Famous Things to Buy in Skardu: Bazaars, Shops and Prices

What is Skardu most famous for buying?

Ask anyone who has been, and the answer is the same: dried apricots first, then walnuts and dry fruit, and for something more distinctive, Pattu — the handwoven woollen cloth specific to Baltistan. Those three are the genuinely famous things to buy in Skardu, associated with the region for centuries and found nowhere else in quite the same form.

Beyond them, woollen shawls and Balti caps are the easiest souvenirs to carry home. Gemstones and mineral specimens are Skardu's most famous luxury item — Gilgit-Baltistan is a real source region — but they are also where the most money gets lost, so read the gemstone section below before spending anything significant.

Quick shopping guide

Where to shop in Skardu: the bazaars

Skardu's retail is spread across several named bazaars and chowks rather than concentrated in one centre. Most sit within walking distance of each other in the city.

Compare before you commit. For handicrafts and gemstones especially, prices for similar goods vary considerably between neighbouring shops. Chasma Bazaar makes this easy — you can visit three shops in ten minutes.

Dry fruit: what to buy and how to check it

Dried apricots are the product most associated with Baltistan, and the one most visitors take home. Walnuts, almonds, mulberries, apricot kernels and apricot oil are all sold alongside them.

How to judge what you are buying

• Ask which season it is from. One local reviewer noted that a good seller will tell you when to buy which fruit so that newcomers do not end up with last year's stock. That is the single most useful question to ask.
• Moisture. Dried apricots should be pliable, not rock hard and not sticky-wet. Both extremes suggest poor drying or storage.
• Smell. Rancid or fermented notes mean old stock, particularly with walnuts and kernels, which go off through their oil content.
• Buy walnuts in shell where you can. Shelled nuts deteriorate much faster.
• Check the sample matches the bag. Ask to see what is actually being weighed out, not only the display sample.
• Price per kilogram. Ask for it explicitly and compare across two or three shops before buying quantity.

A note on labelling: "organic" on a Skardu shop sign is a marketing term, not a certification. Much fruit here is grown with minimal chemical input simply because that is how smallholdings operate, but unless a product carries an actual certification mark, treat the word as descriptive rather than verified.

Verified dry fruit shops

Bismillah Dry Fruit on Masjid Road near Chashma Bazar is worth singling out: staff offer complimentary qahwah when you walk in, let you taste before you buy, and several reviewers name it as having the best prices and widest variety in Skardu — including local organic products, Shilajit, protein bars and peanut butter alongside the standard dried fruit range. The owner speaks reasonable English.

Pattu, shawls and Balti clothing

Pattu is handwoven woollen cloth, traditionally made across Baltistan and used for coats, caps and blankets. It is the textile most specific to this region, and the reason handicraft shops here look different from those in Hunza or Gilgit.

Chugas — the traditional Balti coat — woollen caps, waistcoats and shawls are all sold in the same shops, largely clustered in Chasma Bazaar.

What to check

• Handwoven cloth is slightly irregular. Perfectly even weave and identical repeat patterns usually indicate machine production, which is not necessarily worse but should not carry a handwoven price.
• Ask what the fibre is. Wool, pashmina and blends are sold side by side and look similar to a non-expert. Where a shop claims pure pashmina at a low price, be sceptical.
• Check the edges and seams on finished garments.
• Caps and shawls travel well; a chuga is bulky and worth thinking about before buying.

Verified handicraft shops

These are handicraft shops. We have not verified which individual products each one stocks, and inventories change — treat the category as reliable and the specific item as something to confirm in person.

Buying gemstones in Skardu: read this first

Gilgit-Baltistan is a genuine source region for gemstones and mineral specimens, and Skardu has several dedicated dealers. It is also the area where an unwary visitor can lose the most money.

Practical guidance

• Rough versus cut. Rough mineral specimens are easier to judge as natural objects. Cut and polished stones are far harder for a non-expert to assess and easier to substitute.
• Set a souvenir budget and stay inside it. If you would be upset to learn the stone was worth a tenth of what you paid, you are spending too much.
• Always ask for a written invoice with the seller's name, the date, the stated stone type and weight, and the price paid. A seller unwilling to write that down is telling you something.
• Do not buy under time pressure. "This price is only today" is a sales technique, not an opportunity.
• Photograph the stone with the invoice before you leave the shop.

Gem and mineral dealers

Listed because they are established gem and mineral dealers in Skardu. This is not a recommendation, an endorsement, or any statement about the authenticity, quality or value of anything they sell.

What not to buy without checking

Bargaining: where it applies

Hungry after the bazaar? Where to eat in Skardu covers 17 restaurants and cafes.

Tourism businesses in Gilgit-Baltistan are licensed by DTSGB, which also handles complaints about licensed operators.

Bargaining is normal in handicraft and souvenir shops, and reviewers note that discounts are commonly given on larger purchases. It is less appropriate in fixed-price retail, supermarkets and where food is sold by weight at a stated per-kilogram rate.

• Ask the price before showing interest, not after.
• Compare two or three shops first, especially in Chasma Bazaar where they are adjacent.
• Negotiate on quantity. Buying several shawls or a few kilos of dry fruit gives you more room than haggling over one item.
• Be respectful. These are small businesses in a short season.
• Cheapest is not best value. A low price on a machine-woven shawl sold as handwoven is not a bargain.

