Skardu by Road — 7 Days

Seven days overland from Islamabad, over the Babusar Pass and down the Karakoram Highway into Baltistan — the mountains build the whole way, not just at the destination. You cross into Chilas along the Indus, reach Skardu by the second day, then work through the valleys: Shangrila and Kachura, the Katpana dunes, Shigar’s fort and old mosque, Khaplu’s palace, and — season permitting — the Deosai plateau above 4,000 m. Moderate: long driving days on mountain roads, comfortable nights, no trekking required. Babusar closes in winter, so this route runs May to October.