Lahore to Skardu by road is around 1,000 km and about 20 hours of driving, which almost everyone splits over two days. In summer the quickest way is up the M-2 past Islamabad, through Naran and over the Babusar Pass to Chilas, then along the Karakoram Highway and the Skardu road, with a night in Naran. When Babusar is shut, from roughly November to late May, you go up the KKH through Besham and Chilas instead, and that route is more comfortable over three days than two.
This guide covers both routes leg by leg, where to break the journey, a realistic two-day timetable, and what the drive costs for a family car in 2026.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Distance | Around 1,000 km on the all-year route, somewhat less over Babusar |
| Driving time | About 20 hours, best split over two days (three on the KKH in winter) |
| Summer route | M-2, Hazara Motorway, Naran, Babusar Pass, Chilas, Jaglot, Skardu |
| All-year route | M-2, Hazara Motorway, Thakot, Besham, Dasu, Chilas, Jaglot, Skardu |
| Babusar Pass | 4,173 m; usually open from late May or June until the autumn snow |
| Overnight stop | Naran in summer; Besham or Chilas on the KKH |
| Petrol, 1,300 cc sedan | Roughly PKR 30,000 each way (2026 estimates) |
The route in four legs
Whichever way you go over the mountains, the trip breaks into four pieces with very different speeds.
- Lahore to the Burhan interchange. The M-2 runs 375 km from Lahore to Islamabad. You don't need to enter the city: stay on the motorway system onto the M-1 towards Peshawar and leave it at Burhan, near Hasan Abdal. Allow about four and a half hours.
- Burhan to the mountains. The Hazara Motorway (M-15) runs 180 km north past Havelian, Abbottabad and Mansehra to Thakot. For the summer route you leave it at Mansehra for the Kaghan valley; for the all-year route you stay on it to the end.
- Up to Chilas. Either over Babusar from Naran, or up the old Karakoram Highway along the Indus through Besham and Dasu. This is the slow, weather-dependent part of the trip.
- Chilas to Skardu. The KKH from Chilas past Raikot Bridge to Jaglot, then the 167 km Jaglot–Skardu road (the S-1, also called the Baltistan Highway) east along the Indus gorge. Chilas to Skardu is about seven hours.
The Jaglot–Skardu road was rebuilt and widened over four years and reopened in December 2021. What used to be a notoriously slow day is now about four hours from Jaglot, although it still sits under steep, loose slopes and closes after heavy rain. Flash floods have shut it for several days at a time, as happened when a section near Sassi in Haramosh was damaged.
Two-day plan in summer: over the Babusar Pass
From late May or June until the first real snow in autumn, this is the route to take. It is shorter than the KKH, the night in Naran is comfortable, and it avoids the Dasu construction zone entirely. In 2026 the pass reopened on 25 May; in 2025 it was 23 May.
Day 1: Lahore to Naran
Leave Lahore by 5 am. The motorway to Burhan is the easy part, so keep breakfast short. From Mansehra the road climbs through Balakot and Kaghan to Naran. Expect to arrive by mid-afternoon, having driven 10 to 11 hours with stops.
Naran is expensive and crowded on summer weekends and around Eid, so book a room before you set off rather than looking for one at 5 pm.
Day 2: Naran to Skardu
- Leave Naran by 6 am. The road climbs past Lulusar Lake to Babusar Top at 4,173 metres, about two to two and a half hours away. Stop briefly: this is higher than anywhere else on the trip, and a long break at the top is how headaches start.
- Descend to Chilas, another hour and a half or so of long, steep bends. This is the hardest stretch of the whole drive on a car's brakes. Use a low gear and let the engine hold the car.
- Chilas, around 10 or 11 am. Fill the tank and eat something. From here it is about 60 km along the KKH to Raikot Bridge, with Nanga Parbat in view on a clear day, then on to Jaglot.
- The Skardu road from Jaglot, about four hours along the Indus through the Rondu gorge. Towards the end you pass Kachura and the turning for Shangrila, about 30 km before Skardu.
- Skardu by 5 or 6 pm, before dark in summer.
That second day is roughly 11 hours on the road. It is long but manageable if you started early and slept in Naran rather than pushing on.
Two or three days on the KKH: when Babusar is closed
From about November to late May, and on any day when Babusar is shut after a landslide or a monsoon flood, the only road is the Karakoram Highway from Thakot. It is longer, and the section through Kohistan is slow.
The honest timetable
- Lahore to Besham: about nine hours, most of it on motorway. Besham is the last sizeable town before Kohistan and a sensible first stop.
- Besham to Chilas: five to seven hours through Dasu and the Kohistan gorges, depending on landslides and construction.
- Chilas to Skardu: about seven hours.
Besham to Skardu in one day is 12 to 14 hours of mountain driving. In June and July, with daylight until after 7 pm, a very early start makes it possible. In winter, when the sun is down before 5 pm, it isn't a sensible plan, and three days (Lahore to Besham, Besham to Chilas, Chilas to Skardu) is the safer choice.
