Shigar Valley – Gateway to the Karakoram

The trip from Skardu to Shigar Valley is about 60 kilometers and takes around 1 hour and 30 minutes by road. The drive is very scenic. It follows the Indus River and shows a mix of rugged mountains, sandy desert areas, and then beautiful landscape of Shigar Valley.

Shigar Valley is a place where nature, history, and culture come together. 

The valley has the old Shigar Fort (The Palace on the Rock) — a 400-year-old fort that is now a heritage hotel and shows the style of Balti architecture. 

Nearby is the Amburik Mosque, one of the oldest wooden mosques in Baltistan, showing the area’s spiritual and artistic past.

Visitors can take quiet walks along the Shigar River, pass by apricot and apple orchards, and see traditional Balti villages that show the simple life of the mountains. 

Other places to visit include Blind Lake (Jarba Tso), a calm spot good for photos and rest.

Shigar Valley is surrounded by high mountains and green fields. It is the starting point for the Karakoram Range and leads travelers to famous trekking routes. Many people visit this area for its culture and natural scenery.
The trip from Shigar to Askole is about 150 km and takes 6–8 hours by jeep on rough mountain roads. Askole is the last village before the big mountains and the starting point for the trek to K2 Base Camp through the Baltoro Glacier and Concordia. This route shows clear views of the Karakoram Range and leads to K2, the world’s second-highest mountain.

📍 Shigar Valley Map

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