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Just 100 km from Skardu in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan, you will find the village of Khaplu, following the Shyok River. Khaplu is another quiet and picturesque place, less developed than Skardu or Hunza. Compared to Skardu, Khaplu has very limited and different types of accommodations. The only major hotel in Khaplu is the Khaplu Palace, operated by Serena Hotels. Other than that, there are a few small guesthouses. If you want to stay at Khaplu Palace, you have to make reservations well in advance, as there is usually a waitlist.
Below, you will find more information about accommodations in Khaplu.
As mentioned earlier, the most significant accommodation in Khaplu is the Serena Hotel’s Khaplu Palace. Palace guests usually make up the entirety of non-trekking visitors to Khaplu. Trekking guests often stay at the guesthouses in Khaplu town. The guesthouses in Khaplu also house guests who cannot stay at the Palace.
Continuing further down the valley, approximately 1 to 2 hours from Khaplu by jeep, is Hushe Valley. Here, you will find a couple basic lodging options for trekkers and mountaineers. Like Khaplu, Hushe does not have any amenities and is best visited and experienced by spending the night there.
Once the ancestral palace of the rulers of Khaplu, Yabgo Khar (Khaplu Palace) is now a restored hotel, supported by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture. The same Serena Hotels who run the Shigar Fort Residence, also manage this property.
The palace lies above Khaplu town, and gives views of the Shyok valley. Due to its Palatial nature, the rooms and public areas maintain the layout of a Palace, unlike a conventional Hotel. However, the trade-off is that the Public areas and rooms are much smaller than a conventional hotel. Also, each room is different than the other, which gives the property a distinct and unique character.
The rooms are distributed between the Palace, and an adjacent guest house. The rooms in the Palace maintain the century old thick stone walls, and have wooden ceilings with Balti carvings, and large windows with views of the valley. The guest house rooms are smaller, and less distinguished than the palace rooms, but also give access to the Palace Garden.
C) Dining and Facilities
There is an on-site restaurant at the palace. Because Khaplu is so remote, this is the only dining option for palace guests. Khaplu town does not have any restaurants that would be comfortable for palace guests.
Because of the isolation of Khaplu, the on-site restaurant may be your only dining option during your stay. Find out if all meals are included in your stay and the time of meal service. Let them know in advance if you have any meal restrictions. You may want to have this discussion with the restaurant representative in Skardu to ensure the restaurant can accommodate your requests.
Overnight visitors have the added benefit of being able to access the palace garden and courtyards.
D) When to Book and What Availability Looks Like
Like other small hotels in the area, the palace has a limited number of rooms. Demand during the climbing season (July and August) means that rooms may be difficult to find and book. The best time to book in July and August may be in the off season.
September is a good month to find availability at the palace. Weather in September is good and the valley is less crowded compared to the climbing season. The light this month is good and the surrounding peaks reflect the warmer colors of fall.
Though usually closed during the winter and early spring, the palace can be open to visitors from April through June. The valley is beautifully green during this time, and the palaces’s guest rooms are not as in-demand as during the peak season, meaning there is less of a burden on the accommodation in the valley. Guests who are able to travel during these off-peak times can get good rates.
Outside of the palace, the lodging options in Khaplu are quite limited, but the guesthouses that do exist provide travelers with a room and a meal for the night. These guesthouses welcome local patrons as well as visitors who are not able to stay at the palace.
Showers are not always available at these establishments. While the guesthouses in Khaplu are quite basic, they are a better alternative to staying at the palace if travelers want to take day trips to Hushe Valley or other surrounding villages.
The only lodging at the end of the jeep road from Khaplu that accesses the Hushe Valley is in Hushe Village, and it is mostly limited to mountaineering and trekking groups. Lodging there is basic, and groups use it as a staging area to the base of the mountains.
There is little to attract the tourist who is not engaged in a mountain trek to use these facilities. The lodge keepers and staff are not motivated to provide a pleasant or interesting stay for the tourist who has little connection to mountain activities.
