Astore and Rama
Overview
A four-day journey into the Astore valley for Rama meadow and Rama Lake, under the eastern side of Nanga Parbat. Road-based, easy, and the quietest of the Nanga Parbat approaches.
Rama
Rama is a meadow of pine and juniper above Astore town, with the lake a short walk beyond it and Nanga Parbat standing over both. It gets a fraction of the visitors Fairy Meadows does for a view of the same mountain from the other side, which is most of the argument for coming.
Astore
The valley runs south from the Karakoram Highway at Jaglot and carries the eastern road onto the Deosai plateau. It is a working agricultural valley rather than a resort one, and the drive up it is as much of the trip as the meadow at the end.
The Deosai connection
The back road from Astore climbs onto Deosai and crosses to Skardu, which makes this the natural first half of a longer loop rather than an out-and-back. If you have the days, say so and we will plan it that way.
When it runs
May to October. The Deosai crossing is a shorter window than the valley itself.
What is inside the price
All permits and park fees, our own 4x4s and drivers, hotels and a camp at Rama if you want one, all meals, and a guide on our payroll. Medical kit, satellite comms above Astore and a published evacuation procedure. For the other side of this mountain on foot, see the Rupal Face trek. The rest of Astore and our other jeep safaris.
- Duration
- 3 – 4 days
- Trek days
- 0
- Maximum altitude
- 3,300 m [confirm]
- Grade
- Easy
- Group size
- Max 10
- Guides
- 2 certified, 1 WFR
- Season
- May – October
- Starts / ends
- Gilgit / Gilgit
- Accommodation
- Hotels in Astore, camp at Rama on request
- Rama meadow and lake, under the eastern side of Nanga Parbat
- A fraction of the visitors Fairy Meadows gets, for the same mountain from the other side
- Pine and juniper rather than the rock and terrace of most Gilgit-Baltistan valleys
- The back road onto the Deosai plateau, which starts here
- A working agricultural valley rather than a resort one
Private departures and group pricing
Your party, your dates. The per-person figure falls as the party grows, because the guides, the vehicles and the camp cost the same split more ways. Everything in the inclusions list applies, and the safety standard is the one published above.
| Party size | Price per person | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | USD 1,350 | A full crew for two people |
| 3 – 4 | USD 1,150 | |
| 5 – 8 | USD 950 | Second guide joins at six |
Deposit is 25% of the trip price. The payment schedule and the cancellation terms are published and sent with every quote, before you pay anything.
Day by day
Buffer days are built in, not padding. If the weather takes them, nothing downstream collapses and you are not charged twice.
01 Gilgit to Astore Hotel
Down the Karakoram Highway to Jaglot and up the valley. A long road day with the Indus most of the way.
02 Astore to Rama Hotel or camp
Up to the meadow. The lake in the afternoon, and Nanga Parbat above both.
03 Rama, and back to Astore Hotel
A morning at the meadow before the light goes flat, then down the valley.
04 Astore to Gilgit —
Back down to the highway and north, or on over Deosai to Skardu if you have the days.
What is included
- Visa sponsor letter
- All permits, park fees and NOCs
- Met inside the terminal, all transfers
- Our own 4x4s and drivers
- Certified guides and insured crew
- All meals and accommodation throughout
- Medical kit, oxygen where the route calls for it
- Satellite comms and a daily message home
- International flights
- Visa fee itself
- Travel insurance covering evacuation and repatriation
- Personal equipment
- Tips
If our price is wrong for you we will move you to a lower tier or remove a named inclusion. We do not discount a published price, and we do not cut the crew.
Fitness and difficulty — read this honestly
No fitness requirement. The meadow is reached by vehicle and the lake is a short, gentle walk beyond it on a good path.
The road up from the Karakoram Highway is long and rough, which is the only demanding part. There is no meaningful altitude — Rama sits high enough that a few people notice the first night and almost nobody notices the second. If you want to go on over Deosai, that is a different altitude conversation and we will have it at enquiry.
Kit list
The full list with quantities is sent with your quote. Rental is available in Skardu for most of it, priced separately. Your kit is checked item by item in Islamabad, not the night before the trek.
Group — we provide
- All vehicles, drivers and fuel
- Group first aid
- Satellite phone where there is no mobile signal
Personal — yours
- Layers for a wide temperature range; valley heat and pass cold on the same day
- Comfortable walking shoes for short walks off the road
- Sun hat, sunglasses and sunscreen
- Power bank; mains power is intermittent outside the towns
- Personal medication and a declared medical history
Safety, evacuation and insurance
Helicopter rescue in the Karakoram is not guaranteed. Weather, altitude, daylight and clearance all decide whether a helicopter flies, so every stage carries a named drive-out or walk-out plan. Your insurance must cover helicopter evacuation and repatriation to the maximum altitude on your itinerary, and we verify the certificate before the trip starts.
A graded medical kit sized to the trip, oxygen, a portable altitude chamber, a satellite phone and a messenger, and a wilderness first responder in the crew.
The lead guide’s decision to turn back is final. Not a guest, not an agent, not this office — whatever has been paid.
Getting there
Islamabad to Gilgit
By air when the weather allows, or by road up the Karakoram Highway. A buffer day either way.
Gilgit to Astore
South down the highway to Jaglot, then up the Astore valley by jeep. Several hours on our own vehicles.
Astore to Rama
A short, steep jeep road above the town.
Questions people actually ask
How does Rama compare with Fairy Meadows?
Same mountain, eastern side, and a fraction of the visitors. Fairy Meadows is the famous one and it is busier. Rama is quieter, easier to reach by vehicle, and the walking is shorter.
How many days do I need?
Four from Gilgit, including the long road day in. Three if you are already in Astore or heading on over Deosai.
How fit do I need to be?
Not at all. The meadow is reached by vehicle and the lake is a short gentle walk on a good path. The road is the demanding part, not the walking.
How high does it get?
Around 3,300 m at Rama. We have no reliable second source for that, so it prints with a marker. A few people notice the first night and almost nobody notices the second.
Can we carry on to Deosai?
Yes, and it is the natural way to do this. The back road from Astore climbs onto the plateau and crosses to Skardu. Tell us at enquiry and we will plan the loop rather than an out-and-back.
Do I need a permit?
No. Astore is an open zone. If you go on over Deosai there is a national park fee, which we pay. Your Pakistan visa is the paperwork that matters.
What does it cost and what moves the price?
Party size, then road days — Astore has no airport, so reaching it is a long drive from Gilgit. Deposit is 25 per cent.
When should I come?
May to October for the valley. If you want the Deosai crossing as well, that is a shorter window and we will advise on dates.
If this one is not quite right
The commonest reason a trip is wrong is that it is too hard or too easy, not that it is in the wrong place.
- A step harder Deosai plateau and Sheosar Lake
If this one is not right
Naltar valley
Phander and Ghizer
Babusar Pass
Easy
Shigar & Braldu · Jeep safari