This 10-day KPK road trip itinerary makes a loop from Islamabad: up the Swat valley to Kalam, over the Badgoi Pass by jeep into Kumrat, through the Lowari tunnel to Chitral and the Kalash valleys, then back south to finish with a quiet night in Nathia Gali. It works only in high summer, roughly July to September, when the Badgoi Pass is open, and it involves several long driving days. It also runs through districts that currently carry serious security warnings, so read the safety section before you commit.
Below is the day-by-day plan, followed by what to drive, what to do if the pass is shut, and a safer alternative loop.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Length | 10 days, 9 nights |
| Best window | July to September; the Badgoi Pass is snowbound for much of the year |
| Highest point | Badgoi Pass, about 3,520 m |
| Longest days | Kumrat to Chitral, and Chitral back to Swat: 7 to 9 hours each |
| Vehicle | A 4x4 with a driver is easiest; jeeps needed at Kalam, Badgoi and Kumrat |
| Documents | CNIC for every adult; many police checkposts on the way |
Days 1 to 3: Swat and Kalam
Day 1: Islamabad to Mingora
Take the M-1 and the Swat Expressway to Chakdara, then the valley road to Mingora: about four to five hours with a stop. Our guide to driving from Islamabad to Swat covers the route. If you arrive early, the Swat Museum on the Saidu Sharif road, about 2 km from Mingora, has a strong collection of Gandharan sculpture and a good ethnographic gallery.
Night: Mingora or Saidu Sharif.
Day 2: Mingora to Kalam
Kalam is about 100 km further up the valley, but the road above Bahrain is still badly damaged from the 2022 floods and was blocked again by a flash flood near Bahrain in September 2026. Allow four to five hours, with stops at Madyan and Bahrain for the river and a trout lunch. Start early, and check with your hotel in Kalam that the road is open.
Night: Kalam.
Day 3: Ushu forest and Mahodand Lake
Hire a jeep in Kalam for the day. The track runs through the Ushu forest to Mahodand Lake, at about 2,865 metres and roughly 35 km from Kalam; it takes an hour and a half to two hours each way because of stream crossings and rough patches. Take a picnic, walk along the shore, and be back in Kalam by late afternoon. Book tomorrow's Badgoi jeep this evening.
Night: Kalam.
Days 4 and 5: over the Badgoi Pass to Kumrat
Day 4: Kalam to Kumrat by jeep
This is the day that makes the loop. From Kalam the jeep goes west to Utror, then climbs an unpaved track to the Badgoi Pass, at about 3,520 metres, before dropping into the Kumrat valley and down to Thal. The crossing from Utror to Thal takes about four hours on its own, so allow most of the day with stops. The pass is under snow for much of the year and is usually passable only from about July into the autumn; rain can close the track at short notice.
Ordinary cars cannot cross Badgoi. If you came in your own car, someone has to drive it round by road to Thal, a long day via Chakdara and Dir, or you skip the pass (see below).
Night: Kumrat, in the huts and camps along the river above Thal.
Day 5: Kumrat
Spend the day in the valley: take a jeep up the track through the deodar forest, walk by the Panjkora, and don't expect mobile signal. Fit walkers with an extra day and a guide can go on to the meadows of Jahaz Banda. Our Kumrat Valley guide explains how the valley is laid out.
Night: Kumrat.
Days 6 to 8: Chitral and the Kalash valleys
Day 6: Kumrat to Chitral
Drive down from Thal to Dir, three to four hours on a road that gets rougher towards Thal, then north on the N-45 through the Lowari tunnel to Chitral, about three more hours. The tunnel runs one way at a time, so waits of half an hour or more are normal, and its operating hours were restricted and then restored in the summer of 2026. Check the current timings before you set off; our Lowari tunnel guide has the background. This is a seven-to-eight-hour day, so leave Kumrat early.
Night: Chitral town.
Day 7: Chitral town and Bumburet
See the Shahi Mosque and the fort by the river in the morning, then drive to Bumburet, the largest of the Kalash valleys, about two hours away. The road from Ayun is narrow and rough in places, and many people take a local jeep. Walk through the villages, visit the Kalasha Dur museum, and ask before you photograph anyone. Our Kalash valleys guide covers etiquette and the three valleys.
Night: Chitral, or Bumburet if you accept an even longer day tomorrow.
