There are two ways from Islamabad to Deosai. Via Skardu, you fly in about an hour or drive roughly 700 km over two days, then take a jeep up to the plateau for the day. Via Astore, you drive about 630 km over two days to Astore, then three to four hours by jeep through Chilim to Sheosar Lake. By road, both put you on the plateau on the third day; flying to Skardu is the fastest. For many people the best plan uses both: in by one side, across the plateau, and out by the other.
This guide compares the two approaches on time, roads and scenery, explains the loop, and gives sample plans for each.
| Via Skardu | Via Astore | |
|---|---|---|
| By road from Islamabad | About 700 km, 16 to 20 hours over two days | About 630 km, 15 to 17 hours over two days |
| By air | About 1 hour to Skardu | Fly to Gilgit, then about 120 km by road |
| Usual overnight on the way | Chilas, or Naran in summer | Chilas, Besham, or Naran in summer |
| Base town to the plateau | Skardu to the rim, 1.5 to 2 hours | Astore to Sheosar Lake, 3 to 4 hours |
| First sight on Deosai | Ali Malik Mar and Bara Pani | Sheosar Lake |
| Hotels near the plateau | Plenty in Skardu | Few, in Astore, Gudai and Chilim |
| Best for | Flying in, day trips, families | Road trips, Sheosar at dawn, the loop |
Route 1: via Skardu
This is how most people reach Deosai, and it is the simpler plan.
By air
Flights from Islamabad to Skardu take about an hour, with PIA, Airblue and AirSial on the route and most departures in the morning. The catch is the weather: Skardu flights are cancelled often enough that you need a spare day at each end. Our Islamabad to Skardu flight guide covers fares and cancellations.
Don't go up to the plateau the day you land. Skardu is at about 2,200 metres and Deosai at over 4,000, and a night or two in town first makes the climb much easier.
By road
The all-year route follows the Karakoram Highway through Besham and Chilas to Jaglot, then the 167 km Skardu road east along the Indus. Allow 16 to 20 hours of driving, split by a night in Chilas. In summer, when the Babusar Pass is open, you can go through Naran instead. Our guide to driving from Islamabad to Skardu goes through it leg by leg.
From Skardu to the plateau
From Skardu it is about 30 km to Ali Malik Mar on the rim, an hour and a half to two hours by jeep, paved only as far as Sadpara Lake. Most people go up and back in a day. Our Skardu to Deosai route guide covers the drive stage by stage.
Route 2: via Astore
This is the western approach, used far less, and the more interesting road trip.
- Islamabad to Chilas. Up the Karakoram Highway, 11 to 13 hours, or over the Babusar Pass from Naran in summer. Most people break it with a night in Besham, Chilas or Naran.
- Chilas to Astore. Up the KKH past Raikot Bridge, with some of the best roadside views of Nanga Parbat, to the Astore turning about 12 km beyond the bridge, then about 45 km up the valley to Astore town, around two hours. The Gilgit-Baltistan tourism department puts Islamabad to Astore at about 630 km and 15 to 17 hours in all.
- Astore to Deosai. South through Gorikot and Gudai to Chilim, about 54 km, then about 16 km more to Sheosar Lake. Usually three to four hours by jeep.
If you would rather fly, you can take the Islamabad to Gilgit flight and drive about 120 km, three to four hours, to Astore. Our guide to the Astore to Deosai route covers the western side in detail.
Time, roads and scenery compared
Time. By road the two are close: two days to your base town, and the plateau on the third. The flight to Skardu wins outright when it goes.
Roads. Both approaches use the Karakoram Highway as far as Raikot Bridge. After that, the Skardu road is a rebuilt two-lane road, and the Astore road is narrower and rougher in places. The last stretch onto the plateau is unpaved from both sides, and a jeep or other high-clearance 4x4 is the standard advice either way. Our guide to driving to Deosai in your own car explains why.
