This 7-day Gilgit-Baltistan itinerary goes by road from Islamabad to Hunza and back, with a stop in Gilgit, a day trip to the Khunjerab Pass and one spare day for landslides or bad weather. Four of the seven days are mostly driving, because Hunza is two days from Islamabad each way. In return you get three full days in Hunza, including the spare, and a trip that doesn't depend on flights.
It works best from June to September, when both the Babusar road and Khunjerab are open. Below is the route day by day, with realistic driving times, where to sleep, and what to do if the spare day gets used.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Route | Islamabad, Chilas, Gilgit, Karimabad, Khunjerab, and back |
| Nights | Chilas 1, Karimabad 4, Chilas 1 |
| Total driving | Roughly 1,650 to 1,850 km |
| Longest days | Islamabad to Chilas and back, 10 to 13 hours each |
| Highest point | Khunjerab Pass, 4,693 m |
| Best months | June to September |
| Spare days | One, on day 5 |
Before you go: which road, and when
There are two roads from Islamabad to Chilas, where the routes join.
- Via Naran and the Babusar Pass (4,173 m). The shorter, more scenic summer route. It usually opens in late May or June and closes with the snow in November, and it is prone to flash floods in July and August. A flash flood near Thak in July 2025 washed away several kilometres of the road, and tourists were among the dead.
- Via the Karakoram Highway through Abbottabad, Besham and Dasu. Open all year, a little longer, and the only choice outside the Babusar season. The motorway now runs as far as Thakot, which makes the first few hours easy.
Either way, the day from Islamabad to Chilas takes 10 to 13 hours with stops. Two rules we follow on this route:
- Drive in daylight only. Leave Islamabad by 6 in the morning so you reach Chilas before dark. The Kohistan and Chilas stretch has a history of security incidents, including an attack on a passenger bus near Chilas in December 2023, so check current advice before you set off and don't push on at night.
- Keep the spare day free. Landslides close the Karakoram Highway for hours at a time, most often after heavy rain and in the July and August flood season. The spare day on day 5 is what stops one closure from cutting Khunjerab out of the trip.
A normal car in good condition can do this route in summer, with an experienced mountain driver. If the drive worries you, hire a car and driver from Islamabad or Gilgit.
Book the four nights in Karimabad or Aliabad before you leave, especially for July, August and the Eid holidays, when the valley fills up, and book both Chilas nights too. Signal comes and goes in Kohistan and above Sost, so download offline maps and tell someone at home where you plan to be each night. For what the week costs in fuel, hotels and food, see our Gilgit-Baltistan trip cost breakdown.
Day 1: Islamabad to Chilas
The longest day of the trip. On the Babusar route you go through Mansehra, Balakot and Naran, then climb to Babusar Top and drop down to Chilas on the Indus. Fill the tank at Balakot, because fuel stations thin out after it.
On the Karakoram Highway route you take the motorway towards Mansehra and Thakot, then follow the Indus through Besham and Dasu to Chilas.
Chilas, at about 1,265 metres, is hot in summer, so choose a hotel with working air-conditioning and a generator. If you can't leave Islamabad early, stop short at Naran on the Babusar route or Besham on the highway, and accept a longer day 2.
Day 2: Chilas to Karimabad, by way of Gilgit
Six to seven hours of driving, with stops that make it one of the best days of the trip.
- Raikot Bridge and the Nanga Parbat view, about an hour and a half from Chilas. On a clear morning Nanga Parbat, at 8,126 metres, fills the view above the Indus.
- The junction of three mountain ranges, near Jaglot, where the Karakoram, the Himalaya and the Hindu Kush meet at the confluence of the Gilgit and Indus rivers.
- Gilgit, about three to three and a half hours from Chilas. Take lunch in town, then drive 10 km west to the Kargah Buddha, a 15-metre figure carved into the cliff around the 7th century.
- The Rakaposhi viewpoint at Ghulmet, on the highway to Hunza. Rakaposhi, at 7,788 metres, rises almost straight from the road.
- Karimabad by early evening, two to three hours from Gilgit.
Stay in Karimabad or Aliabad for the next four nights, so you only unpack once.
Day 3: Karimabad and Altit
A day on foot, and a rest from the car.
