where do u want to be in the future, with china, pakistan, india or do yall wanna live independently?

Thinking about moving from Islamabad to Gilgit. Need honest advice

I've been seriously considering moving from Islamabad to Gilgit, potentially for a year or two.

I've always been drawn to mountains, nature and adventure, and I'd love to experience that lifestyle beyond just visiting for a few days. I'm also interested in applying to NCA, so living in Gilgit would give me the chance to experience the city, its creative environment and the local culture at the same time.

I'm currently working in video editing, 3D and other creative/freelance work. I can work remotely, but I'm also open to onsite work or local opportunities, especially around tourism, media, creative work, marketing or businesses.

For people who actually live or have worked in Gilgit:

- How realistic is it to find onsite/creative work there?

- How reliable are internet and electricity for remote work?

- What's the approximate monthly cost of living for one person?

- Is there a decent creative/professional community?

- How easy is it for someone from Islamabad to settle in?

- What are the biggest downsides that outsiders usually don't realise?

I'm especially interested in hearing from people who have actually moved to Gilgit, rather than just visited.

Would you recommend making the move, or spending a few months there first before committing?

Hi everyone,

I'm planning a 7-day / 6-night private Skardu trip for two people in mid-September (around Sept 14/15).

I've been quoted PKR 550,000 total for the couple, and before booking I wanted opinions from people familiar with current Skardu prices. I'm especially wondering whether I'm paying too much of a premium for the hotels/private setup.

Package includes:

• Round-trip Islamabad ↔ Skardu airline tickets for 2
• Private Toyota Prado for all days
• Fuel
• Driver + guide
• Skardu airport pickup/drop-off
• Breakfast
• 3 nights Khar Resort Skardu
• 2 nights Khoj Resort Shigar – River's Edge King Hammock Villa
• 1 night Gumaan Resort Skardu

The Prado is supposed to cover the itinerary including Deosai and Basho without additional transportation charges.

Itinerary

Day 1 – Kachura / Soq

• Islamabad → Skardu flight
• Shangrila / Lower Kachura
• Upper Kachura Lake
• Soq Valley
• Night at Khar Resort

Day 2 – Deosai

• Sadpara Lake
• Deosai National Park
• Bara Pani
• Kala Pani
• Sheosar Lake
• Night at Khar Resort

Day 3 – Skardu

• Chunda Valley
• Kharpocho Fort
• Katpana Cold Desert around sunset
• Night at Khar Resort

Day 4 – Shigar

• Manthoka Waterfall
• Sarfaranga Cold Desert
• Blind Lake
• Shigar Old Town
• Shigar Fort
• Night at Khoj Resort – King Hammock Villa

Day 5 – Basho

• Basho Valley / Sultanabad
• Chocolate Rocks / waterfall if accessible
• Return to Khoj Resort
• Night at Khoj

Day 6 – Relaxation day

• Relaxed breakfast/morning at Khoj
• Spend part of the day enjoying the resort
• Later transfer back toward Skardu
• Final night at Gumaan Resort

Day 7

• Gumaan → Skardu Airport
• Flight to Islamabad

Activities, entry fees, boating, meals other than breakfast, etc. would be additional.

Total package price: PKR 550,000 for two people including flights.

My main questions:

1. Does 550k seem reasonable for this package or overpriced?
2. Are Khar + Khoj + Gumaan worth paying a premium for?
3. Would you do 2 nights at Khoj, or is it not worth the extra cost?
4. Does this itinerary make sense geographically?
5. Is the private Prado useful enough to justify the cost?
6. Would you change or remove anything?
7. Is moving from Khoj to Gumaan on Day 6 a good idea so we're closer to the airport?
8. What would you consider a fair price for this exact package in September 2026?

I'm looking for a comfortable/private trip rather than the cheapest possible tour, but I also don't want to overpay significantly just because the hotels are considered premium.

Would appreciate opinions, especially from anyone who has traveled to Skardu recently or booked similar hotels/private tours.