Day 8: Chitral to Mingora
The long way back: through the tunnel, down to Dir, then south through Timergara to Chakdara and up to Mingora. Allow eight hours or more with the tunnel wait. In early August 2026 flash floods and glacial lake outbursts closed the Chitral road, so keep a spare day in hand.
Night: Mingora.
Days 9 and 10: the Galiyat
Day 9: Mingora to Nathia Gali
Take the Swat Expressway back to the M-1, then the Hazara Motorway towards Havelian and Abbottabad, and climb from Abbottabad to Nathia Gali, about 32 km. Allow about five hours. The cool pine ridge is a good place to end a hard trip.
Night: Nathia Gali or Dunga Gali.
Day 10: Nathia Gali to Islamabad
Walk the level Pipeline Track from Dunga Gali to Ayubia in the morning, then drive home through Murree, about two to two and a half hours. See our Galiyat guide for the other walks.
What to drive, and what to book
- The easiest way is a 4x4 with a local driver for the whole loop, which also takes care of the Badgoi crossing.
- In your own car, the road is fine to Kalam, Thal, Chitral and Nathia Gali, but you need jeeps for Mahodand, Badgoi, upper Kumrat and possibly Bumburet. Fill up in Mingora, Dir and Chitral.
- Book ahead for Kalam and Chitral in August, and for Nathia Gali on any weekend.
- Drive in daylight only. Every long day here is planned to arrive before dark.
- Carry enough cash. Camps, jeep drivers and small hotels rarely take cards.
If the Badgoi Pass is closed
Before July, after early snow, or after heavy rain, the jeep track may be shut. The alternative is to drive back down Swat to Chakdara and up the N-45 through Dir to Thal, a very long day that is better split in two. That costs one extra day. If you can't spare it, drop Kumrat and go from Kalam straight to Chitral via Chakdara and Dir, and use the saved days in Chitral.
Is this road trip safe right now?
Most of this loop runs through districts the UK government currently advises against visiting at all: Swat, Upper and Lower Dir, the N-45 from Mardan to Chitral, and the Kalash valleys, which also lie close to the Afghan border. On 2 August 2026 a suicide bomber killed 17 people at a peace rally in Kabal, across the river from Mingora. In mid-August 2026 police fought militants for more than a day near Barikot in Upper Dir, and a few days later an attack on the deputy commissioner's residence and a PTDC facility at Panakot in Upper Dir was repelled. In September 2023 militants crossing from Afghanistan attacked border posts in Chitral.
Pakistani travellers still drive this route. If you go, check local news every day, follow police advice at checkposts, travel only in daylight, and be ready to change the plan at short notice. Overseas visitors should know that their government's advice may say not to go, and that travelling against it can void travel insurance.
A safer 10-day alternative
If the warnings put you off, you can still have a fine 10 days in Abbottabad and Mansehra districts, which are not on the UK's list:
- Two nights in Nathia Gali or Dunga Gali
- A night in Thandiani
- Two nights in Shogran, with a jeep to Siri Paye
- Three nights in Naran, for Saiful Muluk, Lulusar and Babusar Top
- A night in Balakot or back in the Galiyat on the way home
It is shorter on driving and the roads are better. Naran is open only from about June to September. If you want either loop planned around your dates and car, send us your trip details.
Frequently asked questions
How many days do you need for a KPK road trip?
Ten days is the minimum for a loop through Swat, Kumrat and Chitral, and twelve is more comfortable. A week is enough for Swat and the Galiyat, or for the Galiyat, Shogran and Naran.
When is the best time for a KPK road trip?
July to September for the full loop, because the Badgoi Pass and Kumrat are open only in summer. Late August and September are usually calmer than the peak monsoon weeks.
Can I cross the Badgoi Pass in my own car?
No. The track from Utror to Kumrat is unpaved and steep and needs a 4x4 with an experienced local driver. Hire one in Kalam.
Is the road to Chitral open?
The N-45 and the Lowari tunnel are the all-year route, but tunnel hours have changed several times, and floods cut the road in August 2026. Check the current status before you set off.
Do I need a permit for this route?
Pakistani travellers need only their CNIC at the many police checkposts. Foreign nationals have extra registration requirements, especially for the Kalash valleys and areas near the Afghan border, so check them before travelling.
