Treks Near Skardu: From Day Walks to Baltoro

Treks near Skardu come in four sizes. There are easy walks of a few hours around town; short, high passes such as the Burji La and the Thalle La that take a few days; treks of about a week in the Hushe valley, below Masherbrum and the granite towers of Nangma; and the great Baltoro treks to K2 base camp and over the Gondogoro La, which need two weeks or more from Skardu. The passes and valleys are summer trips, roughly June to September, and the Baltoro routes are at their best only in July and August.

This guide groups them by how long they take and how hard they are, so you can match a trek to the days and experience you have.

Easy walks around Skardu

Skardu itself sits at about 2,200 metres, and a few walks close to town make good first-day outings while you adjust to the height.

• Kharpocho Fort. A short, steep climb to the ruined fort on the rock above the bazaar, with views over the Indus. Add the lanes of Nangsoq village behind it for a two to three hour outing. Go early or late in summer to avoid the midday heat.
• Satpara Lake and Manthal. The Manthal Buddha Rock, an eighth-century carving, is a few kilometres south of town, and Satpara Lake, at about 2,600 metres, about 10 km. Both fit into an afternoon.
• Upper Kachura. A short walk down from the road to the clear upper lake west of town.
• Katpana at sunset. Not a trek, but walking up onto the cold-desert dunes beside the airport is the best short walk in the valley.

Our list of places to visit in Skardu covers each of these in more detail.

Short, high passes: a few days on foot

These are the treks for someone with a spare few days and some fitness. Neither needs ropes in a normal summer, but both climb high enough that the altitude is the real challenge.

Burji La

The Burji La is a pass on the ridge between the Skardu valley and the Deosai plateau, west of Sadpara village and the Satpara Lake road. Published heights range from about 4,800 to 5,000 metres. It is famous for its view: on a clear day it looks north across the Karakoram to K2, Masherbrum, Chogolisa and the Gasherbrums, and west to Nanga Parbat.

It is short in distance but steep in height, climbing well over 2,000 metres from Satpara, so a sensible itinerary spends a night high before the pass rather than rushing it. Night camping on the Deosai plateau has been banned since a bear attack in September 2025, so ask your operator how the route handles the descent on that side. It needs a guide who knows the way.

Thalle La

The Thalle La links the Thalle valley, which turns north off the Skardu road at Doghoni shortly before Khaplu, with the Shigar valley. It is one of the gentlest passes in Baltistan: no glacier on the main route and usually snow-free in high summer, which is why it suits trekkers doing their first pass. Published heights range from about 4,600 to 4,800 metres.

Operator itineraries usually take a jeep from Khaplu to Thalle village, then allow about three days on foot: up the valley past summer pastures and yak herds, over the pass, and down through juniper to the Bangma river and on to Shigar.

About a week: the Hushe valley

The Hushe valley, a long jeep day from Skardu via Khaplu, is the easiest place in Baltistan to walk into big, wild mountains without a two-week commitment. Our guide to the Hushe valley covers the jeep road, the guesthouses and the village.

Nangma valley

From Kande, in the lower Hushe valley, the Nangma valley leads to a meadow and base camp ringed by granite walls and towers, including Amin Brakk, a famous objective for big-wall climbers. Itineraries usually allow five or six days on foot, reaching about 4,450 metres at the Amin Brakk base camp. It is moderate walking, and the scenery is closer to Yosemite than to the snow peaks most people picture.

Masherbrum base camp and the upper Hushe

From Hushe village, at about 3,050 metres, paths lead up the valley to Saicho, where the Charakusa and Gondogoro valleys divide, and on towards Masherbrum. The walk to Masherbrum base camp is a moderate trek of a few days, and the Charakusa glacier leads to the granite walls around K6 and K7. These routes enter the Central Karakoram National Park, so expect a park fee.

The big treks: two weeks or more

These are the treks that made Skardu famous, and none of them is a short add-on to a holiday.

• K2 base camp. About 12 to 14 days on foot from Askole, the roadhead a day's jeep ride from Skardu, up the Baltoro glacier to Concordia and K2 base camp at about 5,000 metres. Allow 15 to 17 days from Skardu. Our K2 base camp trek guide goes through it stage by stage.
• Gondogoro La. The same walk in, but instead of retracing the Baltoro you cross a pass of about 5,585 metres from Concordia down to Hushe, on fixed ropes and at night. It is semi-technical, with a main window of mid-July to mid-August.
• Snow Lake and the Hispar La. From Askole up the Biafo glacier to the great ice basin of Snow Lake, then over the Hispar La, about 5,130 to 5,150 metres, and down the Hispar glacier to Nagar. It takes around 16 days on foot, with roped glacier travel on crevassed ice, and it is for experienced parties only.

For how these compare with the Nanga Parbat and Hunza treks, see our ranking of the best treks in Gilgit-Baltistan.

Permits, guides and getting there

Permits. The Karakoram's restricted trekking zone starts at Askole and covers the Baltoro, K2, the Gasherbrums and the Gondogoro La. Foreign trekkers must go through a licensed operator with an approved guide, and since 2024 Pakistani trekkers also pay a trekking fee there, on top of the national park fee. Treks from Hushe pay the park fee too. For the passes nearer Skardu, check the current rules when you book; they have changed several times in recent years.

Guides and porters. Every trek beyond the town walks needs a local guide. Porters are hired at the roadhead, such as Askole or Hushe, at set rates. Gear can be hired in Skardu if you don't have your own.

Getting there. Most trekkers fly to Skardu, but flights are cancelled in bad weather, so keep a spare day at each end. By road, Skardu is reached along the Indus from Jaglot on the Karakoram Highway. Floods closed that road near Sassi for several days in July 2026. For overseas visitors, the UK government currently advises against all travel on the highway between Mansehra and Chilas, which is the usual road route from Islamabad outside the Babusar season; your own government's advice may differ, and ignoring it can void travel insurance.

Which trek near Skardu suits you?

• Only a day or two, with family: the walks around town, Satpara and Kachura. Our seven-day Skardu and Deosai trip fits them around a day on the plateau.
• A few days, some fitness, first pass: the Thalle La.
• A few days, and the view matters most: the Burji La, if you are comfortable with a big climb.
• About a week, wild and quiet: the Nangma valley or Masherbrum base camp from Hushe.
• Two to three weeks, previous experience at altitude: K2 base camp, the Gondogoro La, or for the most committed, Snow Lake.

If you are unsure which fits your group and dates, send us your plans through our trip planning page.

Frequently asked questions