If a plebiscite were held in Gilgit Baltistan between India, Pakistan, China, and independence, who would you think would win?

Sorry , I remade it because I forgot to put China in it.

My name is Muhammad Shah Zaib. I'm 23yo. Ever since I remember I wanted to shift towards North. So I did it. Just packed stuff and left. Been here for some time and think I'm not going back at all.

I’d really like to get to know the people, culture and local way of life, learn the language, and make genuine friendships.

I’d love some advice from locals or people who’ve been here for a while:

1. I’d really like to learn the local language(s). What are the best resources or ways to learn? Not YouTube, it's messy.

2. What’s the best place to start meeting people and making genuine friendships? Any communities, activities, cafés, clubs, volunteering, etc. that are good for this?

3. What are some niche things about living in GB that outsiders usually don’t know? Not the obvious tourist/general things. I’m interested in the subtle.

Basically, I want to live here, not just visit. Any advice from locals would be really appreciated.

PS I have a BA in English and dropped out of BS English 5th semester for this. Would love to be friends with anyone who's able to hold a good conversation.

Edit: I'm in Gilgit city right now. Will be here for long. Not until I find some small town I really love and where I can build permanent residence.

Hi,

I am planning a trip to skardu with my wife at the end of April. I need suggestions for places to visit and things to do there. I will be booking everything myself and plan to book a driver with car for moving around... tell me if i am missing any place or should I change to different and better hotels that are not this much expensive. Also I do plane to stay for 5 days and depart on 6th day but would be staying at low end hotel to minimize the cost.

and here's my plan for 5 days:

Day 1: Arrival & Local Culture

• Places: Skardu Airport, Manthal Buddha Rock, Satpara Lake, Skardu Main Bazaar
• Stay: Skarchan Resort Skardu

Day 2: The Lakes & The Desert

• Places: Lower Kachura Lake (Shangrila Resort - daytime visit/lunch), Upper Kachura Lake, Sok Valley, Katpana Desert (Local Jeep ride)
• Stay: Skarchan Resort Skardu

Day 3: Waterfalls & The Palace

• Places: Manthoka Waterfall, Khaplu Valley, Chaqchan Mosque, Khaplu Palace
• Stay: Serena Khaplu Palace

Day 4: Deserts & River Views

• Places: Sarfaranga Desert (Local Jeep ride), Blind Lake, Shigar Valley, Shigar Fort
• Stay: Khoj Resorts Shigar

Day 5: Departure

• Places: Breakfast by the river at Khoj Resort, drive to Skardu Airport

p.s I have a heart issue, so can't really go for hiking places atm.

Just a heads up, I'm Indian.

I've seen a few posts on this subreddit (and r/pakistan) about Gilgit-Baltistan being made a province, and the pushback against it: since GB is in contested territory, making it a full province would dilute Pakistan's claim to Kashmir (this is not my view, but what some commenters said).

It got me thinking about Ladakh on the Indian side, which also wants statehood but is held back for similar reasons.

That made me wonder whether these two regions could, if both countries were willing, become a starting point for negotiations and de-escalation.

Now what I mean by this is that: If India and Pakistan officially recognized the current borders of Gilgit-Baltistan and Ladakh as belonging to their respective countries, both could shrink the scope of the conflict significantly without giving up any claim to the Kashmir Valley (doing which is a much larger diplomatic task and a much more politically charged discussion). More people would also get proper representation in their own country.

It could also cut down on deaths caused by the climate alone, in peacetime and in war. Siachen is the obvious example: a lot of the soldiers who die there are killed by the weather.

To be clear, I'm not presenting this as a solution to Kashmir. It's just a suggestion for giving some peace and a way forward to people (of GB & Ladakh) who are stuck between the lines of a rivalry that's really about a different region (Kashmir Valley).

I suppose the question I want to ask is:

1) Do you believe this is a viable move forward?

