A Hunza tour package from Karachi is almost always a fly-and-drive package: you fly Karachi to Islamabad, then either fly on to Gilgit or drive north, and a driver takes you through the valley. In 2026, operators advertise Karachi departures from about PKR 74,500 per person for an eight-day trip and from about PKR 84,000 for fly-and-drive deals, with plenty of cheaper and dearer offers around those figures. The two things that decide whether the package is any good are the flight arrangements and how many days you actually spend in Hunza.
There is no airport in Hunza, and no flight from Karachi to Gilgit that does not stop in Islamabad. This guide explains the realistic ways to book from Karachi, what the prices cover, and what to watch for before you pay. For the general checklist of what a package should include, see our guide to comparing Hunza tour packages.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Karachi to Islamabad flight | About 2 hours; fares around PKR 18,700 to 19,600 in 2026 |
| Islamabad to Gilgit | PIA, about 1 hour 15 minutes, weather permitting |
| Gilgit to Karimabad | About 100 km by road, 2.5 to 3.5 hours |
| Advertised Karachi packages | From about PKR 74,500 (8 days) to PKR 84,000 and more for fly-and-drive |
| Karachi to Hunza by road | About 2,000 km; sources say 33 to 35 hours of driving |
| Best months | May to September |
| Our own trip | Nine days, from PKR 90,000 per person |
How people get from Karachi to Hunza
Option 1: Fly to Islamabad, fly to Gilgit
This is the quickest. Karachi to Islamabad has several flights a day. The second leg is PIA's Islamabad to Gilgit flight on an ATR 42 turboprop, which in August 2026 ran six times a week. PIA has sold Karachi to Gilgit through tickets since 2022, but it is two flights with a change in Islamabad, not a direct service.
The Gilgit leg is the risk. The runway sits in a valley and the flight needs clear visibility, so it is cancelled when the weather is poor. Several PK605 flights, for example, were cancelled in April 2026. If you book a package that depends on that flight, ask what happens when it does not run. Our guide to flights from Karachi to Hunza goes through the connections, and Gilgit and Skardu flight cancellations explains how to protect your dates.
Option 2: Fly to Islamabad, drive from there
Many Karachi packages fly you to Islamabad and then use a vehicle for the rest. This avoids the weather risk of the Gilgit flight, at the cost of two long days on the road, or one very long one. It is also cheaper, and it lets you see the Karakoram Highway.
Option 3: The train, then the road
The Green Line and other trains from Karachi to Islamabad take about 22 hours. It is cheap and some families like it, but it uses a day and a night before the trip has started. It rarely makes sense unless you have a lot of time.
Option 4: The whole way by road
Karachi to Hunza is about 2,000 km, and sources put it at 33 to 35 hours of driving. That is far too long to do in a single push, so it means several overnight stops each way and a package built around it has little time left for Hunza itself. We cover it in Karachi to Hunza by road, but for a package we would not recommend it unless the whole trip is a road journey you want to make.
What do Karachi packages cost in 2026?
Prices published for 2026 do not agree with each other, partly because they count different things. Some figures you will see:
- A basic Karachi to Hunza and Gilgit package advertised from about PKR 35,000 per person, usually for a group with the cheapest transport.
- An eight-day Hunza tour from Karachi at about PKR 74,500.
- Fly-and-drive deals with the Gilgit flight included from about PKR 84,000.
- Packages sold per couple, which can look very different once you divide them.
A second point to check is what the price includes in flights. Some operators quote the ground package only and leave the Karachi to Islamabad ticket to you, which adds about PKR 18,700 to 19,600 each way in 2026 on direct fares. Others include both flights. Always turn an offer into a price per person, with flights, for the same number of nights.
Our nine-day Gilgit, Hunza and Khunjerab tour starts from PKR 90,000 per person. For a budget beyond the package, see what a Hunza trip costs.
What a good package should include
- The ground transport for every day, with fuel
- Hotels named in Karimabad and, if the trip goes further, Gulmit or Passu
- Breakfast, and ideally dinner
- Airport pickup at Islamabad or Gilgit
- A plan for what happens if the Gilgit flight is cancelled
What is usually left out: lunches, fort tickets, Attabad Lake boating, the Khunjerab National Park fee, travel insurance, and the flights unless the operator says they are included.
