Islamabad is the gateway to Gilgit-Baltistan. From there you can fly to Gilgit or Skardu in about an hour, or drive one of two mountain routes that are journeys in their own right.
By air: Islamabad to Gilgit or Skardu
Flights to Gilgit and Skardu take around one hour and pass close to Nanga Parbat on a clear day. Both airports rely on visual conditions, so flights are often delayed or cancelled in cloud, rain or snow. Book the earliest flight, keep your schedule flexible, and plan a road fallback. Skardu has the longer runway and generally the more reliable service.
By road: the Karakoram Highway (KKH)
The KKH, also called the N-35, runs from Hasan Abdal near Islamabad through Abbottabad, Mansehra, Besham, Dasu and Chilas to Gilgit, then on through Hunza to the Khunjerab Pass (4,693 m) on the China border. It is open all year. Islamabad to Gilgit takes roughly 14 to 18 hours; most travellers break the journey overnight in Besham or Chilas.
By road: the Babusar Pass route (summer only)
From about June to October, the faster route runs through the Kaghan Valley (Balakot, Naran) and over the Babusar Pass at 4,173 m, joining the KKH at Chilas. Many travellers stop in Naran for a night. Snow closes the pass in winter and early spring.
Typical driving times
- Islamabad to Naran: 5 to 6 hours.
- Naran to Chilas over the Babusar Pass: 3 to 4 hours.
- Chilas to Gilgit: about 3 hours.
- Gilgit to Karimabad (Hunza): about 2 hours.
- Karimabad to Khunjerab Pass: about 3 to 4 hours.
- Gilgit to Skardu: about 5 hours along the Indus.
- Chilas to Raikot Bridge (for Fairy Meadows): about 1 hour.
Which option should you choose?
If time is short, fly in and drive out, so a cancelled flight cannot wreck your trip home. If you love road journeys, take the Babusar route north in summer and return by the KKH to see both. A private car with a local driver is the most comfortable way to travel; public coaches (such as NATCO) are cheaper but slower.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Islamabad to Hunza?+
About 18 to 20 hours of driving via the Karakoram Highway, usually split over two days with a night in Besham, Chilas or Naran. In summer the Babusar Pass route is a little faster.
Is the Babusar Pass open all year?+
No. The Babusar Pass (4,173 m) usually opens around June and closes with the first heavy snow, around late October or November. In other months use the Karakoram Highway.
Are flights to Gilgit and Skardu reliable?+
They depend on clear weather, so delays and cancellations are common, especially to Gilgit and in winter. Keep a flexible schedule and a road backup.
How far is Skardu from Gilgit?+
Around 5 hours by road along the Indus River, via the junction of the Karakoram, Himalaya and Hindu Kush near Jaglot.
