Islamabad to Naran by road is roughly 260 to 290 km and takes six to seven hours with a short breakfast stop. You take the M-1 and the Hazara Motorway to Mansehra, then the N-15 up the Kaghan valley through Balakot, Kiwai and Kaghan town to Naran. The motorway half is quick; the last 120 km of valley road takes longer than everything before it, and on summer weekends and at Eid it can take much longer.
This guide goes through the drive stage by stage, with timings, the best places to stop, and what to check before you leave.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Distance | Roughly 260 to 290 km, depending on where you start |
| Driving time | 6 to 7 hours with stops; 8 or more on summer weekends |
| Route | M-1, Hazara Motorway (M-15), Mansehra, N-15 via Balakot and Kaghan |
| Mansehra to Naran | 119 km of two-lane mountain road |
| Road open | Usually late April to November; closed beyond Kaghan town in winter |
| Tolls | Hazara Motorway PKR 400 for a car to Mansehra (from July 2026), plus the M-1 |
| Best start time | 5 to 6 am |
The route in one paragraph
From Islamabad, take the M-1 towards Peshawar and turn north at the Hazara interchange near Burhan onto the Hazara Motorway. Leave the motorway at Mansehra, go through the town and pick up the N-15, the Mansehra–Naran–Jalkhad road, signposted for Balakot and Naran. From there it is a single road up the Kunhar river: Balakot, Kiwai, Paras, Mahandri, Kaghan town and Naran. There are no real alternatives once you are in the valley, which is why a blockage or an Eid traffic jam affects everyone.
Stage by stage: how long each part takes
These timings assume a normal weekday in season and a driver who is comfortable on mountain roads.
Islamabad to Mansehra: about 2 to 2.5 hours
The fast part. The M-1 to the Hazara interchange takes well under an hour from most of Islamabad, and the Hazara Motorway then runs past Haripur, Havelian and Abbottabad to the Mansehra interchange. The road is wide, well surfaced and quiet early in the morning.
The motorway runs on M-Tag, so make sure yours is working and topped up before you leave.
Mansehra to Balakot: about 1 hour
Leaving the motorway, you pass through or around Mansehra, which is often the first slow point of the day. From there the road drops to the Kunhar and follows it to Balakot, roughly 40 km away. Balakot is the gateway town of the valley and the natural breakfast stop, with restaurants along the river.
Balakot to Naran: about 2.5 to 3 hours
This is the part that decides the day. The N-15 is paved all the way but narrow, with tight bends, village bazaars, trucks, and stretches where the road runs close to the river. In recent seasons construction work around Paras has added delays.
- Balakot to Kiwai, about 45 minutes. Kiwai is where the jeep road to Shogran turns off, and where most people stop at the tea stalls by the Kiwai waterfall.
- Kiwai to Kaghan town, about 1.5 hours. Through Paras and Mahandri, where the road to the Manoor valley branches off. Kaghan town has a small bazaar and marks the limit of winter travel.
- Kaghan to Naran, about 45 minutes to an hour. The valley narrows and climbs to Naran, at 2,409 metres.
On a normal day, then, a 6 am start from Islamabad puts you in Naran by about 12.30 or 1 pm, with time for breakfast and a tea stop.
A sample timetable
| Time | Where | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6:00 am | Leave Islamabad | Fuel up the night before |
| 8:00 to 8:30 am | Mansehra | Last big town; fuel and cash |
| 9:30 am | Balakot | Breakfast by the river |
| 10:30 am | Kiwai | Tea at the waterfall |
| 12:00 pm | Kaghan town | Short stop if needed |
| 12:30 to 1:00 pm | Naran | Check in, rest, walk the bazaar |
Add an hour or two on a summer Saturday, and more at Eid. During the Eid holidays in June 2024 the whole Balakot to Naran section jammed for hours at a time.
Where to stop on the way
- Balakot for breakfast or lunch. It is the last town with a wide choice of places to eat before Naran.
- Kiwai waterfall for tea. The stalls set tables right in the cold stream, and it is an easy place to stretch your legs with children.
- Shogran, if you have time for a detour. Local jeeps run up from Kiwai; the fare approved by the Balakot administration in 2026 was PKR 4,500 for the return trip. It is better as its own half-day than squeezed into the drive.
- Kaghan town for a last cup of tea before the final climb.
Toilets are basic between Balakot and Naran, so use the facilities at a restaurant stop rather than counting on the roadside.
Fuel, cash and tolls
- Fuel. Fill the tank in Islamabad or Mansehra and top up in Balakot. There is a petrol pump at the entrance to Naran, but in peak season the queues can be long. If you plan to drive on to Babusar Top, fill up in Naran first.
- Cash. Take enough from Islamabad or Mansehra for jeeps, meals and a spare night. Jeep drivers and many hotels and restaurants in the valley deal in cash only.
