4 group tours and 4 private honeymoon trips from Lahore
Our Gilgit Baltistan tour packages leave Lahore by Toyota Coaster, cross Babusar Top to Chilas and follow the Karakoram Highway past Gilgit to Nagar, Hunza and the Khunjerab Pass. Group tours take 5 or 6 days and start at PKR 27,000 per person, with Islamabad guests picked up on the way at no extra charge. Couples can take a private car for 8 to 11 days, and we plan Skardu, Deosai and Fairy Meadows as private trips on request.
Below the packages you will find the best time to visit, the road from Lahore and Islamabad, and the places worth the drive, from Gilgit and Naltar to Skardu, Deosai and Astore.
If you have already settled on Hunza, our Hunza tour packages page goes through each Hunza itinerary day by day. For the jeep and the walk to Nanga Parbat, see our Fairy Meadows tour packages.
Drive times are from Gilgit on dry summer roads; a landslide can add hours.
Gilgit, at about 1,500 m, is the regional capital where the Karakoram Highway, the Skardu road and the Ghizer road meet. Half a day covers the Kargah Buddha, carved into a cliff about 10 km west of town, the long bazaar and the Danyore suspension bridge. It has the best shops, banks and ATMs in the region.
Naltar is a pine-forest valley north of Gilgit with a string of small green and blue lakes. The last stretch is a rough track best done by local jeep, about two hours from Gilgit in all, so give it a full day. July and August are best; in winter snow often blocks the track. Our Naltar Valley guide has the lakes, the jeep track and winter skiing in detail.
Hunza and Nagar face each other across the Hunza River about 100 km north of Gilgit, 2 to 2.5 hours by road. Karimabad sits under Baltit Fort, Rakaposhi (7,788 m) is in view from the Nagar side, and further up are Attabad Lake, the Passu Cones and the Hussaini bridge. Give it at least two nights; our Hunza tour packages cover it day by day. For Hopar, Rush Lake and the Rakaposhi viewpoint see our Nagar Valley guide, and for the Hunza side our list of places to visit in Hunza.
The Khunjerab Pass, at 4,693 m, is the China border and the highest point on the Karakoram Highway, about 250 km from Gilgit. Most people go up from Hunza and back in a day, 5 to 6 hours of driving, and pay a national park ticket at the gate, about PKR 500 for Pakistanis and a reported USD 40 for most foreigners in 2026. It is usually closed to tourists from December to March.
Skardu, at about 2,230 m on the Indus, is 4 to 5 hours from Gilgit via Alam Bridge. Around it are the Kachura lakes, Satpara Lake and the cold desert at Katpana; Shigar Fort is under an hour away and Khaplu Palace about three hours east. Give Baltistan at least three nights, from May to October.
Deosai is a national park plateau above 4,000 m between Skardu and Astore, known for July wildflowers and Himalayan brown bears. Jeeps climb from Skardu past Satpara Lake in 2 to 3 hours, and Sheosar Lake is on the far side. The road is open only from about mid June to September, with an entry ticket at the gate.
Fairy Meadows is a meadow at about 3,300 m facing Nanga Parbat (8,126 m). From Raikot Bridge, about 80 km south of Gilgit, a jeep climbs 15 km to Tato in 1.5 to 2 hours, and the last 5 km is a walk of 2.5 to 4 hours. Plan two nights, June to September; our Fairy Meadows tour packages page has the details.
Astore is a green valley that leaves the Karakoram Highway south of Gilgit and climbs towards the east side of Nanga Parbat and the Deosai Plains. Rama Meadows, a short jeep ride above Astore town, has pine forest and a small lake under the mountain. Give it two nights, June to September, or cross Deosai to Skardu from here.
Ghizer runs west from Gilgit towards the Shandur Pass. Phander, 5 to 6 hours from Gilgit via Gahkuch and Gupis, has a clear blue lake and a trout river, with simple hotels and far fewer tourists than Hunza. Give it two nights; the Shandur Polo Festival, usually in early July, fills the area.
The coaster leaves Lahore at 11 pm from Thokar Niaz Baig or Barkat Market. Islamabad guests are picked up on the way at no extra charge, at a point near the motorway or GT Road that we share with booked guests before departure. We drive through the night, have breakfast in Balakot and reach Naran the next morning.
