What to do and see at the Shigar Fort Residence
Shigar Fort Residence is a unique heritage conservation project which offers guests the opportunity to experience the restored original architecture of a 17th century Raja fort-palace, while enjoying the modern amenities and services of a luxury guest house.
- Museum: Shigar Fort invites day visitors to come and experience a guided tour of the Museum, Residence and grounds. Visitors are treated to an exclusive tour lasting approximately one hour by our friendly and knowledgeable guides.
- Skardu is the Gilgit Baltistan district of Pakistan, sandwiched between China and Indian held Kashmir a bisected by the Indus River. North of the Indus, the Karakoram Range rise in a serried wall 150 kilometers thick, with over 100 peaks higher than 7,000 meters. South of the Indus, the uninhabited Deosai Plateau separates Pakistan from India. Until this century Baltistan was an unexplored dead end, with only two difficult made routes from Tibet and Ladakh, following the Indus and Shok Rivers, and another crossing the deserted Deosai Plateau from Srinagar. Only one snow bound pass led across the Karakoram to China, an even that was blocked by ice early in the nineteenth century. Skardu is the capital of Baltistan, has an altitude of 2,340 meters. It serves as the starting point fro some of the most scenic and adventurous trekking in the world and most visitors are mountaineers or trekkers. There are five main valleys in the district Skardu, Shigar, Khaplu, Rondu and Kharmang. All of them produce apricots, peaches, pears and apples in such profusion that this region is known as the land of apricots and apples.
- Shigar Valley: the Shigar Valley is 32 kilometers from Skardu and one hour drive and was the first town stop up, capital of the relatively prosperous, independent kingdom of Shigar. The valley has an extremely picturesque landscape, and abounds in fruit such as grapes, peaches, pears, walnuts and apricots. Shigar is indeed a trekker's paradise in Gilgit Baltistan Pakistan. The wild and lush green hauntingly beautiful landscapes of this hidden land are often likened to Tibet - Ladhakh used to be known as 'Little Tibet' - and are every bit as dramatic and enticing. Askole is the last settlement in Shigar Valley and valley is 170km long from Skardu to Askole and is the gateway to four of the world's fourteen highest peaks known as Eight-thousands (above 8,000m). Expeditions to the following peaks are launched from Askole: K2, 2nd (8611m), Gasherbrum I, 11th, ( 8,080m), Broad Peak, 12th (8,047m), Gasherbrum II, 13th (8,035m), Gasherbrum III, (7,946m), Gasherbrum IV, 17th (7,932m), Masherbrum (K1), 22nd (7,821m), Chogolisa, 36th (7,665m), Muztagh Tower, (7,273m), Snow Dome, (7,160m), Biarchedi, (6,781m), Trango Towers, (6,363m), Mitre Peak, 6,010m highest of the world.
- Exploring the nearby historic villages of Chinpa, Halpapa, and Shigar.
- Amburiq Mosque: visiting some of the most ancient mosques in the area, including the 14th century Amburiq Mosque in Shigar Village, a UNESCO award-winning restoration project and the nearby Khilingrong Mosque.
- Kari Dong; hiking up the famous Shigar Rock, at the top of which sits the ruins of Kari Dong, the first ancient Fort dating back to the 11th century.
- Viewing the intricately carved Khanqa-e-Moallah and Buddhist ruins, including monastery foundations and rock inscriptions from as early as the 5th century;
- Interpretive walks through the nearby villages to learn about the various social and economic development initiatives undertaken by Aga Khan Cultural Services and other development agencies in the area.
- Baltoro Glacier is located in Baltistan on the southern slopes of the central Karakoram Range. It stretches to a length of 62 km. It is the second largest glacier in the Himalayan region. Shigar River, which is a tributary of the Indus River, originates from this glacier. Other large tributary glaciers supply the main Baltoro glacier. The central part has a vast snowfield and the trough of this glacier is very wide. This glacier can be accessed via Skardu in Ladakh.
- Biafo Glacier is also located in Baltistan on the south slopes of the Karakoram Range. It stretches to a length of 60 km. The main stream, which originates from Biafo glacier flows into a tributary of the Indus River, called the Shigar River. In this area there is no vegetative cover.
- Braldu Valleys: The broad, fertile Shigar valley runs down from the north to join the Indus opposite Skardu. The road into the valley bridges the Indus upriver from the confluence and then crosses rolling sand dunes, before climbing over a ridge for an expansive view reaching 50 kilometers up to the head of the valley, where the Braldu and Basha rivers join to from the Shigar. The Braldu from the Baltoro Glacier and leads to the famous treks into Concordia and K2 and to the strenuous trek north along the Biafo and Hispar Glaciers to Hunza. The Basha River empties from the Chogo lungma Glacier and leads to hikes around Haramosh.
- Buddhist Rock: There is only one surviving Buddhist Rock with rock carvings in the Skardu Valley located on Satpara road. Probably the rock carvings and images of Buddha date back to the period of Great Tibetan Empire. When the Buddhist people of Gandhara migrated and passed through Gilgit Baltistan, they settled at some places temporarily and carved drawings of Stupas, scenes of their experiences and images of Buddha with texts in Kharoshti language. There were a number of such Buddhist rock carvings in the Skardu Valley.
