A Gilgit-Baltistan road trip puts more strain on a car than most owners ever ask of it: long climbs in low gear, long descents on the brakes, altitude, and hundreds of kilometres between proper workshops. None of that is a reason to avoid driving your own car, which Pakistani families do every summer, but it is a reason to go over the car properly beforehand rather than trusting it because it runs fine around town.
This is a checklist to work through in the week before you leave, split into documents, the mechanical check, and what to actually carry in the car.
| Before you leave | |
|---|---|
| Book a mechanic | 3 to 7 days before departure, not the night before |
| Priority items | Brakes, tyres, coolant system, battery |
| Documents | CNIC, vehicle registration book, driving licence |
| Last fuel before Khunjerab | Sost |
| Main workshops en route | Gilgit and Skardu |
| Permit needed for Pakistanis | No, CNIC only |
Documents to carry
Checkposts along the way ask for identification more often than they ask about the vehicle, but you need both in order:
- Original CNIC, plus a couple of photocopies, for the driver and ideally for other adults travelling.
- The vehicle's registration book or smart card, matching the number plate. A car registered in someone else's name is fine, but carry it anyway.
- A valid driving licence for whoever is driving.
- Passport and visa, for any foreign national in the group, in addition to the above.
Pakistanis do not need a separate travel permit for Gilgit-Baltistan; a CNIC covers every checkpost from Kohistan onward. Our guide to permits for Pakistanis in Gilgit-Baltistan explains the one exception, a trekking permit zone beyond Askole that doesn't affect a road trip.
The mechanical check
Have a mechanic go through the car properly, not just a glance under the bonnet. This is worth doing even if the car feels fine, because faults that are minor on flat city roads become serious on a long mountain descent.
- Brakes. Pads, discs or drums, and brake fluid. This is the single item that matters most: a two-hour descent from Babusar or Khunjerab asks far more of brakes than any city drive ever will.
- Tyres. Real tread depth on all four, plus a spare in equally good condition, not a worn tyre kept "for emergencies". Check the pressure cold and carry a gauge.
- Cooling system. Coolant level and condition, radiator, hoses and the fan. Engines run hotter on long climbs in low gear, and a marginal cooling system that copes at home can boil over on the way up to Babusar or Deosai's approach road.
- Battery and alternator. Cold nights at altitude are hard on a weak battery, and a failing alternator won't show itself until you actually need the lights or the heater for hours at a stretch.
- Belts and hoses. A cracked fan belt or a perished hose is a cheap fix at home and an expensive delay two days from the nearest big workshop.
- Suspension and steering. Broken diversions and stream crossings on some stretches will find a worn bush or a loose joint quickly.
- Wipers and lights. Dust, drizzle and the occasional night drive make both worth checking, even though you should plan to drive in daylight.
Our guide to driving to Gilgit-Baltistan by small car has a shorter version of this list aimed specifically at hatchbacks, if that's what you're taking.
Spares and tools to carry
Workshops thin out fast once you're past Chilas, and a fault that would take twenty minutes at home can cost a full day if you have to wait for a part to come up from Gilgit or Skardu. Carry:
- A working jack and a wheel spanner that actually fits your wheel nuts
- A puncture repair kit, and a second spare tyre if the group and luggage allow it
- A litre of engine oil and some spare coolant
- Spare fuses and a couple of bulbs for the model you're driving
- Jump leads
- A tow rope
- Basic tools: pliers, a screwdriver set, insulating tape, a torch
None of this replaces a proper pre-trip service. It covers you for the small things that stop a trip cold in the middle of nowhere.
Fuel, and where it runs out
Run on petrol rather than CNG for this trip; CNG stations are not reliable once you're north of Islamabad. Fill up at every reasonably sized town rather than waiting for the tank to run low, and know that Sost, the last town before the Khunjerab checkpost, is genuinely the last fuel on that road. Our guide to fuel cost for a Northern Areas trip has current per-litre prices and how to estimate the total for your route.
The day before you leave
- Check tyre pressures cold, including the spare.
- Check the road status for your route; landslides close stretches of the Karakoram Highway without much notice. Our guide to Karakoram Highway road status lists where to check.
- Pack the toolkit and spares somewhere you can actually reach them, not buried under luggage.
- Save the numbers in our guide to emergency numbers in Gilgit-Baltistan before you lose signal.
- Agree who is driving each leg, and plan to start early enough to avoid driving after dark.
For how to actually drive the descents and passes once you're on the road, see our mountain driving tips for Pakistan's northern roads.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a 4x4 for a Gilgit-Baltistan road trip?
No, not for the paved routes. The Karakoram Highway to Hunza and Khunjerab, and the road to Skardu, are paved and manageable in an ordinary sedan or hatchback in summer. Jeep tracks such as Fairy Meadows, Deosai and Naltar are a separate matter and are better left to a hired jeep.
How long before departure should I get the car serviced?
Three to seven days before you leave, so there's time to source a part if the mechanic finds something that needs replacing, rather than discovering a fault the night before.
What documents does a checkpost actually ask for?
In practice, your CNIC. The vehicle's registration book is worth carrying but is checked less often than personal identification. Foreign nationals need a passport and valid visa as well.
Is fuel available the whole way to Hunza and Skardu?
Yes, in the main towns, with Sost as the last stop before Khunjerab. Fill up at each town rather than searching for the cheapest pump, since long gaps between fuel stations aren't unusual on the quieter side roads.
What is the single most important check before the trip?
Brakes. More than tyres, coolant or anything else on this list, worn pads or old brake fluid are what turn a long mountain descent into a genuine problem.