Rooms on group tours are shared by 3 to 4 people. We do not publish hotel names: hotels are booked on availability for your dates and confirmed before departure. One tour guide stays with the group from Lahore and back. Group tours depart through the season, so message us on WhatsApp for the next date. Children 3 to 9 pay the child price, and children under 3 travel free.
Standard and luxury group tours follow the same route in the same coaster; luxury tours use better hotels and serve better food. Private trips use your own car and driver, a room for the two of you, and a slower plan with extra stops.
| Option | Days | Price | Transport and rooms | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard group tour | 5 or 6 | PKR 27,000 or 32,000 per person | Coaster, standard hotels, 3 to 4 per room | Friends, students, families on a budget |
| Luxury group tour | 5 or 6 | PKR 33,000 or 38,000 per person | Coaster, better hotels and food, 3 to 4 per room | Families who want more comfort |
| Private honeymoon trip | 8, 9 or 11 | PKR 250,000 to 310,000 per couple | Private car and driver, A-category hotels, own room | Couples |
| Private trip on request | Your choice | Quoted for your dates | Own car and driver from any city | Skardu, Deosai, Fairy Meadows, Astore |
These lists come from the tours themselves. Each tour page shows its own full list.
Included: the Toyota Coaster from Lahore with Islamabad pickup, hotel nights with 3 to 4 people per room, breakfast and dinner each day as a one-dish buffet, one BBQ night with a bonfire, the Khunjerab Pass trip with the national park ticket, all tolls and taxes, and a tour guide for the whole trip.
Not included: lunch, the optional jeep to Lake Saif-ul-Malook, the boat on Attabad Lake, Altit and Baltit fort tickets, insurance and personal expenses.
Included: a private car with driver for every day, pickup and drop-off in Lahore or Islamabad, A-category hotels with one room for the couple, the jeeps listed on each tour, tolls and taxes. Honeymoon trips do not include meals, so you eat where and when you like. Fort tickets and personal expenses are extra.
This is the plan of our 5 day standard group tour. The luxury version runs the same days with better hotels.
| Day | Route and stops | Night |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leave Lahore at 11 pm, Islamabad pickup, breakfast in Balakot, optional jeep to Lake Saif-ul-Malook | Naran |
| 2 | Lulusar Lake, Babusar Top, Chilas, Nanga Parbat viewpoint, the meeting point of three mountain ranges, Rakaposhi viewpoint | Hunza |
| 3 | Attabad Lake, Passu Cones, Hussaini bridge, Sost and the Khunjerab Pass, Karimabad bazaar on the way back | Hunza |
| 4 | Back down the Karakoram Highway and over Babusar Top | Naran |
| 5 | Naran to Islamabad and Lahore, arriving late evening | Home |
The 6 day standard tour and the 6 day luxury tour spend three nights in Nagar instead of two in Hunza. That gives one day for Karimabad, Altit Fort and Attabad Lake and another for Passu and the Khunjerab Pass.
We do not sell fixed packages to Skardu, Deosai or Fairy Meadows at the moment, so there are no prices for them here. We plan them as private trips with your own car and driver, from any city, on your dates. Send us your dates, group size and the places you want on WhatsApp, and we reply with a day plan and a price.
May to October is the best time for most of the region, and our group tours run from June to October while Babusar Top is open. Every road, Deosai included, is open from mid June to September, which is why July and August are the busiest months. April brings blossom to Hunza and Skardu, and late October has yellow poplars in Hunza. In winter the high roads close, but Gilgit, Hunza and Skardu stay reachable.