- Satpara Lake: 8 km (5 miles) south of Skardu, 20 minutes by jeep, lies the Satpara Lake. Surrounded by high glacial mountains, this lake has an island in the middle of its clear waters, which can be reached by boat. The lake is considered ideal for fishing.
- Kachura Lake about 32 kilometers (20 miles) from Skardu lays the shimmering waters of the Kachura Lake. In the springtime its banks are adorned by a multitude of colorful flowers, while the trees are laden with peach, apricot and apple blossoms. The lake offers great opportunities for trout fishing
- Kharpocho Fort: The construction of Kharpocho fort of the King of forts at Skardu has been attributed to the famous ruler of Skardu - Maqpon Bugha (1490 - 1515 AD), the great grand father of Ali Sher Khan Anchan (1560 - 1625 AD) by Hishatullah. But Mughal historians are of the view that the great fort was built by Ali Sher Khan Anchan himself. It states that one of the most famous of the Gralpos (Monarchs of Skardu), Ali Sher Khan, who ruled till the end of the 16th century, conquered Ladakh and built a fort at Skardu.
- Mindoq Khar This palace was built by Gul Khatoon or Mindoq Gialmo on the hill where now stands the Kharpocho fort only. The palace was named after the queen as 'Mindoq Khar' meaning the 'Flower Palace'. The Palace was destroyed by the troops of the Sikh ruler of Kashmir, Maharaja Gulab Singh, when he invaded Skardu in 1840 AD.
- Hilal Bagh and Chahar Bagh Just below the Mindoq Khar or Flower Palace, there was a terraced garden with fountains built in marble. This royal garden covered the areas from Mindoq Khan to the present bazaar at Skardu where the road crosses the channel. A palace built in marble with towers also stood in the middle of the garden, above the Polo Ground which is called Ghudi Changra. The palace was destroyed during the great floods in the area after the death of Ali Sher Khan Anchan and a marble Baradari was later constructed at this palace. This royal garden was named Hilal Bagh (Crescent Garden). Another garden was also laid which was named Chhar Bagh. The said garden was laid on the orders of the Queen while her husband was away to Gilgit and then to Chitral. As the mother tongue of the Queen was Persian, she gave Persian name to these gardens.
- Deosai the feature rolling pastureland of rounded hills. Knee deep in summer grass and flowers, inhabited by whistling marmots and boasting views of giant mountains in granite and narrow valleys. Billed as the highest plateau in the world. Deosai stretches south for about 65 kilometers, blocking the way from Skardu via the Burzil Pass to Srinagar. A treeless wilderness at 4,000 meters uninhabited and inhospitable in winter. Snow covered for eight months of the year and well known for its ferocious wind storms the plateau is nonetheless enchanted on clear August days. The Burji Pass (4,815) is best approached from the Deosai Plateau. The view from the Burji Pass looking northward is one of the most magnificent in the whole of the Himalayas.
- Khaplu, 103 kilometers east of Skardu, was the second largest kingdom in old Baltistan and guarded the trade route to Ladakh along the Shyok River. At an altitude of 2,560 meters, it is slightly cooler than Skardu. Further up the valley behind the place you pass Chak Chang, a carved wooden mosque. Supposedly the oldest mosque in Baltistan, it shows Buddhist influence and is reminiscent of Tibetan architecture. The whole are east of Khaplu the Saltoro and Kondus rivers and the entire Siachen areas. Hushe valley is the last village up the valley, is about 140 kilometers east of Skardu and is the starting point for treks to various summer pastures up five glaciers are Mashabrum Glacier, Honnoro Glacier, Aling Glacier, Gondoghoro and Chogolisa Glaciers. Thalle valley is the next valley west of Hushe, which it parallels. This is large village at about 3,400 meters, with narrow streets and a carved mosque. There is a sprawling village perched on the slopes of the steep mountains that hem in the river. Many famous mountains, such as Masherbrum, K-6, K-7, Sherpi Kangh, Sia Kangri, Saltoro Kangri etc. are located here. The Khaplu palace about 600 years old which is restored by Aga Khan Culture Service Pakistan, will opened from May 2010.
- K2 is the second-highest mountain on Earth (after Mount Everest). With a peak elevation of 8,611 meters (28,251 ft), K2 is part of the Karakoram range, and is located on the border between the Tashkorgan Xinjiang, China and Gilgit, in Gilgit-Baltistan of Pakistan.
- The Siachen Glacier is located in the eastern Karakoram Range in the Himalaya Mountains along the disputed India-Pakistan border. It is the longest glacier in the Karakoram and second longest in the world's non-polar areas. The Siachen Glacier lies south of the great watershed that separates China from the Indian subcontinent in the extensively glaciated portion of the Karakoram that is sometimes called the "Third Pole."
The average winter snowfall is 10.5 m (35 ft) and temperatures can dip to -50 degrees Celsius (-58 degrees Fahrenheit). Including all tributary glaciers, the Siachen Glacier system covers approximately 700 square kilometers.
