A northern areas trip plan from Lahore starts with the M-2: 375 km and about four to four and a half hours to Islamabad before the mountains even begin. That extra half-day each way is what separates a Lahore trip from an Islamabad one. In practice, five days is enough for one nearby valley such as Naran or the Galiyat, seven days for Naran with Babusar, the Neelum valley or Skardu by air, and ten days before Hunza by road makes sense.
This guide covers the M-2 itself, where to spend the first night for each direction north, and what fits into five, seven and ten days from Lahore.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Lahore to Islamabad | 375 km on the M-2, about 4 to 4.5 hours |
| M-2 toll for a car | PKR 1,430 (from July 2026); M-Tag needed |
| Lahore to Naran | 10 to 11 hours with stops |
| Lahore to Nathia Gali | About 7 hours |
| Lahore to Mingora (Swat) | 9 to 10 hours with stops |
| Lahore to Hunza | 18 to 22 hours of driving; two or three days |
| Lahore to Skardu | About 20 hours of driving; two days in summer |
| Direct flights | Lahore to Skardu, about 1.5 hours |
The M-2: your first four hours
Every road trip north from Lahore begins on the M-2, which runs 375 km from Thokar Niaz Baig to Islamabad. It crosses the Punjab plain, then climbs through the Salt Range near Kallar Kahar on long gradients and high bridges, the only hilly part of the drive. There are service areas on both sides at Sukheki, Bhera, Kallar Kahar and Chakri, among others, so fuel and breakfast are easy.
Three things to know:
- You rarely need to enter Islamabad. For the Karakoram Highway, Naran, Swat and Chitral, carry straight on where the M-2 meets the M-1 and head west towards Peshawar. Only Murree, the Galiyat and Azad Kashmir take you through the city, to the Murree Expressway.
- Winter fog closes it. In December and January, dense fog regularly shuts sections of the M-2 near Lahore in the early morning. Leave after it lifts, or plan the first day short.
- Tolls and tags. The car toll for the full M-2 went up to PKR 1,430 on 5 July 2026, and the National Highway Authority made M-Tags mandatory on its motorways from June 2026. Top yours up before you leave; the Hazara and Swat motorways and the M-1 add their own tolls.
Leave Lahore by 4 or 5 in the morning on any long day. You will be past Kallar Kahar before the heat builds, and the extra hours of daylight matter at the far end, on mountain roads.
Where to spend the first night
The biggest decision on a Lahore trip is how far to push on day one. The rule we plan around: arrive before dark, and never start the mountain part of the drive tired.
| Heading for | Good first night | Driving time from Lahore |
|---|---|---|
| Naran and Kaghan | Naran itself, or Balakot or Abbottabad | 10 to 11 hours; 7 to 8 to Balakot |
| Hunza or Gilgit by the KKH | Mansehra or Abbottabad; Besham for strong drivers | 6 to 7 hours; 9 to 10 to Besham |
| Hunza or Skardu in summer | Naran, then over Babusar next day | 10 to 11 hours |
| Swat and Kalam | Mingora, or Islamabad for an easy start | 9 to 10 hours; 4 to 4.5 to Islamabad |
| The Galiyat and Murree | Nathia Gali or Murree | About 7 hours; 5.5 to 6 to Murree |
| Muzaffarabad and Neelum | Muzaffarabad | 8 to 9 hours |
Two patterns work well. The long first day takes you all the way to Naran or Mingora, which suits a group with two drivers and a trip of five days or fewer. The short first day stops in Abbottabad, Mansehra or Islamabad after five to seven hours and lets you meet the mountains fresh the next morning. It costs half a day but is the better choice with children or older parents.
Our separate road guides cover each route in detail: Lahore to Hunza by road and Lahore to Naran by road.
Five days from Lahore
Five days by road means two of them are mostly driving, so choose somewhere with a short final stretch and plenty to do close to the hotel.
Naran and the Kaghan valley (late May to September). Drive to Naran on day one, spend day two at Saif-ul-Malook, day three at Lulusar Lake and Babusar Top, then drive back over two days with a night in Islamabad or straight through in one long one. This is the most popular five-day trip from Lahore for good reason.
The Galiyat and Murree (all year, best May to June and September to November). The gentlest option: about seven hours to Nathia Gali, two days of forest walks such as the Pipeline Track and Mushkpuri, a morning in Murree, and a shorter drive home. It suits families with small children and older parents.
Skardu by air. With direct flights from Lahore, five days in Skardu is realistic: the lakes, Katpana, Shigar and, from June to September, a day on Deosai. Keep the last day loose for a cancelled flight.
What doesn't fit: Hunza by road. From Lahore it is two or three days each way, so five days would leave you almost no time there.
