Skardu in Winter: Flights, Roads, What's Open and Where to Stay

Skardu is open all winter. The town, the Kachura lakes and Shigar are reachable, but it is very cold (−11°C in town by late November 2025, colder in the hills), power cuts are frequent, and many hotels across Gilgit-Baltistan close for the season. Fly if you can. Islamabad–Skardu takes about 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, but winter flights are often cancelled for weather, so keep a spare day. The road via the Karakoram Highway and Jaglot is about 630–700 km and 16–22 hours, usually over two days. Deosai and Babusar are closed in winter. Book a hotel that confirms heating and backup power, either in Skardu town or around the Kachura lakes.

Quick answer

Winter Skardu is quiet. The crowds are gone, the Indus is low and green-grey, the mountains are white to the valley floor, and the light is sharp. It is also a place where a cancelled flight, a cold room or a closed road can ruin a trip. This guide is about getting the practical side right.

Is Skardu worth visiting in winter?

Yes, if you want snow-covered mountain scenery without the summer crowds, you're comfortable in serious cold, and your dates are flexible.

Think twice if you're travelling with babies or elderly relatives who struggle in the cold, you have a fixed return date (for example, the end of school holidays), or your heart is set on Deosai, which is snowbound and closed.

How cold does Skardu get?

On 29 November 2025, Aaj News reported temperatures down to −11°C in populated areas and −14°C in the surrounding highlands, with the Met Office expecting colder weather to follow. Khaplu, east of Skardu, is often described as one of the coldest towns in Pakistan, reaching about −18°C. December and January are the hardest months.

At the same time, locals were dealing with frequent power outages and a sharp rise in demand for firewood and LPG. For visitors, that means your hotel's heating and backup power matter more than the view from the room.

Getting to Skardu in winter: flights vs road

Time – Flight (Islamabad–Skardu): ~1 hr – 1 hr 15 min; Road (via KKH and Jaglot): 16–22 hrs of driving, usually over 2 days

Distance – Flight (Islamabad–Skardu): ~318 km by air; Road (via KKH and Jaglot): ~630–700 km

Indicative cost – Flight (Islamabad–Skardu): One-way fares have been reported at about PKR 18,000–50,000+; check live fares; Road (via KKH and Jaglot): Fuel for a sedan around PKR 19,000–25,000 one way; a private car with driver around PKR 23,000–32,000 a day (2026 operator estimates)

Winter risk – Flight (Islamabad–Skardu): Weather cancellations; flights are usually in the morning; Road (via KKH and Jaglot): Landslides and rockfall on the Jaglot–Skardu road; snow at higher points

Overnight stop – Flight (Islamabad–Skardu): Not needed; Road (via KKH and Jaglot): Usually Chilas or Besham

Flying: PIA and Airblue have both operated Islamabad–Skardu flights. Schedules change by season, so check what is actually flying in December and January before you plan around it. The approach to Skardu is visual and weather-dependent. Cancellations on cloudy or snowy days happen every winter, and when they do, everyone on the cancelled flight wants a seat on the next one.

How to protect your trip:

Fly in at least one day before anything you can't move, such as a New Year booking, and keep a buffer day before your return.

Book a refundable or changeable room for your first night in Skardu and your last night in Islamabad.

Keep the airline's number and your PNR handy, and check flight status on the morning you fly.

If you need a room in Islamabad on either side of the flight, compare Islamabad hotels on impt.pk.

Driving: The standard winter route is Islamabad – Hazara Motorway – Mansehra – Besham – Dasu – Chilas – Jaglot – Skardu Road (Shahrah-e-Baltistan). The shorter summer route over the Naran Valley and Babusar Pass is closed in winter. In November 2025 the Kaghan–Babusar section was closed until the following summer (see our Naran winter road status guide).

The Jaglot–Skardu road runs through a narrow gorge, and landslides can close it at any time of year. In 2026 it was cut by monsoon floods in July and by a large landslide in late October. Before you set off:

Check the road status the night before and on the morning you leave.

Drive in daylight only, and break the trip at Chilas or Besham.

Carry chains, warm clothes, water, food and a full tank.

What's open and closed in winter

Skardu town and bazaar – Winter status: Open; markets close early

Upper and Lower Kachura lakes (Shangrila) – Winter status: Accessible, about 20 km from the airport; very cold

Shigar (fort, village) – Winter status: Reachable by road; check hotel opening in advance

Skardu–Khaplu road – Winter status: Reported open all year; Khaplu has only a few hotels open in winter

Sarfaranga cold desert / Katpana – Winter status: Reachable near the airport

Manthoka waterfall – Winter status: Partly frozen in deep winter; check road access

Deosai National Park – Winter status: Closed (snowbound)

Babusar Pass route – Winter status: Closed

Khaplu–Hushe – Winter status: Sometimes closed by snow

Safety: don't walk on frozen lakes or rivers. Ice thickness is unpredictable, and local advice is consistent on this.

Where to stay in Skardu in winter

The most important booking question in winter is "what heating and backup power do you have?" Ask it before you pay, even if the listing mentions heating. Many properties across Gilgit-Baltistan close in winter, so book only places that confirm they are open on your dates.

Skardu town: the practical choice: Staying in or near the main town gives you the most hotels that stay open in winter, restaurants that are still serving, pharmacies, fuel and the shortest drive to the airport for an early flight. If your flight is cancelled, you're not stuck far out on a lake road.

Kachura and Shangrila: lakeside, quieter, colder: The Kachura area, about 20 km from the airport, has resorts and guest houses near Lower Kachura (Shangrila) and Upper Kachura. Winter views of the still lakes and white mountains are the reason many people make the trip. It is colder and more isolated than town, so check meals, heating and transport before you book, and confirm the property is open in winter.

Shigar: heritage, for the well-prepared: Shigar, about an hour from Skardu, has heritage stays, including the restored Shigar Fort. Winter there is beautiful and very quiet. Confirm opening dates directly. Our guide to Khaplu Palace, Shigar Fort and Altit compares the heritage options.

Winter packing list for Skardu

Thermals, a down jacket, a woollen hat, gloves and thick socks. Pack for −10°C or lower.

Waterproof boots with good grip. Paths ice over.

A power bank, plus a torch or headlamp, for power cuts.

A lip balm and moisturiser for the dry, cold air, plus sunglasses for the snow glare.

Any medicines you take regularly, since pharmacies may close early.

Cash. Don't rely on card machines or ATMs in bad weather.

A printed booking and your CNIC or passport.

A 4-day winter Skardu plan (flexible)

Day 1: Fly in (morning). Rest, then walk the bazaar. Early dinner.

Day 2: Upper and Lower Kachura lakes. Sarfaranga cold desert in the afternoon light.

Day 3: Shigar day trip (fort and village). Back before dark.

Day 4: Buffer day for weather. Fly out if the forecast is clear, otherwise wait it out.

Keep day 4 free. In winter, the buffer day is the most important day of the trip.

Frequently asked questions