A camping trip to the Northern Areas costs far less on rooms than staying in hotels, but the saving depends heavily on whether you already own decent gear. Camping with your own tent and sleeping bag can bring a week's accommodation cost down to almost nothing beyond a small site fee; renting or buying gear for a one-off trip narrows that gap considerably, and a managed campsite with a tent provided, like some of the options at Fairy Meadows, costs closer to a budget guesthouse than free camping.
This works through what actually changes the cost: your own gear against rented, and the fees that apply once you're there.
| Camping trip, per person (2026) | Rough figure |
|---|---|
| A managed campsite with tent provided, Fairy Meadows | About PKR 6,900 a night (from around $25) |
| Bring-your-own-tent camping space | Lower than the above; ask the site directly |
| A basic 2-person dome tent, bought | From about PKR 2,000–3,000 |
| A proper trekking tent, bought | PKR 50,000 and up |
| Deosai National Park entry | About PKR 100 for Pakistani visitors |
| Deosai camping permit, on top of entry | Roughly $2–5 a night |
Own gear vs rented gear: the real cost decision
If you already own a decent tent, sleeping bags and a stove, camping is close to free beyond food, fuel and any site fee. That's the biggest single reason experienced campers spend so much less than everyone else on a Northern Areas trip.
If you don't, you have three options:
- Buy cheap and basic. A simple 2-person dome tent can be found from around PKR 2,000 to 3,000, though this kind of tent is fine for a mild night in a valley and not built for wind, cold or altitude.
- Buy proper gear. A genuine trekking tent rated for cold and wind from a specialist outdoor brand costs PKR 50,000 or more. Worth it if you'll camp again; hard to justify for one trip.
- Use a managed campsite that provides the tent, common at Fairy Meadows, where a site with a tent, bedding and often breakfast and dinner included runs at roughly PKR 6,900 a night per person, based on 2026 rates from one established lodge. This removes the gear question entirely, at a cost closer to a guesthouse than to free camping.
Renting individual items like sleeping bags or a tent from outdoor shops in Skardu or Islamabad is another route, though rates vary enough by shop and season that it's worth asking locally for the current price rather than budgeting around a fixed figure.
Campsite and park fees
Fairy Meadows, covered in full in our Fairy Meadows guide, has no separate camping permit beyond what a site charges for the pitch or the provided tent, though the jeep transfer from Raikot Bridge to Tato is a cost in itself; our guide to hidden costs of a Northern Areas trip has current jeep fares.
Deosai National Park charges a general entry fee, commonly quoted at around PKR 100 for Pakistani visitors and less for Gilgit-Baltistan residents, though this has changed before, so carry more cash than you expect and pay whatever is posted at the checkpoint. On top of that, camping inside the park has been priced at roughly $2 to $5 a night, around PKR 550 to 1,400, when a camping permit is required.
Food while camping
Camping doesn't have to mean carrying all your own food. At Fairy Meadows, most lodges and campsites serve meals to campers as well as guests in cabins, at similar prices to a simple local restaurant; our guide to food prices in the Northern Areas covers what a meal typically costs. On Deosai and other more remote camping spots, you'll need to bring supplies, since there is little to buy on the plains themselves. A gas stove, fuel canisters and simple dried or tinned food add a modest cost on top of camping gear.
Getting to the campsite
Camping spots in the north are rarely roadside. Fairy Meadows needs a jeep from Raikot Bridge to Tato, then a walk; Deosai needs a jeep or a capable 4x4 from Skardu. Neither is included in a camping budget by default, and both are priced separately from the campsite itself. Factor these transfers in alongside whatever you spend on the tent and the pitch.
A week's trip: two ways to budget it
| Line | Own gear | Managed campsite (tent provided) |
|---|---|---|
| Tent and sleeping gear | Already owned, or PKR 2,000–3,000 basic | Included |
| Pitch or site fee, per night | A few hundred rupees where charged | About PKR 6,900 a night |
| Food, 7 days | PKR 6,000–9,000, self-catered and local meals mixed | PKR 10,000–15,000, mostly at the site |
| Jeep transfers | PKR 16,000–17,100 return (Fairy Meadows) | Same |
| Rough total for the week | PKR 25,000–35,000 | PKR 60,000–75,000 |
Is camping worth it?
For anyone who already camps and owns the gear, yes, clearly: it's the cheapest way to spend several nights at Fairy Meadows or on Deosai, and both places reward an early morning or a clear night in a tent in a way a hotel room doesn't. For someone buying gear from scratch for a single trip, a managed campsite with the tent provided, or simply booking a room, is often better value once the cost of new equipment is counted.
Frequently asked questions
Is it cheaper to camp than stay in a hotel in the Northern Areas?
Usually, if you already own a tent and sleeping bag. Buying gear just for one trip narrows the saving considerably, and a managed campsite with a tent provided can cost close to a budget guesthouse.
Do I need a permit to camp in Deosai National Park?
The park's general entry fee applies to everyone, at around PKR 100 for Pakistani visitors, and camping inside the park has carried an additional charge of roughly $2 to $5 a night. Pay what's posted at the checkpoint, since fees have changed before.
Can I rent camping gear instead of buying it?
Yes, at outdoor shops in Skardu and Islamabad, though rates vary by shop and season. Ask locally for the current price rather than assuming a fixed figure.
What should I bring if camping at altitude?
A tent and sleeping bag rated for cold nights, since even summer nights on Deosai or at Fairy Meadows drop well below daytime temperatures. A cheap warm-weather tent bought for a lawn is not adequate at these altitudes.
Is the drive to these camping spots safe?
Fairy Meadows is reached via the Karakoram Highway to Raikot Bridge, which passes through the Mansehra-to-Chilas stretch that the UK government, as of September 2026, advises against travelling on, although Pakistani visitors use it regularly. The Babusar Pass gives an alternative in summer. Anyone on a foreign passport should check their own government's current advice before travelling.
