Skardu Fort (Kharpocho)

The path is a stepped, occasionally loose track that climbs steeply for about 25 to 35 minutes from the base of the rock at the western end of Skardu bazaar. There is no shade anywhere on the climb, which matters more than the distance itself in midsummer heat.

The steps are uneven in places and can be slippery after rain, so proper footwear rather than sandals is worth the difference, particularly for the descent, which is where most people slip.

• Climb time: 25 to 35 minutes uphill
• No shade on the route, carry water
• Stepped path, sturdy shoes recommended
• Free to enter, no ticket required

From the ramparts, the view takes in the braided channels of the Indus, Skardu's airport runway, the pale dunes of Katpana in the distance and the peaks ringing the valley. This panorama is best an hour before sunset, when the low light picks out the river braids clearly.

Because the descent needs some daylight to be comfortable on the stepped path, aim to start climbing down as the light starts to fade rather than waiting for full darkness.

• Best viewpoint time: about an hour before sunset
• Panorama includes the Indus, the airport and Katpana desert
• Start descending while there is still usable light

Built by Ali Sher Khan Anchan in the late 16th century, Kharpocho, meaning 'king of forts', once controlled the strategic confluence of the Indus and Shigar rivers below. Little of the interior remains today, but the outer ramparts and a small mosque at the base survive.

Given its location minutes from Skardu bazaar, it pairs naturally with a stop at Katpana Cold Desert, Blind Lake or Satpara Lake, all within a short drive of the fort's base.