Road risks. Both approaches close in heavy monsoon rain. In late July 2026, floods closed the Jaglot to Skardu road, the road between Sadpara and Deosai, and the Astore valley road at the same time, and tourists were stranded in both Skardu and Astore. The KKH through Kohistan and Diamer also has its own security history, including an attack on a passenger bus near Chilas in December 2023. Check current advice before you set off, and don't drive it after dark.
Scenery. The Skardu road runs through the deep Indus gorge. The Astore route gives you Nanga Parbat from the highway and then from the Astore valley, with Rama meadow close by if you have a spare day, and it puts Sheosar Lake at the start of your plateau day rather than the end.
The loop: in by one side, out by the other
Deosai is the link between the two approaches, and crossing it turns an out-and-back into a loop. A typical version:
- Day 1: Islamabad to Chilas, or to Naran in summer.
- Day 2: On to Astore, or up to Gudai or Chilim if you want an early start.
- Day 3: Across Deosai: Sheosar in the morning, Bara Pani at midday, down to Skardu by late afternoon.
- Days 4 and 5: Skardu, Shigar and the Kachura lakes.
- Day 6: Fly home from Skardu, keeping a spare day for the flight, or drive back down the Skardu road and the KKH.
The loop needs three things. The whole plateau has to be open on the day you cross, so keep a spare day. You need a vehicle that can cross, which usually means a local jeep hired in Astore, with its return to Astore paid for. And if you came in your own car, it has to either cross the plateau or be driven round by road: with a hired car and driver, you can agree that he takes the car round by the KKH and the Skardu road while you cross in a jeep, paying for his extra day.
It works in reverse too, starting in Skardu and leaving by Astore, though finishing on the Astore side means either the long drive home or three to four hours to Gilgit for a flight.
Sample plans
Short and simple, flying (4 to 5 days). Fly to Skardu, a day in town, a day on Deosai to Bara Pani or Sheosar and back, a spare day, fly home. Best for families and short holidays.
By road via Skardu (7 days). Two days up, three days in Skardu with Deosai in the middle, two days back. Straightforward, with plenty of hotels and jeeps at the base.
The loop via Astore (6 to 7 days). As above: KKH to Astore, across Deosai to Skardu, out by air or road. The best choice for travellers who enjoy the road itself.
Which approach suits you?
Choose Skardu if you are flying, travelling with young children or older parents, short on days, or visiting early or late in the season, when having Skardu's hotels and your way home behind you matters if the plateau closes.
Choose Astore if you are driving anyway, want to see Sheosar Lake in the morning light, or want to add Rama and the Nanga Parbat side of Astore. It suits flexible travellers who don't mind fewer comforts on the western side.
Do the loop if you have six days or more, the season is right, and you can keep a spare day.
If you would rather not arrange flights, jeeps and spare days yourself, our seven-day Skardu and Deosai trip is built around the plateau, from PKR 90,000 per person with ground transport, rooms, a guide and park fees included.
Frequently asked questions
How far is Deosai from Islamabad?
About 700 km by road to Skardu plus about 30 km to the plateau, or about 630 km to Astore plus about 70 km to Sheosar Lake. Either way it is two days of driving and a jeep day.
How can I go to Deosai from Islamabad?
Fly or drive to Skardu and take a jeep up for the day, or drive to Astore and take a jeep through Chilim onto the western end of the plateau.
Is Islamabad to Deosai possible in one day?
Not by road. The quickest option is a morning flight to Skardu, but going straight up to over 4,000 metres on the day you land is not a good idea. Plan the plateau for your second or third day.
Which is better for Deosai, Skardu or Astore?
Skardu for a simple trip with flights, more hotels and more jeeps. Astore for a road trip, Sheosar Lake in the morning and a one-way crossing to Skardu.
Can I cross Deosai from Astore to Skardu?
Yes, in season, as a full-day jeep crossing of about 152 km from Astore. Check that the whole track is open, and agree the jeep driver's return in advance.
When is the road to Deosai open from Islamabad?
The roads to Skardu and Astore are open most of the year, but the plateau itself is open only in summer, roughly June to October. Heavy rain can close any of these roads in July and August.