- Baltit Fort in the morning, the old palace of the Mirs of Hunza, with the whole valley below it.
- Altit Fort and old Altit after lunch, about 3 km away, with its narrow lanes and the fort perched above the river.
- The Eagle's Nest at Duiker for sunset, a short drive up above Karimabad, looking across at Rakaposhi, Ultar and the peaks of Nagar.
Karimabad sits at around 2,500 metres. Take it gently today, drink plenty of water and get an early night, because tomorrow goes much higher.
Day 4: Attabad, Passu and the Khunjerab Pass
The big day: 8 to 10 hours out and back, to the Pakistan–China border at 4,693 metres.
Leave Karimabad by 7 or 8. The road passes Attabad Lake through its tunnels, then Gulmit, Passu and Sost, the last town and the last fuel before the border. At the Dih checkpoint you register and pay the national park fee in cash, then climb the final stretch to the top. Give yourself about an hour there, less if anyone feels unwell.
On the way back, stop at the Passu Cones, the Hussaini suspension bridge and Attabad Lake, where the afternoon light is better. Our Khunjerab Pass guide covers opening dates, the checkpoint and the altitude in detail.
Day 5: The spare day
If a landslide, a closure at Khunjerab or a sick passenger has cost you a day, this is where you get it back. Push the Khunjerab trip here and carry on.
If you haven't needed it, choose one:
- Hopper, across the river in Nagar, for the view over the Hopper glacier
- Borith Lake and Gulmit, a gentler day in upper Hunza with short walks
- A slow day in Karimabad, walking the irrigation channels and the bazaar
- Drive down to Gilgit in the afternoon, which takes two to three hours off tomorrow
Days 6 and 7: Back to Islamabad
Day 6 is Karimabad to Chilas, about six hours through Gilgit. If you stayed in Gilgit on the night of day 5, you can instead go on past Chilas towards Besham on the Karakoram Highway, which shortens the final day.
Day 7 is the long run home, 10 to 13 hours from Chilas to Islamabad on whichever road is open. Leave at first light, and plan to arrive with daylight to spare if you are driving yourself.
Don't book anything important in Islamabad for the evening of day 7 or the next morning. If the road closes on the way down, you need the slack.
Is seven days enough?
It is enough to see Hunza properly and reach Khunjerab, but only because the itinerary gives up everything else. Four days in the car is a lot, especially with children or older parents, and the trip has no room for Fairy Meadows, Skardu or Deosai.
It suits a group of friends or a couple who are comfortable with long drives, travelling in summer, who want Hunza and the border without flying. It suits families less well; for them, nine days with an extra night on each leg is far more comfortable.
If you have more time, add days rather than sights. Our nine-day Gilgit, Hunza and Khunjerab tour covers the same ground from Gilgit, with a night in Gulmit or Passu before Khunjerab, days for Nagar and Naltar, and a spare day held for weather. For other valleys worth adding on a longer trip, see places to visit in Gilgit-Baltistan, and check the best time to visit before fixing dates.
Frequently asked questions
Is 7 days enough for Gilgit-Baltistan?
Seven days by road is enough for one region: Hunza, with a stop in Gilgit and a day trip to Khunjerab. To add Skardu, Deosai or Fairy Meadows, you need ten days or more.
How long does it take to drive from Islamabad to Hunza?
Two days. The first, Islamabad to Chilas, takes 10 to 13 hours, and the second, Chilas to Karimabad, six to seven hours of driving plus stops.
Which is better, the Babusar route or the Karakoram Highway?
In summer, the Babusar route through Naran is shorter and more scenic. Outside roughly June to October, or after heavy rain, the Karakoram Highway through Besham is the only option.
Can I do this itinerary in my own car?
Yes, in summer, if the car is in good condition and the driver is experienced on mountain roads. Get the brakes checked before you leave, drive in daylight only, and fill up at Sost before Khunjerab.
When is the best time for this itinerary?
June to September, when both the Babusar Pass and Khunjerab are open. May and October work on the Karakoram Highway, with a higher chance of a Khunjerab closure.
Can I fly one way to save time?
Yes. Flying back from Gilgit to Islamabad saves a day and a half, but Gilgit flights are often cancelled for weather, so keep the road as your fallback and don't depend on the flight for a fixed date.
