Skardu town is the practical base for most Skardu trips, and most visitors stay there, with nights in Shigar or Khaplu added for valley trips, and camps for Deosai or trekking nights. No hotel list is published on this page. What this page does is explain the areas and the trade-offs, so an enquiry can say which kind of stay is wanted, and the written quote can name the actual hotels for your dates.
01Skardu town: the practical base
Skardu town suits first-time visitors and anyone who wants restaurants, shops, the airport, and day trips to Shangrila, Satpara, Shigar and the cold desert within easy reach. Town stays range, in general, from simple guest houses to larger hotels, and the right choice depends on comfort, budget band, and whether the trip is a family holiday, a photography trip, or a trekking staging night. Town is also the fallback when a flight is delayed: a town hotel night is easier to arrange than a valley stay at short notice, which is one reason Skardu itineraries normally start and end in town.
- Best for: first visits, families, flight buffers
- Day trips: lakes, forts, desert, Shigar
- Ask in enquiry: comfort level, family rooms, views
02Shigar, Khaplu and the valleys: slower stays
Shigar and Khaplu offer heritage stays and valley hotels that suit travellers who want to slow down: a fort hotel in Shigar, a palace stay in Khaplu, or a valley guest house with orchard and mountain views. These stays are normally added as one or two nights inside a longer Skardu tour, not as a replacement for a town base, because valley roads and services are more limited. For Deosai, the stay is different again: camps on or near the plains, basic and cold at night even in summer, or a Skardu town base with a long Deosai day trip. The quote should state which of these patterns your trip follows.
- Shigar: heritage and valley stays
- Khaplu: palace and valley stays, longer tours
- Deosai: camps, or a Skardu town base with a day trip
- Trekking nights: camps on the glacier route, not hotels
03How to choose, and what the quote names
Choose by area first, then by comfort and budget band, then by the trip pattern: town base, valley nights, or camps. Say if you need family rooms, a quiet room, a view, or easy access, and say if you prefer a hotel, a guest house, or a camp. The written quote then names the actual hotels or camps, the number of nights in each, and what is included, such as breakfast, and what is not. A hotel name that appears in a quote is a commitment for that booking; a hotel name that appears nowhere is not promised here.
- Step 1: Area: town, valley, or camp
- Step 2: Comfort and budget band
- Step 3: Quote names actual stays and nights
- Step 4: Confirm, or ask for a different stay
At a glance
| Stay pattern | Best for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Skardu town base | First visits, families, flight buffers | Less valley character |
| Shigar / Khaplu nights | Slow travel, heritage, photography | More driving, fewer services |
| Deosai camp | Plains at dawn, slow Deosai pace | Basic, cold nights |
| Trek camp | K2 and Baltoro treks | Glacier camping, not a hotel |
FAQs
Are there hotels in Deosai itself?
No hotel town on the plains. Deosai stays are camps, or a Skardu town base with a day trip. Any page claiming a Deosai hotel should be treated with care.
Should I stay in Skardu town or Shigar?
Town for a first trip and for flight buffers; Shigar or Khaplu nights for a slower, longer tour. Most good itineraries use both.
Can you book a specific hotel I name?
Ask in the enquiry. If it is available for your dates, it will be named in the quote; if not, an alternative will be proposed.
Planning a trip to northern Pakistan?
Send your dates, group size and the places you want to see. You will receive a written itinerary and quote to consider before anything is confirmed.