Skardu, Gilgit Baltistan

Made a visit to Skardu last year and it opened up my eyes to the beauty of the people and the places in northern Pakistan. I have done some of the typical northern area visits like Murree (almost annually), Nathiagali, Abbottabad, Mansehra, Balakot (earthquake relief visits), Naran, Kaghan (couple of times) and Kalam (also twice) but the majestic elegance of the rugged mountains of Skardu mixed with its flowing rivers, pockets of forest, greenery and dessert is quite mind-blowing. Add to that the sweet and hospitable nature of the people, and you have a place you dont want to say goodbye to. Here are a few (extremely amateur, low quality pictures taken by my Nokia Asha 210) pictures that show a glimpse of this wonderland in Gilgit Baltistan.

One of the many rickety bridges across Shyok river. The Skardu - Khaplu road runs alongside the river

An inside of the Chaqchan mosque which was built in 1370 making it one of the oldest ones in Pakistan

Intricate carvings all over Chaqchan mosque

It was not spring yet there were so many spectacular colors to see

Roadside view near Shigar Fort, i dont know why i spoiled the view

A calm portion of the shyok river, soft sand here, pockets of forest and bits of dessert half a kilometer away

The 'baradaree which is a part of the Shigar fort renovated and run by Serena Hotels

The beautifully renovated Shigar fort which stands on a foundation of solid rock

Shigar river which is quite boisterous and flowing

The atmosphere really takes you over

A 1-MW hyrdo power plant generated electricity for Shigar Valley and this gushing waterfall

The gardens around Shigar fort

A 100-120 foot waterfall along the road to Khaplu. There are many more like this like Mantokha

Local taxi drivers are very helpful, good drivers and mostly literate as well

The 'baithak' area at KhapluFort

The reception area at KhapluFort

Live shooting of the drama 'dyare-dil' currently being played on TV

Clouds, mountains, the river and peace and quiet in the air

Bridge view

Some places are just solid rock

rock climbing, anyone?

Rugged mountains

Splashes of color even though spring is long gone

Forestry preserved where it exists

Some very rocky mountain slopes

Simple bridges but highly useful

Rickety bridge and a flowing river

Schools everywhere :)

Each turn brings about more splendid views

Football and Polo are very popular sports, everyone plays, everyone.

With views like that in the background

It feels splendid indeed!

So far extremely peaceful, locals dont know who came to do this graffiti

A message for peace?

A tree bigger than a house @ ShigarFort

Another spectacular views

A map to understand it all

Malam Jabba - Pakistan’s first Ski resort

Malam Jabba is a Hill Station located 8700 feet above sea level, on the Karokaram mountain range. It was originally a skiing resort created by Pakistan Tourism and Development Corporation, but was demolished a few years ago. However, Malam Jabba is still a skiing hub, and there are many other hotels in the area where one can stay. It also has Buddhist stupas and monasteries around the area.

Skiing

Malam Jabba has a ski slope of about 800 m with the highest point of the slope 2804 m (9200 ft) above sea level. The resort was made possible, and thankfully built due to the joint efforts of Austria and Pakistan, but was demolished a few years ago. In 2014, The Tourism Corporation Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (TCKP) signed a MoU with Samson Group of Companies to establish the Malam Jabba resort once again.

Roller / Ice skating rinks

There are roller and ice skating rinks on the Malam Jabba  ski hills. So in case one does not want to ski, they can always remain occupied by indulging in other activities.

Trekking

There are two trekking trails located in Malam Jabba . The first passes through the Ghorband Valley and Shangla Top and starts about 18 km from where the resort was located. The other trail passes through the Sabonev Valley and is about 17 km from where the resort was.

Restaurant - There are many hotels in the Malam Jabba area. There are many local Pakistani dishes available, Chicken Chargha being one of the most favorite.

Hotels - From low to high budget, Malam Jabba has them all. You can find the best hotels in Malam Jabba on www.jovago.com.

Safety Malam Jabba  is safe, but mainly full of tourists, but women must dress modestly and as other cities of Pakistan, couples should avoid public displays of affection.

Money: Pakistan Rupees, All International Credit Card (Visa; MasterCard) are accepted in the ATM Main Airport: Bacha Khan International Airport, 212 km from Malam Jabba

Visa Requirements: http://www.dgip.gov.pk/Files/Visa%20Form.pdf