Overview

Some of Skardu’s best scenery doesn’t require a multi-day expedition to reach — just a series of well-chosen day trips into the valleys and waterfalls that ring the city. This tour strings together three of the most-loved: Shangrila, Basho Valley, and Manthokha Waterfall, each offering a different flavor of Baltistan without demanding serious trekking.

Shangrila, built around Lower Kachura Lake, is one of the region’s most photographed spots — a resort area known for its calm, reflective water framed by mountains, paired with nearby Upper Kachura Lake for those who want a second, quieter stop. Basho Valley, by contrast, still feels genuinely off the map. Reached by a rough but scenic 4×4 track a couple of hours from Skardu, it’s a narrow, green valley where local families have grown grapes and made raisins for generations, with a waterfall, a suspension bridge, and — further up — glacier views for those who push in deeper. Manthokha Waterfall, out toward Kharmang, rounds out the trip: one of the more dramatic waterfalls in the region, dropping in a long, forceful cascade that’s especially powerful during the summer snowmelt season.

Together, the three make an easy, scenery-focused loop from Skardu — ideal for travelers who want a genuine taste of Baltistan’s landscape without the altitude or duration of a full trek.