A Skardu trip costs most for one reason: how you get there. A return flight from Islamabad cost anywhere from about PKR 30,000 to PKR 90,000 per person in 2026, while the road costs far less in fares but adds four days of travel. After that, your hotel level and the number of days you need a jeep, above all for Deosai, decide the rest. For five days in Skardu, a couple flying in and staying mid-range should budget roughly PKR 55,000 to 80,000 each before local transport.
That figure is built up from the parts below, with the assumptions shown, so you can change them to fit your own trip. All prices are rough 2026 figures, and they move quickly, especially in summer.
| At a glance (2026, rough) | |
|---|---|
| Return flight, Islamabad–Skardu | About PKR 30,000 to 90,000 per person |
| Coach, Rawalpindi–Skardu | From around PKR 5,000 each way |
| Basic guesthouse | About PKR 2,500 to 4,500 per room per night |
| Mid-range hotel | About PKR 8,000 to 9,000 per room per night |
| Upper-range hotel | About PKR 25,000 per room per night |
| Food at local places | About PKR 1,000 to 2,000 per person per day |
| Deosai jeep | Priced per vehicle per day; get quotes in Skardu |
What decides the cost of a Skardu trip?
Three things account for almost all of the budget:
- Transport to Skardu. Flying is fast and expensive, and the fare depends heavily on when you book. The road is cheap per person, especially if four people share a car, but it costs two days each way.
- Where you sleep. Skardu has everything from simple guesthouses to heritage hotels in restored palaces, and the difference between them runs to tens of thousands of rupees a night.
- Jeep days. Most of Skardu's sights are reachable in a normal car, but Deosai and some side valleys need a local jeep with a driver. That is usually the largest local cost.
Food, entry tickets and small extras matter far less. They are worth budgeting for, but they rarely change the decision.
Getting there: flight or road?
Flying
In 2026 the cheapest one-way seats on the Islamabad–Skardu route went for about PKR 13,000, while late bookings for summer dates ran well past PKR 30,000. Put together, a return ticket can cost anything from about PKR 30,000 to PKR 90,000, depending on the airline and how early you book. Book early for June to August, compare PIA, Airblue and AirSial on the same date, and check how much baggage your fare includes. Our Islamabad to Skardu flight guide covers airlines, fares and cancellations.
Remember the hidden cost of flying: weather. You need a spare day in Skardu for a cancelled flight, and a spare day means another night's hotel and meals.
By road
- Coach. NATCO and private operators run from Rawalpindi. In 2026 fares started at around PKR 5,000 each way, depending on operator and service. It is the cheapest option by far, but it takes around a day each way.
- Your own car. The drive is roughly 700 km each way. For a normal sedan, budget roughly 120 to 150 litres of petrol for the round trip plus some local driving, then multiply by the current pump price and divide by the number of people. You also need two nights on the road, usually in Chilas, for the way up and back. Our guide to driving from Islamabad to Skardu covers the route.
- A hired car with driver from Islamabad. Charged per day for the whole trip, including the days it waits in Skardu. For a group it can make sense; for a couple it is usually the most expensive way to go.
The road saves money but costs time: two days each way plus the nights in between. On a one-week trip that leaves only three days in Skardu. On a trip of nine days or more, it is a very good deal.
What do hotels in Skardu cost?
Hotel prices in Skardu move with the season. As a rough guide, average prices on Booking.com for Skardu in September 2026 worked out at:
| Level | Per room per night (2026, rough) |
|---|---|
| Simple guesthouses | About PKR 2,500 to 4,500 |
| Three-star hotels | About PKR 8,000 to 9,000 on average |
| Four-star hotels | About PKR 25,000 on average |
| Five-star and heritage hotels | About PKR 45,000 to 50,000 on average |
At the top end, the Serena Khaplu Palace listed standard rooms from about USD 95 a night on its own website in 2026. Prices rise in July and August and on Eid and 14 August weekends. Outside summer, it is worth asking for an off-season rate.
Where you stay changes the cost too: resort hotels at Kachura and heritage hotels in Shigar and Khaplu cost more than a comparable room in town, and eating at a resort restaurant costs more than eating in the bazaar. Our guide to where to stay in Skardu compares the bases.
Jeep days and getting around
In Skardu itself you need transport every day, and there are two kinds of day:
- Car days. Kachura, Katpana, Satpara, Shigar and Khaplu are all reachable in a normal car. Use your own, or hire a car with a driver through your hotel.
