Getting from Islamabad to Fairy Meadows takes two days for most people. You drive to Raikot Bridge on the Karakoram Highway, either over the Babusar Pass in summer or up the KKH through Besham and Chilas, then take a local jeep 15 km up to Tato village and walk the last 5 km to the meadow. Count on 12 to 14 hours of driving before the jeep, with a night in Naran or Chilas on the way.
There is no road to the meadow itself. This guide covers both road routes, the flight to Gilgit, where to break the journey, and how the timings actually add up.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Summer route | Islamabad, Naran, Babusar Pass, Chilas, Raikot Bridge |
| All-year route | Islamabad, Hazara Motorway, Thakot, Besham, Chilas, Raikot Bridge |
| Distance to Raikot Bridge | Roughly 450 km over Babusar, around 500 km on the KKH |
| Driving time | About 12 to 14 hours, best split over two days |
| Jeep, Raikot Bridge to Tato | 15 km, 1.5 to 2 hours |
| Walk, Tato to the meadow | 5 km, 2 to 4 hours |
| Usual overnight stops | Naran, Besham, Chilas or Raikot Bridge |
| Quickest option | Fly to Gilgit, then about 2 hours by road to Raikot Bridge |
How the journey breaks down
Think of the trip as three separate legs, each with its own pace:
- Islamabad to Raikot Bridge by road. The long part, and the only part you can do in your own car.
- Raikot Bridge to Tato by jeep. A 15 km unpaved track that only local jeeps are allowed to drive, about an hour and a half to two hours.
- Tato to Fairy Meadows on foot. Five kilometres through pine forest, climbing roughly 700 to 800 metres. Most fit adults take two to three hours; allow up to four with children or older parents.
The timing of the last two legs sets the whole plan. You want to reach Raikot Bridge by early afternoon at the latest, so that the jeep and the walk are both done in daylight. That is why almost nobody tries to do Islamabad to the meadow in a single day by road.
Route 1: over the Babusar Pass (summer only)
This is the shorter and more popular route between late spring and autumn.
From Islamabad, take the M-1 to the Burhan interchange and the Hazara Motorway north to Mansehra. From Mansehra the N-15 runs up the Kaghan valley through Balakot and Kaghan to Naran, about six to seven hours from Islamabad with a lunch stop. Most people sleep in Naran.
The next morning the road climbs out of the valley to Babusar Top at 4,173 metres, then drops in long bends into Gilgit-Baltistan and down to Chilas on the Indus. From Naran to Chilas is about four hours. From Chilas it is about 60 km up the KKH to Raikot Bridge, an hour and a half to two hours.
A few things to know about Babusar:
- It is closed in winter. The road usually opens between late May and June, once the snow is cleared, and closes again with the first heavy snow in autumn. In 2026 it reopened on 25 May. Check the current status before you commit to this route.
- The descent is the hard part for cars. The drop from the top towards Chilas is long and steep, and brake failure is the most common cause of accidents on this road. Use a low gear and let the engine hold the car rather than riding the brakes.
- Monsoon floods happen here. In July 2025 a cloudburst sent flash floods through Thak Nala on the Chilas side, killing several people, and the Diamer administration closed the road to all traffic. In July and August, check the forecast and road status the evening before.
Route 2: the Karakoram Highway (open all year)
The KKH route is longer and less scenic in its first half, but it does not depend on a mountain pass, and it is the only choice from roughly November to May.
From Islamabad, take the M-1 to Burhan and stay on the Hazara Motorway all the way to Thakot, about 180 km of motorway, the northern section only two lanes. At Thakot you join the old Karakoram Highway, which follows the Indus through Besham, Dasu and the Kohistan gorges to Chilas. Driving time from Islamabad to Chilas is usually 11 to 13 hours, then another hour and a half or so to Raikot Bridge.
This is a single-carriageway mountain road for most of its length, and speeds do not stay high for long. In July and August monsoon rain brings landslides that can close sections for hours or longer.
If you leave Islamabad late in the morning, stop at Besham for the night rather than pushing on to Chilas in the dark. From Besham, Raikot Bridge is a long but manageable second day.
Which route should you take?
For most summer trips, go up over Babusar and come back the same way, or come back down the KKH for a change of scenery. The Babusar route is shorter, the night in Naran is comfortable, and the pass is one of the sights of the trip.
Choose the KKH when:
- Babusar is closed or the road status is uncertain after heavy rain
- Anyone in the car is badly affected by altitude, since the pass is higher than the meadow
- Your car's brakes or cooling are not in the best order for a long, steep descent
- You are travelling before late May or after the first autumn snow
Going up one way and back the other costs little extra time and shows you both.
From Raikot Bridge: the jeep and the walk
Raikot Bridge is a small roadside junction where the KKH crosses the Indus, with a few hotels, shops and a mosque. The police may note your details here. This is also where the jeeps wait.
The jeep drivers work as a union and charge a fixed fare per jeep for the round trip, not per person. You agree the day you want to come back down, and the same driver collects you at Tato. Note the driver's name, phone number and the jeep's plate before you leave. The fare, the rules and the safety record of the track are covered in our guide to the Fairy Meadows jeep track.
