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 (about 50-60 min, weather permitting - cancellations are common). 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 past Gilgit to the Raikot Bridge junction (allow most of the morning). Negotiate a jeep up to Tato village (rough 4×4, ~1.5-2.5h), then it's a steep ~5 km walk uphill (3-4h) to Fairy Meadows. Camp or stay in a hut. 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)Walk down to Tato, jeep to Raikot Bridge, then drive to Skardu via Gilgit and the Jaglot-Skardu road. It's a long day - plan a near-full travel day rather than a quick hop. Check into a 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 the Deosai park entry fee at the gate (rates vary - confirm the current rate locally). Deosai is summer-only, roughly mid/late June to late September.
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 | Entry fee payable at the park gate; no advance booking needed. Rates differ for Pakistanis and foreigners and change often - confirm the current rate locally before you go. Open summer only (roughly mid/late June-late Sept). |
| 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 flies Islamabad-Gilgit on ATR turboprops (verify the current operator before booking). Rs. 8,000-15,000 one way. These flights fly visual rules only and cancel frequently for cloud or wind - never book tight connections. Best April-October.
Direct flight from Islamabad to Skardu (around an hour), flown by PIA, Airblue and AirSial on jets - verify current operators before booking. Rs. 10,000-18,000. Slightly more reliable than Gilgit flights but still weather-dependent. 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).