What the flights add to the price
The Islamabad to Gilgit leg is the part people forget. Listings in 2026 put one-way fares at about PKR 17,500 and up, with cheaper fares in the off-season months from September to March, and return fares from roughly PKR 22,000 to 31,000 depending on the date. Added to the two Karachi to Islamabad fares, a full return by air is a large part of a package's cost, so check whether the operator has priced it in or left it to you.
Booking tends to be cheaper well ahead. One operator advises booking 20 to 25 days before you travel for lower fares. If you book the ground package first, ask what it costs to change the dates, because that is the first thing a cancelled flight makes you do.
A simple fly-and-drive pattern from Karachi looks like this:
- Day 1: Karachi to Islamabad in the morning. Overnight in Islamabad so you are ready for an early Gilgit flight.
- Day 2: Islamabad to Gilgit, then the road to Karimabad.
- Days 3 to 5: Karimabad, Altit, Attabad and Gojal, with Khunjerab if the weather suits.
- Day 6: Back to Gilgit, with the flight to Islamabad that afternoon or the next morning.
- Day 7: Islamabad to Karachi, with the spare day built in.
Number of days: what Karachi travellers should plan
Karachi is a long way from the mountains, so a short package is a poor use of the flights. As a rough guide:
| Days | What it is good for |
|---|---|
| 5 | Karimabad, Altit and Attabad, flying both ways, with no spare day |
| 7 | Karimabad, Gojal and a Khunjerab day, with one spare day for the flight |
| 9 and over | Hunza with a night in Gulmit or Passu, plus Gilgit and the road north |
A buffer day at the end is worth paying for. If the Gilgit flight is cancelled on your return day, a tight schedule can mean missing your connection home from Islamabad.
Is it safe?
If you drive from Islamabad, you will use the Karakoram Highway, or the Babusar route in summer. The UK government advises against all travel on the Karakoram Highway between Mansehra and Chilas, via Besham, Dasu and Sazin. The Babusar route avoids that stretch in summer, and flying to Gilgit avoids the road altogether. Pakistani visitors still travel this road every summer, but check local news and current police advice before you set out. If you hold a foreign passport, check your own government's advice, because travelling against it can void your insurance. See also our guide on whether Hunza is safe.
Who each option suits
Fly to Gilgit if you have a week or less and can accept the cancellation risk. This is the best use of limited days.
Fly to Islamabad and drive if you have more time, are travelling as a family, or want fewer surprises on the way in.
Choose the train or road only if you want the journey itself as part of the trip.
Look for a different package if the itinerary has you in Hunza for fewer than two full days. Hunza is better with time; our Hunza itinerary for 5 days shows what two or three days actually gets you.
Questions to ask before you pay
- Does the price include the flights, and which ones?
- What happens if the Gilgit flight is cancelled? Who pays for the extra nights?
- Is the price per person, and for how many travellers?
- Which hotels, by name?
- Which route do you use from Islamabad?
- What is the refund policy if bad weather stops the trip?
Frequently asked questions
Is there a direct flight from Karachi to Hunza?
No. There is no airport in Hunza, and no direct flight from Karachi to Gilgit. You fly Karachi to Islamabad, then PIA to Gilgit, and drive about 100 km to Karimabad.
How much is a Hunza tour package from Karachi?
In 2026, advertised packages run from about PKR 74,500 for eight days, and fly-and-drive packages with the Gilgit flight from about PKR 84,000. Cheaper offers exist but usually exclude flights. Prices change with the season.
How many days do I need for Hunza from Karachi?
Seven days is a sensible minimum with a flight. With five days you spend most of the trip travelling.
Can I travel from Karachi to Hunza by road?
Yes, about 2,000 km and 33 to 35 hours of driving, spread over several days each way. It is a long way for most people.
What if the Gilgit flight is cancelled?
You wait for the next flight or drive from Islamabad. Choose a package that tells you in advance what it does, and leave one spare day at the end.
