Fixed-wing aircraft have never been able to land at the spectacularly-sited Shangrila Resort.
Nonetheless, one such passenger plane is there, and has for many years been one of the resort’s signature features.
Circa 30 minutes driving distance from Skardu, the resort has a heart-shaped lake, faux-Chinese buildings, and landscaped gardens – all of which are dwarfed by the surrounding Karakoram peaks.
Its most incongruous “attraction” is the resort’s cafe: a 1947-vintage Douglas DC-3.
On October 13, 1954 – three minutes after take-off from Skardu Airport – this plane crash-landed in the bed of the Indus River, following an engine failure,
All eleven passengers and three crew survived, but the DC-3 was “written off”.
It was then “sold” to the Shangrila Resort’s canny founder-proprietor for virtually nothing. (150 Pakistani Rupees)
The plane was moved from crash site to resort, on rollers; this took three months, and was accomplished by humans, horses and bullocks.
I photographed it at 11.59 am on 15 May, 2024.