Height of Skardu from Sea Level
Skardu City is located 2,228 metres (7,310 feet) above sea level. This is the most commonly reported figure. Others report slightly higher figures, claiming to measure Skardu Valley as opposed to the City. Others report even higher figures, as much as 2,500 metres. The most official source, recorded by the Gilgit-Baltistan Government and Wikipedia, places Skardu City at 2,228 metres, located at the confluence of the Indus and Shigar Rivers, where urban Skardu is located.
By this measurement, Skardu is at a similar height to Andorra la Vella, the highest capital in Europe. It is much higher than most other hill stations in Pakistan.
Visible Reasons for the number discrepancies
The Skardu Valley has pretty much a constant width of about 10 kilometres and a length of about 40 kilometres. There is not much of a constant elevation through the Valley. The floor of the Valley, Slope of land on either side of the Valley, and destinations (regions/areas) that tourists visit or usual travel destinations in Skardu all have a significant amount of vertical displacement.
At 2,228 meters, all the sites of interest in Skardu, such as the airport, bazaar, and the old quarters, sit at the bottom of the valley. Further out from the city, you'll notice the numbers begin to change rapidly. Satpara Lake, 5 kilometers away, is at 2,636 meters. Meanwhile, Kachura Lakes are at 2,500 meters. Katpana Desert, which is inside the valley and stretches to higher elevations, is at 2,226 meters. The Deosai Plateau is at 4,114 meters, and most people get there on day trips from Skardu.
The numbers here should not be confused for incorrect measurements. Rather, they reflect different metrics.
How Skardu compares with other places
On the drive or flight from Islamabad to Skardu, at 507 meters, you gain roughly 1,700 meters in elevation, and altitude sickness is not a major concern for adults in good physical shape and at a normal pace, remembering Skardu is at an altitude of 2,228 meters.
How does Skardu compare? Gilgit sits at about 1,500 meters of elevation, so adding that 700 meters brings you even higher. Chilas on the Karakoram Highway is at 1,265 meters. Karimabad in Hunza is at about the same spot as Skardu, the City at 2,600 meters.
The high country around Skardu is a different story. Deosai at 4,114 metres is nearly 2,000 metres above the City. The K2 base camp on the Baltoro Glacier is about 5,100 metres. K2 itself is 8,611 metres, the second-highest point on Earth, and Skardu is where every expedition to reach it begins.
That vertical range within a single district is part of what makes Skardu different from most destinations in the country.
What the altitude means in practice for a traveller
Skardu city is located at a height of 2,228 metres. It is high enough to notice, but low enough that most adults will not have any significant problems, especially if they have stayed overnight at Chilas or Gilgit beforehand.
The real problems start when people make the journey in one long go, without taking a required rest day. A journey from sea level to over 4,000 metres in a single 48-hour period will be too much for most people's bodies.
Acute mountain sickness, or altitude sickness, starts to be of concern to people at elevations over 2,500 metres. For most people journeying to Skardu at a sensible pace by road, it will not be of concern at Skardu's elevation. Taking the flight to Skardu in under an hour means no adjustment can take place for the body, and it will be one of the more dramatic altitude changes available to most travellers.
Symptoms to watch out for
Headache is probably the most common symptom and is described as a pressure on the eyes and across the forehead. Nausea and loss of appetite are also associated with this, along with fatigue out of proportion to the day’s activities, disturbed sleep, restlessness and shortness of breath on little exertion.
Usually these symptoms resolve with rest, hydration and spending a day at the same altitude. Going down is the reliable option when this doesn’t work.
The serious versions, high altitude pulmonary oedema and high altitude cerebral oedema, are medical emergencies and occur at altitudes above Skardu, where most of the trekking routes are.
Acclimatization
Suppose you are able to spend a night in Gilgit when traveling to Skardu. Gilgit is at roughly 1,500 metres and may be enough of a step to initiate the body’s adjustments.
Once in Skardu, take it slow and easy on the first day. Walk instead of running, drink more than you think you need and avoid alcohol on the first night.
Deosai should be saved for the third/fourth day of the trip instead of the first.
The oldest and most valuable rule of high altitude: go up slowly, and if the headache doesn’t improve after 24 hours of rest at the same altitude, go down.
Katpana Cold Desert: around 2,226 metres, same flat valley floor as the City.
Lower Kachura Lake and Shangrila: around 2,500 metres.
Upper Kachura Lake: around 2,500 metres.
Satpara Lake: around 2,636 metres.
Shigar town: around 2,400 metres, thirty kilometres from Skardu.
Khaplu: around 2,600 metres, around one hundred kilometres from Skardu.
Sheosar Lake on Deosai: around 4,142 metres.
