Luxury
10-Day Skardu & Hunza Tour
Skardu • Shigar • Khaplu • Gilgit • Hunza 10 Days / 9 Nights 4.9
PKR 320,000for the group
about $1,100 · rate of 10 Sep 2026
Shigar Fort (Fong-Khar)
Shigar, Baltistan
Published September 25, 2026 Pakistan Travellers Team 5 min read
Quick answer
What is Shigar Fort?
Shigar Fort, or Fong-Khar (palace on the rock), is the 17th-century palace of the Amacha rajas of Shigar, built against a huge boulder in the Shigar valley about 30 km from Skardu. The Aga Khan Trust for Culture restored it, and it is now a Serena heritage hotel with a museum of Balti culture. The restoration won a UNESCO award in 2006.
- Where
- Shigar, about 30 km from Skardu
- Built
- 17th century
- Best months
- May to October
- Time needed
- 2 to 3 hours
The Shigar valley opens north of Skardu, green with orchards and fields, on the old route towards the Baltoro Glacier and K2. In the middle of Shigar town, built against a boulder the size of a house, stands the palace of the rajas who once ruled here. Restored with great care, it is both a museum and one of the most atmospheric places to stay in Pakistan.
History of the palace on the rock
Fong-Khar means palace on the rock, and the name is literal: the building rises against a great boulder above the town. It was built in the 17th century by the Amacha dynasty, rulers of Shigar, and is often described as around 400 years old. Its timber-framed walls and carved wooden balconies reflect the Balti building tradition shared with the forts of Hunza.
The Aga Khan Trust for Culture led a major restoration in the late 1990s and early 2000s, and the fort opened as a heritage hotel in 2005. The work received a UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Award of Excellence in 2006. Serena runs the fort today.
The museum and the hotel
The old audience hall now houses a museum of Balti culture and woodcarving, with carved panels, household objects and pieces from the ruling family's life. The fort itself has a small number of heritage rooms, with more in a restored garden house in the grounds. Staying here is special, but rooms are limited and book up in summer, so plan early if you want to sleep in the fort.
Whether non-guests can visit the museum, at what times and for what fee, is set by the hotel and changes; we confirm it when we plan your Shigar day.
The Shigar valley
Shigar rewards more than a quick stop. The old mosques in and around the town, notably Amburiq with its carved woodwork, the orchards, and the Shigar River make a gentle half-day. The valley is also the road towards Askole and the treks to Concordia and K2 base camp, so in season you may meet expeditions passing through.
When to go and how to get there
Shigar is about 30 km from Skardu, roughly an hour's drive. The main season is May to October, with blossom in spring and golden trees in autumn. Most visitors come on a day trip from Skardu; staying a night in Shigar gives the valley time to show its quiet side. It combines well with the Kachura lakes and the Katpana desert, and with a longer trip east to Khaplu and its palace.
Plan your visit
- Baltistan travel guide: best time, places and how to get there
- Skardu & Baltistan tour packages and prices
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Frequently Asked Questions
About 30 km, roughly an hour's drive north of Skardu into the Shigar valley.
It was built in the 17th century by the Amacha rajas of Shigar, and is often described as around 400 years old.
Yes. It is a Serena heritage hotel with a small number of rooms in the fort and more in a garden house. Rooms are limited, so summer dates book early.
The Aga Khan Trust for Culture. It opened as a heritage hotel in 2005 and won a UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Award of Excellence in 2006.
May to October, with spring blossom and autumn colour as the highlights.
The old audience hall holds a museum of Balti culture and woodcarving, with carved panels, household objects and pieces from the ruling family's life.