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Voykit pocket guide · Pakistan
Gilgit
Spend 1–2 days in Gilgit as a base for Karakoram Highway trips; arrive by bus or short flight, stay near the market.
Gilgit is a small mountain town on the Karakoram Highway, serving as a convenient stop for trekkers, climbers and travelers heading to Hunza or Skardu. One night covers the main sights and lets you catch a bus or flight onward.
- Country
- Pakistan
- Best months
- May–Oct
- Avoid
- check
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- PKR
- Money
- Pakistani rupee (PKR, Rs) in cash for almost everything outside big-city hotels and malls; carry US dollars as backup.
- Daily spend
- Budget Rs 500–800 excl. bed · Mid Rs 800–1,200 excl. bed · High Rs 1,200+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Jazz, Zong, Telenor and Ufone sell SIMs with passport and biometric registration at franchise shops (not usually at the airport).
- Emergency
- Police 15 · Rescue 1122 · Edhi ambulance 115
- Plugs
- Types C, D · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two- and three-pin sockets; power cuts (load-shedding) are common, especially in the north.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 5–10%.; Driver / guide: Rs 1,000–3,000 a day.; Hotel staff: Rs 200–500.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap; bottled water everywhere.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels; squat toilets with a water jug or hose elsewhere.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Bus Islamabad → Gilgit (NATCO) | Rs 3,020–4,180 |
| Flight Islamabad → Gilgit (PIA) | Rs 6,000–9,000 |
| Taxi town centre → airport | Rs 200–300 |
| Meal (local restaurant) | Rs 150–300 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- GIL · Gilgit Airport
- —
Typical fares
- Bus Islamabad → Gilgit (NATCO)
- Rs 3,500 approx, 24 h (check)
- Flight Islamabad → Gilgit (PIA)
- Rs 7,500 approx, 45 min (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Hire taxis or minivans in town; buses run to Hunza, Skardu and Naltar; renting a jeep is common for day trips.
See and do
Known for
- Gilgit Bridge
- Kargah Buddha
- Naltar Valley
- Sher Qilla trekking
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Naltar Valley | Jeep from Gilgit, about 2 h | ≈2.5 h round trip |
| Sher Qilla | Minibus or jeep, 38 km (24 mi) northMinibus or jeep, 24 mi (38 km) north | ≈1.5 h round trip |
Sleep
- Madina Guest House
- Rs 200–600; popular with foreigners, courtyard restaurant
- Park Hotel Gilgit
- Budget option, central location
- Gilgit Serena Hotel
- Higher‑end, on Sherullah Baig Road
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | معاف کرناma'af karna |
| Thank you | شکریہshukriya |
| How much is it? | کتنا ہے؟kitna hai? |
| Where is the bus stop? | بس اسٹاپ کہاں ہے؟bus stop kahan hai? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: 'Assalam o alaikum', right hand on heart; handshakes between men; avoid: Offering a hand to a woman first
- Hospitality: Accept tea; let hosts pay the first time; avoid: Refusing all offers
- Dress: Shalwar kameez is comfortable and appreciated; avoid: Shorts and sleeveless tops
- Shrines: Cover heads, shoes off, sit quietly at qawwali; avoid: Filming without permission
- Conversation: Cricket, food and family are safe topics; avoid: Religion, India and the army with strangers
Scams and watch-outs
- Bus trips require 10 passport copies for checkpoints (NATCO).
- Flights often delayed by weather; check schedule before travel.
- ATMs rarely accept foreign cards; carry cash.
Gilgit is generally safe for tourists; keep copies of passport, travel in daylight, and stay informed about weather‑related road closures.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Gilgit yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Gilgit Bridge
- Kargah Buddha
- Naltar Valley
- Sher Qilla trekking
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Gilgit, revision 5287847 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5287847
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/gilgit). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.