When to go
The north is not one destination with one season. What is open in July is under snow in April, and the valley that is at its best in October is quiet in June.
Mar – May
Apricot and cherry blossom moves up the valleys through April. The high passes are still closed and Deosai is under snow, so spring is for the valley floor - Hunza, Skardu, Swat and the lower Neelum.
Valleys open, high passes closed
Best for
Peak
Jun – Aug
Everything that closes in winter is open. Deosai, Khunjerab, Babusar and the high lakes are all reachable, and this is the only window for the trekking routes. It is also the busiest season, so the early starts matter more.
Everything open, including Deosai and Khunjerab
Best for
Sep – Nov
The poplars turn through October and the air is at its clearest all year, which is why photographers pick it. The high passes start closing from late October.
Passes open early, closing from late October
Best for
Dec – Feb
The north narrows to what stays open: Swat, Naltar and the lower Hunza valley. Roads can close at short notice, so winter trips are planned with more slack than the rest of the year.
High passes closed, valley roads weather-dependent
Best for
The year at a glance
Summer is the only window in which Deosai, Khunjerab and the trekking routes are all open. Outside it, the north is still very much worth travelling — it is simply a different north.
Month by month
| Month | Good and open | Closed or hard | Trips that run |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Snow season in Murree, the Galiyat and Shogran, and skiing at Malam Jabba, where the slopes usually run from December to February. Lahore and Karachi are cool and dry by day, and Skardu flights run when the weather allows. | Babusar Top, Deosai, Naran's hotels and the jeep tracks to Fairy Meadows, Saif ul Malook and Siri Paye are shut. Khunjerab Top is often snowbound, and fog can close Punjab motorways. | Murree, Nathia Gali and Ayubia weekend, Shogran and Siri Paye in 2 days |
| February | Still snow in Murree, Nathia Gali and Shogran, and skiing at Malam Jabba while the snow lasts, usually into late February or early March. Karachi and Lahore have mild, dry days, good for the cities and for Taxila. | The high north stays closed: Babusar Top, Deosai, Naran's hotels, Fairy Meadows, Saif ul Malook and Siri Paye. Upper Neelum beyond Kel is often cut off, and Murree can limit cars in heavy snow. | Murree, Nathia Gali and Ayubia weekend, Shogran and Siri Paye in 2 days |
| March | Lahore and Islamabad have some of their best weather of the year and the Margalla Hills turn green. Apricot blossom reaches Hunza and Skardu from late March in some years. Skardu flights run, weather permitting. | Babusar Top, Deosai, Naran and the jeep tracks to Fairy Meadows, Saif ul Malook and Siri Paye are still under snow, and Khunjerab Top can be blocked by snow. | Murree, Nathia Gali and Ayubia weekend, Shogran and Siri Paye in 2 days |
| April | Blossom month in Hunza, Skardu and Swat, with apricot and cherry trees in flower on the valley floors. Chitral and the Kalash valleys open up through the Lowari Tunnel, and the Kaghan road is usually cleared towards Naran late in the month. | Babusar Top, Deosai and Fairy Meadows are closed. The Saif ul Malook and Siri Paye tracks normally reopen between late April and May, and Naran's hotels open in stages. | Murree, Nathia Gali and Ayubia weekend, Shogran and Siri Paye in 2 days, Chitral and the Kalash valleys in 6 days, Honeymoon in Hunza and Skardu |
| May | Swat, Kalam and Malam Jabba are green, the Kalash hold the Chilam Joshi spring festival, and Naran reopens with Saif ul Malook usually reachable by jeep. Hunza and Skardu are mild. Lahore and Karachi turn very hot. | Babusar Top normally reopens between late May and mid June after snow clearing. Deosai, Fairy Meadows and the Mahodand and Kumrat tracks are often still under snow. | Murree, Nathia Gali and Ayubia weekend, Shogran and Siri Paye in 2 days, Chitral and the Kalash valleys in 6 days, Honeymoon in Hunza and Skardu, Swat and Kalam in 3 days, Family trip to the north, 7 days, Gilgit, Hunza & Khunjerab, Neelum Valley Escape |
