For most people, a northern areas trip plan from Karachi should start with a flight. Karachi to Islamabad takes about two hours, and on some days there is a direct flight to Skardu that puts you in the mountains by breakfast. Driving is roughly 1,400 km and two full days just to reach Islamabad, and the train takes about a day and a night. The realistic minimums: about six days for Skardu if you fly, eight or nine for Hunza if you fly to Islamabad and drive, and two weeks or more if you drive from Karachi.
This guide compares the three ways north, sets out what each does to your day count, and suggests trip shapes that work from Karachi.
| At a glance | Time to Islamabad | Time to the mountains | Realistic minimum trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fly to Skardu direct | Not needed | About 2 hours 15 minutes to Skardu | 5 to 6 days |
| Fly via Islamabad to Skardu or Gilgit | About 2 hours | Same day, or next morning | 6 to 7 days |
| Fly to Islamabad, then drive | About 2 hours | Naran the next day; Hunza two days later | 6 to 7 days for Naran; 8 to 9 for Hunza |
| Train to Rawalpindi or Islamabad | 23 to 27 hours | Add the road time from Islamabad | Add 2 to 3 days to any plan |
| Drive from Karachi | Two full days | Two more for Hunza or Skardu | 12 to 14 days for Hunza |
Option 1: fly direct to Skardu
The quickest way from Karachi into the mountains. PIA flies Karachi to Skardu non-stop and Airblue added a twice-weekly service in May 2025, so there are direct flights on a few days a week, usually leaving Karachi around 6 am and landing about two and a quarter hours later. The days change with each schedule, so check for your travel month; our guide to the Karachi to Skardu flight covers who flies, when, and what fares have looked like.
A direct flight turns Skardu into a realistic week from Karachi. You land at 2,225 metres in the morning, rest the first afternoon, and have the lakes, Katpana, Shigar and, from June to September, the Deosai plateau within easy reach. Our seven-day Skardu and Deosai trip is built around exactly this kind of arrival, with a spare day held at the end for weather.
The catch is weather. Flights into Skardu are cancelled when cloud sits over the mountains, and with only a few direct departures a week, a cancelled one can mean a long wait. Always keep the last day of the trip free.
Option 2: fly to Islamabad, then onwards
Karachi to Islamabad is one of the busiest routes in the country, with many flights a day from several airlines and a flight time of about two hours. From Islamabad you have three ways on:
- Fly on to Skardu. About an hour, with PIA, Airblue and AirSial, and far more departures than from Karachi. Many people fly to Islamabad the evening before and take the first Skardu flight the next morning, which removes the risk of a missed connection.
- Fly on to Gilgit, for Hunza. PIA only, on small turboprops that are cancelled whenever the valley is cloudy. Karimabad is then two to two and a half hours by road. Our guide to flying from Karachi to Hunza compares this with going via Skardu.
- Drive from Islamabad. Hire a car with a driver, or rent one, and take the road north. Naran is six to seven hours away, Chilas a long day, and Hunza or Skardu two days.
Flying to Islamabad and driving is the most dependable plan when your dates are fixed, because a blocked road usually reopens within a day, while a run of cloudy days can ground the northern flights for longer. Our northern areas trip plan from Islamabad sets out the routes and how many days each needs.
Option 3: the train to Rawalpindi
Pakistan Railways runs daily express trains from Karachi towards the north. The Green Line runs from Karachi Cantt to Islamabad in roughly 23 to 24 hours, and the Tezgam to Rawalpindi takes about 26 and a half. Both have air-conditioned classes. Check the current timetable and book through Pakistan Railways.
The train makes sense in a few situations:
- You enjoy the journey. Crossing Sindh and Punjab by rail is a trip in itself.
- You are travelling as students or on a tight budget, and a sleeper berth saves a hotel night.
- You want to drive in the north without driving from Karachi. Take the train up and hire a car and driver in Islamabad.
It costs you time: a full day and a night each way, and most people need a rest day after arriving. Add two to three days to any plan that uses the train.
Option 4: drive from Karachi
Karachi to Islamabad by road is roughly 1,400 km. The route is the M-9 to Hyderabad, the N-5 through interior Sindh to Sukkur, the M-5 motorway to Multan, the M-4 through Faisalabad to Pindi Bhattian, and the M-2 into Islamabad. The Hyderabad to Sukkur stretch is still two-lane national highway: the M-6 motorway that will replace it is under construction and not expected until 2029.
