To rent a car from Islamabad to Naran in 2026, expect to pay roughly PKR 7,000 to 8,000 a day for a Toyota Corolla with driver, about PKR 10,000 for a seven-seat Honda BR-V and PKR 14,000 to 18,000 for a Toyota Hiace Grand Cabin, going by the rate lists Islamabad rental firms publish. Fuel, tolls and the driver's food and room are usually extra. The road to Naran is paved all the way, so an ordinary sedan is enough; what matters is the size of your group, the car's condition and a driver who knows the Kaghan road.
This guide matches cars to groups, costs a typical three-day trip, explains self-drive, and lists what to agree before you pay an advance.
| At a glance (2026) | |
|---|---|
| Sedan with driver, Corolla class | About PKR 7,000 to 8,000 a day |
| Seven-seater, BR-V or Karvaan | About PKR 8,000 to 10,000 a day |
| Hiace Grand Cabin | About PKR 14,000 to 18,000 a day |
| Toyota Prado | About PKR 18,000 to 25,000 a day |
| Usually extra | Fuel, tolls, the driver's food and room |
| Petrol | PKR 389.28 a litre from 25 September 2026 |
| Hazara Motorway toll | PKR 400 each way for a car (from July 2026) |
| Needed in Naran as well | A local jeep for Saif-ul-Malook and Lalazar |
Which car suits the Naran road?
Islamabad to Naran is roughly 260 to 285 km: the M-1 and the Hazara Motorway to Mansehra, then about 119 km of narrow, winding valley road through Balakot and Kaghan. It is paved throughout, and so is the road above Naran to Lulusar Lake and Babusar Top. You do not need a 4x4 to reach Naran in season.
What you need is enough room for a six- or seven-hour drive each way, and enough power for the climbs with everyone on board.
| Group | Car | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Couple, or two to three people | Corolla, Yaris or Civic | Comfortable, economical, easy to park |
| Family of four | Corolla or Civic | Fine with light luggage; a BR-V if you pack heavily |
| Family of five or six | BR-V or Changan Karvaan | Seats six passengers, but little room for bags |
| Joint family or group of 8 to 12 | Hiace Grand Cabin | Space for people and luggage; cost shared widely |
| Large group | Toyota Coaster | Cheapest per head, but slow on the valley road |
At the extremes:
- Suzuki Alto or Wagon R. Cheap, but cramped for the long drive and slow on the climbs with four adults and luggage. Fine for two people travelling light.
- Prado or Fortuner. Comfortable, and useful early or late in the season if there is snow above Naran, but not needed for the road. Nor does it replace the local jeeps for Saif-ul-Malook and Lalazar. Our guide to Prado rent for the Northern Areas covers when it earns its price.
- Coasters and big vans. The valley road is narrow and busy, and parking in Naran bazaar is banned. Ask your hotel where a large vehicle can stop.
What a car with driver costs from Islamabad
Rental firms in Islamabad publish day rates with the driver included. These are the 2026 figures from several firms' lists, rounded:
| Vehicle | Passengers | Day rate with driver (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Suzuki Alto or Wagon R | 2 to 3 | About PKR 5,000 to 5,500 |
| Toyota Corolla | 3 to 4 | About PKR 7,000 to 8,000 |
| Honda Civic | 3 to 4 | About PKR 10,000 |
| Honda BR-V or Changan Karvaan | 5 to 6 | About PKR 8,000 to 10,000 |
| Toyota Hiace Grand Cabin | 10 to 12 | About PKR 14,000 to 18,000 |
| Toyota Prado | 4 to 6 | About PKR 18,000 to 25,000 |
| Toyota Coaster | 20 or more | About PKR 20,000 to 28,000 |
The model year matters as much as the model, so ask which year you are getting. You pay for every day the car is with you, including the days it waits at the hotel while you go up to the lake by jeep. For longer trips north, see our guide to a car with driver for the Northern Areas.