- Jeep days. Deosai, and valleys such as Basho, need a local jeep with a driver who knows the track. Jeeps are hired per vehicle for the day, so the cost per person falls sharply if you fill it.
Jeep prices change with the season, the vehicle and the route. A day to Bara Pani and back usually costs less than a full crossing to Sheosar Lake or on to Astore. We haven't printed a figure because quotes vary so much. Ask two or three hotels or jeep operators in Skardu the evening before, and agree in advance:
- exactly where you are going and how long the driver will wait,
- whether fuel is included,
- whether the park entry fee is included, and
- what happens if the weather turns and you come back early.
A five-day Skardu trip usually needs one jeep day, for Deosai. Add more for Basho or a second day on the plateau.
Food and smaller costs
Eating in Skardu is not expensive by city standards. Budget roughly PKR 1,000 to 2,000 per person per day for lunch, dinner and tea at local restaurants, and more if you eat at resort or heritage hotel restaurants. Breakfast is often included in the room rate; check when you book.
Other costs to allow for:
- Entry tickets for places such as the Shigar Fort museum, and the Deosai national park entry fee.
- Boats at Upper Kachura in summer.
- Tips for drivers and guides.
- A mobile data package. Coverage varies by network, so ask locally which works best where you are staying.
- A reserve for a spare day, for the flight or the road.
Carry enough cash. Skardu has ATMs, but they are not always dependable, so bring most of what you need from Islamabad and assume anything outside town, including Deosai, is cash only.
Sample budgets for five days in Skardu
These are rough figures built from the prices above, per person, for two people sharing a room and four nights in Skardu. They are illustrations, not quotes, and they leave out local transport and jeep hire, which depend on your group.
| Per person | Budget | Mid-range | Comfort |
|---|---|---|---|
| Getting there and back | Coach, about PKR 10,000 | Flight, about PKR 30,000 to 50,000 | Flight, about PKR 50,000 to 90,000 |
| Four nights, sharing a room | About PKR 5,000 to 9,000 | About PKR 17,000 | About PKR 50,000 |
| Food for five days | About PKR 5,000 to 7,500 | About PKR 7,500 to 10,000 | More, at hotel restaurants |
| Rough total before local transport | About PKR 20,000 to 27,000 | About PKR 55,000 to 80,000 | PKR 110,000 and up |
The budget column also needs two long travel days each way, which is why it only really works on a longer trip. For a family of four driving their own car, the road usually wins on cost: one fuel bill shared four ways, and a car of your own in Skardu.
Is a tour cheaper than doing it yourself?
Not always, and it is worth being honest about that. A couple on a tight budget who drive or take the coach, stay in guesthouses and share a Deosai jeep with others will spend less on their own.
A tour makes more sense when you add up everything a self-planned trip needs: a car and driver for every day, the jeep, park fees, and time spent rearranging things when a flight is cancelled. Our 7-day Skardu and Deosai trip costs from PKR 90,000 per person. It includes all ground transport with an experienced mountain driver, accommodation (twin share), a guide from the valley, park fees and permits, breakfast every day and all meals on the plateau. Flights, and lunches and dinners in Skardu, are extra.
Compare like with like: if you would fly in, stay mid-range and hire a driver every day anyway, the gap is smaller than it first looks. If you want the cheapest possible trip and don't mind organising it, do it yourself. If you want to plan the details with someone, our trip planning page is the place to start.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a 5-day Skardu trip cost per person?
Flying in and staying mid-range, roughly PKR 55,000 to 80,000 per person in 2026 before local transport and jeep hire. By coach with guesthouses it can be well under half that, but it adds four travel days.
Is it cheaper to go to Skardu by road or by air?
By road, especially for a group sharing a car or taking the coach. Flying saves four days of travel but can cost several times as much per person.
How much cash should I take to Skardu?
Enough for jeeps, park fees, entry tickets and meals outside town, plus a reserve for a spare day. ATMs in Skardu are not always dependable, so bring most of it from Islamabad.
How much does a jeep to Deosai cost?
It varies with the season, the vehicle and how far you go, and it is priced per vehicle for the day. Get two or three quotes in Skardu and agree the route, waiting time and fuel in advance.
What is the cheapest way to visit Skardu?
Take the coach from Rawalpindi, stay in a guesthouse in town, eat in the bazaar and share a Deosai jeep with other travellers. Travel outside July, August and holiday weekends.