| Month | Weather | Roads | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|
| December to February | Freezing nights, snow in the high valleys | Babusar, Khunjerab and Deosai closed; KKH open with delays | Very quiet |
| March | Cold, first blossom low down late in the month | Babusar and Deosai closed | Quiet |
| April | Mild days, cold nights, apricot and cherry blossom | Babusar closed, so the road goes via Besham; Khunjerab usually reopens | Busy for blossom weekends |
| May | Warm days, snow still on the passes | Babusar opens late in some years | Rising |
| June | Warm, clear, snow melting | Babusar usually open; Deosai from mid June | Busy |
| July and August | Hottest; Gilgit city can pass 35 C, Hunza is milder | All open, but monsoon rain brings landslides | Peak, very busy at Eid |
| September | Clear, cooler evenings | All open; Deosai closes late in the month | Fewer people |
| October | Cool, autumn colour starts | Babusar closes with the first heavy snow | Quiet |
| November | Cold, last yellow poplars early in the month | Babusar closed, KKH open | Very quiet |
From about June to October the quickest road is the M-2 to Islamabad, the Hazara Motorway to Mansehra, the N-15 through Balakot and Naran, then over Babusar Top (4,173 m) to Chilas on the Karakoram Highway. Gilgit is about three hours beyond Chilas. Our tours break the drive with a night in Naran each way.
When snow closes Babusar, the road runs from Islamabad through Abbottabad, Thakot and Besham and up the Indus to Chilas. It is open all year but slower, often 12 to 14 hours from Islamabad to Gilgit, so drive it in daylight with a night stop. If the route changes for a tour, we tell you before departure.
PIA flies from Islamabad to Gilgit and Skardu in about an hour, but flights need clear weather and are often cancelled in spring and winter, so keep a spare day. Karachi is about 1,890 km from Gilgit by road; most Karachi travellers fly or take the train to Lahore or Islamabad and join there.
| To | From Lahore | From Islamabad |
|---|---|---|
| Naran (night stop) | 610 km, 10 to 12 hours | 250 km, 5 to 6 hours |
| Babusar Top | 670 km | 320 km |
| Raikot Bridge (Fairy Meadows) | 770 km | 410 km, 8 to 9 hours |
| Gilgit | 850 km, 16 to 18 hours | 490 km, 9 to 11 hours |
| Karimabad, Hunza | 930 km, about 20 hours | 575 km, 12 to 14 hours |
| Skardu | 1,000 km | 645 km, 12 to 14 hours |
| Khunjerab Pass | 1,100 km | 740 km |
Most of the Karakoram lies in Gilgit-Baltistan. Four of the fourteen 8,000 m peaks in the world, K2 (8,611 m), Gasherbrum I (8,080 m), Broad Peak (8,051 m) and Gasherbrum II (8,035 m), stand within a few days' walk of each other at the head of the Baltoro Glacier. Roughly 28 to 50 percent of the range is glaciated. The Siachen is over 70 km long, the Biafo about 67 km, the Baltoro about 63 km and the Batura about 57 km.
We plan treks as private trips on request, with licensed guides and porters, mostly from June to September. Treks in restricted zones need permits, which we arrange.
From Askole, a day by jeep from Skardu, our K2 base camp trek heads up the Baltoro Glacier for about a week to Concordia, about 4,600 m, where K2 comes into full view, and walks on to the base camp and back. Count on 12 to 14 days of walking and about 21 days from Lahore by road. No climbing skills are needed, only fitness and patience with rough moraine, and the season is mid June to mid September.
Instead of retracing their steps down the Baltoro, fit trekkers can climb from Concordia over the Gondogoro La, about 5,585 m, and come down to Hushe village. This is a roped crossing with crampons and a certified guide, done in July and August while the fixed ropes are up, and falling rock on the Hushe side has made it riskier in the last few years. From Hushe a much shorter trek leads towards Masherbrum (7,821 m).
The Snow Lake trek walks from Baltistan to Nagar on ice: up the Biafo Glacier from Askole, across Snow Lake, which despite the name is a snowfield with no open water, over the Hispar La at about 5,150 m and down the Hispar Glacier. That is 100 to 120 km in 12 to 14 days. Hidden crevasses mean roping up on the high section, so we take only trekkers with high-altitude experience.
Rush Lake sits at 4,694 m above the Hopar glaciers in Nagar, with Miar Peak and Golden Peak (Spantik, 7,027 m) about 15 km to the south. The round trip from Hopar takes 5 to 7 days between late June and early September, and the day-by-day route is in our Nagar Valley guide. Golden Peak Base Camp is a separate trek on the glaciers above Hopar, which we plan with local Nagar guides.
