In late September 2026 the roads into and through Chitral are open, but slow and in poor condition in places. The N-45 from Dir through the Lowari tunnel to Chitral town is paved, with a flood diversion at Broz since August. North of Chitral, the road to Booni and Mastuj is being rebuilt and is less than half finished, and the August floods cut it at Kuragh and Parwak. A normal car will manage as far as Chitral town, and Booni in dry weather; beyond Mastuj you want a jeep.
This guide takes the route stretch by stretch, from Dir to Upper Chitral, then covers the side roads, the flood season, and how to check before you drive.
| Stretch | State in September 2026 | Vehicle |
|---|---|---|
| Chakdara to Dir | Paved, but worn and narrow through Lower Dir | Any car |
| Dir to the Lowari tunnel | Paved; snow risk December to March | Any car |
| Tunnel to Chitral town | New approach road, then worn; diversion at Broz | Any car, driven slowly |
| Chitral to Booni | Under reconstruction; river erosion at Reshun and Kuragh | Car in dry weather; SUV easier |
| Booni to Mastuj | Under reconstruction; landslides at Parwak | Higher clearance preferred |
| Mastuj to Shandur | Rough, under reconstruction | Jeep or 4x4 |
| Mastuj to Broghil | Dirt, boulders and eroded cliffs | Jeep only |
Dir to the Lowari tunnel
The N-45 between Chakdara and Timergara is the weakest part of the southern approach. In May 2026 Lower Dir residents petitioned the Peshawar High Court over it, describing a badly worn, narrow single carriageway where seasonal streams cross without proper bridges and block the road in heavy rain. The NHA plans to widen the whole 130 km from Chakdara to Chitral, but the first section is still at the design stage.
From Timergara to Dir and on up to the tunnel the road is paved, and slow through the bazaars rather than rough. At the start of 2026 the NHA reported resurfacing and drainage work on about 53 km of the N-45 between Chakdara and the tunnel. From December to March, snow on the climb to the tunnel can hold traffic for hours. Our guide to the Lowari tunnel covers its hours, the new toll and winter delays.
The tunnel to Chitral town
On the Chitral side, about 10 km of approach road below the tunnel was rebuilt with fresh asphalt in late 2025, and it is the best stretch of the whole drive. After that the N-45 runs down past Drosh and the turnings for Birir and Ayun to Chitral town.
The 48 km from Kalkatak, just south of Drosh, into Chitral is in poor shape. In March 2026 a Chitral development forum said the road from the tunnel to the town looked more like ruins than a highway, with patch repairs failing within a month. An upgrade to a 7.3-metre carriageway with five new bridges was approved in July 2024, but by August 2026 no work had started. Expect a paved but broken road, slow in places.
On 3 August 2026 a flash flood swept away the bridge at Broz, between Ayun and Chitral town. Traffic was first sent round by the Ayun side to rejoin the main road at the Orghoch bridge, and the NHA then opened a passage through the Broz stream bed. That diversion is slow and will be the first thing to go in heavy rain, so ask about it before you drive.
Chitral to Booni and Mastuj
North of Chitral town the road follows the river through Reshun and Kuragh to Booni, headquarters of Upper Chitral, then on to Mastuj. It is part of the 153 km Chitral–Booni–Mastuj–Shandur road, which became national highway N-140 in 2020 and is being widened in four sections. In July 2026 progress stood at 48 per cent from Chitral to Pret, 35 per cent from Pret to Booni, 38 per cent on the section beyond Booni, and 30 per cent on the last section to Shandur.
The official target is December 2026. With so much left, plan for roadworks, dust, stops for machinery and rough diversions for some time after that.
The other problem is the river. At Reshun it has been eating into the road for years, and in July 2026 the NHA and irrigation officials were planning protection walls. In the August floods the road was washed out at Karak, near Kuragh, and closed for two days before reopening on 5 August. Beyond Booni, landslides at Parwak blocked the road to Mastuj and held more than 150 vehicles for 16 hours.
In normal conditions allow two to three hours from Chitral to Booni and about four hours to Mastuj. A car in good order can reach Booni in dry weather; an SUV or other higher-clearance vehicle is much more comfortable, and the better choice for Mastuj.
Beyond Mastuj: Laspur, Shandur and Yarkhun
To Shandur, the road turns up the Laspur valley through Harchin and Sor Laspur, the last village, then climbs to the pass. This last section is the least advanced of the four, and the road is rough, steep and slow. Go by jeep or 4x4, and see our guide to the Shandur Pass for the season and the plateau.
