Shangrila Resort Skardu — the heart-shaped lake of the Karakoram
Pakistan's most-photographed alpine resort — chalets perched on a heart-shaped lake at 2,500 metres, the famous old-aeroplane restaurant, easy lake-side walks and the gateway to Upper Kachura.
Shangrila Resort Skardu
Shangrila Resort is the photograph that brought most of us to Skardu in the first place — a heart-shaped lake (Lower Kachura) ringed by red-roofed chalets, framed by Karakoram peaks, with the famous aeroplane-restaurant (a converted DC-3 fuselage on the lake's edge) at one end. The resort was built in the 1980s by the family of a former Pakistan Tourism minister and has been the most iconic mountain hotel in the country ever since.
On this page is everything you need to plan a Shangrila Resort Skardu visit — day-trip routes, overnight chalet packages, the best rooms to ask for, when to go, and what to combine it with. Shangrila is 32km from Skardu, an hour by jeep, and works equally well as a half-day stop or a relaxed overnight that anchors a longer Skardu tour.
Where exactly Shangrila is and how to get there
Shangrila sits on Lower Kachura Lake, 32km north-east of Skardu on the Skardu-Khaplu road. The drive is one hour on a sealed road via the Sadpara dam and the Indus river bridge — scenic the whole way. There is no airport closer than Skardu (45 minutes by air from Islamabad) and no rail service.
Day visitors enter Shangrila on a day-visitor entry ticket, which gives full access to the lake-side, the gardens, the aeroplane restaurant and Upper Kachura by walking trail. Overnight guests have a separate gate.
Staying overnight — which chalet to ask for
Shangrila Resort has roughly 40 chalets in three tiers. Lake-facing chalets (numbers 1-16) are the ones to ask for — they are on the water, with verandahs that look directly at the heart shape. Garden chalets (17-30) are set slightly back behind apple trees and quieter; perfect for families. Premium suites (31-40) are larger, with sitting rooms, and the only category we recommend for honeymooners who want more than a standard chalet.
Book at least 8 weeks ahead in high season (June-August) — the lake-facing chalets sell out first. The on-site restaurant is the famous aeroplane-restaurant for lunch and snacks, plus a full buffet restaurant in the main lodge for breakfast and dinner.
Day-trip experience — what to see and do
If you have half a day, walk the rim of the heart-shaped lake (20 minutes), have tea in the aeroplane restaurant, walk the wooden footbridge to Upper Kachura (15 minutes through pine forest) and back. With a full day, add a paddle-boat at Upper Kachura and lunch at the lodge.
Combine with Sarfaranga cold desert in the afternoon for the classic Skardu day-trip route — both are on the same Skardu-Khaplu axis and you can do them in one comfortable day with a private jeep.
Pair this with the next step of your Skardu journey
Organised links to every Skardu travel service
Skardu Tour Packages built around the valley, not a checklist
Hand-crafted Skardu tour packages with private 4×4 jeeps, licensed Balti guides, boutique hotels and complete on-trip support — from a quick 3-day getaway to a 10-day grand circuit of Gilgit-Baltistan.
1 – 30 daysJeep Rental Skardu
Hire an insured Land Cruiser, Prado, Hilux or open-top Suzuki Potohar in Skardu — for the Deosai plains, K2 Concordia trailhead, Basho Valley, the Sarfaranga cold desert and the Astore-Rama loop. Daily, weekly and full-expedition hire.
5 – 8 daysA Skardu Honeymoon designed around just the two of you
Heritage palaces, apricot orchards in bloom, a turquoise lake to yourselves at sunrise and a private 4×4 between it all — our Skardu honeymoon packages are the most-booked premium tier we run, year after year.
5 – 9 daysSkardu Family Tour Packages designed around how families actually travel
Comfort hotels, private vehicle with car seats, easy day-routes at Shangrila and Shigar, and a paced 7-day plan with built-in rest mornings — Skardu trips designed for parents with kids and multi-generation groups.
3 – 10 daysCorporate Tour Packages
From a 3-day leadership off-site at Shigar Fort to a 60-person company expedition across Deosai, our corporate Skardu packages handle logistics, venues, breakouts and on-trip support — with proper GST invoicing for HR and finance teams.
Airport · hotel · valley transfersSkardu Airport Transfer with a local team waiting before you land
Private pickup and drop from Skardu airport to hotels in Skardu city, Shangrila, Shigar, Khaplu and nearby valleys — with flight tracking, luggage help and weather-delay support.
Budget · boutique · heritageHotel Booking Skardu
Book vetted hotels, guesthouses, heritage palaces and family stays in Skardu, Shigar, Khaplu and Shangrila — matched to your itinerary, budget and vehicle route.
Sightseeing · culture · trekkingLocal Guide Skardu
Licensed Balti guides for Skardu sightseeing, Shigar and Khaplu heritage walks, Deosai safaris, photography days, family tours and high-altitude treks.
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