We deliberately do not publish a "discount by X percent" rule. Margins vary by product and shop, and any universal figure would be invented.

Best buys by type of visitor

Seven Skardu souvenirs and gifts worth taking home

1. Dried apricots — the signature product, and light
2. Walnuts in shell — keep well, travel well
3. Balti woollen cap — cheap, distinctive, packs into nothing
4. Woollen shawl — the most reliable gift on this list
5. Apricot oil — unusual, but ask for it sealed
6. Small wooden handicraft — check for cracks first
7. Mineral specimen — as a souvenir at souvenir prices, not as an investment

Practical shopping notes

The only ATM confirmed to accept international cards is Bank Alfalah — see money and ATMs in Skardu.

• Carry cash. Some shops accept cards — one reviewer specifically mentions card acceptance at a Chasma Bazaar handicraft shop, while also recommending cash after a card problem. Assume cash and treat cards as a bonus. See what a trip costs for budgeting.
• Keep receipts for anything expensive, and photograph the item with the receipt.
• Check packaging on food before it goes in your luggage. Oil and honey leak.
• Ask about shipping if you buy something large. Some handicraft shops will arrange it.
• Check baggage limits — the Islamabad flight has tighter allowances than you may expect, and dry fruit is heavier than it looks. See the flight and road options.
• Shop timing. Many shops close for Friday prayers and hours vary seasonally.

Shopping fits naturally into an arrival or departure day rather than taking a day of its own — see our 5, 7 and 10-day itineraries.

How we compiled this guide

Business names, areas, opening hours and phone numbers were checked against available local listings, and each shop below appears in those listings under the category we have given it. We have not verified the individual product inventory of any shop, and we do not claim first-hand purchasing experience at any of them.

Several businesses named in other local sources — including Royal Heritage Skardu, Siachen Handicrafts, Karakoram Handicrafts, Insaf Dry Fruits Center and Al Naeem Dry Fruits — we could not independently verify, so they are not listed here. That is not a judgement on those businesses; it means we could not confirm current details and would rather omit than guess.

Shops close, move, and change what they stock. Prices are not published here because we cannot verify them and any figure would go out of date immediately. Last verified 2 September 2026. If something here is wrong, tell us or report it. See our sources and methodology.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the best shopping area in Skardu?

Chasma Bazaar has the densest cluster of handicraft and souvenir shops, several within a hundred metres of each other. Dry fruit sellers are spread across Alamdar Road, Hussaini Chowk and Gamba. Bismillah Dry Fruit on Masjid Road near Chashma Bazar is particularly well reviewed for variety and prices.

What dry fruits should I buy in Skardu?

Dried apricots first, then walnuts, almonds, mulberries and apricot kernels. Ask which season the stock is from — last year's fruit is sold alongside this year's. Buy walnuts in shell where you can, as they keep far longer.

Can I buy gemstones in Skardu?

Yes, there are several established gem and mineral dealers. But authenticity cannot be verified in a shop, and no website can vouch for any stone. Keep purchases to a souvenir budget, always take a written invoice, and get anything expensive independently assessed before paying.

Where can I buy handicrafts in Skardu?

Mainly Chasma Bazaar, where several handicraft shops sit close together. There are also shops near the Kachura lakes. Compare two or three before buying — prices for similar goods vary considerably.

Is bargaining common in Skardu?

Yes in handicraft and souvenir shops, and discounts are commonly given on larger purchases. Less so in fixed-price retail or where food is sold at a stated per-kilogram rate. Ask the price before showing interest, and compare shops first.

What is Pattu in Baltistan?

Pattu is handwoven woollen cloth made across Baltistan and used for coats, caps and blankets. It is the textile most specific to the region. Handwoven pattu is slightly irregular — a perfectly even weave usually means machine production.

Where can I buy traditional Balti clothes?

Handicraft shops in Chasma Bazaar sell chugas, the traditional Balti coat, along with caps, waistcoats and shawls. A chuga is bulky, so consider your luggage before buying one.

What should I check before buying gemstones?

Ask for a written invoice with the seller's name, date, stated stone type and weight, and price. Photograph the stone with the invoice. Do not buy under time pressure, and do not treat a seller's assurance or an on-site certificate as proof of authenticity.

What are the most famous things to buy in Skardu?

Dried apricots and other dry fruit are what Skardu is most famous for — they are lighter, more flavourful and cheaper here than anywhere else in Pakistan. After that: walnuts, Pattu woollen cloth, Balti caps, apricot oil, and gemstones or mineral specimens if you have a modest budget for them. All are specific to Baltistan and found in Chasma Bazaar or the dry fruit shops on Alamdar Road.

What souvenirs and gifts should I bring back from Skardu?

Dried apricots are the classic answer — lighter, cheaper and more flavourful here than anywhere else in Pakistan. Add walnuts in shell, a Balti woollen cap, apricot oil and a Pattu or shawl if you have room. All pack flat and survive the journey. Gemstones are worth it only if you know what you are looking at.

Are gemstones in Skardu genuine?

Gilgit-Baltistan is a genuine source region for aquamarine, tourmaline and topaz, and Skardu has several established dealers. That said, this is where visitors lose the most money. Buy from a dealer with a fixed shop rather than a street seller, ask for the source locality, and do not spend significant money on a stone you cannot verify.