Skardu Fort, or Kharpocho, sits on a rocky outcrop directly above the town, looking out over the meeting of the Indus and Shigar rivers. The climb up takes about thirty minutes from the road below and the view from the ramparts is one of the great alpine panoramas — the broad Indus valley curving away in both directions, the cold desert dunes opposite, and the snow peaks of the Karakoram rising behind.
The fort itself is partly ruined but the surviving walls, the mosque inside, and the foundations of the royal apartments give a clear sense of how it once dominated the valley. Sunrise and late afternoon are the best times to visit — for the light and to avoid the daytime heat in summer.