The Islamabad variation
If you would rather keep it to two driving days in winter, drive Lahore to Islamabad the evening before. The motorway is patrolled and fine to drive at night. Then leave Islamabad at first light for Chilas, which usually takes 11 to 13 hours, and do Chilas to Skardu the next day. Our Islamabad to Skardu road guide covers that half of the journey in more detail.
The Dasu section
The KKH around Dasu in Upper Kohistan is being rebuilt higher up the valley because the Dasu dam will flood the old road. Until the new section is fully open, expect rough surfaces, diversions and dust, and in 2026 the district administration has run timed closures at Samar Nullah, near Dasu, opening the road only in set windows. Check the current schedule before you leave Besham, or you may wait there for hours.
Where to stop overnight
- Naran is the obvious stop on the summer route: plenty of hotels, cool nights and a short drive to Babusar in the morning. Book ahead in July and August.
- Besham is the usual stop on the KKH. It has highway hotels of the simple, clean kind, and it lets you do Kohistan in the morning, when you are fresh.
- Chilas works on either route and sets up the easiest final day. It is hot in summer, at about 1,265 metres on the Indus, so a room with a working air conditioner matters in June and July.
Security on the KKH through Kohistan and Diamer has been a concern in recent years, including an attack on a passenger bus near Chilas in December 2023. Check current advice before you travel, carry your CNIC for the checkposts, and plan every day so that you are off the road before dark.
What does the drive cost?
For a family driving its own car, the main costs are fuel, tolls and a night or two in a hotel. Rough figures, which will change with fuel prices:
- Petrol. Estimates published in 2026 put a 1,300 cc sedan at roughly PKR 30,000 of petrol each way from Lahore. An SUV or 4x4 uses noticeably more. Mountain roads are slow and you spend long periods in low gear, so budget more than the distance alone suggests.
- Tolls. The M-2 and the Hazara Motorway are tolled through M-Tag. Top the tag up before you leave Lahore, since you will pass several toll plazas each way.
- Hotels. One night in Naran, Besham or Chilas each way. Naran rates jump on summer weekends; Besham and Chilas are usually cheaper.
- Food and extras. Roadside dhabas along the KKH are cheap. Carry enough cash for fuel and food rather than relying on cards once you leave the motorway.
A car with a hired driver from Islamabad costs more than doing it yourself, but it means nobody in the family is driving the Skardu road tired after two long days. Many people do exactly this for the mountain section and drive only the motorway themselves.
Getting the car and the driver ready
The road is paved all the way, and ordinary sedans make the trip every summer. What matters more is the state of the car and the person driving it.
- Brakes and tyres first, then the cooling system. Babusar's descent and the long climbs on the KKH are where tired cars fail.
- Carry a spare tyre that holds air, a jack that fits, a tow rope and a basic toolkit.
- Don't drive after dark above Thakot or Mansehra. Landslide debris, unlit trucks and livestock are hard to see.
- Share the driving if you can. The second day is long, and the last hours on the Skardu road need full attention.
- Monsoon weeks need slack. In July and August, rain regularly brings down slides on the KKH, the Babusar road and the Skardu road. Keep a spare day in the plan and check road status each evening.
Winter adds its own risks: ice in the shaded gorges, shorter days and slower clearing of slides. Our guide to Skardu in winter covers what changes on the road and in town from December to February.
Should you drive, or fly?
Driving suits you if you want your own car in Skardu, if you are travelling as a larger family and the flights would cost more than the fuel, or if you enjoy the road itself. The Indus gorge between Jaglot and Skardu is a sight in its own right.
It suits you less if you only have four or five days. Two days up and two back leaves little time in Skardu itself, and the long days are hard on young children and older parents. Flights from Lahore to Skardu take about an hour and a half, although they are weather-dependent and fill up in summer.
A common compromise is to drive up in summer over Babusar, then decide on the way back. Our seven-day Skardu and Deosai trip works either way: fly in from Islamabad, or arrive by road, with a spare day held for weather. If you are still choosing the month, our seasonal guide shows when each road and pass is open, and the planning page lets you send us your dates.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Lahore to Skardu?
About 20 hours of driving, split over two days: Lahore to Naran and Naran to Skardu in summer. When Babusar is closed, the KKH route via Besham and Chilas is more comfortable over three days.
Which is the best route from Lahore to Skardu?
In summer, the Babusar route via Naran and Chilas is shorter and avoids the Dasu construction zone. From about November to late May, or when Babusar is closed, take the Karakoram Highway through Besham, Dasu and Chilas.
Can a normal car go from Lahore to Skardu?
Yes. The road is paved all the way, including the Jaglot–Skardu road, and sedans make the trip regularly. Get the brakes, tyres and cooling checked before you go, and take the Babusar descent in low gear.
Where should I stop overnight between Lahore and Skardu?
Naran on the summer route, and Besham or Chilas on the KKH. Chilas makes the last day the shortest, but it is very hot in June and July.
Is the road to Skardu open in winter?
The KKH and the Jaglot–Skardu road stay open through winter, apart from closures after snow or landslides. The Babusar Pass is closed from about November until late May or June.
Is it safe to drive to Skardu at night?
It is best avoided. Above Mansehra and Thakot the roads are narrow, unlit and exposed to rockfall, and security advice for the Kohistan and Diamer stretch is to travel in daylight.
