This 14 days northern areas itinerary is a grand loop from Islamabad that never uses the same road twice for long. It goes out west through Chitral and over the Shandur Pass to Gilgit, or through Swat and down to the Karakoram Highway, then north to Hunza and the Khunjerab Pass, east to Skardu and the Deosai plateau, and home through the Babusar Pass and Naran. It only works from late June to mid-September, when every pass on the circuit is open, and it asks for nine days of serious driving.
Below is the Chitral version day by day, then the Swat alternative for the first five days, the season, the vehicle, and an honest view of who should attempt it.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Route | Islamabad, Chitral, Shandur, Gilgit, Hunza, Khunjerab, Skardu, Deosai, Babusar, Naran, Islamabad |
| Alternative start | Swat and Kalam, then Shangla to the KKH |
| Driving days | About 9 of the 14 |
| High points | Khunjerab 4,693 m; Babusar 4,173 m; Deosai over 4,000 m; Shandur about 3,700 m |
| Season | Late June to mid-September |
| Vehicle | A 4x4 or high-clearance vehicle with a local driver for Chitral to Gilgit; a jeep for Deosai |
| Spare days | One in Hunza, plus Deosai as a second buffer |
The fourteen days in brief
| Day | Route | Driving time | Night |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Islamabad to Chitral via Dir and the Lowari tunnel | 10 to 12 hours with stops | Chitral |
| 2 | Kalash valleys, Bumburet and back | 3 to 5 hours | Chitral |
| 3 | Chitral to Mastuj | About 4 hours | Mastuj |
| 4 | Mastuj over the Shandur Pass to Phander | 4 to 5 hours | Phander |
| 5 | Phander to Gilgit | About 5 hours | Gilgit |
| 6 | Gilgit to Karimabad; Altit and Baltit | 2 to 3 hours | Karimabad |
| 7 | Attabad, Passu and the Khunjerab Pass | 7 to 8 hours | Karimabad |
| 8 | Spare day; Hopper or Borith Lake if unused | 0 to 3 hours | Karimabad |
| 9 | Karimabad to Skardu | 7 to 8 hours | Skardu |
| 10 | Kachura lakes, Shigar and Katpana | 2 to 3 hours | Skardu |
| 11 | Deosai plateau by jeep | 6 to 8 hours | Skardu |
| 12 | Skardu to Chilas | 6 to 7 hours | Chilas |
| 13 | Chilas over Babusar Top to Naran | 4 to 5 hours | Naran |
| 14 | Naran to Islamabad | 6 to 8 hours | Home |
Days 1 to 5: Chitral and the Shandur Pass
Day 1: Islamabad to Chitral. The longest day of the loop. The M-1 and the Swat Motorway to Chakdara, then the N-45 through Timergara and Dir, through the Lowari tunnel and down the Chitral river past Drosh. Leave by 5 am to arrive before dark. If that is too much, stop in Dir after five or six hours and finish the last three hours next morning, and take the day back later by dropping Deosai.
Day 2: the Kalash valleys. South to Ayun, then up the side road to Bumburet, one and a half to two and a half hours each way while the road is rebuilt. Register at the checkpost and pay the entry fee. Walk the villages, visit the museum, and be back in Chitral for dinner.
Day 3: Chitral to Mastuj. About four hours up the Chitral river through Booni to Mastuj, at about 2,360 metres below its old fort, where the road to Shandur turns off. A short driving day that helps with the altitude to come.
Day 4: over the Shandur Pass. Up the Laspur valley to the pass at about 3,700 metres, with its lake and the polo ground, then down into Gilgit-Baltistan and the Ghizer valley to Phander, with its lake beside the road. The whole Chitral to Shandur road is being rebuilt as a national highway, with completion targeted for December 2026, so expect roadworks, dust and slow, rough sections.
Day 5: Phander to Gilgit. About five hours down the Ghizer river through Gupis to Gilgit, where you are back on paved main roads and among banks, pharmacies and fuel.
Days 6 to 8: Hunza and Khunjerab
Day 6: Gilgit to Karimabad. Two to three hours up the Hunza river, with a stop at the Rakaposhi viewpoint at Ghulmet. Altit Fort in the afternoon, and the Eagle's Nest at Duiker for sunset.
Day 7: Khunjerab. Baltit Fort first thing if you missed it, then out through the Attabad tunnels, Gulmit, Passu and Sost to the border at 4,693 metres. Fill up at Sost, the last fuel, and pay the park fee at Dih in cash. Keep the stop at the top short. Our Khunjerab Pass guide covers the checkpoint and the altitude.
Day 8: the spare day. After a week on mountain roads, something will probably have slipped: a slide on the Ghizer road, a snow closure at Khunjerab, a tired driver. This is where you recover it. If you don't need it, take the Hopper glacier in Nagar or Borith Lake in upper Hunza, or simply rest.
Days 9 to 11: Skardu and Deosai
Day 9: Karimabad to Skardu. Back through Gilgit, south to Jaglot, then east on the rebuilt Skardu road through the Indus gorge. Seven to eight hours with stops. The road closes after heavy rain, so check it the evening before.
