What a trip to Pakistan actually costs
Real numbers, including the things tour operators usually leave out — flights, visa, insurance and spending money — not just our package price.
Imran Shah · 12 seasons guiding, Lahore
Last updated 21 August 2026
Most cost pages in this industry quote the operator's own price and stop there, which is not what you asked. Here is the whole thing.
What we charge
A guided trip with private transport, an English-speaking guide, all meals and comfortable hotels runs roughly USD 130 to 210 per person per day for two people travelling together, and considerably less per head as the group grows. A couple on a nine-night Hunza trip is looking at somewhere around USD 1,700 each; six friends on the same trip pay closer to USD 1,250 each.
Trekking is different. Expedition-supported trips like the Baltoro run higher because of porters, permits and camp staff.
What we do not charge, and you will still pay
- International flights. From the UK, roughly GBP 500 to 800 return, best via the Gulf. From the US east coast, USD 900 to 1,400. From Australia, AUD 1,300 to 1,900
- E-visa. USD 35 to 60, higher for some nationalities
- Travel insurance. USD 60 to 150 for a standard policy; more for one that actually covers high-altitude trekking, and you need that if your itinerary goes above 3,000 metres
- Tips. Not expected, genuinely appreciated. Guidance: USD 8 to 12 a day for your guide, USD 5 to 8 for your driver, split across the group
- Personal spending. Handicrafts, extra snacks, the occasional taxi. USD 15 to 30 a day is generous
What things cost on the ground
Useful for judging whether you are being quoted sensibly:
- A meal in a good local restaurant: USD 4 to 8
- A bottle of water: under USD 0.40
- A local SIM with data: about USD 8 for the month
- A cashmere shawl in Hunza: USD 25 to 60, depending on how well you buy
- Entry to a major fort or site: USD 2 to 4 for foreign visitors
Money, practically
Pakistan is still substantially a cash economy outside the big-city hotels. ATMs work in Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Gilgit and Skardu, and are unreliable everywhere else — draw what you need before you go north.
Bring some USD, EUR or GBP in cash. It is easy to exchange, and it is how you settle your balance with us if you choose to pay on arrival.
Cards work in Islamabad and Lahore hotels and almost nowhere else.
Why our prices are in dollars
Because the rupee moves too much to quote a trip six months out in it, and because a price that changes between the quote and the invoice is not a price. We hold internal costs in rupees, convert at a rate we lock with a buffer, and honour the quote for fourteen days.