Fort & fruit valley
Shigar
Restored royal fort, apricot orchards and the road that leads to Askole and the K2 trailhead.
Major points
Shigar Valley
Shigar Valley is a fertile valley about half an hour from Skardu, famous for its apricot orchards, historic fort, mosques, and traditional Balti villages. It is also the gateway to the Karakoram.
Read more →Blind Lake (Zharba Tso)
Blind Lake, or Zharba Tso, is a peaceful freshwater lake between the Indus and Shigar rivers. It has no visible inlet or outlet, which gives it its name, and it lies on the road to Shigar and K2.
Read more →K2, The Second Highest Mountain on Earth
K2 is the second highest mountain in the world at 8,611 metres. Rising from the head of the Baltoro Glacier in Shigar District, it is one of the most famous and demanding peaks on earth and a goal of trekkers and climbers from around the world.
Read more →Baltoro Glacier & Concordia
Baltoro Glacier is a giant river of ice, about 35 miles long, leading to Concordia, where several glaciers meet beneath K2, Broad Peak, and Gasherbrum. It is the heart of the classic Karakoram trek.
Read more →Askole Village
Askole is the last village on the road to K2 and the Baltoro Glacier, at around 3,000 metres in the Braldu Valley. It is the traditional starting point for Karakoram expeditions and the entrance to Central Karakoram National Park.
Read more →Shigar Fort (Fong Khar)
Shigar Fort, known locally as Fong Khar, the Palace on the Rock, is a 17th-century royal fortress restored as a heritage museum and hotel. It is one of the finest examples of heritage conservation in Gilgit-Baltistan.
Read more →Amburiq Mosque
Amburiq Mosque is a 14th-century mosque in Shigar, built in a rare blend of Tibetan and Islamic architecture. It received the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Award for conservation in 2005.
Read more →Sarfaranga Cold Desert
Sarfaranga Cold Desert is a high-altitude desert of golden dunes at about 2,300 metres, framed by snow-capped mountains. It is the entry point to Shigar Valley and host of the annual Sarfaranga Jeep Rally.
Read more →Shigar Fort
17th-century fort-palace restored as a Serena heritage hotel.
Read more →Askole
Last village on the road — trailhead for K2 base camp.
Read more →Blind Lake
Hidden turquoise pond on the way to Askole.
Read more →Basha Valley
Remote glacier valley leading to Chogo Lungma.
Read more →