An Astore valley trip costs most from getting there and back, since Islamabad to Astore is a 1,200 km round trip on your own fuel, then a series of smaller jeep hires inside the valley for Rama, Rupal or Minimarg. Budget travellers sharing a car and simple rooms can do five days from around PKR 25,000 to 40,000 a person; a family in a mid-range hotel and a couple of jeep days will spend a good deal more. The figures below are rough 2025–2026 guides, not quotes, and every one of them changes with fuel prices and the season.
| At a glance | Rough cost (2025–2026) |
|---|---|
| Petrol | About PKR 390 a litre (September 2026) |
| Islamabad–Astore round trip | About 1,200 km by road |
| Jeep hire in Astore valley | Roughly PKR 8,000 to 15,000 a day, depending on the destination |
| Astore town guesthouse | Roughly PKR 1,500 to 6,000 a night |
| Rama rest house or guesthouse | Roughly PKR 2,500 to 4,000 a night |
| A simple meal | A few hundred rupees at a local restaurant |
Getting to Astore
- Your own car. The road from Islamabad is about 600 km each way, 1,200 km round trip, mostly on the Karakoram Highway. At around PKR 390 a litre in September 2026, fuel alone for the round trip can run to tens of thousands of rupees in a sedan, more in a larger vehicle, before tolls and the extra fuel that mountain driving uses. Our guide to Islamabad to Astore has the route and overnight stops.
- A car and driver. You pay a daily rate for every day of the trip, including days the driver waits in Astore, plus the driver's food and room.
- Bus or coaster. NATCO and private coasters run between Rawalpindi and Astore, and this is the cheapest way to reach the valley, at the cost of a very long ride.
- Fly to Gilgit, then drive. Cuts the long road journey to about four hours from Gilgit to Astore, but fares change with demand and flights are weather-dependent, so allow for a possible delay.
Jeep hire inside the valley
Astore town to Rama, Rupal or Minimarg all need a local jeep, since a normal car struggles beyond Astore town and is not allowed at all past Chilim on the Minimarg road. Recent guides put a full day's jeep hire in the valley at roughly PKR 8,000 to 15,000, with the price depending on the distance and the road that day. Minimarg, over the Burzil Pass, is the longest and most expensive trip; Rama, an hour away, is the shortest.
Jeep fares in Astore are set locally rather than published, and they move with fuel prices and demand, so agree the price, the waiting time and what happens if the road is blocked before you set off. Book through your hotel in Astore, which is also the easiest way to find a driver who knows the current checkpost situation for Minimarg.
Where you sleep
Accommodation in Astore valley is simple, and prices reflect that:
- Astore town: guesthouses and small hotels have been quoted at roughly PKR 1,500 to 6,000 a night, depending on the room and whether it has an attached bathroom.
- Rama Meadows: government rest houses and private guesthouses run at roughly PKR 2,500 to 4,000 a night in recent reports, and a tent pitch costs less again.
- Minimarg and Domel: seasonal tent camps are the main option and are arranged locally from Astore; there is no fixed published rate, so agree the price, and what it includes, before you book.
Our guides to hotels in Astore and Rama Meadows go into what each type of room is actually like.
Food
Meals in Astore town and Rama are simple: daal, rice, roti and basic curries at local restaurants and guesthouse dining rooms, for a few hundred rupees a plate. Prices rise a little the further you go from Astore town, since everything at Rama and Minimarg has come up by road and then jeep. Carrying dry fruit, biscuits and a refillable water bottle from Gilgit or Chilas saves money over several days.
Sample budgets per person
These are rough sums for a five-day trip from Islamabad, sharing a car and rooms between four people, and they leave out flights.
| Cost, per person | Simple | More comfortable |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel share, Islamabad round trip | PKR 10,000 to 15,000 | PKR 10,000 to 15,000 |
| Overnight stops on the road (2 nights) | PKR 4,000 to 8,000 | PKR 8,000 to 15,000 |
| Astore town and Rama stays (2 to 3 nights) | PKR 5,000 to 10,000 | PKR 12,000 to 20,000 |
| Jeep hire, Rama and one longer trip | PKR 4,000 to 8,000 | PKR 4,000 to 8,000 |
| Food for five days | PKR 5,000 to 8,000 | PKR 8,000 to 12,000 |
| Rough total | about PKR 28,000 to 49,000 | about PKR 42,000 to 70,000 |
A couple travelling alone pays more, since fuel and jeep hire are split two ways rather than four. A family filling one car and sharing rooms pays less per head. These figures leave out a Minimarg overnight, which adds a longer, pricier jeep day and a night at the tent camps.
How to keep the cost down
- Fill the car or jeep. Splitting fuel and jeep hire between more people is the single biggest saving.
- Travel outside July, August and Eid, when rooms and jeep drivers are busiest and least likely to negotiate.
- Choose simple rooms. You spend most of the day outdoors in Astore anyway.
- Carry cash. There is no ATM once you leave the main towns on the Karakoram Highway, and running short in Astore is awkward to fix.
- Confirm prices locally before you commit, since jeep and room rates here are set on the spot, not published.
If you would rather someone else manage the transport and rooms, send us your dates through our trip planning page, and our Astore itinerary shows how the days fit together.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a trip to Astore valley cost per person?
Roughly PKR 28,000 to 50,000 for five days from Islamabad on a simple budget, sharing a car and rooms between four people, based on 2025–2026 prices. Costs rise with fuel prices and how comfortable you want the stay.
Is Astore cheaper than Hunza or Skardu?
Accommodation and food in Astore are generally cheaper than the more developed parts of Hunza, but the long drive and jeep hire for the side valleys add up, so the total is not necessarily lower.
How much is a jeep in Astore valley?
Recent guides put a full day's hire at roughly PKR 8,000 to 15,000, depending on the destination. Confirm the current rate with your hotel or driver in Astore.
Can I pay by card in Astore?
No. Carry enough cash for the whole trip; there is no reliable card payment or ATM once you leave the main towns on the Karakoram Highway.
Does the cost change by season?
Yes. Rooms and jeeps are busiest, and least open to negotiation, in July, August and around Eid. Late June and September are quieter and often a little cheaper.
