Flying into Skardu was (don't if it is now) an "interesting" experience. If I remember rightly, the PIA flight was always scheduled for an early start so that they could delay it indefinitely if there was any cloud...
I was actually asked up front for an outstanding view of the Karakoram range as we flew into Skardu - got some great pics of K2 and Masherbrum somewhere...
The Shangri-La Hotel in Skardu is about as close to the mythical Shangrila as you could get - a beautiful crystal clear mirror calm lake, surrounded by stunning peaks and yes, the old DC3 in the grounds adds a little fun to the stay...It's a shame that this part of the world is so riven by political & religious problems as the tourism potential is massive....