Astore to Deosai via Chilim: The Western Route

From Astore to Deosai you drive south up the valley through Gorikot and Gudai to Chilim, then climb onto the western end of the plateau. The Astore to Chilim road is about 54 km, and Sheosar Lake is about 16 km beyond the Chilim checkpoint, so most people allow three to four hours by jeep from Astore town to the lake. Coming this way you reach Sheosar first, and you can carry on across the whole plateau to Skardu, about 152 km from Astore, in a long day.

This guide covers getting to Astore, the route stage by stage, what the road is like now, why the western approach suits some trips better than Skardu, and where to sleep on this side.

Getting to Astore first

The Astore road leaves the Karakoram Highway in the Thalichi area, about 12 km north of Raikot Bridge (the turning for Fairy Meadows) and short of Jaglot, where the Skardu road branches off. From the junction it climbs about 45 km up the Astore river to Astore town, a drive of around two hours.

• From Gilgit: about 120 km, three to four hours, according to the Gilgit-Baltistan tourism department.
• From Chilas: down the KKH past Raikot Bridge to the turning, then up the valley. Most people count on half a day.
• From Islamabad: about 630 km, which the tourism department puts at 15 to 17 hours. That is two days of driving, with a night in Besham, Chilas or, in summer, Naran. Our guide to Islamabad to Deosai compares this approach with going via Skardu.

The Astore road can close too. In late July 2026, flood damage closed it at Kachak at the same time as the roads into Skardu, leaving hundreds of tourists stranded in both Astore and Skardu.

The route from Astore, stage by stage

1. Astore town. The valley's main town and the last place with a proper choice of shops, hotels and fuel. Fill the tank here and don't count on fuel beyond it.
2. Gorikot. A short drive south, where the road to Gudai and Chilim continues up the valley.
3. Gudai. A village in the side valley, with roadside shops, tea stalls and local guesthouses. By road it is roughly 30 km from Astore.
4. Chilim. The last settlement before the plateau, at around 3,600 metres, with a few small hotels. The Chilim checkpoint, at about 3,870 metres, is just above it. Show your ID here and pay the national park fee in cash at whatever rate is posted.
5. Onto the plateau. Beyond Chilim the surfaced road ends and the unpaved track climbs onto the western edge of Deosai.
6. Sheosar Lake. About 16 km from Chilim, usually under an hour. This is the first big sight on the plateau, with Nanga Parbat to the west on a clear morning.
7. On across the plateau, past the Kala Pani stream and the Bara Pani bridge to Ali Malik Mar on the northern rim, and down past Sadpara to Skardu, only if you are crossing.

What is the road like?

As far as Chilim the road is a narrow mountain road, surfaced for most of its length but broken and rough in places, with some steep climbs and tight bends. Travellers have long driven ordinary cars as far as Chilim in dry weather. From Chilim onwards it is the same unpaved plateau track as on the Skardu side: stony, rutted in places, and muddy after rain or during the June snowmelt.

The standard advice is a local jeep or another high-clearance 4x4 with a driver who knows the plateau. If you have come in your own car, you can drive it to Astore and leave it there, or read our guide to driving to Deosai in your own car before deciding.

The road may improve in future years. In September 2026 an official of the National Highway Authority told Dawn that the 54 km Astore to Chilim road and the 31 km Deosai to Skardu road were among seven Gilgit-Baltistan roads set to be taken over and developed by the federal government. The GB cabinet had approved the plan, but it still needed the federal cabinet's approval, so don't plan around it yet.

Why start from Astore: Sheosar first

The Skardu side is the usual way in, but the western approach has real advantages:

• Sheosar at its best. From Skardu, the lake is three to four hours away and you reach it late in the morning. From Chilim you can be at the shore within an hour of setting off, in the early light, when the water is calmest and Nanga Parbat is most often clear. Our Sheosar Lake guide covers the lake itself.
• No steep climb from Sadpara first thing. The Skardu side begins with the long, rough zigzag up to Ali Malik Mar.
• A gentler climb for your body. A night in Astore or Gudai before the plateau breaks up the gain in height, although Chilim itself is already high.
• A natural loop. Coming up the KKH, crossing Deosai and leaving Skardu by air or by the Skardu road means you never drive the same road twice.

There are downsides. Astore has fewer hotels and jeeps than Skardu, and there are no flights. If the plateau closes while you are on the Astore side, getting to Skardu means the long way round, back down to the KKH and up the Skardu road.

A day crossing from Astore to Skardu

A crossing is a full day, and the earlier you start, the better:

1. Leave Gudai or Chilim at first light, or Astore town before dawn.
2. Sheosar Lake by early morning. Walk along the shore and have breakfast from your flask.
3. Kala Pani and Bara Pani by late morning, stopping for marmots and, with luck, a bear feeding on a far slope.
4. Lunch at Bara Pani, then on to Ali Malik Mar on the rim.
5. Down past Sadpara to Skardu in the afternoon, well before dark.

Carry lunch, water and warm clothes for everyone, since nothing is sold on the plateau. If you are hiring a jeep in Astore for a one-way crossing, agree the price for the driver's return before you set off.

Where to stay on the Astore side

Night camping on the plateau was banned in 2025, and seasonal hotels inside the park were banned from the 2026 season, so your night before the plateau is off it.

• Astore town has the widest choice, and a night here, at a gentler altitude, suits anyone coming straight up from the low, hot KKH.
• Gudai has simple local guesthouses and is closer to the plateau.
• Chilim has a few small hotels right below the park. It is the best place to sleep for an early start to Sheosar, but at around 3,600 metres it is cold at night and high enough to give some people a poor night's sleep.

Rooms on this side are few, so book ahead in July and August. Mobile signal is patchy beyond Astore town and absent on the plateau, so let someone know your plan before you go up.

Who should come this way?

The western route suits travellers coming up the Karakoram Highway by road, anyone combining Deosai with Rama and the Nanga Parbat side of Astore, and photographers who want Sheosar in the morning. It also suits a one-way trip that ends with a flight home from Skardu.

It suits less well a short trip built around flights to Skardu, where a day trip up from town is simpler, and travellers with fixed dates late in the season, when a closure on the plateau leaves you on the wrong side. If you are still weighing up the routes, our trip planning page explains how we put northern trips together, and our Skardu and Deosai tour covers the plateau from the Skardu side.

Frequently asked questions