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Getting to, sleeping at, and traversing the Skardu Valley is a fairly straightforward process, but complaint issues arise with the trade-off between the price tag and what is actually included in a package. This article will help you understand quality Islamabad to Skardu tour packages, available tiers, and what to look for before making a payment.
HospitalityTours.com.pk plans, books, and confirms hotels, drivers, and guides with itineraries at actual addresses and finalized prices inclusive of all services and exclusive of all charges in Islamabad. Everything is booked upon your approval.
We require your group size and preferred dates to send you our proposed plans, as well as our prices. Contact info is at the conclusion of this article.
Every quote should be able to help you compare the components separately.
Getting there and back. The drive is 15-20 hours, split across two days, or the one-hour flight to Skardu International Airport from Islamabad. The drive is longer, but more picturesque. The flight is shorter, but is weather-dependent. The transport type you choose is included in a well-built package, or both options with a price to decide for yourself.
Accommodation. What matters is the name of the hotel, not the category. A package that says "3-star hotel" gives no clue. Some city hotels whose names you can look up and compare include Avari Xpress, PC Legacy, Mountain Lodge, and Arish Luxury Suites. Shigar Fort and Khaplu Palace require early bookings and are heritage stays. Know which hotel is city-based and which is an hour away before agreeing to anything.
Vehicle for day trips. A vehicle with a driver is required to go from Skardu to Deosai, to Shigar, to Khaplu, and to the Kachura Lakes. With most packages, a jeep or SUV for the days you are there is included, but see whether it is yours or shared, whether fuel and tolls are included, and whether the driver knows the Deosai road.
Guide. With a licensed local guide, most of the important sites are covered and the day's timing is managed. Packages that do not include a guide are money-saving schemes that you will notice on day three.
Breakfast is usually included in the hotel rates, but lunch and dinner may differ. Full board packages can resolve the daily hassle of planning meals. Packages that include only breakfast require guests to find dinner in a city where restaurants do not stay open all the time. Knowing which of the two applies to the travel plan helps.
Deosai National Park charges an entrance fee. Some forts and heritage sites charge an entrance fee. They may or may not be included in the travel packages. Find out from the travel service provider.
A typical working five-day package from Islamabad will look something like this.
First day: travel from Islamabad to Skardu. By road, this may take 2 days. Overnight stay in Besham or Chilas. By air, it is just about an hour. Upon arrival, rest.
Second day: Skardu city. Morning: Kharpocho Fort, before it gets too hot. In the afternoon, head to Katpana Desert and stay for the sunset; along the way to Satpara, head to the Buddha Rock.
Third day: lakes. Satpara Lake in the morning and the Kachura Lakes. Overnight stay at Shangrila if it is in the package.
Fourth day: Deosai. Last day to enjoy the trip. Leave after sunrise from Skardu, cross Satpara and hit the plateau to reach the lake and return before sunset.
Day five: Shigar Valley. Take the eastbound route through poplars and orchards, the fort and the old mosque in Shigar Town. Return to Skardu for your flight in the morning or to start on your road journey.
Booking a five-night trip allows for an overnight stay at Shigar Fort and a day at Khaplu, which takes the most away from Skardu and gives you the most of Baltistan.
A basic minimum trip of ten to twelve days consists of Islamabad, Skardu, Hunza and back. Skardu to Hunza takes around six to eight hours to drive through Gilgit. Two valleys, two very different base cities, and a road that most people underestimate.
To make it with four nights in Skardu and four nights in Hunza, with a Gilgit overnight in between, is the best approach. Anything that doesn’t give you both valleys is a drive-by.
Budget tier. Shared transport, guesthouse or simple hotel, no guide or a half-day guide, breakfast-only meals, no entrance fees included. Gets you to Skardu and the main sites. Works for young travellers, solo visitors and anyone comfortable finding their own dinner.
Standard tier. Private vehicle with a driver, a named hotel in the city, a licensed guide for the main days, breakfast included and some meals, entrance fees covered. This is what most families and couples actually book and what most serious travel operators quote by default.
Premium tier. Flight up and back, heritage hotel in Shigar or Khaplu or both, private guide throughout, all meals included, jeep plus driver on standby for the full stay. Shigar Fort needs advance booking of months, not weeks, and the price reflects it. This tier is reserved for corporate groups, honeymooners and international visitors on a tight schedule and removes the hassle of daily logistics.
In your package description, do not omit the following details.
The name of the hotel (not the category). The name of the hotel.
The type of vehicle. For Deosai, it must be a proper 4x4 with adequate ground clearance. A saloon car that cannot reach the plateau is not a Deosai Package.
Suppose the driver has done the journey this season. The Skardu road and Deosai crossing are not a case of doing a highway drive, and the driver’s experience matters.
Suppose Shigar or Khaplu is a day trip or an overnight. The difference is a three-hour round trip driving each day versus spending a night.
What happens to the package if the flight is cancelled? A package which includes the flight should also include the road contingency, and whether the costs of a cancelled flight are to be borne by the customer or the operator.