Patundas is a high pasture above Passu in upper Hunza, with wide views over the Passu and Batura glaciers. Further east, a jeep road reaches Shimshal village, the start of the trek to the Shimshal Pass and the summer pastures where Shimshal families graze their yaks. The Khunjerab is the only pass across the Karakoram you can drive; the Shimshal Pass is the only other one still in regular use, on foot. For the villages along the way, see places to visit in Hunza.
The Naltar Pass trek starts from Naltar Bala, about 34 to 40 km from Gilgit, climbs past the Naltar lakes and crosses over to Pakora in the Ishkoman valley of Ghizer. Snow lingers on the pass, so we plan it for the middle of summer.
Pakistani travellers need only their CNIC, and children a B-form. Several police and army checkpoints on the Karakoram Highway and the Babusar road note your name and ID, so keep it in your pocket. Foreigners show a passport and visa. Permits are needed only for treks in restricted zones such as the Baltoro towards K2.
SCOM has the widest signal; Zong, Jazz and Telenor work in Gilgit, Karimabad, Aliabad and Skardu, but long stretches of the highway, Deosai and Fairy Meadows have weak signal or none. ATMs run out of cash on busy weekends, so take enough from a main town for jeeps, tickets and food.
Gilgit-Baltistan is one of the safest regions of Pakistan for tourists, families included. The real risks are landslides in the monsoon, snow on Babusar early and late in the season, and driving after dark. Babusar Top, Deosai and Khunjerab are above 4,000 m: walk slowly, drink water and keep the stop to about an hour. Anyone with a heart or breathing condition should ask a doctor first. The valleys are conservative, so dress modestly.
Message us on WhatsApp with the tour, your departure date and the number of adults and children. A 30% advance confirms your seats, and the rest is paid at departure.
“One of the best hunza tour ever. Everything was so perfectly managed. The team members were very cooperative giving us the feelings of a FAMILY. I will definitely like to travel with Pakistan Travel Diaries on more tours to hunza valley.”
Iram RafiqueHunza Luxury Tour 6 Days 5 Nights from Lahore“It was an amazing tour with Pakistan Travel Diaries. 5 Days Hunza tour was like a dream, I can not believe how the time flew over there, these 5 days were the best days. Every thing was properly managed, time, food, accommodation, traveling. The CEO Abuzar is not less than a Super Hero, the way he managed every thing was so smooth. He is like Jinny, call his name and he is in front of you asking "what can I do for you". It was a memorable tour. ❣️😇”
Asad R. KhokharHunza Luxury Tour 5 Days 4 Nights by Road from Lahore“It was my first Experince travelling to Hunza with Pakistan Travel Diaries and it was very good. We had enjoyed every moment and it was just because of the amazing services including food and accommodation that were provided by them. Definitely recommend PTD for amazing tours.”
Mehak HameedHunza Tour Package 5 Days, Standard Group Tour from Lahore“I had the opportunity to visit Gilgit Baltistan with Pakistan Travel Diaries in summers of 2019. Apart from the gorgeous valley and the beautiful view our Gilgit tour was very well organized. I thank the Pakistan travel diaries team for the amazing souvenirs and gifts. Looking to visit Beautiful Pakistan again next year.”
Da-chungGilgit-Baltistan“The best ever company to travel with! No compromise on comfort and peace. 🌸 Pakistan Travel Diaries provided all the necessities and comfort with such and elegance during my last trip to Naran Kaghan. Such a friendly host! Perfect arrangement of jeeps, food and hotels! Perfect views from hotel 🥳 Highly Recommend for Naran Kaghan Tours!!”
Neha NabeelNaran Kaghan Luxury Tour 3 Days 2 Nights from Lahore“The best company for Naran Kaghan Tours and other northern areas of Pakistan. The Tour Operator and Perfect Guide "Abuzar Khan Buzdar" is one man army who will be there for u to provide u maximum satisfaction. I just love their Services They always provide luxurious tour to their customers cum family ♥️Always Recommend❤️”
Bint E JavaidNaran Kaghan Luxury Tour 3 Days 2 Nights from Lahore
Our Gilgit Baltistan tour packages start at PKR 27,000 per person for the 5 day group tour and PKR 32,000 for 6 days, both in standard hotels, or PKR 33,000 and PKR 38,000 for the luxury versions. Rooms are shared by 3 to 4 people. Private honeymoon trips through Gilgit to Hunza cost PKR 250,000 to 310,000 per couple for 8 to 11 days.
