Accommodation in Skardu ranges from extraordinary to ordinary, sometimes within the same price bracket. This guide is our honest assessment of where to stay across the district, based on years of booking our guests into these properties and hearing the feedback.
The heritage properties: Serena Hotels in Baltistan
The Aga Khan Trust for Culture restored three royal forts in Gilgit-Baltistan and handed operation to Serena Hotels. All three are worth knowing about.
Shigar Fort Palace is the best-known and most visited. The rooms occupy the wings of a 400-year-old Balti fort, with a Mughal-style garden at the centre and the Shigar River audible from the terrace. It is 30 minutes from Skardu city. Staying here rather than doing it as a day trip changes the character of the experience entirely: the evenings and early mornings, when the day visitors are gone, are when the fort reveals itself. The restaurant quality is above average for the region. Rates: roughly PKR 50,000 to 70,000 per night depending on season and room category. Book at least 8 to 10 weeks ahead for July and August.
Khaplu Palace is three hours from Skardu along the Shyok River. It has fewer guests than Shigar at any given time, the views over the confluence are arguably more dramatic, and the building is genuinely older. For couples or photographers who want somewhere private and unhurried, this is often the better choice. The trade-off is the drive: worth planning around as a 1 to 2 night stop rather than a day trip.
Baltit Fort in Karimabad (Hunza) is the third property: older than both Skardu options, though smaller as a hotel. If you are combining Skardu and Hunza, it rounds out a natural heritage circuit.
Mid-range hotels in Skardu city
Skardu city has improved substantially over the past five years. Several mid-range properties now offer clean, well-maintained rooms with mountain views at reasonable prices. What to look for: proximity to the Indus, mountain-facing rooms (not road-facing), and a functioning generator for the frequent power cuts.
Properties we regularly book our guests into are concentrated around the main bazaar and the road toward Kachura Lakes. We do not name-drop specific mid-range hotels here because the quality of individual rooms can vary within a single property, and we prefer to advise based on current conditions. Ask us directly when planning your trip and we will give you a current recommendation.
Guesthouses in the valleys
For travellers who want something more local, the valleys around Skardu have family-run guesthouses that are often better experiences than the mid-range hotels in the city. The guesthouses in Shigar town (not the fort), Khaplu, and along the Hushe Valley road tend to be clean, cheap, and run by families who have been hosting trekkers and travellers for decades.
Deosai National Park has a basic rest house near Sheosar Lake. It is functional rather than comfortable: worth booking for the overnight experience (the night sky at 4,100 metres) rather than for the amenities.
What books out first
Shigar Fort Palace books out by April for the following July and August. If your dates include a summer weekend, book the heritage properties before you book your flights. The loss of flexibility in exchange for securing the right accommodation is almost always worth it.
The better mid-range hotels in Skardu city also fill fast in peak season. June through August is when demand outstrips supply at every quality level. Travelling in September and October means better room availability, lower prices, and quieter properties.
Our honest recommendation
If budget allows for one night in a heritage property, make it Shigar Fort Palace. If budget is limited, a clean mid-range hotel in Skardu city and a day trip to Shigar gives you most of the experience for a fraction of the cost. For those who prioritise solitude over facilities, a family guesthouse in Khaplu or the Hushe Valley is often the most memorable stay of the whole trip.
Raahi includes hotel selection as part of every trip we plan. Tell us your preferences and budget and we will tell you exactly what is right for your dates.