Some of the best nights I've had in these mountains were in a tent, with nothing between me and the cold air but a sleeping bag and a thin sheet of nylon.
Camping is woven into how people travel across Gilgit-Baltistan. Many of the places worth seeing — high plateaus, alpine lakes, the base of big peaks — simply have no hotels nearby, and a tent is the only way to wake up where you went to sleep. That is the whole appeal. You stay out past the day-trippers, you watch the light change on the snow at dusk, and you have the Milky Way to yourself once the engines stop and the camp lights go out.
It also changes the pace of a trip. Instead of racing back to a guesthouse before dark, you settle. You boil water for tea, you listen to a river you can't see, and the mountains stop being scenery and start being the place you actually live for a night or two. For a lot of our guests, the camping nights end up being the part of the journey they talk about most when they get home.
The trade-off is that GB camping is mostly self-supported. Outside a few organised valley campsites, there is no shop, no rented gear, and no one to fix your mistakes. That is not a warning to scare you off — it is the thing that keeps these places quiet and worth the effort.
| Deosai Plains | 4,000m+ of open plateau between Skardu and Astore. Vast, flat, and utterly dark at night. Bring serious insulation — it freezes even in summer. Deosai guide → |
| Fairy Meadows | 3,300m grassy clearing facing Nanga Parbat. The most popular camp in GB, with established sites and the easiest introduction to high-altitude camping. Camping guide → |
| Rush Lake area | Camp high in Nagar Valley on the way to one of the highest alpine lakes in the region. For trekkers carrying their own gear and used to altitude. |
| Khunjerab plains | The high open ground of Upper Hunza near the border. Cold, wide, and remote — day visit or careful self-supported camping only. |
| Valley campsites | Several valleys (around Hunza, Ghizer, Astore) have informal or organised campsites near villages — the gentlest place to start if you are new to it. |
Bring your own everything. In remote areas there is nothing to rent and nothing to buy. Carry your tent, a sleeping bag rated colder than you expect to need, an insulated mat, a stove with enough fuel, and all your food. Plan for self-sufficiency from the moment you leave the last town.
It is cold — always. Even in July and August, nights above 3,000m drop sharply, and on Deosai or the Khunjerab plains you can wake to frost in midsummer. A warm sleeping bag and a real insulated layer matter more than almost anything else you pack.
Best season: June through September is the reliable window, when the high tracks are open and the worst of the cold has eased. Earlier or later and you are gambling on snow, closed roads, and near-freezing nights.
Leave no trace. These valleys stay beautiful because the people who camp here pack out what they bring in. Carry your rubbish back down, bury human waste well away from water, and don't cut vegetation for fires. What you leave behind is what the next traveller — and the next shepherd — has to deal with.
In a few of the larger towns and through trekking agencies you may be able to arrange gear, but in remote areas there is nothing to rent. For most spots you should plan to bring your own tent, sleeping bag, mat, stove, fuel and food.
Cold, even in summer. Nights above 3,000m drop sharply, and high plateaus like Deosai or the Khunjerab plains can freeze in July and August. A warm sleeping bag and a proper insulated layer are essential.
June through September is the reliable window, when the high tracks are open and nights are at their least harsh. Outside that window you risk snow, closed roads and near-freezing temperatures.
Popular options include the Deosai Plains, Fairy Meadows, the Rush Lake area, the Khunjerab plains, and informal valley campsites around Hunza, Ghizer and Astore. Beginners usually start at an organised valley campsite or Fairy Meadows.
Camping is widespread and generally accepted across GB. The key responsibility is leave-no-trace: pack out all rubbish, keep waste away from water, and don't damage vegetation. Always camp respectfully near villages and ask locally where it makes sense.