Map Needed - Skardu valley

Society Travel & Tourism
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Hi Everyone,

I want to plan my journey to Skardu valley in coming June but I’m having a little trouble planning my tour.

Last time I went to Gilgit/Hunza valley and got the map named “Karakoram Highway Map-3” by Professor Manzoom Ali. It is one of the best maps I have ever seen and it tells you about each and every place / trek / anything in the Gilgit / Hunza region.

There is another map named “Map/Atlas of Northern Area Map-1” and “Map/Atlas of Baltistan Map-4” by same person. Does anyone have it? because it is specifically about Skardu valley and I want to have a real planned trip so badly in need of a map like this..

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks..

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Re: Map Needed - Skardu valley

well i bought a map dont know about the name ......it was map of all NA ....n it told each n every thing about NA the treks where to camp n blah blah ......my cousin got that map

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Re: Map Needed - Skardu valley

Waleed, is there any possibility of getting the map?

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Re: Map Needed - Skardu valley

Have you tried Google Earth or Google Maps? It’s free, easy to use, plus you can get real satellite imagery.

Google Maps

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Re: Map Needed - Skardu valley

Shahbaz sahab, thank you for your reply :) Yes I know about it but the only thing which it lacks is the information about treks, local conditions, best time to visit etc. That's why I was looking for a detailed map like I have of Gilgit and Hunza valleys because it has all the information about which treks are good, accommodation, food, camping facilities, history, local culture and norms etc.

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Let me search my library please, I seem to recall seeing such a map once. It will not be current, but will be belonging to my grandfather's time. However, overlying it on Google Earth may reveal something interesting...

So if I find it today then I will post it here. :)

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Re: Map Needed - Skardu valley

Thank you so much for your favor. Really appreciate that :)

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Haven't found it yet, but I am sure shaam say payhilay mill-jai'ga. So keep the faith! :)

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Sufi sahab, good to know about your upcoming trip!
I’m uploading this map, which is actually KKH map, resolution is not good but that’s all I have…

I’ve a place-mark collection of google earth, which is called “Northern Pakistan Placemarks 1.7” just write this in google and it will come up with many links from where you can download it. It’s one of the best free maps available online.
We visited Skardu in 2008, I will summarize the rout we took, this may help you plan.
Before heading to Skardu, we drove to Chillas and stayed overnight. Shangrila Chillas is a good affordable place, the best thing about this hotel is its lawn overlooking River Indus. By the way you can buy a map from this hotel and they can also guide you to plan your trip and arrange vehicle.

From chillas you will drive towards gilgit, on the way you will cross raikot bridge (turning point towards fairy meadows). after 20-30 minutes drive from raikot, just before reaching “bunji” there is a road going right. now you have two options to reach Skardu, 1) leave KKH, turn right, cross the River Indus and go towards Astore. 2) keep going straight towards gilgit

If you choose to go via Astore, this will be the order of major places/ stops/ towns/ attractions… Astore ->Rama Lake → Chillam Chowki (entrance to Deosai National Park(straight/left), there is an army camp here, a road to right leads towards LoC) → Sheosar Lake → Bara Pani (here they have a temporary tent hotel (from july to sep only) → satpara lake → lower kachura (shangrila resorts) → upper kachora → and then long way back to KKH

If you take the other route, you will have to drive towards gilgit, cross Bunji Cantt, then Jaglot and there you will find junction of 3 mighty mountain ranges! This is where Karakoram, Hindukush and Himaliyas meet, ok drive a little further and you will find turning point for Skardu, here the river which you have been traveling with since Tha Kot (if you are traveling all the way on KKH) will split into two, River Indus will go right, Gilgit River will go straight up towards Gilgit, you will need to take right turn from here, cross “Ramghaat Bridge” and keep driving along side River Indus, all the way towards Skardu, this is a good 4-5 hours drive, now reverse the order of towns/ places from Upper Kachora to chillam chowki, and you will touch KKH again at Bunji… don’t forget to confirm all this by map, i may have messed up the names and their order : D

You can also directly fly to Skardu, this way you will be almost in the middle of this route which i’ve mentioned, to see upper/ lower kachora lakes and shangrila resorts, you will have to go north west, to see satpara/ deosai, you will to go south east. If you have too much time in skardu, you can hire a 4x4 and go to Shigar Valley, and then further upto Askole, which is the last village on this way, that is, the way to K2!!!

I’ve written almost everything I knew about skardu and surroundings, hope this will help…

Happy planning! best of luck

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well man my cousin is out of country n the map is with him so i cant help u on this

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Re: Map Needed - Skardu valley

I think google maps are very detailed . Isn't it !

[map]gilgit, pakistan[/map]

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Re: Map Needed - Skardu valley

Shahbaz, waleed, NaMaan & Aceones sahab, thanks a lot for your replies :)

NaMaan sahab, Google maps is good but what it lacks is the treks which I'm after and also local conditions etc. I mean its not only about knowing the routes but I also want to know about history, people, treks, attractions which is all can be found in a good map.

Aceones sahab (sorry don't know your real name :)), Thanks a lot for such a detailed reply. I really appreciate that. You have summarized that really well. When I went to Gilgit last year, I saw the junction point of three mountain ranges and also spotted the turn near Juglot which leads to Skardu. Also I will be travelling via public transport (like NATCO Bus or Mashabrum Travels) which I don't think will be any problem to reach major places but from there planning the trip to major attractions would be a challenge. Your reply would definitely come in handy while doing this.

I don't want to fly to Skardu because I prefer traveling by road. I think no public transport would use the Astore route to reach Skardu but if it does then it would be quite good because it covers major attractions. Is this route do-able by motorcycle (Lets say Honda CG-125)?

I have plans to leave in June which gives me enough time to do a good planning. With your guys help, I would be surely getting a good plan and trip.. InshaALLAH.

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Re: Map Needed - Skardu valley

^true, traveling by road is the main attraction : )

while searching for a ride to astore, we went to chillas city's "Lari Adda" (taxi stand) people there informed us that some vans actualy do go to astore from chillas.

this is perfectly doable on bikes, none of these places need trekking/ horses, you just need to be extra careful on deosai though, because of very frequent rain and slippery track

by the way, june is too early i guess, deosai may not be accessible at that time, confirm with locals before going.

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Re: Map Needed - Skardu valley

hmm.. Thank you. I'll definitely ask some local before going, if it is accessible by June otherwise there would be no point in going there and still miss the deosai which is considered best part of Skardu (as I've heard :))

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Re: Map Needed - Skardu valley

Yarr bohat dhoonda, par map na milla...

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Re: Map Needed - Skardu valley

No problem Shahbaz sahab, thanks a lot for your favor. Really appreciate that :)