Day 10: Skardu. Upper Kachura and Shangrila in the morning, Shigar Fort and the wooden Amburiq mosque at midday, and the Katpana cold desert in the last hour of light.
Day 11: Deosai. A local jeep up past Satpara onto the plateau, which averages over 4,000 metres, and on towards Sheosar Lake. Ten to twelve hours out and back, cold, with no shops or signal. If you used the spare day earlier and are running behind, this is the day to drop: leave Skardu a day early and keep the rest of the plan.
Days 12 to 14: home over the Babusar Pass
Day 12: Skardu to Chilas. Back down the Skardu road to Jaglot and south on the KKH past Raikot Bridge and the Nanga Parbat views to Chilas, six to seven hours. Chilas is hot and low; book a room with air conditioning.
Day 13: over Babusar to Naran. A short climb day: up the Thak valley to Babusar Top at 4,173 metres, then down past Lulusar Lake to Naran, four to five hours. The pass is a daylight-only road, so cross by early afternoon. If heavy rain is forecast, don't: the Thak side flooded in July 2025, and the KKH through Besham is the alternative.
Day 14: Naran to Islamabad. Down the Kaghan valley to Mansehra and home on the Hazara Motorway, six to eight hours depending on valley traffic.
The Swat alternative for days 1 to 5
If you would rather start with Swat than Chitral, days 1 to 5 become:
- Islamabad to Mingora, four and a half to five hours with a stop, with Malam Jabba or the Buddhist sites around Mingora in the afternoon.
- Mingora to Kalam, three to five hours up the Swat river, the last stretch above Bahrain still slow and damaged in places.
- Kalam, with a jeep to Ushu forest and Mahodand Lake, about two hours each way.
- Kalam to Besham via Khwazakhela and the Shangla Pass, six to seven hours, reaching the Karakoram Highway at Besham.
- Besham to Chilas through Kohistan, five to eight hours, then on to Karimabad on day 6.
This version is all on paved roads apart from the Kalam jeep tracks, so an ordinary car in good condition will do. It swaps Shandur for Kohistan, and it carries a heavier security caveat in 2026.
Security, season and the vehicle
Security. Two parts of this loop need a look at the news before you commit. In Swat, the security situation worsened in 2026, with a suicide bombing in Kabal in August. On the Chitral side, the UK advises its nationals against travel on the N-45 through Dir to Chitral. Pakistani tourists use both routes every summer, but check current advice, drive in daylight and follow instructions at checkposts. Our guide to whether it is safe to travel to the northern areas sets out the picture region by region.
Season. Shandur is open from about June to October, Babusar from late May or June to the first autumn snow, Deosai roughly June to September, and Khunjerab May to November. Late June to mid-September is when all four overlap. July and August bring the most landslides, so September is often the best choice. Avoid Shandur in festival week, usually in June or early July, unless you want the polo and have booked accordingly.
Vehicle. From Chitral to Gilgit, use a 4x4 or a high-clearance vehicle with a local driver who knows the Shandur road. Many people hire one in Chitral for days 3 to 5 and pick up another car and driver in Gilgit. For Deosai, hire a jeep in Skardu. The rest of the loop is paved.
Is two weeks enough for the full circuit?
Two weeks is the minimum for this loop, not a comfortable length. Nine of the fourteen days are driving days, several of them long, and there is one true spare day. It suits experienced travellers and groups of friends who like the road, have done the north before and want to see how it all joins up. With 16 or 17 days, add a second night in Chitral and one in Gulmit or Passu, and it becomes a much better trip.
It is too much for young children, for older parents, and for anyone doing the north for the first time. For them, one region done slowly is better value: our nine-day Gilgit, Hunza and Khunjerab tour or seven-day Skardu and Deosai trip, or the ten-day Hunza and Skardu itinerary. If you want the full circuit arranged around your dates, send us the details on our trip planning page.
Frequently asked questions
Can you cover Chitral, Hunza and Skardu in 14 days?
Yes, as a loop through the Shandur Pass, Hunza, Skardu and the Babusar Pass between late June and mid-September. It means nine driving days and only one spare day, so it suits experienced road travellers.
How long does it take to drive from Chitral to Gilgit?
Two days is sensible: about four hours from Chitral to Mastuj, then over the Shandur Pass to Phander, and about five hours from Phander to Gilgit. The Chitral side of the road is being rebuilt, so expect slow, rough sections.
Is the Shandur Pass open in summer?
Usually from about June to October. It sits at about 3,700 metres and closes with snow, and the road on the Chitral side is under reconstruction.
Which is better for this loop, Chitral or Swat?
Chitral and Shandur make the more varied and remote loop but need a 4x4 for two days. Swat is all paved, apart from the Kalam jeep tracks, but joins the KKH through Kohistan. In 2026, check the security news for both before deciding.
Do I need my own car for a 14-day northern trip?
Not necessarily. Many people hire a car and driver for the whole trip, or split it: a 4x4 from Chitral to Gilgit, a car from Gilgit onwards, and a jeep in Skardu for Deosai.
What should I drop if I have only 12 days?
Drop Deosai and the Kalash day, and go straight from Chitral to Mastuj. Or cut the loop in half and do Hunza and Skardu with a flight home from Skardu.
