Gilgit-Baltistan

Gilgit & Hunza

Where nature inspires a deeper you

Weather now in Karimabad, Hunza 2,500 m

Live weather loads here.

When it snows: Snow, frozen ponds and frozen lakes from December to February. More on the seasons

Forecast from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0), updated every 30 minutes. Mountain weather changes fast: check again before you set off.

The place

Where nature inspires a deeper you

Gilgit is the crossroads; Hunza is the valley everyone pictures. Between them runs the Karakoram Highway, which climbs from apricot terraces to the highest paved border crossing on earth.

Region: Gilgit-Baltistan
Best time: April and May for blossom, June to September for the pass and the high valleys, late October for the poplars turning.
Getting there: Flights to Gilgit when the weather allows, or the Karakoram Highway north from Islamabad over two days.

Highlights

What people come for

Baltit and Altit forts

Eight hundred years of Hunza history above Karimabad, both restored and both still the best view in the valley.

Attabad Lake

Formed by a landslide in 2010 that dammed the Hunza river. The colour is not exaggerated in photographs.

Passu Cones and Hussaini bridge

The serrated ridge every visitor photographs, and a rope bridge that is less alarming than it looks.

Khunjerab Pass

The Pakistan-China border at about 4,693 metres, and the highest paved frontier crossing in the world.

Plan your trip

Getting there, seasons and what to expect

Getting to Gilgit and Hunza

There are two ways in. PIA is the only airline flying Islamabad to Gilgit, a flight of about an hour in small ATR turboprops that fly by sight between the mountains, so cloud cancels them often and at short notice. From Gilgit, Karimabad is about 100 km and 2 to 2.5 hours up the Karakoram Highway. By road, Karimabad is about 600 km from Islamabad over the Babusar Pass, which is open from roughly late May or June to mid-October: two long days, with a night in Naran or Chilas. Outside that season the only road is the Karakoram Highway through Besham and Dasu, about 700 km, with slow stretches in Kohistan. From Lahore, add about 375 km of motorway to Islamabad. If you fly, fly in rather than out where you can, so a cancellation eats into the start of the trip rather than leaving you stuck at the end.

Hunza month by month

Hunza is reachable all year, but each season is a different trip. Apricot and cherry blossom usually runs from late March to mid-April. May is green and still quiet. June to August is the main season, when Babusar is open, the Khunjerab Pass is at its easiest and hotels fill, especially in school holidays and Eid weeks. September is clear and cooler. The poplars and orchards turn from about mid-October to mid-November, with upper Hunza around Passu turning before Karimabad. From December to February nights are well below freezing and power cuts are long: in January 2025 Hunza residents blocked the Karakoram Highway for six days over outages of up to 22 hours a day. Winter suits people who want empty roads and are content to fly.

How many days for Gilgit, Hunza and Nagar?

By road from Islamabad, five days is the minimum and leaves one full day in the valley; our five-day Hunza trip is built that way, and we suggest a sixth or seventh day if you can spare it. Flying both ways, four or five days is enough for Karimabad, Attabad, Passu and the forts. Each extra in the region takes time. The Khunjerab Pass is a long day from Karimabad, roughly seven to nine hours there and back, since the top is about 85 km beyond Sost. Naltar is a separate day from Gilgit. Nagar, across the river from Karimabad, fits into half a day. For Hunza and Skardu together, plan on nine days by road; the drive between Karimabad and Skardu takes a full day.

Roads, jeeps and the Khunjerab Pass

The Karakoram Highway is paved all the way from Gilgit to the Chinese border, including the tunnels around Attabad Lake, so a normal car with a good driver is fine for the main sights. The danger is falling rock: on 16 October 2026 two men from Nagar were killed when a boulder hit their car near Pissan. The Khunjerab National Park fee is paid at the Dih checkpoint, and at the top, at 4,693 m, plan on a short stay because the air is thin. Pakistan and China agreed in 2025 to keep the pass open all year for trade and travel, but snow still makes it dangerous and stops traffic. For Naltar, the road beyond Naltar Bala to the lakes is a narrow unpaved track that needs a jeep, and in winter it is usually blocked by snow.

Where to base yourself

Gilgit is the place for the night before or after a flight, not for the whole stay. Karimabad is the usual base: it is close to Baltit and Altit forts and has the most guesthouses and cafes, though the lanes are steep for older travellers. Aliabad, lower down on the highway, is more practical and has more shops and services. Gulmit and Passu in upper Hunza are quieter and put you closer to the Passu Cones, the Hussaini bridge and the road to Khunjerab, which shortens that long day. On the Nagar side, Minapin and the Hopper valley have simpler places to stay. Book well ahead for June to August, the autumn weeks and Eid. In winter, ask how rooms are heated and whether there is backup power before you book.