To Yarkhun and Broghil, the Mastuj–Broghil road runs about 157 km up the Yarkhun valley, and in July 2026 it was described locally as dirt, boulders and river-eroded cliffs. Twenty kilometres of it went to tender in September 2026. It is jeep-only, a journey of days, and it runs close to the Afghan border.
The side roads: Kalash valleys and Garam Chashma
The Kalash valleys. The 46 km Kalash valleys road, from Chitral through Ayun into Bumburet, Rumbur and Birir, is being rebuilt. In July 2026 the plan was to finish the asphalt to the forest post by mid-August and the earthworks to the Dubash bridge by the end of September, then move the machinery into Bumburet, with the aim of finishing all three valleys before Chilam Joshi in May 2027. Our guide on how to reach the Kalash valleys covers the road and the choice of vehicle.
Garam Chashma. The road up the Lutkoh valley was damaged in the August 2026 floods, and the NHA was still clearing debris and rebuilding protection walls in mid-August. Maintenance asphalt is planned as far as Parabeg; the new road on to the Dorah Pass has been designed but not yet approved. See our Garam Chashma guide before you go.
Flood season, and how to check before you drive
July and August are when Chitral's roads are most likely to be cut. In early August 2026 a glacial lake outburst and cloudbursts closed both the Chitral–Peshawar road and the Chitral–Shandur road, killed two people, and swept away nearly a dozen bridges in the Karimabad valley alone. Spring rain in March and April brings landslides too, and winter brings snow on the Lowari approaches.
To check the road:
- Ask your hotel the evening before. Hotels in Chitral, Booni and Mastuj know within hours when something closes.
- Watch the district administrations of Lower and Upper Chitral and the National Highway Authority, which announce closures and reopenings.
- Read the local news. Chitral's local news sites report blockages the same day.
- Keep a spare day in any trip that goes north of Chitral town in July or August.
Our travel guide has more on driving in the mountains and what to carry.
Car, SUV or jeep?
- Your own car, to Chitral town and the Kalash turn-off. Fine in any season if it is in good order, with extra care at Broz and in snow.
- Your own car to Booni. Possible in dry weather, slowly; turn back if the diversions are deep in mud.
- An SUV or higher-clearance car to Mastuj. The sensible minimum while the road is being rebuilt.
- A local jeep and driver beyond Mastuj, to Shandur, Yarkhun or Broghil, and for the Kalash and Garam Chashma roads after rain.
Fill up and draw cash in Chitral or Booni; don't count on either beyond Booni.
Is the road to Chitral safe?
The road itself is the everyday risk: floods, landslides, river erosion and snow. Security is the other question. The UK government's advice, updated on 22 September 2026, advises against all travel on the N-45 from Mardan to the edge of Chitral city, including the Kalash valleys, in Upper and Lower Dir, and within 10 miles of the Afghan border, which takes in upper Yarkhun and Broghil. In August 2026 a suicide bombing killed 17 people at the Kabal police station in Swat, and police fought militants for two days in Upper Dir.
Pakistani travellers still use the N-45 every day. If you do, check local news and police advice before setting out, travel in daylight, and follow instructions at checkpoints. Overseas visitors should know their own government's advice may say not to go, which can void travel insurance, and that foreign tourists need a Khyber Pakhtunkhwa no-objection certificate for Chitral and Dir.
Frequently asked questions
Is the road to Chitral open now?
In late September 2026 the N-45 from Dir through the Lowari tunnel to Chitral is open, with a diversion at Broz where the bridge was washed away in August. Ask locally before you set out, especially after rain.
Can a normal car go to Chitral?
Yes, as far as Chitral town. The road is paved all the way, though worn in places. For Mastuj and beyond, use an SUV or a local jeep.
How long does it take from Chitral to Booni and Mastuj?
About two to three hours to Booni and about four hours to Mastuj in normal conditions. Roadworks and flood damage can add hours.
When will the Chitral–Shandur road be finished?
The official target is December 2026, but in July 2026 its four sections were only 30 to 48 per cent complete. Expect roadworks into 2027.
Is the road to Chitral open in winter?
Yes. The Lowari tunnel keeps it open, though snow on the approaches can stop traffic for hours. The roads beyond Mastuj to Shandur and Broghil are closed by snow in winter.
