The Karakoram Highway is not really a highway in the way most people imagine. It is a single ribbon of tarmac stitched onto cliff faces, following the Indus into some of the highest mountains anywhere, and it changes character every few hours. You start in Islamabad traffic and end, days later, at a border gate in the clouds. Honestly, the drive is the trip — everything else is a bonus.
Before You Start: How Long This Trip Really Takes
Islamabad to Khunjerab Pass is roughly 870 kilometres, but forget distance and think in days. The minimum is four days of driving, and that pace will leave you exhausted. Five to six days is the sweet spot: two days up to Gilgit, a day or two in Hunza, and a full day for Khunjerab and back.
Do not try to do any leg in one push. Landslides, roadworks or one long tea stop can add two hours to a day, and night driving here is best avoided.
Stage 1: Islamabad to Abbottabad and Besham
Most travellers leave Islamabad early, climb onto the Hazara Motorway, and roll through Haripur and Abbottabad. This is the soft opening — smooth road, green hills, proper dhabas. After Mansehra the motorway ends and the road narrows into the hills.
From Mansehra you drop towards Balakot and on to Besham, usually reached by mid to late afternoon. Besham is not pretty, but it is practical: hotels, fuel, mechanics and hot food. Fill the tank even if it is half full — north of here, fuel stations thin out and quality gets less predictable.
Stage 2: Besham to Chilas Along the Indus
This is the longest, roughest day of the trip. From Besham the road joins the Indus and stays with it for hours — a grey-green river far below, mountains stacked on both sides. The surface alternates between decent tarmac and patched, bumpy stretches, especially around Dassu and Kohistan, where dam construction traffic slows everything.
Expect six to eight hours to Chilas, sometimes more. Food stops are simple truck dhabas serving dal, sabzi, roti and strong chai — eat where the drivers eat, because the food turns over fast. Carry snacks and water anyway; a blockage can park you in the middle of nowhere for an hour.
The Babusar Alternative
In summer, usually June to September or early October depending on snow, there is a second option: through Naran and over Babusar Pass (4,173m) down to Chilas. It is shorter, greener and prettier than the Besham route. The trade-off is steep switchbacks, changeable weather, and a pass that closes without much notice when snow returns.
Stage 3: Chilas to Gilgit, With Rakaposhi Ahead
Leaving Chilas, the valley slowly softens. Near Raikot Bridge, where a side road branches off towards Fairy Meadows, you pass a famous point: the junction of three great ranges — the Himalaya, Karakoram and Hindu Kush — marked by a roadside monument.
From here the road improves and the views get bigger. The Rakaposhi viewpoint near Ghulmat is the stop nobody regrets: a 7,788-metre wall of ice filling your windscreen. After that it is an easy run into Gilgit, with proper hotels, bakeries, fuel and signal. Most people sleep here or push on two more hours to Hunza.
Stage 4: Gilgit to Hunza
The Gilgit to Karimabad stretch is the highway at its friendliest — good road, orchards, Rakaposhi with you most of the way. Base yourself in Karimabad for a night or two and let your body adjust: you are now around 2,400 metres, and Khunjerab will take you far higher.
Stage 5: Attabad Lake, the Tunnels and Sost
North of Karimabad, the road reaches Attabad Lake, created by a landslide in 2010 and now an unreal shade of blue. The highway crosses it through long tunnels carved after the original road went under water — driving out of black rock into that blue is a moment people remember for years.
Beyond the lake lie Passu, with its sharp cathedral-like cones, and then Sost, the last real town before the border, with small hotels and the last reliable fuel. If you overnight on this stretch, Passu and Sost are the practical choices.
Stage 6: Sost to Khunjerab Pass
The final climb is about 85 kilometres through Khunjerab National Park, two to three hours each way. The road is good but the altitude is serious: the pass sits at about 4,693 metres.
At the top there is the border gate, a line of parked trucks, and wind that cuts through whatever you are wearing. Take photos and do not run around. Headaches and breathlessness here are normal; a worsening headache means descend, not be brave.
Vehicles, Drivers and the Real Costs
A sound car with good ground clearance can do this trip in season, but a jeep or SUV is far more comfortable on the Kohistan stretch. Unless you know mountain roads well, hire a local driver: they know which pump sells clean diesel, where the road is being cut, and when to leave to beat the trucks. Budget PKR 18,000–30,000 per day for a hired car with driver, plus their food and lodging. Fuel for the round trip commonly runs PKR 60,000–90,000, mid-range hotels PKR 8,000–20,000 a night, and simple food PKR 1,500–3,000 per person per day. All in, a comfortable five to six day trip usually lands between PKR 250,000 and 400,000.
Altitude, Weather and Honest Warnings
Hydrate more than feels necessary and skip alcohol at altitude. Weather turns fast above 3,000 metres even in July — pack a real jacket, not a hoodie. Check road status before every leg, keep your CNIC or passport handy for checkpoints, and download offline maps; signal disappears exactly where you want it most.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I drive the Karakoram Highway in my own car?
Yes, if it is sound, has decent ground clearance and good tyres. Carry a full-size spare, basic tools and extra water. For a first trip, a hired local driver is the stress-free option.
When is the best time to do this road trip?
May to October is the main window; June and September balance good weather with thinner crowds. Khunjerab can close with snow outside summer, so check before building plans around it.
How do I avoid altitude sickness at Khunjerab?
Sleep at least one night in Hunza before going up, drink plenty of water, eat lightly, and keep time at the top short — an hour is enough. Descend immediately if symptoms worsen.