From Tato, sometimes called Fairy Point, the path to the meadow is clear and well used. Horses are available at Tato if anyone in your group would rather ride, and porters can carry bags. Start the walk by mid-afternoon at the latest; the path runs through forest and gets dark early.
If you are driving yourself, the car stays at Raikot Bridge. Agree where it will be parked, and what you are paying for it, before you get into the jeep.
Where to stop overnight on the way
| Stop | Route | Why stop here |
|---|---|---|
| Naran | Babusar | The natural break on the summer route, with plenty of hotels |
| Besham | KKH | Good for a late start from Islamabad; avoids night driving in Kohistan |
| Chilas | Both | Puts you 60 km from Raikot Bridge for an early jeep; very hot in summer |
| Raikot Bridge | Both | A few simple hotels right where the jeeps leave |
Chilas sits low in the Indus valley and is hot from June to August, with average afternoon highs around 34°C. Choose a room with working air conditioning, and ask about power cuts.
How long it really takes: a sample timeline
Here is how a typical summer trip by road runs, via Babusar:
- Day 1, 6 am: leave Islamabad. Lunch in Balakot or Kaghan.
- Day 1, early evening: reach Naran. Early night.
- Day 2, 6 am: leave Naran for Babusar Top, stopping briefly at the top.
- Day 2, around 10 am: reach Chilas. Fuel, cash and supplies.
- Day 2, around noon: reach Raikot Bridge. Book the jeep, sort parking, eat.
- Day 2, around 2 pm: reach Tato. Start walking.
- Day 2, around 5 pm: reach Fairy Meadows, in time for the evening light on Nanga Parbat.
Any delay on day two eats into the walking time. If you reach Raikot Bridge after about 3 pm, stay the night there or in Chilas and go up in the morning. How to spend the days at the meadow is in our Fairy Meadows itinerary.
Flying, or going without your own car
You do not need a car to reach Fairy Meadows.
Flying to Gilgit
The quickest way to Fairy Meadows is to fly to Gilgit and drive back down the KKH. PIA flies Islamabad to Gilgit on small turboprop aircraft. The flight is short, but it only operates in good visibility, and cancellations are common when cloud sits in the valleys.
From Gilgit it is roughly 76 to 80 km down the KKH to Raikot Bridge, about an hour and a half to two hours by road. Hotels in Gilgit can arrange a car, and minivans run along the KKH. If the morning flight goes on time, you can be at Tato by early afternoon and on the meadow the same evening.
The catch is the return. If the flight home is cancelled, you are either waiting in Gilgit or facing the full road journey back. Build in a spare day, or be ready to drive.
Other ways without your own car
The practical options are:
- A car and driver from Islamabad. The most comfortable choice for families. The driver waits at Raikot Bridge or in Chilas while you are on the meadow.
- A coach towards Gilgit. NATCO and private operators run coaches up the KKH from Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Ask to be dropped at Raikot Bridge rather than riding on to Gilgit.
- An arranged trip. If you would rather someone else handled the driving, the jeep and the booking at the top, send us your dates through our trip planner.
Is the long journey worth it?
For most people, yes. Two days of driving buys you one of the few places in Pakistan where you can sit on grass and look straight up at an 8,000-metre mountain. But the ratio of travel to time on the meadow is high.
Go if you have at least five days, can give the meadow two nights, and everyone can manage a two-to-four-hour uphill walk at 3,000 metres. Our Fairy Meadows destination page sums up what is waiting at the top.
Think again if you only have a long weekend, if anyone in the group cannot walk far, or if the jeep track is something you would dread rather than put up with. A trip to Naran and the Kaghan valley gives you mountains and meadows for far less time on the road. And if your dates fall in the monsoon, read our guide to the best time to visit Fairy Meadows before you book.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to reach Fairy Meadows from Islamabad?
Usually two days. Allow 12 to 14 hours of driving to Raikot Bridge, then 1.5 to 2 hours by jeep to Tato and 2 to 4 hours on foot to the meadow. With a flight to Gilgit that goes on time, it can be done in one day.
Which route is better, Babusar or the KKH?
Babusar is shorter and more scenic, and the natural choice from about June to October when it is open. The KKH through Besham and Chilas is open all year and avoids the 4,173-metre pass, but it is longer and slower.
Can I drive my own car to Fairy Meadows?
Only as far as Raikot Bridge. From there, only local jeeps are allowed on the track to Tato, and the last 5 km to the meadow are on foot or on horseback. Your car stays at the bridge.
Where should I stay the night on the way?
Naran if you are going over Babusar, and Besham or Chilas if you are on the KKH. Chilas leaves the shortest drive to Raikot Bridge the next morning, which makes the jeep and the walk easier to fit in.
Is there public transport from Islamabad to Fairy Meadows?
Not all the way. Coaches heading for Gilgit pass Raikot Bridge, and you can ask to be dropped there, then take a jeep to Tato and walk. Minivans also run between Gilgit and the bridge.
What is the distance from Islamabad to Fairy Meadows?
Roughly 450 km to Raikot Bridge over Babusar and around 500 km on the KKH, then 15 km by jeep and 5 km on foot. Time is the more useful measure: plan on two days each way.
