Backpacking Gilgit-Baltistan on a Shoestring

Backpacking in Gilgit-Baltistan on a shoestring means riding the NATCO bus or a shared van instead of hiring a car, sleeping in hostels, guesthouses and homestays, and keeping a loose plan that bends around whichever vehicle has a free seat. The distances are manageable once you are in the north: Gilgit to Karimabad is about 100 km, Karimabad to Passu about 50 km, and Gilgit to Skardu about 212 km. Getting there from Rawalpindi is the long part, close to 500 km via Babusar in summer or about 600 km on the Karakoram Highway.

This guide covers getting north, moving between towns, where to sleep, money and signal, hitchhiking norms, and a route that works.

Road distances are from OSRM routing; real journey times on these roads are much longer than the distances suggest.

Getting north: NATCO and the two routes

NATCO is the largest transport company in Gilgit-Baltistan, running since 1974 under the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan, with buses between Rawalpindi, Gilgit and Sost and seats bookable online through its website and app. Private coach companies also run the route. Fares change often, so check the current price on NATCO's site or at the Rawalpindi terminal rather than trusting a figure from an old blog. Ask whether services are running over Eid, when NATCO has historically paused buses.

There are two ways north:

• Via Naran and Babusar Pass (N15), about 489 km to Gilgit. Babusar tops out at 4,173 metres and is usually open only in summer; it closes with snow in winter.
• Via the Karakoram Highway through Besham and Dasu, about 595 km. This is the year-round route.

The UK government advises against all travel on the Karakoram Highway between Mansehra and Chilas, the Besham and Dasu stretch. In summer the Babusar route avoids it. Foreign-passport holders should check their own government's advice, because travelling against it can void insurance. Our guides to NATCO to Gilgit and Gilgit-Baltistan by public transport cover the terminals and booking.

Getting around once you are there

• Shared Hiace vans and Coasters run the Karakoram Highway between Gilgit, Aliabad, Karimabad, Passu and Sost. They leave when full, so mornings are the reliable time to find one.
• NATCO also runs between Gilgit and Sost, near the Chinese border; our Gilgit to Skardu bus guide covers the Skardu services.
• Local jeeps and vans serve side valleys such as Naltar, about 42 km from Gilgit, and the villages around Skardu, again leaving when full.

On the highway a shared van usually turns up within an hour or two at the right stand. In side valleys, waits are longer; ask at your guesthouse or a shop for the next vehicle rather than standing by the road. For Skardu, the road from Gilgit follows the Indus gorge for most of its 212 km and is a full travelling day.

Flying instead

PIA flies Islamabad to Gilgit and Islamabad to Skardu. The flights save a long day on the road, but they are weather-dependent and are often cancelled when the mountains are in cloud. A backpacker's trick is to fly one way and take the bus the other, so a cancellation costs you a day, not the trip. Our Gilgit and Skardu flight cancellation guide explains how it works.

Where to sleep cheaply

Hunza has the most backpacker-friendly beds, with hostels and dorms in Karimabad and Aliabad, and family homestays in villages further up such as Gulmit and Passu. Gilgit and Skardu have simple guesthouses near their bazaars. A homestay often includes dinner with the family, which is good value and the best way to meet people.

Prices vary by season and property, so check directly rather than relying on an old listing, and expect rates to rise from June to August and over Eid. Our backpacker hostels in Hunza, budget hotels in Hunza and camping in Gilgit-Baltistan guides list options.

Money, signal and the small things

• Carry cash. Withdraw in Gilgit, Aliabad, Karimabad or Skardu; ATMs are scarce or absent in side valleys, and many guesthouses and vans take cash only.
• Signal is patchy. SCOM, the local network, often works where national networks do not; buying a SCOM SIM in Gilgit is worth it. Our SIM guide has details.
• Keep your ID on you. Checkpoints along the highway note CNICs and passports.
• Bring a warm layer even in July. Nights in Passu and anywhere above 3,000 metres are cold.

Eating on a budget

Dhabas and small restaurants in every town serve dal, rice, karahi and fresh bread far below hotel prices. Fruit is cheap in season: cherries and apricots in Hunza in early summer, apples and walnuts in autumn. Buying from an orchard stall beats any shop. Try local dishes such as chapshoro and the walnut and apricot dishes in Hunza; our Gilgit-Baltistan traditional food guide lists what to order.

Hitchhiking: how it actually works here

Hitchhiking is a normal way to get around the Karakoram Highway, not an emergency fallback. Locals wave down cars, jeeps and trucks, and drivers are used to it, especially between villages where vans are infrequent.

• It is not free by default. Offering roughly what a shared van would cost is normal, though many drivers wave it off for a short lift.
• Solo women should use their judgement. Waiting for a vehicle with a family or other women inside, or asking a hotel to arrange a lift, is a sensible middle ground. See our solo female travel guide.
• It works best on the main highway. Side roads can be too quiet to rely on.

A shoestring route, with distances

1. Rawalpindi to Gilgit by NATCO or coach, an overnight or full-day journey.
2. Gilgit to Karimabad, about 100 km by shared van. Stay a few nights for Baltit and Altit forts and the villages.
3. Karimabad to Passu, about 50 km past Attabad Lake. Walk to the Passu glacier and cross the suspension bridges.
4. Passu to Sost, about 40 km, if you want to continue towards Khunjerab.
5. Back to Gilgit and on to Skardu, about 212 km by road, or fly out of Skardu if the schedule and fare suit you.

Allow ten days to two weeks, with spare days for weather and slow transport.

Who this suits, and who it doesn't

It suits students and solo or small-group travellers with time and a flexible plan, who are happy asking around. It does not suit families with young children, anyone with fixed flights or limited leave, or anyone who needs seats and rooms guaranteed. For set transport and rooms, our Gilgit, Hunza and Khunjerab tour covers similar ground.

Frequently asked questions