It is doubtful if any visitor who has made the long drive from Skardu to Khaplu would find reason to stay in Hushe Village. A drive from Skardu to Khaplu, and possibly on to Shatan, would allow a tourist to see the sights Skardu and Khaplu have to offer.
Skardu, the administrative center for Baltistan, is further developed and offers a greater choice of accommodation, including the Shangrila resort on Kachura lake, and a wider range of restaurants, and shops compared to Khaplu.
From Skardu it is possible to do day trips or an overnight stay to Khaplu. Generally visitors to the area base themselves in Skardu and use Khaplu as a day trip.
Limits on driving, especially from Skardu to Khaplu and back, mean that day trips from Skardu to Khaplu generally provide about 5 hours in total in the Khaplu region. This allows time to visit the palace, do a short walk in the bazaar, and enjoy the sights in the lower parts of the region. If time permits, a trip to Hushe Valley can also be made. Additional walks in the nearby villages can also be enjoyed by those who have more time to spend in the region.
Staying in Skardu for at least one night before and after the trip allows a person to stay in a city, and stay in the palace for two nights in a row.
The palace has two main sections. The older, main section of the palace is where the famous heritage rooms are located. The other, more recently added section is a guesthouse. Make sure you ask and confirm which section your room is located before you make any payments.
Ask about the details of meals included during your stay. Knowing when meals are served and the level of flexibility the palace has in modifying meals for guests with dietary restrictions will help set your expectations and reduce the likelihood of a negative experience.
The mobile phone signal in Khaplu is not reliable. The Palace may provide WIFI to guests, but the WIFI and mobile phone signal in the area is very poor. If you plan to rely on the internet for work, you should make other arrangements for your stay.
There are power outages in Ghanche district. If you visit during the summer, when the temperatures are high, you may want to make sure your room has a generator.
Does the nightly rate include meals? What is the meal schedule? Meals are relevant if the itinerary includes a departure to Hushe Valley. Early breakfasts and late dinners are noted.
Will our room have power at night? You will need to ask about this; don’t make assumptions with the property description.
Will our guide for the Old Town Walk and Hushe Valley have a current license from the Gilgit-Baltistan Tourism Department? It is also important to have the license number for verification. The license is legally required for guides for treks in Upper Hushe Valley.
The information on the site has not been confirmed recently. Standards and management at smaller guesthouses in the region varies with the staff and the season. It is best to go with an operator that has recent and firsthand knowledge of the region.
Peak season travelers will have a disappointment when they learn that management of a small guest house in Khaplu will not be able to accommodate them at the last minute in a palace room. There are very few, if any, available rooms in guest houses in Khaplu and most travelers do not come to the region to stay in guest houses in Khaplu.
Most travelers come to see the palaces and other notable sites and stay at least one night to break their long journey from Skardu to other more southern destinations. A two night stay is recommended so that travelers can make the six to eight hour round trip drive from Skardu to Hushe Valley.
The palace allows day-visitors to take tour of the palace. You can find out about the latest information from your tour operator.
There are some basic trekkers' lodges in Hushe, and basic guesthouses in Khaplu. The only notable place to stay in the area is Khaplu Palace.
Khaplu Palace is definitely one of the more romantic places to stay in Gilgit Baltistan. Make sure you book in advance during the off season to get the palace wing, and you'll have a fantastic time.
F) What are the similarities and differences between Khaplu Palace and Shigar Fort Residence?
They are both properties restored by the Serena Hotels chain with support from the Aga Khan Trust for Culture. Architecturally, they are both forts, but Khaplu is a palace. All the rooms at both properties are in the fort, with additional rooms in separate guest houses. Shigar Fort is about 35 km from Skardu, and Khaplu Fort is about 100 km from Skardu. Khaplu Palace is even more remote. The Fort has easier access to hiking and other wilderness activities. Shigar Fort has easier access to Basha and Askole valleys.
G) What is the most popular time of year for Khaplu?
July and August are the most popular months as the Palace fills up and even basic guesthouses in Khaplu get visitors. The weather in September is a lot like July and August, and there are a lot less people there. April and May are also good months as the weather is nice and warm, and there are less tourists.
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