Winter sports in Gilgit-Baltistan centre on two ski slopes and a handful of ice hockey tournaments. Naltar, above Gilgit, is Pakistan's oldest and best-equipped ski resort, with a chairlift and a season that runs through January and February. Rattu, in Astore, is a military-run slope with natural terrain and far less infrastructure. Hunza and Skardu both host ice hockey on natural rinks most winters, though a run of milder winters has made the ice less reliable than it used to be.
This guide covers where each sport happens, when it runs, and what to expect if you're not used to snow sports in Pakistan.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Best-equipped skiing | Naltar, about 34 km from Gilgit; chairlift and PAF-run resort |
| Natural, tougher skiing | Rattu, in Astore, run by the Pakistan Army |
| Ice hockey | Hunza (Karakoram Winterlude, January) and Skardu's Hussainabad rink |
| Season | Roughly January to February for reliable snow and ice |
| Access | Naltar needs a 4x4 with a local driver in winter; Rattu needs prior arrangement |
| Ice reliability | Not guaranteed every year; recent winters have been milder |
Skiing at Naltar
Naltar, about 34 km northwest of Gilgit, is Pakistan's highest and oldest ski resort, established in 1965 and run by the Pakistan Air Force. It has the country's highest chairlift, built in 2015, reaching around 2,950 metres, and it regularly hosts national and international ski championships as well as snowboarding and ice hockey competitions through the winter. It is the most developed skiing in the north: proper slopes, a working lift, and instructors on hand during the season.
The road up from Gilgit is snowbound after storms and needs a 4x4 with a local driver in winter. Check before you set out that the lift and slopes are actually running that week, since weather can close them for days at a time. Our Naltar Valley guide covers the road and the village; our guide to Gilgit-Baltistan in winter covers getting to Gilgit itself in the cold months.
Skiing at Rattu
Rattu, in the Astore district, sits at around 2,650 metres and is home to the Pakistan Army's Army High Altitude School, which trains troops in mountain and ski warfare. Outside training, its natural slopes are sometimes opened to visitors, but this is a military area with far less built infrastructure than Naltar: no fixed lodges, and lifts are not consistently running even on the easier slopes. Access needs to be arranged in advance, usually through a tour operator who can secure the necessary permission, rather than turning up and expecting to ski. It suits skiers who want a rawer, more remote slope and are prepared for basic facilities, not families looking for a first ski lesson.
Ice hockey in Hunza
Hunza's winter ice hockey runs as part of organised festivals rather than being available on demand. Karakoram Winterlude, run by a local organisation in Altit, has brought ice hockey, ice climbing and music to Hunza each January, and the Gilgit-Baltistan tourism department has run its own winter sports events in the same month, with matches played on a natural rink at Murtazabad and teams from across the region competing. These are worth timing a January trip around if ice sports interest you, but check the dates for the year you're travelling, since they move slightly from year to year.
The ice itself is the uncertain part. Winters in Hunza have been getting milder, and in January 2026 the natural rink at Altit failed to freeze properly, forcing that year's matches to move further north, where the cold held better. Treat any hockey tournament as something to watch if it's on, not something to plan a whole trip around.
Ice hockey and skating in Skardu
Skardu runs its own winter ice sports at a rink in Hussainabad, with hockey, skating and ice curling held as part of the tourism department's winter festival programme in January. Skardu's winters are colder and more reliable than Hunza's, with January nights averaging around −8°C, so the ice here tends to hold better in a normal year.
Snow walks and other winter activity
Away from organised skiing and hockey, winter in Gilgit-Baltistan is also a season for gentler snow walking around the valley towns: short walks through the orchards and terraces near Karimabad, Altit and Ganish, or around Skardu's lakes and the Katpana desert dunes under snow. These aren't formal treks with fixed routes or seasons, so arrange a local guide through your hotel if you want company or want to go further than the main paths, and check conditions before setting out, since snowfall can make paths slippery or hard to follow.
Who should plan a trip around winter sports?
Skiers and snowboarders with some experience get the most from Naltar, where the lift and slopes make the sport straightforward to access. Rattu suits more adventurous skiers happy to arrange permission and accept basic facilities. If ice hockey is the draw, build in flexibility: go for the wider experience of a quiet, snowy Hunza or Skardu, and treat a tournament or a frozen rink as a bonus if the season delivers it, not a guarantee.
It isn't the right trip for beginners hoping for a resort-style ski holiday, since neither Naltar nor Rattu has the lodges, ski schools or lift capacity of a large international resort. For families and first-timers, a winter trip built around Hunza's valley towns and Skardu's lakes, with skiing as a single day out, works better than one built entirely around the slopes. See when to go for how winter compares with the rest of the year.
Frequently asked questions
Is Naltar good for beginner skiers?
It's the most developed slope in Gilgit-Baltistan, with a working chairlift, but it isn't a full resort with ski schools on the scale of Europe. Arrange an instructor through a local operator in Gilgit if you're new to skiing.
Can tourists ski at Rattu?
Sometimes, with prior arrangement, since Rattu is a military-run area and access needs permission usually organised through a tour operator. It has natural, tougher terrain and far less infrastructure than Naltar.
When is ice hockey played in Hunza?
Mainly in January, as part of winter festivals such as Karakoram Winterlude in Altit and the tourism department's winter sports programme. Dates and the venue can shift year to year depending on the ice.
Is skiing in Gilgit-Baltistan reliable every winter?
Not entirely. Naltar's higher altitude holds snow fairly reliably, but access can close after storms, and lower-altitude ice for hockey and skating has become less dependable in recent, milder winters.
Do I need my own equipment to ski at Naltar?
Equipment hire and instructors are generally available on site through the resort and local operators, but standards and availability vary, so confirm with a Gilgit-based operator before you travel rather than assuming everything will be there on the day.
