A relaxed honeymoon itinerary for the northern areas runs about seven days: fly into Gilgit, work north up the Karakoram Highway into Hunza, spend a full day at Khunjerab Pass, and add the coloured lakes of Naltar valley before flying home. It follows the shape of our nine-day Gilgit, Hunza and Khunjerab tour, trimmed to a week and paced for two people rather than a group, with one outing a day and no morning that starts before both of you are ready for it.
This plan is for couples who want Khunjerab Pass and a wider taste of the Karakoram Highway built into the honeymoon itself, rather than treated as an optional extra. If you'd rather stay entirely within Hunza and go deeper on where to stay, our Hunza honeymoon guide covers a five-night plan and compares the valley's best hotels in detail.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Length | 7 days, 6 nights |
| Getting there | Fly Islamabad to Gilgit; about an hour, weather permitting |
| Route | Gilgit, Karimabad, Attabad and Passu, Khunjerab Pass, Naltar valley |
| Best months | April for blossom; late September to October for clear skies and colour |
| Busiest months | July, August and the Eid holidays |
| Altitude reached | 4,693 m at Khunjerab, on one day only |
| Getting around | A car with a driver for the whole trip; a jeep for Naltar |
When to travel
April brings apricot blossom to Hunza, though Khunjerab is usually still closed to visitors this early in the season, so a full version of this itinerary needs late May onward. Late May to September is when everything on this route is open at once, with June and September the more settled and less crowded of those months. Late September into October adds the turning poplars and orchards around Karimabad, with clear autumn air, though nights are cold. Whatever month you choose, our khunjerab pass guide explains how the pass's opening dates move with the snow each year, so confirm it is open before you build a whole day around it.
Day 1: Gilgit
Land in Gilgit and take the afternoon slowly. Walk along the Gilgit river, see the Kargah Buddha carved into the cliff a short drive from town, and have dinner in the bazaar before an early night. Gilgit sits at about 1,500 metres, low enough that neither of you needs to worry about the altitude yet.
Day 2: Gilgit to Karimabad
The drive north on the Karakoram Highway takes about two to two and a half hours, with a stop at Ghulmet or the Rakaposhi viewpoint, where the mountain rises more than seven thousand metres almost straight out of the valley floor. Check in to Karimabad or nearby Altit by early afternoon, and keep the rest of the day free: a walk through the old lanes, tea on a rooftop, nothing more strenuous. Karimabad sits at about 2,500 metres, so take it gently for the first evening.
Day 3: Karimabad and Duikar
Visit Baltit Fort in the morning, before the day's other visitors arrive, then walk down to Altit for the fort there and the old settlement around it. In the late afternoon, drive up to Duikar, thirty to forty-five minutes above Karimabad on a steep, narrow road, for sunset over the whole valley: Rakaposhi, Diran and Golden Peak catching the last light together. Stay the night at Duikar for sunrise, or come back down to Karimabad if you'd rather not move rooms for one night.
Day 4: Attabad Lake and the Passu Cones
Head north to Attabad Lake for a slow boat ride on water that is genuinely turquoise in good light, then continue to Gulmit and Passu for the Passu Cones and, if you're up for a short walk, the Hussaini suspension bridge. Spend the night in Gulmit or Passu, which puts you closer to Khunjerab for the next day and swaps Karimabad's bustle for a quieter village evening.
Day 5: Khunjerab Pass
This is the honeymoon's one genuinely big day out, so keep the rest of it light. From Passu or Gulmit, it's a shorter drive to Khunjerab than from Karimabad, through Sost and the Dih checkpoint into Khunjerab National Park, climbing to the Pakistan–China border at 4,693 metres. Give yourselves no more than an hour at the top: the wind is the real cold, even on a warm summer day lower down, and there's little to gain by lingering at that altitude. Watch for golden marmots beside the road on the way up. Back down to Gulmit or Passu for the night, or on to Karimabad if you'd rather sleep somewhere more familiar.
Day 6: Naltar valley's coloured lakes
For a day that feels different from the rest of the trip, detour to Naltar valley, about 40 km and two hours from Gilgit on a rough jeep road that climbs through pine forest. A hired jeep with a driver, arranged the day before, is the only practical way up. The valley's lakes, best known as Satrangi (or Bashkiri) Lake, Blue Lake and Feroza Lake, run through shades of green, blue and turquoise depending on the light and the season, fed by springs rather than glacier melt. It's quieter than Attabad and rarely on a first-time Hunza itinerary, which is exactly what makes it a good choice for a couple who has already seen the valley's more famous stops. Overnight back in Gilgit, ready for the flight home.
Day 7: Depart
Leave enough time to reach Gilgit airport well before your flight, and treat this as a spare day rather than a tight connection: flights to Gilgit are cancelled often enough in poor weather that a same-day onward booking is a real risk. If your flight is delayed or cancelled, a day in Gilgit's bazaar is a reasonable, low-key way to spend it.
Adjusting the pace
With only six days, drop the Naltar valley detour and fly out from Gilgit the evening of the Khunjerab day, or drop Duikar and combine it into the Karimabad day instead.
With eight days, add a rest day in Karimabad with nothing planned at all, or extend into Nagar across the river for the Hopper glacier, which our full Gilgit, Hunza and Khunjerab tour includes alongside Naltar for travellers with more time.
If you'd rather drive than fly, the road from Islamabad takes two days each way, usually with a night in Chilas, adding four days to this plan. From late May to the autumn snow, most travellers take the Babusar Pass route through Naran; the rest of the year the only way is the Karakoram Highway through Besham and Dasu.
Practical notes for couples
- Carry your nikah nama and both CNICs. Hotels may ask couples for proof of marriage at check-in.
- Book a car and driver for the whole trip, arranged through your hotel or with us in advance, rather than separate transport for each day. It means neither of you drives tired, and it makes rearranging a day around weather far simpler.
- Take the first two days gently. Karimabad's altitude and a long travel day beforehand often mean a poor first night's sleep and mild breathlessness, which settles quickly.
- Book ahead for blossom season, late October and any Eid dates, when Hunza's better rooms go first.
- Keep the Khunjerab day flexible. If the pass is closed by weather or either of you isn't feeling well, a second day around Attabad and Passu is just as memorable and far less demanding.
Our guide to honeymoon trip cost in Pakistan sets out what a trip like this costs at different levels, and our nine-day Gilgit, Hunza and Khunjerab tour runs from PKR 90,000 per person, twin share, with an experienced mountain driver and guide for the whole route; tell us your dates and we can adapt it to the pace and stays you want.
Frequently asked questions
How many days should a northern areas honeymoon itinerary be?
Seven days works well if you want Khunjerab Pass included as a core part of the trip rather than an optional extra. Six days is enough if you drop one stop, such as Naltar valley or Duikar.
Does this itinerary need a car with a driver?
Yes. Hire one for the whole trip rather than day by day; it means neither of you drives on unfamiliar mountain roads, and a jeep is needed specifically for the Naltar valley road.
Is Khunjerab Pass worth including on a honeymoon?
For most couples, yes, as a single big day within a longer, gentler trip. Keep the time at the top short because of the altitude and wind, and hold a spare day in case weather closes the pass.
What's the best month for this itinerary?
Late May to September, when Gilgit, Hunza, Khunjerab and Naltar are all open together. June and September are calmer than the peak summer months.
Can this itinerary be done by road instead of flying?
Yes, by adding roughly two days each way for the drive from Islamabad, usually with a night in Chilas. Most travellers take the Babusar Pass route in summer and the Karakoram Highway the rest of the year.
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.
