Editing Skardu (section)

==Tourism==
[[File:Shangrila, Lower Kachura Lake.jpg|thumbnail|[[Shangrila Lake]] with adjoining Shangrila resort]]
Skardu, along with [[Gilgit]], is a major tourism, trekking and expedition hub in [[Gilgit–Baltistan]]. The mountainous terrain of the region, which includes four of the world's 14 [[Eight-thousander]] peaks, attracts tourists, trekkers and mountaineers from around the world . The main tourist season is from April to October; at other times of the year, the area can be cut off for extended periods by the snowy, freezing winter weather. Skardu now has a scenic airport which is now open for international flights<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-08-22 |title=First international flight from Skardu departs for Dubai with 160 passengers |url=https://arab.news/yftj3 |access-date=2023-10-21 |website=Arab News |language=en}}</ref> courtesy of companies who relentlessly lobbied to facilitate international tourism. 

===Mountains===
[[File:Jamia masjid(mosque) skardu. photo by me.jpg|thumbnail|Skardu Grand Mosque]]
Accessible from Skardu by road, the nearby [[Askole]] and [[Hushe]] are the main gateways to the snow-covered {{convert|8,000|m|ft|lk=out|adj=on|abbr=off}} peaks including [[K2]], the [[Gasherbrum]]s, [[Broad Peak]], and the [[Trango Towers]], and to the huge glaciers of [[Baltoro Glacier|Baltoro]], [[Biafo Glacier|Biafo]] and [[Trango Glacier|Trango]]. This makes Skardu the main tourist and mountaineering base in the area, which has led to the development of a reasonably extensive tourist infrastructure including shops and hotels. The popularity of the region results in high prices, especially during the main trekking season.

===Deosai National Park===

Treks to the [[Deosai National Park]] and the Deosai Plains, the second highest in the world at {{convert|4114|m|ft}} above sea level, after the [[Chang Tang]] in [[Tibet]], either start from or end at Skardu. In the local [[Balti language]], Deosai is called Byarsa ''བྱིར་ས'', meaning 'summer place'. With an area of approximately {{convert|3000|km2|0|abbr=out}}, the plains extend all the way to Ladakh and provide a habitat for [[snow leopard]]s, [[ibex]], [[Tibetan blue bear]]s and wild horses.<ref>{{cite web |title=Deosai National Park |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/6115/ |website=UNESCO World Heritage Centre |access-date=25 January 2023 |language=en}}</ref>

===Skardu Fort===

[[File:SkarduFortEntrance1167.JPG|thumb|right|[[Skardu Fort]] was built by Raja Ali Sher at the end of the 16th century, and was home to Skardu's local ''Rajas'']]
[[Skardu Fort]] or Kharphocho Fort lies on the eastern face of the Khardrong or Mindoq-Khar ("Castle of Queen Mindoq") hill {{convert|15|m|abbr=off}} above Skardu town. The fort dates from the 8th century CE and contains an old mosque probably dating back to the arrival of Islam in the 16th century CE. The fort provides a panoramic view of Skardu town, the Skardu valley and the [[Indus River]]. It was built by [[Maqpon dynasty]] rulers of Baltistan. It was a seven-storey building. Mostly local people say that Kharphocho is made by a ghost as they were servants of the ruler of that time.{{Citation needed|date=June 2011}}

Kharphocho (Skardu) fort was built on a design similar to that of [[Leh Palace]] and the [[Potala Palace]] in [[Lhasa]], [[Tibet]]. The name Kharpochhe means the great fort — ''Khar'' in [[Standard Tibetan|Tibetan]] means castle or fort and ''Chhe'' means great.{{Citation needed|date=June 2011}}

===Shigar Fort===
[[File:Shigar fort.JPG|thumb|upright|The [[Shigar Fort]] is a 400 year old fort in the nearby town of [[Shigar]].]]
Located on the route to the world's second highest mountain, K-2 is Shigar Fort. It is also known as Fong-Khar, which in the local language means the "Palace on the Rock". The complex at Shigar comprises the 400-year-old fort/palace and two more recent buildings: the "Old House" and the "Garden House". The former palace of the Raja of Shigar has been transformed into a 20-room heritage guesthouse, with the grand audience hall serving as a museum of Balti culture and featuring select examples of fine wood-carvings, as well as other heritage objects.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Khan |first=Omar Mukhtar |date=2018-05-10 |title=With a historic fort and Unesco-protected mosque, Shigar is an ideal short escape in Gilgit-Baltistan |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1406823 |access-date=2024-05-10 |website=DAWN.COM |language=en}}</ref>

===Kachura Lakes===

There are two Kachura lakes in Kachura Valley — the less well-known (Upper) [[Kachura Lake]] and the more famous [[Shangrila Lake]] ("Lower Kachura Lake"). Shangrila Lake is home to the Shangrila Resort hotel complex (possibly the reason for the lake's alternative name), built in a Chinese style and another popular destination for tourists in [[Pakistan-administered Kashmir]]. 

The resort has a unique restaurant, set up inside the [[fuselage]] of an [[aircraft]] that crashed On 3 October 1953, a DC-3 Aircraft belonging to Orient Airways crashed landed after three minutes of taking off. Although all people on the aircraft survived the crash, the plane never saw another day in the sky.
Kachura Lake is famous for its deep blue waters. The lakes, at 2,500 meters in elevation.

===Satpara Lake===

[[Satpara Lake]] is Skardu Valley's main lake. In 2002, the Federal Government decided to build a dam on the Satpara Lake allocating $10 million to the project, in 2004. Progress has, however, been slow. Satpara Lake is {{convert|6|mi|km}} from Skardu. Satpara Lake is one of the largest fresh water lakes in the countryside offering trout fishing and row boating. This lake is the source of Skardu's drinking water. The dam was mostly completed in 2011 and four powerhouse units are operational; the latest started operation in June 2013.