How Much Does a Trip to Northern Pakistan Cost? A 2026 Budget Guide
Pakistan Locals Team
13 August 2026 · 3 min read
At a glance
- Location
- Northern Pakistan
- Region
- Gilgit-Baltistan
- Duration
- 7 to 10 days
Good news first: northern Pakistan is one of the most affordable spectacular places you can travel. But costs swing a lot depending on how you get around and how you sleep, and a few things catch people out. Here is the honest breakdown of what a trip to Hunza, Skardu and the north actually costs in 2026, and how to spend less.
Daily budgets by style
- Backpacker: under PKR 5,000 a day. A bed in a simple guesthouse, local food, and shared vans and buses. Entirely doable, and you meet more people this way.
- Comfortable: PKR 8,000 to 15,000 a day per person. A decent mid-range room, a private car for day trips, and eating well. This is where most travellers land.
- Comfort and above: PKR 15,000+ a day. Heritage forts and lakeside resorts, a private driver throughout, and the nicer lodges. The north has genuinely lovely high-end stays for the price.
Where the money actually goes
The single biggest cost is transport. Everything else is cheap by comparison.
- Getting up there. The Islamabad to Gilgit flight is the fast option but weather-dependent, while a coach up the Karakoram Highway costs only a few thousand rupees. See our how to get to Hunza guide for the numbers.
- 4x4 jeep hire. The best places, like Deosai, Fairy Meadows and the high valleys, need a jeep, and jeep hire is a real line item, often a few thousand rupees per vehicle per day, shared among the group.
- Rooms. Family guesthouses are cheap, mid-range hotels are reasonable, and only the heritage and lakeside places cost real money.
- Food. Genuinely cheap and often included at guesthouses. You will not spend much here.
What a trip roughly costs
- 5 to 6 days in Hunza from Islamabad. An all-in hosted package usually runs PKR 35,000 to 50,000 per person depending on group size, not counting flights.
- 7 to 10 days covering Hunza and Skardu. Budget more for the extra jeep days, especially Deosai, and for the longer road transfers.
- Independent travel can come in well under a package if you use buses, shared vans and guesthouses and travel with a bit of patience.
How to spend a lot less
Take the road, not the plane. The KKH coach costs a fraction of the flight and is half the experience. Use shared transport between towns. Sleep in family guesthouses and eat local, both of which are cheap and better anyway. Travel in the shoulder season (May or September) for lower prices and thinner crowds. And share jeep hire with other travellers for the high spots.
The things that catch people out
Two surprises worth planning for. First, ATMs basically stop after Gilgit, so carry enough cash for the whole leg. Second, flight cancellations can force a last-minute road trip or an extra hotel night, so keep a small buffer in both time and budget. Neither is a problem if you plan for it.
Quick answers
Daily budget for the north? Under PKR 5,000 for backpackers, PKR 8,000 to 15,000 for comfortable travel.
Cost of a Hunza package? Around PKR 35,000 to 50,000 per person for 5 to 6 days from Islamabad, excluding flights.
Biggest expense? Transport, especially flights and 4x4 jeep hire for the high places.
Best way to save? Road not flight, shared transport, guesthouses, local food, and shoulder season.
Written and fact-checked by the Pakistan Locals editorial team. Last updated August 2026. These are approximate 2026 figures and prices move with fuel and the season, so treat them as a guide, not a quote.
Sources and further reading
Plan the trip with our Hunza guide, Skardu guide and northern Pakistan itineraries. When you are ready, browse hosted trips and stays across Gilgit-Baltistan on Pakistan Locals.
Questions people ask
How much does a trip to northern Pakistan cost?+
Backpackers get by on under PKR 5,000 a day. A comfortable trip runs roughly PKR 8,000 to 15,000 a day per person, and an all-in 5 to 6 day Hunza package from Islamabad usually lands around PKR 35,000 to 50,000 per person, not counting flights.
Is northern Pakistan cheap to travel?+
Yes, by international standards it is very affordable. Food and guesthouses are cheap, and the biggest costs are transport, jeep hire for high spots, and flights if you fly.
What is the biggest expense?+
Transport. Whether it is flights, a private car, or 4x4 jeep hire for places like Deosai and Fairy Meadows, getting around the mountains is where most of the money goes.
How can I save money?+
Take the road instead of flying, use shared transport, stay in family guesthouses, eat local food, and travel in the shoulder season of May or September.
Pakistan Locals Team
The Pakistan Locals editorial team writes practical, on-the-ground travel guides to Pakistan, researched and fact-checked in consultation with our network of local hosts and guides.