Muzaffarabad to Balakot Distance and the Mansehra Road

The Muzaffarabad to Balakot distance is about 40 km by road, through Garhi Habibullah, and Mansehra to Muzaffarabad is about 58 km on the same road. Routing tools show under an hour for Balakot, but on a two-lane hill road with trucks and bazaars we plan an hour to an hour and a half, and about one and a half to two hours for Mansehra. Both trips use one road out of Muzaffarabad, which joins the main Mansehra to Naran highway (N15) at Bisian, a short way south of Balakot.

This guide covers the distances stage by stage, what the road is like, where it meets the Kaghan route, how public transport works, and what to check in 2026 before you set out.

Distances are road distances between town centres from OpenStreetMap routing. Other apps will differ by a few kilometres depending on where you start and finish.

How far is Muzaffarabad from Balakot?

About 40 km. The first 20 km take you from Muzaffarabad to Garhi Habibullah, the first town in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. From there the road runs north up the Kunhar valley for roughly 9 km to a roundabout at Bisian, where it joins the N15. Turn right at Bisian and Balakot is about 11 km further up the same highway.

So the short answer for drivers is: Garhi Habibullah, then right at the N15, then Balakot. There is no shorter option for an ordinary car.

How far is Mansehra from Muzaffarabad?

About 58 km. The road is the same as far as the Bisian roundabout. There you turn left instead of right and follow the N15 south-west through Attar Shisha to Mansehra, about 29 km. Mansehra to Balakot is about 40 km in the other direction, so Muzaffarabad sits roughly the same distance from Balakot as Mansehra does.

You will see lower figures quoted online for Mansehra to Muzaffarabad, and some people use the older road from Garhi Habibullah over the Batrasi hills to Attar Shisha, which Dawn reported being improved in the early 2000s. Let your navigation app choose on the day; the difference is a few kilometres either way.

How long does the drive take?

Routing tools give about 40 minutes for Balakot and under an hour for Mansehra. Those are free-road times, and they rarely happen. The stretch out of Muzaffarabad climbs through Gojra and over Lohar Gali, then crosses into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at Brarkot, about 15 to 17 km out, with bends, slow trucks and village traffic most of the way.

We plan the following:

• Muzaffarabad to Balakot: 1 to 1.5 hours.
• Muzaffarabad to Mansehra: 1.5 to 2 hours.
• Muzaffarabad to Naran: 4 to 5 hours with a stop. Our Muzaffarabad to Naran guide has that full drive.

Allow more on Fridays, Eid holidays and summer weekends, when Balakot's bazaar and the N15 fill with Kaghan traffic. In the monsoon, from July to early September, a landslide can hold you up on any hill road here.

What is the road like?

It is a two-way paved road, not an expressway. The Azad Kashmir section from Muzaffarabad to Brarkot is the slower part: it is narrower and twistier, and it climbs steadily out of the city. Once you cross into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at Brarkot, the road drops to Garhi Habibullah above the Kunhar and runs on to the N15, and the driving gets easier.

The N15 itself, between Mansehra and Balakot, is the main road into the Kaghan valley. It carries buses, jeeps and goods traffic, and it is busiest in June and July.

A few practical points:

• Checkpoints. Expect police checks around the provincial boundary at Brarkot and on the N15. Keep your CNIC to hand; our note on CNIC checkposts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa explains what to expect.
• Fuel. Fill up in Muzaffarabad or Garhi Habibullah if you are heading on to Naran, because stations thin out above Balakot.
• Daylight. Drive it in daylight. There is little lighting and the bends are tight.

A Mansehra to Muzaffarabad motorway has been approved by the federal government, and funds were reported in 2023 for a separate Balakot to Garhi Habibullah road with a new bridge over the Kunhar at Hassa. We could not confirm that either is open to traffic, so plan on the existing road.

Where does the road meet the Kaghan route?

At the Bisian roundabout on the N15, about 29 km from Muzaffarabad and about 11 km south of Balakot. This is the point where the Azad Kashmir road joins the Mansehra to Naran highway, so it is where you choose your direction:

1. Right (north) for Balakot, Kiwai, Kaghan town and Naran. Our Balakot to Naran road guide picks up from there.
2. Left (south-west) for Attar Shisha and Mansehra, where you can join the Hazara Motorway for Abbottabad and Islamabad.

If you are heading further north to Gilgit, stay on the N15 over the Babusar Pass in summer. The other way, the Karakoram Highway from Mansehra through Besham and Dasu to Chilas, is a stretch the UK government advises against all travel on, and foreign-passport holders should check their own government's advice, because ignoring it can void travel insurance.

Is there a coaster or bus from Muzaffarabad to Balakot?

Public transport on this road runs mainly as Hiace wagons and coasters between Muzaffarabad and Mansehra, leaving from the general bus stands in Muzaffarabad when full. For Balakot, ask at the stand whether a vehicle is going through; otherwise take a Mansehra wagon to the Bisian junction or Garhi Habibullah and pick up a local van north.

We could not find a reliable 2026 timetable or fare for this route, so ask at the stand and agree the fare before you get in. Morning departures are the most frequent. If you are travelling as a family with luggage, a hired car from Muzaffarabad is far simpler and saves hours of waiting and changing.

Is it safe to travel between Muzaffarabad and Balakot?

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa side of this road, through Garhi Habibullah, Balakot and Mansehra, is not on the UK government's no-travel list. The Azad Kashmir side needs more care in 2026.

Protests led by the Joint Awami Action Committee from June 2026 were the deadliest unrest in Azad Kashmir in years, with at least 24 dead in the first two weeks, and the AJK government asked tourists to stay away from 5 to 20 June. Mobile internet was cut for long periods and has been coming back in phases since late August, so do not count on mobile data for maps or payments in Muzaffarabad. Carry cash and download offline maps before you leave.

Pakistani visitors still use this road, and it is the normal link between Muzaffarabad and the Kaghan valley. Check local news and ask your hotel or the police before you set out, and be ready to delay if there is a strike or road block. Overseas visitors should note that the UK advises against all but essential travel to most of Azad Kashmir, which can affect insurance. Our Azad Kashmir safety guide has the wider picture.

Is this road worth using?

Use it if you are linking Azad Kashmir with the Kaghan valley. Driving from Muzaffarabad to Balakot through Garhi Habibullah is far shorter than going back to Islamabad and up the Hazara Motorway, and it turns two separate trips into one loop: Islamabad, Murree and Kohala to Muzaffarabad, then Balakot and Naran, then back down the motorway.

It is also the sensible way from Muzaffarabad to Mansehra or Abbottabad, rather than going round by Kohala and Murree.

It is not a scenic drive in its own right, and there is little reason to stop between Muzaffarabad and Garhi Habibullah. If Balakot is your night stop, our places to visit in Balakot covers the riverside and the shrine. For general advice on long road days in the north, see our travel guide.

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