2) Would you be supportive of such an initiative?

Hi everyone!

My friend and I (both 25F) are planning our first trip to Northern Pakistan from 15th–23rd October, and we’re hoping to do it independently rather than book an expensive tour package.

We’re both quite adventurous, easy-going and love nature, hiking, camping and exploring places at our own pace. We’re not looking for anything luxurious our budget is fairly limited, so we’d rather keep things simple and spend our money on experiences rather than expensive hotels or tour packages.

We’re comfortable booking our own flights and accommodation, but since we’ve never been to the North before, we’d really appreciate some help it esp Finding a reliable and trustworthy local driver who can drive us around and ideally also help us navigate the area.
Advice on what type of vehicle we actually need — we’d rather not pay for a fancy 4x4 everywhere if it’s not necessary.
Planning a realistic itinerary for 15th–23rd October.
Suggestions for affordable hotels/guesthouses or places where we could camp only if its safe

Recommendations for the best nature spots, viewpoints, hikes, valleys, lakes etc. that we shouldn’t miss.

Any advice specifically for two female travellers would also be greatly appreciated.

At the moment we’re thinking about Skardu + Hunza, but we’re confused about whether it’s realistic to also include Fairy Meadows.
We’ve heard that Fairy Meadows can be difficult to fit into a trip that also includes Skardu and Hunza, especially with only 8-9 days. Is it actually doable?

We’re not trying to tick off every tourist attraction. We’d much rather have a simple, scenic and adventurous trip, spend time outdoors and actually enjoy the places instead of spending the whole trip sitting in a car.
If anyone has personally used a driver in this region and can genuinely recommend them, please share their contact/details (or DM me). We’d especially appreciate recommendations from people who have travelled this route independently rather than through a tour company.
And if anyone has done a similar trip around October, we’d love to hear your honest itinerary suggestions, things to avoid, approximate transport costs, and any practical tips.
We’re trying to keep the trip budget-friendly, flexible and simple, so any advice from locals or experienced travellers would be hugely appreciated!

thank you so much!!

hi all! planning on visiting skardu/hunza. will travel by air from isb.

my planned dates are 28th and 1st august. pretty short because corporate slave haha.

please do suggest if these dates are okay considering weather and road conditions within skardu and hunza. if you're a local, you must know past trends/general ideas.

would be very grateful! do drop your must see recommendations for such a short trip like this too.

Hi guys, I'm travelling to Pakistan for the first time this December and I'm planning to spend around 3 weeks in Pakistan before heading into China.

I'm planning to travel from Hunza/Sost to Kashgar, China by road through the Karakoram Highway and Khunjerab Pass, most probably towards the end of December.

And so far I couldn't really find any solid information online on whether it's possible for tourists to cross from Pakistan into China by road in December, which is winter. Some sources say the road/border will be closed, while others say Khunjerab is now open year-round.

So my question is, is the crossing actually possible for tourists in December, and are there regular bus services available? I've heard that Faisal Movers / NATCO Express could be reliable bus services for this route. Would appreciate any information or advice. Thanks!

**Update (September 2026): Thanks to everyone for providing insights on this. I have contacted some hotels in Sost as suggested, and they have confirmed that the border is open and bus services are working, or at least that was the case for December 2025. Although things are not 100% confirmed for December 2026, but things are looking hopeful :)

Hey guys,

I am planning to visit Hunza mid october but I have very limited days and I have to come back to work overseas , I understand flights are due to weather forecast and cancellations are quite often.

I am wondering if anyone has any info how many times PIA has cancelled the Gilgit flight in month of Sep to see if its worth taking chance on fixed schedule.

Thank you

Hey everyone,

We’re planning a trip to Northern Pakistan soon (Hunza, Skardu, Naran etc.) as a group of Pakistani friends. One of our friends will also be joining us from Saudi Arabia, he is originally from the Philippines and this will be his first visit to Pakistan.

