Budget calculator, permit requirements, when to go, how to get there, and what no travel agency will tell you. All in one place.
These are real numbers from real trips — not agency estimates. All prices are per person, per day, all-in.
This route covers the highlights without rushing. It's doable on a mid-range budget of Rs. 7,000–10,000/day total.
Morning flight to Gilgit (45 min). Check into a guesthouse in Gilgit city. Visit the old bazaar, try local food. Day trip to Kargah Buddha carvings (free). Early night.
Flight: Rs. 8,000–15,000NATCO bus or shared jeep (3–4h, Rs. 400–600). Settle in Karimabad. Afternoon: Baltit Fort. Sunset from the rooftop. Day 4: Eagle's Nest sunrise hike (2h return, free).
2 nights: Rs. 3,000–8,000Hire a shared jeep from Karimabad (Rs. 1,500–2,000 for 4 people). Attabad Lake boat ride (Rs. 500), lunch at Passu, walk to base of Passu Cones. Return by evening.
Total: Rs. 2,000–4,000Bus south to Raikot Bridge junction (3h). Negotiate a jeep to Tato village. Camp or stay in a hut at Fairy Meadows. Clear night = incredible stargazing.
Jeep + camp: Rs. 4,000–6,000Full day hike to Raikot Base Camp and back (4–5h total). Start early for morning light on the face. No guide needed, trail is clear. Picnic lunch at the base camp moraine.
Cost: Rs. 500 (park entry)Descend to KKH, bus east toward Skardu via Chilas (5–6h). Check into hotel in Skardu. Evening walk along the Indus river. Skardu Bazaar for local shopping.
Bus: Rs. 600–800Hire jeep from Skardu to Deosai Plains and back (Rs. 6,000–8,000 for full day). Sheosar Lake, Bara Pani, Himalayan brown bear habitat. Pay Deosai entry fee (Rs. 500).
Jeep hire: Rs. 6,000–8,000Morning flight back to Islamabad (Rs. 10,000–18,000). Or take the Skardu–Gilgit road and fly from Gilgit. Build in a one-day buffer — Skardu flights cancel often.
Flight: Rs. 10,000–18,000| No permit needed | Karimabad, Attabad Lake, Khunjerab Pass, Fairy Meadows, Gilgit, Skardu, Naran, Chilas, Naltar, Rakaposhi BC, Passu. Just CNIC/passport. |
| Deosai National Park | Rs. 500 entry fee at the park gate. No advance booking needed. Foreigners Rs. 1,000. |
| NOC required | Shimshal Valley, Chapursan Valley, Karambar Lake, Darkot Pass. Apply at DC Gilgit or DC Gojal (Gulmit). 3–5 days processing. Free for Pakistanis. |
| Trekking permit | Required for K2, Gondogoro La, Hispar Pass, Biafo Glacier, Spantik. Apply via Ministry of Tourism, Islamabad. Allow 2 weeks minimum. Fees vary by route ($50–$200 USD). |
| Foreigners | All foreign tourists need to report to the police/FC checkpost at their first destination. They will enter your passport details. Standard procedure, not a red flag. |
| Khunjerab Pass | Pakistani CNIC holders can enter freely. Foreign passport holders: entry allowed, but you cannot cross into China without a Chinese visa and bilateral travel permit. |
PIA and AirSial operate Islamabad–Gilgit daily. Rs. 8,000–15,000 one way. Flights cancel frequently for weather — never book tight connections. Best April–October.
Direct flight from Islamabad to Skardu. Rs. 10,000–18,000. Slightly more reliable than Gilgit flights. Stunning approach over the Karakoram. Book weeks ahead in peak season.
The KKH from Islamabad via Abbottabad, Mansehra, Besham, Chilas to Gilgit. NATCO bus Rs. 1,200–1,800. Break the journey at Besham or Chilas. All-year route (delays in landslide season Jun–Aug).