A three-day Naran trip, costed
Here is the vehicle cost of a three-day trip from Islamabad in a Corolla with driver: up on day one, a day in the upper valley with a drive to Babusar Top, and back on day three. Call it 650 to 700 km with the local driving.
| For the whole car | Rough cost (2026) |
|---|---|
| Car and driver, 3 days at PKR 7,000 to 8,000 | PKR 21,000 to 24,000 |
| Petrol, about 55 to 58 litres at 12 km a litre | About PKR 21,000 to 23,000 |
| Hazara Motorway, both ways | PKR 800, plus a smaller M-1 charge |
| Driver's food and room, 2 nights | As agreed with the firm |
| Before the driver's keep | About PKR 43,000 to 48,000 |
Shared by four people, that is roughly PKR 11,000 to 12,000 each for transport. A BR-V at PKR 10,000 a day adds about PKR 6,000 to 9,000 over three days, plus a little more fuel. The local jeeps are paid separately: in 2026 the Balakot administration fixed the return fares at PKR 5,500 per jeep from Naran to Saif-ul-Malook and PKR 4,500 to Lalazar.
Fuel prices change often, so redo the petrol line the week you go. Our Naran trip cost guide adds rooms and food to the picture.
Can you rent a self-drive car for Naran?
Some Islamabad firms rent self-drive cars. Expect to show your original CNIC and a valid Pakistani driving licence and to leave a refundable security deposit; foreign visitors need a passport with visa and an International Driving Permit. Other firms rent self-drive for use in the city only and insist on a driver for trips north, so ask before you book.
If you do drive yourself:
- Ask whether the car may go beyond Mansehra, and over Babusar if you plan to, and get the answer in writing.
- Read what the insurance covers, and what you pay for damage on a mountain road.
- Photograph the car all round, including the tyres, before you leave.
- Check the M-Tag. The Hazara Motorway runs on M-Tag, so make sure the car has a working, topped-up tag.
For a first trip up the Kaghan road, a driver who has done it many times is worth the extra cost. Our guide to driving from Islamabad to Naran describes the road stage by stage.
What to agree before you pay an advance
Most firms want an advance to confirm the booking. Before you send it, settle these in writing, even if only in a WhatsApp message:
- The exact car and its year, and that the photographs are of that car.
- The driver's experience of the Naran road and, if you are going, of Babusar.
- How the days are counted, from pick-up to drop-off.
- Fuel: included, or paid at the pump as you go.
- The driver's food and room: a fixed amount per night, or arranged by you. At Eid, a bed for the driver can be as hard to find as your own.
- Tolls and parking: who pays.
- The route: Naran only, or Babusar Top as well.
- No driving after dark on the valley road.
- Delays: what you pay if a landslide or a road closure keeps you an extra day.
- Cancellation: what is refunded if you cancel or the car does not turn up.
In Naran: parking, jeeps and the driver
Under the traffic plan the Balakot administration brought in for Naran bazaar in May 2026, traffic through the bazaar runs one way, parking in it is banned, and vehicles leaving hotels and restaurants use the bypass road. Book a hotel with parking and leave the car there.
For Saif-ul-Malook and Lalazar, take a local jeep at the official fare rather than asking your driver to try the tracks; our Saif-ul-Malook guide explains the jeep ride. The car and driver come into their own for the paved road up to Lulusar and Babusar Top, and for the drive home.
Is renting a car the right choice?
It suits families without a car fit for the mountains, anyone who would rather not drive the Kaghan road themselves, and groups of six to twelve who can share a BR-V or a Grand Cabin.
It doesn't suit a group of four with a reliable car and an experienced driver among them, who will spend only the fuel, or one or two people on a tight budget, for whom a group trip from Islamabad costs less. If you would like us to plan the transport and the stops around your dates, use our trip planning page.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to rent a car from Islamabad to Naran?
In 2026, Islamabad firms list a Corolla with driver at about PKR 7,000 to 8,000 a day, a BR-V at about PKR 10,000 and a Grand Cabin at PKR 14,000 to 18,000. Fuel, tolls and the driver's food and room are usually extra.
Which car is best for Naran?
A sedan is enough for two to four people, since the road is paved all the way. For five or six, a BR-V or Karvaan; for larger families, a Hiace Grand Cabin. A 4x4 is not needed for the road.
Can a Corolla go to Naran and Babusar Top?
Yes, in season. The road is paved to Naran and on to Babusar Top. A Corolla cannot go up the tracks to Saif-ul-Malook or Lalazar; take a local jeep for those.
Is fuel included when you rent a car for Naran?
Usually not. Most Islamabad firms charge the day rate for the car and driver, and you pay for fuel at the pump. Check before you book.
Can I get a self-drive car from Islamabad for Naran?
Some firms offer it with your CNIC, driving licence and a refundable deposit; others allow self-drive only in the city. Confirm in writing that the car may be taken to Naran.
