Just returned from PC Bhurban (an apartment near it). Relatives from Karachi were staying there and we got invited. Trip was for 2 days only.
Visited Patriata on insistence by relatives and when i reached there i was surprised to find new system on both chair and cable car ( i last visited in 1998). Both were in v.good condition. Cost is Rs.850 (inclusive of both rides).
Relatives bought with them sealed polythene bags filled with food which they were using, As there were a lot of people so this contributed to quite some savings. Also apartment was loaned by some friend.
Most expense during travels is firstly the hotels, secondly the petrol and thirdly the fooding. The more days you stay the hoteling cost increases along with fooding cost and petrol cost goes down (in comparision).
For example Lahore to Hunza is around 973 km from my home. so straightaway it means around 20,000 petrol expense, while I stayed in hotel for 2 days for 7,000. Fooding cost was around 4-5000. .
this is an extreme example , if you go to Kalam , it is 670 km from Lahore, so travelling cost is 13,000 not including the 6,500 which you pay to visit Mahodand. Fooding and Hotels cost is nearly the same (only if you go on normal days )