The cancellation policy. What you forfeit in case of cancelling a booking, and what you are entitled to in case the operator cancels due to closure of the route or force majeure.
What you shouldn't expect to find. Prices exclude tour fees, trip tips, personal shopping expenditures, meals, jeep hires to Fairy Meadows, and porter fees (if trekking is in the itinerary).
Deals that are significantly lower often omit trip costs (driver, hotel, guide, porter, insurance), and/or exclude important items from the itinerary. Ask where.
€ Hotel Deals that are described as "€€€" or "€€" hotels without a name. Ask for a name and check it yourself.
A package that offers a visit to Deosai Plains with a saloon car. This is not possible and is dangerous on the Deosai Plains road during the monsoon season.
Having "full flexibility" in the itinerary, with no mention of unexpected lead times. Lead times are important for Shigar Fort, especially in the summer months, where booked stays can be months in advance. If an itinerary includes it, expect a substantial lead time and assign a quote for it accordingly.
Quotes that direct funds transfers to a personal account. If a quote is legitimate, the funds will be requested via a commercial account.
No DTS license number. Ask for it.
In order to have the best chances, you will need to book complete packages for the three months prior to any stay that includes Shigar Fort or Khaplu Palace.
For hotels located in the city, such as Avari Xpress and PC Legacy, chances are you can book 6-8 weeks prior to your expected stay. Drivers and guides get booked much faster than the hotel rooms in the busy season.
Book eight to ten weeks in advance for September visits to Skardu. Demand stays later in the year due to good weather.
For the blossom seasons of Shigar and Khaplu (late March to mid April), treat it the same as you would summer. The rooms that matter book for April in January.
PC Legacy Skardu's proximity to the airport and meeting rooms and banquet halls makes it the best choice for organized groups. A delegation itinerary that includes Kharpocho and Deosai, along with conference sessions, needs a second vehicle and a guide separate from the main transport. The corporate group package is similar to a leisure group package, but with a higher degree of organization and planning, and more fixed itineraries.
Let us know how big the group is, what the meeting requirements are, and how many leisure days are in the itinerary, and we will come back to you with a quote that is more than just a hotel and transportation quote with a guide added on.
For an international traveler coming via Islamabad, there is a need for a transfer to Skardu, permission for sites that require and are subject to NOC, travel insurance, and a schedule that accounts for the risk of canceled Skardu flights. Skardu flights can be cancelled due to weather in any month. International visitors with onward flights should consider the road option as a primary plan to avoid being caught unprepared on the morning of a cancelled flight.
We manage inbound travel from Islamabad for international delegations and individual foreign visitors, including airport meet and assist, ground logistics and point of contact throughout the travel package.
Ensure Deosai is open during your travel dates. The crossing is closed under snow from late September to late June, with variation each year. A Skardu package that covers Deosai should state what alternative the package offers in case Deosai is closed during your travel dates.
Ensure your driver and guide are not the same person. In lower-tier packages, your driver is usually your guide as well, meaning no guide is provided, and a driver answers questions while driving.
Confirm the hotel you book for your trip offers heating in the months of October and November, as some hotels adjust services during the shoulder months.
Avoid booking the cheapest quote from a Facebook page that doesn't have a physical address. The problem of advance payments in Skardu is real, and the options for dispute resolution that are available are much weaker after payment is made.
Try to keep at least one extra day at both the start and end of your Skardu trip. Flights get cancelled, and the road through Rondu can close. One extra day accounts for both.
What is the usual length of time for an Islamabad to Skardu Tour Package? Packages that are the most beneficial usually range between 5 nights and 7 nights. 5 nights allow site visits in the city, a trip to Deosai and a visit to Shigar. 7 nights include trips to Khaplu and an overnight visit to Shigar Fort.
Should I take the flight or drive from Islamabad to Skardu? As you’d expect, flying is much quicker but offers less flexibility, as flights can be cancelled without notice. For that reason, most tour packages that value the client’s time take a flight up, drive back the same way (passing Nanga Parbat), or take the KKH expressway drive both ways.
What is the best season for an Islamabad to Skardu tour package? For the most flexibility, travel between September and December, when the skies are clear, and you’ll find the trails and Deosai Plateau open. Travel in March and April for the blooming gardens in Shigar and Khaplu. For most site openness, travel June through August, although keep in mind this is the monsoon season and can bring flash floods, mudslides, and weather delays.
Does a Skardu package include Hunza? Hunza needs its own trip, and its own nights, so it is not included by default in a Skardu package. A combined Skardu and Hunza package itinerary is approximately 10 to 12 days.
What should a complete Skardu package offer? A fully completed package should include a hotel, private vehicle and driver, entrance fees, breakfast, and a licensed tour guide.
What do you hope to get out of this trip? Send your chosen dates, the number in your group, whether you are flying or driving, and which places you would like to prioritize on this trip. We will prepare a full package for you with hotels, transportation, and a price that breaks down the costs of your trip into the different inclusions.
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