. Take one from the valley you are going to, or one your hotel knows, and ask him what state the road is in that week. Our guides to renting a car in Skardu and jeep hire costs in the northern areas deal with rates and who to book through.

Getting to and from the airport

Skardu airport is west of the town on the Gilgit road, about 18 km from the bazaar and on the way to Kachura, so hotels at Kachura and Shangrila are nearer to it than the town is. There is no airport bus. Taxis meet the flights, and most hotels will send a car if you tell them your flight in advance.

Flights from Islamabad are cancelled in bad weather more often than visitors expect. If yours is, tell your hotel and driver as soon as you know. See our Skardu airport guide for the terminal and Skardu by road or flight for the alternatives.

Arriving by bus

Long-distance buses from Rawalpindi, including NATCO's, end in the town, and a taxi takes you on to your hotel. Our NATCO bus to Skardu guide covers that journey.

Which option should you choose?

• Two or three days, staying in town, paved sights only: walk in the bazaar and take a taxi by the day.
• A family or a group of four or more: hire a car or van with a driver for the whole stay. Split between the group it is often no dearer than repeated taxis, and it removes the bargaining.
• A solo traveller or a pair on a tight budget: shared vans to Shigar and Khaplu, and share a hired jeep to Deosai with other guests at your hotel.
• Deosai, Basho or Askole: a jeep with a driver, booked a day ahead in July and August.

Our Skardu and Deosai itinerary shows how these drives fit together over a week, and the Skardu guide has the wider picture.

Frequently asked questions