The practical things people ask before a trip north, written down in one place.
General advice for the north. Your tour lead will brief you on anything specific to your route.
Carry your original CNIC (or passport and visa for foreign guests) for every adult. Checkposts on the Karakoram Highway and in Gilgit-Baltistan ask for it, sometimes several times a day.
May to October is the main season. June to August is warm in the valleys and busy everywhere; spring brings blossom in Hunza and autumn the gold colours. Many high passes and Deosai are snowbound from November to May.
Khunjerab Pass is about 4,700 m and Deosai over 4,000 m. Take it slowly, drink water and tell us about heart or breathing conditions. Most nights are spent much lower, in the valleys.
Pack layers: days can be warm while nights in the mountains are cold, even in summer. Bring a warm jacket, comfortable walking shoes, sunscreen, sunglasses, a small torch and any medication you need.
Cash is king in the mountains. ATMs exist in Gilgit, Skardu, Aliabad and Karimabad but can run dry or go offline, so carry enough for snacks, entry tickets and jeep rides.
Coverage thins out as you go north. SCOM and Zong work best in Gilgit-Baltistan; other networks can be patchy. Expect no signal on Deosai and parts of the Babusar and Neelum roads.
Mountain roads close for landslides, snow and repairs, and journeys often take longer than the map says. Your driver and tour lead decide when it is safe to go; please trust their call.
Dress modestly, ask before photographing people (especially women), and take your shoes off where asked. Hospitality in the north is generous; a little respect goes a long way.
Carry your rubbish back with you, avoid single-use plastic where you can, and keep to paths in meadows and national parks.
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