Money, signal and power

Gilgit and Aliabad have banks and cash machines, but outside the larger towns they are few, and guesthouses, boat operators and jeep drivers usually want cash, so bring enough from Islamabad or draw it in Gilgit. SCOM has the widest coverage in Gilgit-Baltistan and came first for coverage and speed in the PTA's survey for the second quarter of 2026, though the survey's Gilgit-Baltistan tests were around Astore rather than Hunza. Zong, Jazz and Telenor work in Gilgit and the main Hunza towns but drop out on long stretches of road, and near the Khunjerab Pass signal is unreliable on any network. Electricity comes mostly from small hydropower stations, so supply falls in winter: Dawn reported cuts of more than 20 hours a day in Hunza and Gilgit in February 2026, improving after April. Bring a power bank and a torch in any season.

Travel conditions in November 2026

As of early November 2026, Babusar Top has been closed by snow since 13 October and is not expected to reopen until about late May or June. That leaves the Karakoram Highway through Kohistan as the only road, so flying to Gilgit is the easier choice this winter. Mid-October snow at Khunjerab disrupted traffic across the border, and rain brought landslides on the Nagar section of the highway. The autumn colours in Hunza usually last until about mid-November. The road from Islamabad crosses Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, under an emergency and governor's rule since 11 October 2026, where roads near Swabi and Peshawar were closed in the first days. Gilgit-Baltistan is not on the UK's list of areas to avoid, but the Mansehra to Chilas stretch of the highway is, and foreign visitors should check their own advice because it can affect insurance.

Questions people ask

Is the Khunjerab Pass open in winter?

Officially, yes: Pakistan and China moved to year-round opening from December 2024, replacing the old season of 1 April to 30 November. In practice snow and ice at 4,693 m regularly stop traffic, as they did in mid-October 2026, and a winter visit is cold and risky. For a family day trip, May to October is the sensible window. Check the road at Sost before you drive up.

How long does it take from Gilgit to Hunza?

Karimabad is about 100 km from Gilgit on the Karakoram Highway, normally 2 to 2.5 hours with a stop at the Rakaposhi viewpoint. Attabad Lake is about another half hour beyond Karimabad, and Passu roughly an hour. Landslides in the Nagar section after rain can hold traffic up, so call the police helpline on 15 if the weather has been bad.

Do flights to Gilgit get cancelled often?

Yes. The aircraft are small turboprops that need clear weather to fly between the mountains, and PIA is the only airline on the route, so a cancelled flight can mean waiting a day or more for a seat. Fly in rather than out if you only fly one way, keep a spare day before any onward connection, and have a road plan in mind.

Is Hunza worth visiting in November?

Early November can still have the last of the autumn colour, clear skies and empty roads, but nights are well below freezing and power cuts lengthen, so ask about heating before you book. Babusar is closed, so you either fly to Gilgit or drive the Karakoram Highway through Kohistan. It suits couples and small groups who travel light; families with small children usually do better in spring or September.

Do you need a jeep in Hunza?

Not for the main valley. The Karakoram Highway is paved from Gilgit to Khunjerab, and a car or small van reaches Karimabad, Attabad, Passu and Sost. A jeep is needed for the track to the Naltar lakes, for some high side valleys, and for steep village roads in bad weather. Local jeeps can be hired in Gilgit, Karimabad and Aliabad.

Which mobile network works best in Hunza?

SCOM generally has the widest coverage in Gilgit-Baltistan and led the PTA's 2026 quality survey in the region. Zong, Jazz and Telenor also work in Gilgit, Aliabad and Karimabad. Many travellers carry two SIMs from different networks, because each drops out on different stretches of the highway. Long power cuts in winter can also take local towers off the air.

Tour packages

Trips that go here

All tour packages

5 days

From Islamabad

Hunza Valley in 5 days

Five days by road from Islamabad, over Babusar in summer, with one full day in Hunza for the forts, Attabad Lake and the Passu Cones. Long drives, short stay.

Price on request

View itinerary

9 days

From Islamabad

Hunza and Skardu in 9 days

The full northern road trip: Hunza's forts, Attabad Lake and Passu, then the Indus gorge road to Skardu for Kachura, Shigar and a daytime jeep day on Deosai.

Price on request

View itinerary

8 days

From Islamabad