Seven days from Lahore
A week lets you go further or slow down. Three good shapes:
- Naran with Shogran and Babusar. A night at Shogran on the way up, three in Naran, and a night in Islamabad or Abbottabad on the way back. Less driving per day than the five-day version, and time for Siri Paye.
- The Neelum valley in full. Lahore to Muzaffarabad on day one, then Keran, Sharda and Kel with a night at Arang Kel, and back down over two days. Check that the valley is open to tourists before you go; it sits on the Line of Control and has closed at short notice.
- Skardu with Deosai and Khaplu, by air. Fly Lahore to Skardu and spend six nights in Baltistan, with Deosai, Shigar and Khaplu and a spare day for weather.
Swat and Kalam also fit into a week, with a night in Mingora on each side of three nights in Kalam, but in 2026 check the security news first.
Ten days from Lahore
Ten days is where Gilgit-Baltistan by road starts to work, because you can afford two days each way and still have five or six in the mountains.
A good summer shape for Hunza:
| Day | Route | Night |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lahore to Naran | Naran |
| 2 | Naran over Babusar Top to Gilgit | Gilgit |
| 3 | Gilgit to Karimabad | Karimabad |
| 4 | Baltit, Altit and the Karimabad viewpoints | Karimabad |
| 5 | Attabad, Passu and the Khunjerab Pass | Karimabad or Passu |
| 6 | Spare day: Nagar and Hopper, or Borith Lake | Karimabad |
| 7 | Karimabad to Chilas | Chilas |
| 8 | Chilas to Islamabad or Abbottabad on the KKH | Islamabad or Abbottabad |
| 9 | Home to Lahore on the M-2 | Home |
| 10 | Spare, for a road closure on the way back |
Outside the Babusar season, from about November to late May, replace days 1 and 2 with Lahore to Mansehra and Mansehra to Chilas, and arrive in Hunza a day later.
The other ten-day option is Skardu by road over Babusar, with Deosai, or flying from Lahore to Skardu and spending the extra days in Khaplu and Shigar. Our Gilgit, Hunza and Khunjerab tour is a nine-day version of the Hunza trip that starts from Gilgit, so from Lahore you can fly, connecting in Islamabad, and skip four days of driving.
Drive or fly from Lahore?
Lahore is better placed for flying north than people expect. PIA and Airblue both fly Lahore to Skardu in about an hour and a half, with the most departures in summer. For Gilgit, flights connect in Islamabad.
- Fly if you have a week or less and want Gilgit-Baltistan, if you are travelling with young children or older parents, or if nobody wants to share a 20-hour drive.
- Drive if you have ten days or more, want your own car in the mountains, and are four or more sharing the costs. The drive is part of the trip, especially over Babusar.
- Mix them. Fly to Skardu, drive across to Hunza with a hired car and driver, and come home by road over Babusar, or the reverse.
Whatever you choose, flights to Skardu and Gilgit are cancelled in bad weather and the Karakoram Highway closes after heavy rain, so every plan needs one spare day, placed at the end.
Tips for the drive from Lahore
- Share the driving. The long first and last days are where fatigue builds, and most of the risk on northern trips is on the road.
- Plan the return with slack. The drive from Hunza to Lahore is two full days. Don't book work for the morning after you get back.
- Avoid July and August if your dates are fixed. The monsoon brings the most landslides and flash floods, and the Punjab heat makes the M-2 hard going at midday.
- Service the car in Lahore. Brakes, tyres, coolant and battery, before you leave rather than in Mansehra.
Frequently asked questions
How many days are enough for a northern areas trip from Lahore?
Five days for one nearby valley such as Naran or the Galiyat, seven for Naran with Babusar, the Neelum valley or Skardu by air, and ten or more for Hunza by road.
How long does it take to drive from Lahore to Islamabad?
About four to four and a half hours on the 375 km M-2, a little more with a breakfast stop. Winter fog near Lahore can close the motorway in the early morning.
Where should I stay overnight between Lahore and Hunza?
On the Karakoram Highway, Mansehra or Abbottabad after the first day and Chilas after the second. In summer, Naran is the best first stop, with the Babusar Pass the next day.
Can I go to Naran from Lahore in one day?
Yes, if you leave by 4 or 5 am. It takes 10 to 11 hours with stops, and the last three or four are on the slower Kaghan valley road, so you need to arrive before dark.
Is there a direct flight from Lahore to Skardu?
Yes. PIA and Airblue both fly Lahore to Skardu in about an hour and a half, with the most departures in summer. Flights to Gilgit connect through Islamabad.
Which is better from Lahore, Naran or Hunza?
With five or six days, Naran, because Hunza is two or three days' drive each way. With ten days or more, Hunza gives you more to see and a very different landscape.
