Skardu is our flagship destination and the one we know best, capital of Gilgit Baltistan, gateway to K2, and home to the widest range of bookable tours, hotels and attractions anywhere in northern Pakistan on this site.
Air or road: The 1 hour flight from Islamabad is the default choice for most visitors, maximum time on the ground, no 18 to 20 hour drive. Flights are weather dependent and occasionally delayed or cancelled in poor conditions, so build a buffer day into your schedule if your onward plans are tight. The road route via the Karakoram Highway is a legitimate choice in its own right if you have the time, the drive itself, through the Indus gorge past Nanga Parbat, is spectacular.
How many days: 5 days by air covers Shangrila, Upper Kachura, Deosai and Shigar Fort comfortably. 7 days adds Khaplu Valley and a more relaxed pace. Combining with Hunza needs 10 to 12 days total.
Skardu vs. Hunza, the honest answer: They're not really competitors. Skardu has more range (Deosai's high plateau, K2 access, more forts and lakes); Hunza is more compact and arguably has better single view scenery from places like Eagle's Nest. If you can only do one, Skardu gives you more to see; Hunza is easier to move around in. Most serious visitors do both.
Permits: None needed for Skardu, Deosai, Shigar or Khaplu, a standard tourist visa covers all of it. Permits only come into play for K2/Baltoro trekking routes, which is a different trip entirely from standard sightseeing.
Best single piece of advice: Don't skip Deosai to save a day. It's the single highlight most first time visitors rank above everything else, the scale of the plateau doesn't come across in photos.
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