"Tormik Valley: Pastures and Polo in Roundu"

Tormik Valley is a side valley of Roundu, the stretch of the Indus gorge between Skardu and Gilgit. Its mouth is on the Skardu road about 63 km west of Skardu, and a village road climbs north from there through a string of hamlets towards Broq, the high summer pastures where people from across Roundu gather to play polo. It is a farming valley, not a resort, so it suits travellers with a spare day, a jeep and a local contact rather than anyone wanting hotels or set sights.

This guide covers where Tormik is, how to get in, what Broq and the summer polo are, the trekking passes at its head, and how it compares with Roundu's other side valleys.

Where is Tormik Valley?

Tormik runs north from the Indus in Roundu district, between the Basho valley to its east and the larger Stak valley to its west, and its streams rise near the Stak La. Wikipedia and Trango Tour, a Skardu-based tour site, both describe it as the second-largest valley in Roundu by population and area, after Stak.

Roundu itself became a district when the Gilgit-Baltistan cabinet decided to upgrade it in April 2019. It had about 39,490 people in 2023 according to UN satellite-centre figures, and Tormik is one of its four union councils. Most people speak Balti, with a sizeable Shina-speaking minority.

On OpenStreetMap the valley floor is a chain of small villages: Tormik itself near the mouth, then Murdo, Yochong, Baripa, Chhumic, Toq, Bazgang, Saipa, Paon, Harimal and Surlo, with the hamlet of Pakora higher up. The mapped road from the mouth to Surlo is about 8 km.

How do you get there?

The approach is the Jaglot to Skardu road, the S-1, which runs 167 km along the Indus. It was widened from about 3.6 to 7.3 metres in a four-year project and opened by the prime minister on 16 December 2021, cutting Gilgit to Skardu from around ten hours to about four. It was finished without the tunnels and realignments first planned, so landslides can still close it after rain.

Measured on OpenStreetMap routing:

1. Skardu to the mouth of the Tormik valley: about 63 km west along the S-1. Routing software suggests under an hour; allow longer for traffic, roadworks and the narrow gorge.
2. Gilgit to the mouth of the valley: about 160 km east via Jaglot.
3. Up the valley to Surlo: about 8 km on a narrow village road. Beyond the upper villages, tracks lead towards the pastures.

A jeep with a local driver is the sensible way in, because the valley road is narrow and steep in places and conditions change after rain. Arrange it in Skardu, or through someone you know in Roundu, and ask about the state of the track before you set out. Our Roundu Valley guide covers the main road and its other stops.

What is Broq, and when is the polo?

Broq is the local Balti name for Tormik's high ground: green pastures with streams, springs and forest, used for grazing through the summer. It also has a polo ground. Wikipedia and Trango Tour both describe people from across Roundu gathering there in summer to play.

This is a community gathering, not a ticketed event, and we found no published dates. If seeing polo is the reason for your trip, ask contacts in Roundu or your driver in Skardu what is planned that summer, and be ready for it to change. Watch from where locals indicate, ask before photographing people, and dress modestly. Our guide to polo in Gilgit-Baltistan explains the free-style mountain game and the bigger fixtures elsewhere.

Which passes lead out of Tormik?

Two high routes leave the head of the valley. Both are trekking passes for experienced, equipped parties with a local guide, not walks.

• To Stak valley. Trango Tour describes a track from Tormik to Stak over what it calls the Kulankae pass, easy once the snow melts, usable from July to mid-September and under deep snow in winter. Wikipedia names the high point at the head of the valley the Stak La, and it is not clear from the sources whether that is the same crossing. Treat the easy description with caution and ask a local guide which route and conditions apply. Our Stak Valley guide covers the far side.
• The Ganto La. OpenStreetMap marks the Ganto La at 4,606 metres, about 9 km north of the valley mouth in a straight line, on the ridge between Tormik and the Basha valley of Shigar. We found no recent first-hand route description, so treat it as an expedition-style crossing to plan with a professional guide.

Can you camp in Tormik?

Yes, in summer, but there is no organised campsite and nothing to hire. The pastures and flat ground near the upper villages are private grazing land, so ask in the village before pitching, and pay or offer something if asked. Bring a stove, all your food, a way to treat water and warm layers; nights at the pastures are cold even in July.

We know of no hotel in the valley. Skardu, about 63 km away, is the realistic base, with a full range of hotels.

When is the best time to visit?

June to September. The pastures are in use, the valley road and tracks are at their most passable, and any polo at Broq happens in summer. The Kulankae crossing to Stak is described as open only from July to mid-September.

Outside summer the upper tracks can be snowbound, the pastures are empty, and there is little reason to go beyond the lower villages.

Tormik, Basho or Stak?

Roundu's three best-known side valleys suit different trips:

If you have one free day from Skardu and want meadows, Basho Valley is the easier choice. Tormik is the better pick if you want to see a working Balti valley that few visitors reach, or if you have a reason to be at Broq in summer.

Is it worth the trip?

Tormik suits travellers who want to get well off the standard Skardu route and do not mind arranging a jeep and a local contact. It does not suit anyone short on time, anyone wanting facilities, or families expecting a lake or a viewpoint. Gilgit-Baltistan is not on the UK's list of areas to avoid, but the S-1 can close after heavy rain, so keep a spare day in your plan. Our planning page helps you fit a side valley like this into a Skardu trip.

Frequently asked questions