A Pakistan tour package usually includes private transport, hotel rooms and breakfast, and often a guide or driver. It usually leaves out flights, visas, insurance, most lunches and dinners, and extras such as jeep safaris and entry tickets. The exact split changes from operator to operator, so the only reliable answer is the written itinerary for the package you are looking at.
This guide explains each line so you can compare two packages properly, because a cheaper one is often just one that includes less. It also shows what our own tours include, since we publish that list.
| Usually included | Usually not included |
|---|---|
| Ground transport with a driver | International and domestic flights |
| Hotel rooms, often twin share | Visa fees |
| Breakfast | Lunches and dinners (unless stated) |
| A guide, on some packages | Travel insurance |
| Permit fees, on some packages | Entry tickets, jeeps, activities |
| Tips |
Transport
Almost every package includes the vehicle and a driver for the whole route, with fuel. What varies is the type of vehicle, and that changes both comfort and price: a car, a Hiace-type van or a 4x4 for rough roads. Ask which vehicle is on the itinerary and whether it stays with you for the whole trip or changes at some point.
Ask two more questions. Are tolls and parking included? And what happens if the plan changes: do days added by a landslide or a closed road cost extra? One operator's listing in 2026 said its Hunza price included fuel, tolls and driver expenses, while another left entry fees to the traveller, which shows how much the answer varies.
Accommodation
Rooms are usually priced twin share, so a solo traveller or an odd number in the group may pay a supplement. Check:
- The hotel category. Packages are often sold in tiers, and the same route can be a budget guesthouse or a resort.
- Whether hotels are named. If the operator will not name them, ask for a category and a location.
- Breakfast. Usually included, but confirm.
- Heating and extras, which some hotels charge for in cold months.
Our hotel rates guide explains what mountain rooms cost when you book them yourself, which is a useful check on a package price.
Meals
Most packages include breakfast. Lunch and dinner are typically excluded unless the itinerary says otherwise, which matters more in remote places where there may be only one place to eat. Some packages include meals at specific points, such as camping or a night on the Deosai plateau, where there is nowhere else to buy them.
If meals are listed as included, ask whether that means a set menu at the hotel, and whether drinks and snacks are extra.
Guides, permits and fees
Guides are not always included. Some operators include a local guide for the whole trip, and others provide only a driver, so check which you are getting. On our own tours, for example, a guide from the valley is with you for the whole trip.
Permits and park fees are often bundled, but entry tickets to forts, museums and attractions frequently are not. Ask whether the price includes:
- National park fees, such as those for Deosai or Khunjerab
- Fort, museum and site entry tickets
- Any permits needed for the area
Foreign visitors should check permit rules for their route separately, because they change and the operator's package may not cover every one.
What our tours include
Our published tours share a common core, listed on each tour page. The 7-day Skardu and Deosai tour and the 9-day Gilgit, Hunza and Khunjerab tour, both from PKR 90,000 per person, include:
- All ground transport with an experienced mountain driver
- Accommodation throughout, twin share
- A guide from the valley for the whole trip
- Park fees and permits (Khunjerab National Park fees on the Hunza tour)
- Breakfast daily, plus all meals on the Deosai plateau on the Skardu tour
They do not include international and domestic flights, the Pakistan visa, travel insurance (we ask every traveller to carry it), or lunches and dinners in the towns. See the tours page for the current details.
Things that are usually extra
Look for these in the excluded list, because they are where budgets grow:
- Flights, including domestic flights to Skardu or Gilgit
- Visa and permit fees for foreigners
- Insurance, which matters more for mountain trips
- Jeep safaris to places like Deosai, where a 4x4 is often booked separately unless it is stated
- Adventure activities such as ATVs, paragliding or horse riding
- Tips for drivers, guides and porters
- Snacks, extra water and personal spending
How to compare two packages
- Put both inclusions lists side by side, and mark what each leaves out.
- Price the missing items at roughly what they cost, so you compare like with like.
- Compare hotels by name or category, and vehicle by type.
- Ask about group size. Some prices fall as the group grows, so ask what group size the price is based on.
- Read the cancellation terms, which vary widely. Our guide to tour cancellation policies explains what to look for.
If your route does not match a fixed package, a tailor-made tour may fit better.
Questions to ask before you pay
Put these to the operator and keep the answers in writing, by message or email:
- What is the price per person, and for what group size and room sharing?
- Which hotels, or which category, and how many nights in each place?
- Is a guide included, and does the driver stay with us for the whole trip?
- Which meals are included, and which entry fees and permits?
- What happens to the price if a road closure adds a night?
- What is the payment schedule and the refund policy?
Checking the operator
A package is only as good as the company selling it. Read our guide on how to choose a tour operator in Pakistan, and for Gilgit-Baltistan you can check that an operator is licensed with the Gilgit-Baltistan tourism department, which issues tour operator licences.
A note on routes
Inclusions matter most where routes are affected by security advice. The UK government advises against all travel on the Karakoram Highway between Mansehra and Chilas, and against all travel to Swat and within 10 miles of the Line of Control in Azad Kashmir. A good operator will explain how it routes around these areas, and overseas visitors should check their own government's advice, since travelling against it can void travel insurance.
Frequently asked questions
What is usually included in a Pakistan tour package?
Private transport with a driver, hotel rooms (often twin share) and breakfast, and often a guide. Flights, visas, insurance and most lunches and dinners are normally extra.
Are meals included in tour packages?
Breakfast usually is. Lunch and dinner are usually not, unless the itinerary says so, or you are camping or somewhere remote.
Are entry tickets and jeep rides included?
Often not. Attraction tickets and 4x4 jeeps for places such as Deosai are commonly excluded unless the package lists them.
Do I need to buy travel insurance separately?
Yes, packages generally do not include it. We ask every traveller on our tours to carry it, and it matters most for mountain trips.
Why is one package so much cheaper than another?
Usually because it includes less: a lower hotel category, a smaller vehicle, no guide, or fewer meals and fees. Compare the inclusions lists before you compare prices.
