Islamabad Travel Forum

I need to seek advice and comments from those of you who have been to Hunza by road.

I am planning to go to Hunza with my family by car on Karakoram Highway on 2nd june inshallah.Since no night time driving is in our plan, our first night stop shall be at Besham where we expect to reach in 10 hours...leaving Lahore by 7 am and travelling on M2, reaching Islamabad interchange within four hours, Abottabad in another three hours and then Besham (three hours more) before sunset inshallah.
My original plan was to spend the second night at Chilas but I have learned that Chilas is 5 hours from Besham and Gilgit is another three hours from Chilas.So now I assume we can reach Gilgit from Besham before sunset even if we don't stop at Chilas and after spending the second night at Gilgit, we can drive to Karimabad the next day inshalah.Does it sound workable?

How is KKH in the month of June...landslides?
I have learned there are bandits robbing cars and other private vehices in Kohistan region...any idea of current state of affairs regarding that?

It is not possible to drive our cars in to China but can we drive past Sost and upto Khunjerab Pass? Or we cannot drive beyond the customs check post at Sost?

Any hotel recommendations in Karimabad?---neither the budget class nor a five star...just a good, moderate one.

We plan to leave our car at some place in Gilgit and fly to Skardu and back.Any comments?

Flying to Gilgit from Islamabad and back could be less time consuming but that way we won't be able to experience KKH.

I will be grateful for any guidance that anyone can provide from their first hand experience.

Salut mon ami,

June, mostly a dry month on KKH, so less chances of landslides.
You better startvery early from Lahore so 4 hrs Islamabad and another 7 hrs to Besham

Stay at
Midway guest house

nice place with good resturant

Next day to Gilgit, 5 ,6 hrs to Chilas and 3 hrs to Gilgit

Hotel Riveria
Chinar bagh, Gilgit

It'd be a nice experience on KKH.


Tres tres bon voyage.

Imran Schah

If you are not going to Islamabad then no need to exit from Motorway at Islamabad. Don't exit at Islamabad. Continue your travel toward Peshawar Motorway M-1 upto Burhan Interchange 20 minutes from Islamabad. Exit here and go Abbotabad. This will result in 90 minutes to Abbotabad from Islamabad. 20 minutes Islamabad-Burhan Interchange. 70 minutes Burhan-Wah-Abbotabad. You can easily reach Bisham. You can stoay here at PTDC. Leave it early in the morning.
You can be at Hunza same day, if you want. Korakaram highway is running side by river and mountains. These mountains are not much green as Naraan's.
Have a nice trip.