Trips: August 2021 (Hunza and Fairy Meadows) and May 2026 (Shogran and Naran) · Last checked: October 2026
I have done two very different northern Pakistan trips. In August 2021 I went to Hunza and Fairy Meadows for 7 days with friends, a group of 10. In May 2026 I went to Shogran and Naran for 7 nights with my wife. They cost very different amounts, and the gap shows how much has changed. This post puts the real numbers side by side.
All figures are approximate and in PKR. I did not keep receipts, so I do not have a category-by-category split for either trip. Where a number is my own estimate, I say so.
The two trips at a glance
| August 2021 | May 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Who | 10 friends | Me and my wife |
| Where | Hunza and Fairy Meadows | Shogran, Naran and the road towards Babusar |
| Length | 7 days | 7 nights |
| Started from | Faisalabad | Faisalabad |
| Vehicle | Rented Toyota Hiace with a driver | Our own Toyota Vitz |
| Petrol, per litre | About PKR 170 | About PKR 414 |
| Total cost | About PKR 24,000 per person (about PKR 240,000 for the group) | About PKR 150,000 for two, including hotels, food and shopping |
The 2021 trip: 10 friends and one Hiace
We hired a Toyota Hiace with a driver for the whole week. It cost about PKR 8,000 a day, which is about PKR 56,000 for 7 days. Petrol was about PKR 170 a litre.
Fairy Meadows was not popular yet, so hotels and food there were cheap. We paid about PKR 4,000 for a jeep for 5 people from Raikot to Tato, PKR 1,500 to 2,000 for a horse or a mule, and about PKR 6,000 a night for a hut that all 10 of us had to ourselves. A BBQ piece cost about PKR 1,000.
Counting everything, the trip cost about PKR 24,000 per person, which is roughly PKR 240,000 for the group. Sharing one vehicle, one hut and the fuel between 10 people is what kept it so low.
The 2026 trip: two people and our own car
In May 2026 I went with my wife for 7 nights in our own Toyota Vitz. We started from Faisalabad, stayed in Shogran and Naran, and drove towards Babusar Top, which was still closed by snow.
Petrol was about PKR 414 a litre. I spent about PKR 35,000 on fuel for the whole trip, from Faisalabad to every place we visited. Everything together, including hotels, food and shopping, came to about PKR 150,000. That is about PKR 21,000 a night for two people.
Hotels were the biggest cost. A deluxe room at Spruce in Shogran cost PKR 27,000 a night and Cedarwood cost PKR 24,500. In Naran I paid PKR 14,000 a night for 2 nights at Luxus, against its usual PKR 17,500. The season was just starting and the hotel was new, and I asked for a discount and told them I would review the hotel. I explain this in my hotel review.
Food and jeeps were smaller costs. A proper meal for two with tea cost about PKR 4,000 in Naran and PKR 6,000 to 8,000 at Cedarwood in Shogran. The jeep to Siri and Paye costs about PKR 6,000, and a jeep with a driver to Saif-ul-Malook costs about PKR 5,000.
How prices changed since 2021
| What | 2021 | Today |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol, per litre | About PKR 170 | About PKR 414 |
| Hiace with a driver, per day | About PKR 8,000 | I did not hire one in 2026 |
| Fairy Meadows jeep, for 5 people | About PKR 4,000 | PKR 14,000 to 16,000 |
| Horse or mule from Tato | PKR 1,500 to 2,000 | PKR 3,500 to 4,000 |
| Fairy Meadows hut, per night | About PKR 6,000 | About PKR 15,000 |
| BBQ piece at Fairy Meadows | About PKR 1,000 | PKR 2,000 |
| Local room in Shogran | About PKR 4,000 (2022, from friends) | About PKR 8,000 |
| The same 10-person, 7-day trip | About PKR 240,000 | About PKR 600,000 (my own estimate) |
Most of these prices have gone up two to four times. The Fairy Meadows jeep went up the most, from about PKR 4,000 to PKR 14,000 to 16,000. The PKR 600,000 figure is my own estimate of what the 2021 group trip would cost today, not a quote.
Why the cost per person is so different
- Group size. In 2021, one vehicle, one hut and every tank of fuel were shared by 10 people. In 2026, two people carried every room and every litre of fuel.
- The vehicle. In 2021 we hired a Hiace with a driver. In 2026 we used our own car, which is cheaper for a small group, and we could stop wherever we liked.
- The hotels. In 2026 I stayed in some of the best hotels in Shogran. In 2021, prices in Fairy Meadows and Hunza were low.
- The prices. Everything, from petrol to a roti, is more expensive now.
How to keep a trip like this affordable
- Go in October. Rates are usually lower than in May, June and July, and there is no crowd.
- Drive your own car. It costs less than hiring a vehicle for a small group, and you can stop where you like.
- Share the big costs. A jeep seats 5 people, and a group can share a hut or a hotel room.
- Choose a local hotel in Shogran. They cost PKR 5,000 to 8,000 a night, against PKR 24,500 to 27,000 at Spruce and Cedarwood. You can bargain, but only by about PKR 500.
- Eat in Naran. A meal for two is about PKR 4,000, against PKR 6,000 to 8,000 at Cedarwood. I still think one dinner at Cedarwood is worth it.
- Think about a package for Fairy Meadows. Tourist companies still offer a plan for around PKR 35,000 per person, which is simpler than arranging everything yourself.
- Check rates at the start of the season. I paid PKR 14,000 instead of PKR 17,500 at a new hotel in Naran in May.
Quick answers
- How much did the May 2026 trip cost? About PKR 150,000 for two people for 7 nights, including hotels, food and shopping. About PKR 35,000 of that was fuel.
- How much did the 2021 trip cost? About PKR 24,000 per person for 10 friends over 7 days.
- Is October cheaper than May? In my experience, rates in October are lower than in May, June and July.
- Why is there no full breakdown? I did not keep receipts, so I only give the numbers I am sure about.
Related: How to reach Fairy Meadows · Shogran travel guide · Shogran, Naran and Babusar Top in May 2026
These figures are approximate and based on my own trips in August 2021 and May 2026. Prices change, so please check before you travel and read my disclaimer. If you went recently and something is different, tell me on the contact page.
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