At 11 pm from Thokar Niaz Baig or Barkat Market in Lahore, by Toyota Coaster. We drive overnight and reach Naran the next morning. Group tours depart through the season rather than on one fixed weekday, so message us on WhatsApp for the next date and we will confirm the pickup point.
Yes, at no extra charge. The coaster picks up Islamabad guests on the way north on the first night, at a point near the motorway or GT Road so it stays on its route. We share the exact spot with booked guests before departure, and drop Islamabad guests on the same route on the way back.
Five days is the minimum from Lahore for Hunza and the Khunjerab Pass, because the drive takes two days each way with a night in Naran. Six days gives an easier pace in the valley. To add Fairy Meadows, plan about seven days, and for Hunza with Skardu and Deosai about ten days, as a private trip.
May to October. Mid June to September is the only time every road is open, Babusar Top and Deosai included, so July and August are the busiest months, with some monsoon landslides. April is blossom season in Hunza and Skardu, and late October brings autumn colour. Our group tours run from June to October.
Gilgit is about 850 km from Lahore and about 490 km from Islamabad on the summer route over Babusar Top. Driving time is 16 to 18 hours from Lahore and 9 to 11 hours from Islamabad, without long stops. Most people break the trip with a night in Naran or Chilas, which is what our tours do.
Not as fixed packages right now. We plan Skardu, Deosai and Fairy Meadows as private trips with your own car and driver, from any city in Pakistan, on your dates. Send us your dates, group size and the places you want on WhatsApp, and we send back a day plan and a price.
Not in bad weather. PIA flies from Islamabad to Gilgit and Skardu in about an hour, but the Gilgit flight needs clear skies between the mountains and is often cancelled in spring and winter. Our packages go by road for that reason. On a private trip you can fly one way if you keep a spare day.
On group tours, 3 to 4 people share a room. Standard tours use standard hotels and luxury tours use better hotels in Naran, Hunza and Nagar. We do not publish hotel names because they are booked on availability for your dates; the hotel is confirmed before departure. Honeymoon trips use A-category hotels with one room for the couple.
Children aged 3 to 9 pay the child price and children under 3 travel free. On the 5 day tours the child price is PKR 19,000 (standard) or PKR 23,000 (luxury); on the 6 day tours it is PKR 22,500 (standard) or PKR 26,500 (luxury). Children share the family room.
Group tours include breakfast and dinner every day as a one-dish buffet, plus one BBQ night with a bonfire. Breakfast is paratha, egg, tea and channay or aloo bhujia; dinner rotates between chicken karahi, qorma, pulao, daal and a vegetable dish. Lunch is not included. Honeymoon trips do not include meals.
Yes. Gilgit-Baltistan is one of the safest regions of Pakistan for tourists, and families make up most of our groups. The risks are natural: landslides in July and August, snow on the high passes and long road days. The Khunjerab Pass is 4,693 m high, so anyone with a heart or breathing condition should ask a doctor first.
No. Pakistani citizens need only their CNIC, and children a B-form, which you show at several checkpoints on the way. Foreign tourists need a valid Pakistan visa and register with their passport. Permits are only for mountaineering and treks in restricted areas such as the Baltoro towards K2. The Khunjerab park ticket is included in our group tour price.
In the towns, yes. SCOM has the widest coverage, and Zong, Jazz and Telenor work in Gilgit, Hunza and Skardu. Signal drops on long stretches of the highway, on Babusar and near Khunjerab. Gilgit, Aliabad, Karimabad, Skardu and Chilas have ATMs, but they can run dry at weekends and Eid, so carry cash.
No. The Deosai Plains are above 4,000 m and under snow for most of the year. The jeep road from Skardu opens around mid June and closes in late September or with the first heavy snow. July is the best month, when the wildflowers are out. Go with a local jeep and driver and carry warm clothes.
A 30% advance confirms your booking and the rest is paid at departure. If you cancel more than 7 days before departure, we refund 75% of what you paid; 5 to 7 days before, we refund 50%. Cancellations in the last 4 days and no-shows are not refunded.
Tell us your dates, group size and budget and our Lahore travel desk will tailor a package for you. Call +92 311 1696777 or send an enquiry.
