The budget backpack: Planning a trip to Pakistan's Fairy Meadows

North Pakistan has a dramatic topography that converts from steep-slopped valleys into plunging waterfalls or fields of ice. Of these, the Fairy Meadows in Gilgit-Baltistan reigns supreme. With the heat beating down on most parts of the country, you might be looking for a change of scenery or just weather. Here are some ideas to help you plan a sojourn to a mountain range fit for a fairy:

When to go

The perfect time to visit Fairy Meadows is the months between April and October. Any earlier or later and you might be snowed in.

There are two ways up - one that snakes through the Karakoram Highway from the town of Besham to Raikot. This is a nine-hour back-breaking journey, only advisable for the adventurous spirits. The other road trip can be taken through the Babusar Pass, which connects Baltistan with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. This is instead a shorter and scenic seven-hour ride.

Both routes eventually converge at Raikot. Here, you will need to hire a jeep, which can accommodate up to five people. Now, if you are a good haggler you can get a jeep for Rs 2,500.

The drive up is hair-raising terrifying, to say the least. On one side are large, intimidating mountain ranges, while on the other side is a cliff and a great plunge. The driver will stop at the Tattoo village. Be sure to pack your belongings safely, because here up in a three-hour trek to the lush green vastness of Fairy Meadows. The trail, although exhausting, is beautiful, dotted with pines trees on either side of the Tattoo stream.

Invariably, your first glance of the mountain will be awe-inspiring. At this point, you will be 3,000 feet from sea level, and nausea and vertigo are likely to strike. Make sure you drink plenty of fluids and eat yoghurt before you start your journey.

Where to stay

One of the best and most accommodating hotels in Fairy Meadows is a place called Raikot Safari. One wooden cabin, comfortable to house three people, can cost up to Rs 2,500 per night. Breakfast is included in the room charges. Lunch and dinner at the hotel are also reasonably priced. But if you are a tea hawk, make sure you pack an electric kettle, since the hotel only arranges for tea during meal times.

Fairy Meadows is blanketed with bristlecone pines, Juniper trees and shrubs. At a close distance from the hotel is a fresh water lake named after travel writer, Mustansar Hussain Tarar. The area boasts of babbling brooks, neighing horses and the cold breeze that comes down from the icy peaks of the Nanga Parbat.

Day excursion to Bial Camp

Once rested, plan a day trip the Bial Camp, close to the Nanga Parbat Base Camp. For this, you will need to walk through the meandering track of a stunning allure, which is home to over 400 different species of herbs. If you prefer not to walk, you can hire a horse for Rs 1, 000.

Fairy Meadows is a beautiful, high altitude, lush green plateau. It is impossible for it to fall short of expectation. My sincerest advice, take some time out from your busy lives and take this memorable trip up north.