In practice this is two full days:
- Karachi to Multan, about 885 km and 11 to 12 hours. Multan is the natural halfway stop.
- Multan to Islamabad, about 540 km and 6 to 7 hours on the motorways, or push on to Abbottabad or Mansehra if you are heading up the Karakoram Highway.
Then add the drive into the mountains: one more day for Naran, two for Hunza or Skardu. Getting from Karachi to Karimabad by car takes four days, and the same back. That only makes sense on a trip of two weeks or more, when you want your own car for the whole holiday.
A few things to plan for:
- Drive in daylight through upper Sindh. Police have been fighting bandit gangs in the riverine kacha areas near Sukkur and Ghotki, including in 2026. Don't stop on the highway at night.
- The heat. From May to August interior Sindh and southern Punjab are brutally hot. Start at dawn, carry water, and make sure the car's cooling system is in order before you leave.
- Tolls and tags. All the motorways on the route are tolled, and M-Tags have been mandatory on NHA motorways since June 2026.
- Two drivers. Four days of driving each way is too much for one person, and fatigue is the biggest risk on the mountain roads at the far end.
How many days you really need from Karachi
| Destination | Fly direct or via Islamabad | Fly to Islamabad and drive | Train and drive | Drive from Karachi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skardu | 6 to 7 days | 9 to 10 days | 11 to 12 days | 13 to 14 days |
| Hunza | 7 days, via Gilgit, with a spare day | 8 to 9 days | 10 to 11 days | 12 to 14 days |
| Naran and Kaghan | Not possible by air | 6 to 7 days | 8 to 9 days | 10 days |
| Hunza and Skardu together | 9 to 10 days | 11 to 12 days | 13 to 14 days | Over two weeks |
These counts include at least one spare day, which is not optional from Karachi. A missed return flight, or a closed road on the way back to Islamabad, costs you far more when home is two hours' flying away than when it is a few hours' drive.
Trip shapes that work from Karachi
Six or seven days: Skardu by air. Fly direct or via Islamabad, stay in one hotel in Skardu, see the lakes, Katpana and Shigar, spend a day on Deosai in summer, and keep the last day free.
Eight or nine days: Hunza by road from Islamabad. Fly to Islamabad, drive to Chilas and then Karimabad, spend three or four days in Hunza including Khunjerab, and drive back with a spare day. Our 10-day itinerary shows how the extra day or two turns this into Hunza and Skardu.
Ten days: fly in to Skardu, out from Islamabad. Fly to Skardu, spend four days there, drive across to Hunza via Gilgit, spend three days in Hunza, then drive south to Islamabad over two days and fly home. No backtracking, and one flight each way.
Two weeks or more: drive from Karachi. Only if the road is the point. Break it at Multan in each direction, and give the mountains at least eight days.
Which option should you choose?
Fly if you have a week or so, you are travelling with children or older parents, or you want the mountains rather than the motorway. For most families from Karachi this is the right answer, and Skardu is the easiest first trip because it has direct flights and more departures than Gilgit.
Take the train if the journey itself appeals, you have the time, and you plan to hire a car and driver in Islamabad rather than bring your own.
Drive only with two weeks or more, two drivers and a car in excellent condition. It is the cheapest way for a large family with lots of luggage, and the least tiring way is still to fly.
Frequently asked questions
How many days do I need for the northern areas from Karachi?
About six or seven days for Skardu if you fly, eight or nine for Hunza if you fly to Islamabad and drive, and two weeks or more if you drive all the way from Karachi.
Is there a direct flight from Karachi to the northern areas?
Yes, to Skardu, on a few days a week. There is no direct flight from Karachi to Gilgit; PIA connects through Islamabad.
How long does it take to drive from Karachi to Islamabad?
About two full days for roughly 1,400 km, with a night in Multan. Plan on 17 to 19 hours of actual driving, in daylight, especially through upper Sindh.
How long is the train from Karachi to Islamabad?
The Green Line takes roughly 23 to 24 hours from Karachi Cantt to Islamabad, and the Tezgam about 26 and a half hours to Rawalpindi. Check the current timetable with Pakistan Railways.
Should I fly to Skardu or Gilgit from Karachi?
Skardu is easier: there are direct flights some days and more connections through Islamabad and Lahore. Gilgit is closer to Hunza, but its flights are small, few and often cancelled in bad weather.
What is the cheapest way to go north from Karachi?
For a family or group, driving or the train usually costs less than flights, once four or more people share the car. For one or two people, compare flight fares early, because the time you save is worth a lot on a short trip.