- Tolls. From July 2026 the Hazara Motorway toll for a car between Hasan Abdal and Mansehra is PKR 400, and you also pay for the short stretch of the M-1. Tolls rise most years, so treat these as a guide.
For the fuel sums and every other cost of the trip, our Naran trip cost guide sets out three budget levels.
Arriving in Naran
Naran bazaar has had a one-way traffic plan since May 2026. Under the rules notified by the Balakot administration, vehicles enter the bazaar from the petrol pump end, parking in the bazaar is banned, and jeeps are kept off the main street. Ask your hotel before you arrive where to park and which way to approach, especially if it is on the far side of the bazaar.
If you arrive by early afternoon, don't try to fit Saif-ul-Malook in the same day unless you are well rested. The jeep trip is better in the morning, and the first evening is easily filled with a walk along the Kunhar. Our list of places to visit in Naran has distances and times from the bazaar for everything above and below the town.
Road conditions and when the road is closed
The road to Naran is closed beyond Kaghan town from about December until late April, and each section above Naran opens later: Batakundi and the lake track in late April or May, and Babusar in late May. Before you set off in spring or autumn, check that the road is actually open; our guide to whether the Naran road is open or closed explains the pattern and where to check.
In the monsoon, July and August, the risk is rain. In July 2026 alone, mudslides blocked the road at Khanian on 13 July, and a cloudburst on 21 July closed the Kaghan bridge as a precaution and brought a landslide down at Soach. Neither closed the road for long, but both left travellers waiting. If heavy rain is forecast for your driving day, wait a day.
Can a normal car make it?
Yes. The whole route from Islamabad to Naran is paved, and sedans and small hatchbacks make the drive every day in season. What matters more is the car's condition and the driver:
- Brakes and tyres should be in good order, including the spare. The drive back down to Balakot is long and steady downhill.
- Engine cooling matters if you are heavily loaded and stuck in summer traffic on a climb.
- A rested driver. The valley road needs concentration for three hours, and the return trip is where tired drivers make mistakes.
Beyond Naran, the road up to Batakundi, Lulusar and Babusar is also paved, but Saif-ul-Malook and Lalazar need a local jeep.
The drive home
Plan the return the same way in reverse. Leave Naran by 9 or 10 am if you can, so you are through Balakot in daylight and on the motorway by mid-afternoon. On Sundays and the last day of Eid holidays, the traffic heading down the valley can be heavy from late morning.
If you would like a ready-made plan built around this drive, our three-day Naran and Kaghan itinerary sets out each day's driving hours.
Drive yourself, hire a driver or join a tour?
Drive yourself if you are confident on mountain roads and your car is in good condition. It gives you freedom to go on to Lulusar or Babusar in your own car, which is the cheapest way to see the upper valley.
Hire a car with a driver if nobody in your group wants to drive the valley road, or if you are travelling with older parents and would rather have someone who knows it. Ask for a single price that includes fuel, tolls and the driver's food and room.
Join a group tour if you are one or two people on a budget. Group coasters run from Islamabad and Lahore through the summer, usually overnight, and include transport and shared rooms; jeep fares are often extra.
Naran is also the usual first night on the summer road to Gilgit-Baltistan over the Babusar Pass. If that is your plan, see our guide to driving from Islamabad to Fairy Meadows, which covers the second day over the pass. And if you would like us to plan the drive and the stops around your dates, send us your plans.
Frequently asked questions
How far is Naran from Islamabad by road?
Roughly 260 to 290 km, depending on where you start in Islamabad. Most of the first half is motorway to Mansehra; the last 119 km, from Mansehra to Naran, is mountain road.
How long does it take to drive from Islamabad to Naran?
Six to seven hours on a normal day, including a breakfast stop. Allow eight or more on a summer weekend, and considerably longer at Eid, when the Balakot to Naran section can jam for hours.
What is the best time to leave Islamabad for Naran?
Between 5 and 6 am. You clear the motorway before traffic builds, reach Balakot for breakfast, and arrive in Naran by early afternoon with daylight to spare.
Is the road from Islamabad to Naran open all year?
No. It is open to Kaghan town all year, but beyond Kaghan it is closed by snow from about December to late April. In 2025 and 2026 it reopened around 20 April.
Is there a toll on the way to Naran?
Yes. The Hazara Motorway charges PKR 400 for a car between Hasan Abdal and Mansehra (from July 2026), and there is a smaller charge for the stretch of the M-1. The motorways use M-Tag.
Where should we stop for food between Islamabad and Naran?
Balakot for a proper meal, and the tea stalls at the Kiwai waterfall for a break. Between Kiwai and Naran there are fewer choices, so don't leave lunch too late.