Deosai Plains average: 4,114 metres, 13,497 feet.
Baltoro Glacier snout near Askole: around 3,100 metres.
K2 base camp: around 5,100 metres.
K2 summit: 8,611 metres, 28,251 feet.
How the elevation changes the climate
2,228 metres in Skardu means a cold desert climate, big seasonal changes, and huge variation in daily temps.
In Skardu, the City sees summer temps from May to August of 25 to 35 degrees, with a t-shirt weather event most people on a northern trip pack for. Even in July, nights are around 10, dropping lower. Definitely wear something warm.
Winter temps drop in December and January to minus ten to fifteen, but surrounding peaks and Deosai are even more severe. Daily life and tourist activity still happen in the City, but the road stays open with slow winter conditions.
There's not much rain, and Skardu sits in a rain shadow. That means there's essentially no monsoon moisture, so the otherwise expected lush mountains really end up dusty with little vegetation. The green you do see is productivity from irrigated farming.
The high altitude combined with low humidity and intense sun in the Skardu area can burn within minutes. People are surprised to have sunburn after visiting the cold desert or even after visiting Satpara Lake. Sun protection is even necessary when you are feeling cool.
How altitude affects flight conditions
Being one of the highest professionally operable airports in the world, Skardu International Airport sits at an altitude of approximately 2,230 meters. Since aircraft used to fly to the mountain corridors do not have instrument landing systems, flights are fully dependent on visual conditions. Therefore, flights are canceled if the cloud coverage is too low.
Visual flight rules also apply to the Gilgit Airport situated at roughly 1,460 meters. Therefore, the flight between Islamabad and either of these two cities, which takes around an hour, is one of the more weather-dependent flights in Pakistan. Flight cancellations happen almost monthly and are even more prevalent during winter.
Anybody planning an international trip after a Skardu flight must account for an additional day in case there is a flight delay, assuming the aircraft departs on schedule.
How altitude enhances the experience
Altitude not only poses challenges to travelers with international flights, but also provides unique opportunities to experience a destination like Pakistan. An international airport at more than 2,200 meters, a cold desert more than 3,000 meters high, a national park above 4,000 meters and the second-highest plateau in the world after the Tibetan Plateau. Plus, four peaks above 8,000 meters are reachable by land from the same place.
The combination of having working airports and high altitude that includes a bazaar is rare. Most visitors to Skardu don’t climb and will never go above 3000 m, but they are traveling through land that has some of the highest land masses on the globe. Knowing the altitude helps in describing where you are.
What to check and what to avoid
Find out the current status of Deosai Road from your operator or driver and incorporate this into your overall day plan. Deosai closes for snow during the months of October/November through June/July, with the dates varying from year to year.
If anyone in your group has a heart condition, respiratory condition or a history of altitude problems, be sure to inform your guide/tour organizer. Deosai is a serious day trip and should be avoided for such individuals.
Avoid Deosai during your first day in Skardu. Spend the first day at a lower altitude.
Through direct inquiry, find out if your hotel will be open and heated for the winter season. Some hotels may stay open, but have unheated rooms and no winter amenities.
Every day trip should have food and water. Drives in Skardu are much longer than what is shown on maps. Food stops are scarce on the Deosai road.
Do not assume a flight will leave on the date you need it. Book the last two days of your trip as a buffer if you are unable to accommodate a delay.
FAQ
What is the elevation of Skardu from sea level? The elevation of the city center is approximately 2,228 meters (7,310 feet). Some sources cite 2,500 meters, but this is for the entire valley and not the City.
Is Skardu higher than Hunza? Karimabad in Hunza, at approximately 2,600 meters, is slightly higher than Skardu city. Both are in the same altitude range.
Will I get the symptoms of altitude sickness in Skardu? Given that the elevation of Skardu city is 2,228 meters, altitude sickness will not be expected in fit, healthy adults traveling by road and taking a day to acclimatize. However, the risk increases if you travel by air to Deosai and visit the next day.
How high is Deosai from Skardu? The elevation of Deosai is approximately 4,114 meters, which is almost 1,900 meters higher than Skardu city.
How high is K2 from Skardu? K2 is approximately 8,611 meters, and Skardu city is approximately 2,228 meters. This gives approximately 6,400 meters of elevation difference, and this range from most cities to the nearest 8,000-meter peak is one of the highest elevation ranges anywhere.
How high is Skardu airport? Skardu International Airport is approximately 2,230 meters, which makes it one of the highest commercial airports in the world.
Is Skardu colder than Islamabad? Yes, way. Islamabad is around 507 metres and therefore has a relatively mild climate. Skardu, at 2,228 metres, has winters that are cold, cold nights all year and temperatures that drop well below zero degrees Celsius.
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