We’ve heard that in some northern areas, foreign nationals may require security escort or certain permissions.

We wanted to ask:

Is security escort or any special protocol mandatory for traveling with a foreign national in these regions, or can we travel freely as a normal group without any additional arrangements if everything is properly documented?

Also, if there are any updated rules or experiences from recent travelers, we’d really appreciate the insight so we can plan responsibly.

Thanks a lot in advance!

Hey everyone! 👋

I'm pretty new to Reddit and thought I'd start by finding my own people here. 😄

I'm from Gilgit-Baltistan and would love to connect with people from different parts of GB — writers, students, professionals, freelancers, travellers, or honestly anyone who just enjoys being part of the community.

If you're also new here, or just want to connect, drop a comment or follow me and I'll follow back. 🤝

Let's see how many people from GB we can find lurking around Reddit. 😂🏔️

Where in GB are you from? Gilgit, Skardu, Ghizer, Hunza, Nagar, Astore, Diamer, Ghanche, Kharmang… or somewhere else?

I’ve been travelling around Gilgit-Baltistan in last few years and one thing that really caught me off guard is how much the food seems to change from one valley to another. Is that down to culture, history, geography, different communities, or something else?

Also, I’d love recommendations for places serving genuinely local food. The kind locals would recommend, not the “here’s your karahi, biryani, etc” desi food tourist menu. 😅

Any must-try dishes or favourite local spots?

Will be covering various parts of Gilgit and Skardu so all recommendations are welcome 🙏

Hi. I'm planning a trip to Skardu with my family in early August for about 7 days including fly in and out of Skardu. Would we be able to cover some of the key spots in Skardu and Hunza during this period. I realize this will be hectic but is it realistic/doable? We are flying in from out of the country so trying to make the most of it. Would appreciate any feedback/suggestions.

Ala xaro sayarai, kachackak so Maja giltai Baltistanai dabuni hanat? Anu subreddit to darachakays ya ishkashenai manuxazs abad thaigan ayik lail bain?

How many of you are from Gilgit Baltistan in this subreddit! Like this one seems populated by tourists! Just share the most famous thing of your village or Town.

Mine: Kilao (Obviously not hunza chocolate)

hey guys, we’re planning on going to skardu but i’m unsure what’s the weather like there in october and what to pack

secondly, himmel is fully booked on booking.com and closest i could find is khoj, what are the reviews on that? which room to pick for the best views and what is close by for sight seeing? anybody knows a driver who can take us from the airport to khoj since it’s an hour away?

lastly, where to book the cheapest tickets from lahore

Hi,

I'm a long-time admirer of GB, and I've been wanting to visit you for years -

Would you say (non-biased) that you'd recommend travelling in May?

I'm aware of the March protests in Skardu and Gilgit - is the situation still volatile? Is there animosity towards white europeans due to the Iran/US war? Is infrastructure safe after the recent flooding?

My own government advises against travel because of the recent protests, but I'd appreciate an update from locals.

We are planning a trip to Skardu by air but dont knw where ro stay ans how to arrange transport for visiting different places. Plz help.

Hi everyone,

we’re planning a honeymoon trip from Karachi to Skardu this December and would love some quick advice: Is the extreme cold manageable, and are major spots like Shangrila, Katpana, and Shigar accessible?

Also, how reliable are flights from Islamabad regarding winter weather delays, and how effective is the heating/hot water at hotels like Hishupi, Rivage, Himmel, Khoj, or Dynasty during sub-zero temperatures? Thanks in advance for any insights!

I really want to know that do GB people hate Punjabis. I'm asking because l've listened a person from GB saying Punjabis are very bad people and they all are same. They are so rude, selfish and are bad in every aspect. He has very bad thoughts about Punjabis and has a lot of hate towards Punjabis to the point that he say he even want to kill the Punjabis. He's the only person from GB I've talked to so I wanna know does all people think the same way. Do they all hate Punjabis?

Any location or google map pin? Any specific shop?