This 14-day Gilgit-Baltistan itinerary stays inside one region rather than looping out to Chitral or Swat, and uses the extra time for two real rest days rather than cramming in more driving. It runs from Islamabad through Fairy Meadows, Hunza and the Khunjerab Pass, then across to Skardu for the lakes and the Deosai plateau, and back. It works from June to September, when the Babusar Pass, Khunjerab and Deosai are all open together.
Below is the route day by day, at a pace built for families and first-time visitors rather than road-trip enthusiasts.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Route | Islamabad, Naran, Fairy Meadows, Karimabad, Khunjerab, Skardu, Deosai, home |
| Nights | Naran 1, Fairy Meadows 2, Karimabad 3, Skardu 3, Chilas 1 |
| Rest days | Day 8 in Karimabad, day 12 in Skardu |
| Highest points | Khunjerab Pass 4,693 m; Deosai over 4,000 m |
| Best months | June to September |
| Vehicle | A car with driver, plus local jeeps for Fairy Meadows and Deosai |
The fourteen days in brief
| Day | Plan | Night |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Islamabad to Naran | Naran |
| 2 | Naran over Babusar to Chilas | Chilas |
| 3 | Chilas to Fairy Meadows, by jeep and on foot | Fairy Meadows |
| 4 | Beyal camp and the Nanga Parbat viewpoint | Fairy Meadows |
| 5 | Down to Raikot Bridge, on to Karimabad | Karimabad |
| 6 | Baltit Fort, Altit Fort and Duiker | Karimabad |
| 7 | Attabad, Passu and the Khunjerab Pass | Karimabad |
| 8 | Rest day, or Nagar and Hopper glacier | Karimabad |
| 9 | Karimabad to Skardu | Skardu |
| 10 | Kachura lakes, Shigar Fort and Katpana | Skardu |
| 11 | Deosai plateau by jeep | Skardu |
| 12 | Rest day, or Khaplu Palace | Skardu |
| 13 | Skardu to Chilas, or fly to Islamabad | Chilas or home |
| 14 | Chilas to Islamabad | Home |
Days 1 to 2: getting north
Split the long drive from Islamabad into two easier days rather than one exhausting one. Stop the first night in Naran, then cross the Babusar Pass at 4,173 metres to Chilas on day two. The pass is a daylight-only road and usually open from late May or June into autumn; outside that window, take the Karakoram Highway through Besham instead, and adjust the first two nights to Besham and Chilas. Our guide to Babusar Top covers when it opens and closes each year.
Days 3 to 5: Fairy Meadows
From Chilas it's a short run to Raikot Bridge, then a jeep to Tato and a walk of two to four hours up to the meadow at about 3,300 metres. Two nights here give you a full day for the walk to Beyal camp and the Nanga Parbat viewpoint, with a real chance of a clear morning if the first one is clouded over. On day 5, walk back down to Tato, take the jeep to Raikot Bridge, and continue up the Karakoram Highway through Gilgit to Karimabad. Our Fairy Meadows itinerary sets out the walk and the jeep track stage by stage.
Days 6 to 8: Hunza
Three nights in Karimabad, with one built-in rest day. Give day 6 to Baltit and Altit forts and the sunset viewpoint at Duiker, and day 7 to the day trip up to the Khunjerab Pass, the Pakistan–China border at 4,693 metres, by way of Attabad Lake and the Passu Cones. Our Khunjerab Pass guide covers the checkpoint, the season and the altitude in detail.
Day 8 is genuinely free. Use it to recover from the last week of altitude and driving, or cross to Nagar for the Hopper glacier if everyone still has the energy. Either way, don't fill it with a plan you'll regret keeping to.
Days 9 to 12: Skardu and Deosai
A full day's drive, seven to eight hours through Gilgit and down the Skardu road, brings you to Baltistan for four nights. Day 10 is the gentlest sightseeing of the trip: the Kachura lakes, Shigar Fort and the Katpana cold desert, none of it far from town. Day 11 is Deosai, a long jeep day onto the plateau above 4,000 metres, cold even in midsummer and best started early. Day 12 is the second rest day, held back for whichever leg of the trip has slipped, or spent on the drive up to Khaplu Palace if nothing has. Our Skardu to Deosai guide covers the plateau crossing.
Days 13 and 14: home
Drive back to Chilas on day 13 and finish the run to Islamabad on day 14, over Babusar or the Karakoram Highway depending on the season and the weather. If a flight from Skardu suits your dates better, book it for day 13 instead and keep the road as a fallback; Skardu has more flights to Islamabad than Gilgit does, which makes it the more dependable place to fly from.
Why this order, and what it leaves out
Putting Fairy Meadows first, before Hunza, means the trip climbs steadily: about 1,200 metres at the meadow, back down to Chilas, then up again to Karimabad and Khunjerab, rather than adding a third high point onto an already long itinerary. It leaves out Chitral, Swat and the Shandur Pass entirely; for a loop that adds those, see our 14-day northern areas circuit, which trades the two rest days here for two more regions and nine days of driving.
Is two weeks enough for this route?
Yes, and with room to spare. Two rest days is generous for a trip of this length, and either can absorb a landslide, a jeep track closure or simply a day nobody wants to get back in the car. It suits families with children, older parents, and anyone on their first trip north who wants to see Fairy Meadows, Hunza and Skardu without rushing.
If your time is shorter, drop Fairy Meadows first; it adds three of the fourteen days for one destination. Our 10-day Hunza and Skardu itinerary covers the rest of this route at a tighter pace, and our trip planning page can help build a version around your own dates.
Frequently asked questions
Can you fit Fairy Meadows, Hunza and Skardu into two weeks?
Yes, with two nights at Fairy Meadows, three in Karimabad and four in Skardu, plus two rest days. It's a full trip but not a rushed one.
What is the best time for this itinerary?
June to September, when the Babusar Pass, the Khunjerab Pass and the Deosai plateau are all open at once.
Do I need a 4x4 for this route?
Only for the jeep sections: Raikot Bridge to Tato for Fairy Meadows, and the Deosai crossing from Skardu. The rest of the route is paved, driveable in an ordinary car with an experienced driver.
Should I fly back from Skardu instead of driving?
It saves about two days if the flight runs. Skardu has more flights to Islamabad than Gilgit, but weather cancels flights in any season, so keep the road drive as your backup plan rather than booking anything fixed for the evening you land.
What should I cut if I only have 10 days?
Drop Fairy Meadows and start straight from Islamabad to Chilas and Karimabad; our 10-day Hunza and Skardu itinerary covers that version.
Is the Karakoram Highway route safe for overseas visitors?
Pakistani travellers use it all year, but as of September 2026 the UK government advises against all travel on the Karakoram Highway between Mansehra and Chilas, through Besham and Dasu. In summer the road over the Babusar Pass avoids that stretch. If you hold a foreign passport, check your own government's advice before you go, because travelling against it can void your insurance. Everyone should check local news and road conditions before setting out.
