Jeep Rental Skardu — insured 4×4s with local drivers who know every pass

We rent four classes of 4×4 in Skardu, sized to the route and the number of travellers. For most short tours — Shangrila, Kachura, Sarfaranga, Shigar — a Toyota Hilux double-cab or Prado is the right call: comfortable, four passengers plus luggage, mid-range fuel cost.

For Deosai, Khaplu, Hushe and the Karakoram Highway up to Hunza, the Land Cruiser 78 series and Land Cruiser V8 are our go-to. They handle river crossings, snow patches and the cratered jeep tracks above 3,500m without fuss. For K2 Base Camp expeditions all the way to Askole, we use the Land Cruiser 78 with a roof rack for trekking gear.

If you want the postcard shot — open-top jeep, scarf in the wind — our Suzuki Potohar 4×4s are available for half-day Shangrila and Sarfaranga loops at a friendly rate.

Daily jeep rental in Skardu starts at PKR 18,000 for a Hilux on a city/Shangrila loop, scales to PKR 24,000-28,000 for a Prado or Land Cruiser on Deosai or Khaplu, and reaches PKR 35,000-45,000 per day for a Land Cruiser 78 on the Askole/K2 expedition route (because the vehicle stays out for two weeks and the driver waits at base camp).

All rates include fuel up to a generous daily kilometre cap, a licensed driver-guide, insurance, and breakdown support. There are no separate charges for permits, parking or evening returns — what you book is what you pay.

Weekly and monthly rentals get a meaningful discount; long expedition rentals are quoted individually because the driver and vehicle are dedicated to your trip for the duration.

The Deosai Plains are the classic. A full-day jeep loop from Skardu via Sadpara Lake takes you across the plateau to Sheosar Lake (a turquoise alpine mirror at 4,142m), with a picnic lunch at Bara Pani and a return via Chillum. The road is open roughly July through September.

Basho Valley is the day trip nobody talks about — a 90-minute jeep ride west of Skardu into a pine and meadow valley that genuinely looks like Switzerland. Half-day rental, dramatic return.

The K2 base camp jeep transfer from Skardu to Askole is the hardest road in Pakistan that is still legal to drive. It takes 8-10 hours, crosses three rivers, and is essential for any K2 expedition — we have driven it more than 200 times.

Jeep rental in Skardu does not require a separate driving license, because every vehicle comes with a licensed local driver. For foreign travellers, NOC permits for restricted areas (K2 base camp, Shimshal, parts of Hushe) are arranged by our office in 24 hours — bring a passport copy, we do the rest.

Confirm a jeep with a small advance and the balance on pickup. We accept bank transfer (HBL, UBL, Meezan), Easypaisa and JazzCash. Cancellations more than 7 days before pickup are fully refundable; inside 7 days, we hold the advance as credit for a future booking.