| June | The whole north opens: Babusar Top is usually open by mid June, the Deosai track is cleared in the second half of the month, and Fairy Meadows, Naran, Kumrat and the Neelum valley are in season. The plains are at their hottest. | Early June can still find Babusar Top and Deosai shut for snow clearing; in 2026 Babusar stayed closed to traffic until 6 June. Check before booking a Deosai day. | Murree, Nathia Gali and Ayubia weekend, Shogran and Siri Paye in 2 days, Chitral and the Kalash valleys in 6 days, Honeymoon in Hunza and Skardu, Swat and Kalam in 3 days, Family trip to the north, 7 days, Fairy Meadows and Nanga Parbat view in 4 days, Hunza Valley in 5 days, Hunza and Skardu in 9 days, Kumrat Valley in 4 days, Naran, Kaghan and Babusar in 3 days, Skardu in 6 days, Skardu & Deosai Plains, Gilgit, Hunza & Khunjerab, Neelum Valley Escape |
| July | Peak season. Babusar Top, Deosai, Khunjerab, Fairy Meadows, Saif ul Malook, Kumrat and upper Neelum are all open, and Deosai is in flower. Hunza and Skardu are warm by day, a relief from the heat of the plains. | Monsoon rain brings landslides and flash floods to Kaghan, Swat and the Karakoram Highway, and jeep tracks such as Saif ul Malook and Fairy Meadows can close for hours or days. | Murree, Nathia Gali and Ayubia weekend, Shogran and Siri Paye in 2 days, Chitral and the Kalash valleys in 6 days, Honeymoon in Hunza and Skardu, Swat and Kalam in 3 days, Family trip to the north, 7 days, Fairy Meadows and Nanga Parbat view in 4 days, Hunza Valley in 5 days, Hunza and Skardu in 9 days, Kumrat Valley in 4 days, Naran, Kaghan and Babusar in 3 days, Skardu in 6 days, Skardu & Deosai Plains, Gilgit, Hunza & Khunjerab, Neelum Valley Escape |
| August | Still high season across the north, with Deosai, Khunjerab, Babusar Top and Fairy Meadows open, and the Kalash celebrate Uchal in the Chitral valleys. Late August often brings clearer weather as the monsoon eases. | Monsoon floods and landslides can cut roads in Swat, Kaghan, Chitral and on the Karakoram Highway; in August 2026 floodwater washed away part of the Deosai road. Keep a spare day. | Murree, Nathia Gali and Ayubia weekend, Shogran and Siri Paye in 2 days, Chitral and the Kalash valleys in 6 days, Honeymoon in Hunza and Skardu, Swat and Kalam in 3 days, Family trip to the north, 7 days, Fairy Meadows and Nanga Parbat view in 4 days, Hunza Valley in 5 days, Hunza and Skardu in 9 days, Kumrat Valley in 4 days, Naran, Kaghan and Babusar in 3 days, Skardu in 6 days, Skardu & Deosai Plains, Gilgit, Hunza & Khunjerab, Neelum Valley Escape |
| September | One of the best months: the monsoon is over, Babusar Top, Deosai, Khunjerab and Fairy Meadows are normally open, and Hunza and Skardu have clear skies. Naran, Kumrat and Neelum are quieter than in July. | Deosai and the higher jeep tracks can see early snow late in the month; Babusar Top had its first snow of 2026 in early September. | Murree, Nathia Gali and Ayubia weekend, Shogran and Siri Paye in 2 days, Chitral and the Kalash valleys in 6 days, Honeymoon in Hunza and Skardu, Swat and Kalam in 3 days, Family trip to the north, 7 days, Fairy Meadows and Nanga Parbat view in 4 days, Hunza Valley in 5 days, Hunza and Skardu in 9 days, Kumrat Valley in 4 days, Naran, Kaghan and Babusar in 3 days, Skardu in 6 days, Skardu & Deosai Plains, Gilgit, Hunza & Khunjerab, Neelum Valley Escape |
| October | Autumn colour in Hunza, Skardu, Shigar and Chitral, with clear skies and cold nights. Swat and Kalam are still open, and Murree and the Galiyat are quiet in the week; in 2026 their first snow fell on 24 October. | Heavy snow can close Babusar Top from mid October, as it did from 13 to 17 October 2026. Deosai, Fairy Meadows, Kumrat and Siri Paye wind down, and many camps and cottages close. | Murree, Nathia Gali and Ayubia weekend, Shogran and Siri Paye in 2 days, Chitral and the Kalash valleys in 6 days, Honeymoon in Hunza and Skardu, Swat and Kalam in 3 days, Family trip to the north, 7 days, Hunza Valley in 5 days, Gilgit, Hunza & Khunjerab |
| November | Lahore and Islamabad cool down, and Hunza, Skardu and Chitral are quiet, with cold nights and often clear days. Flights to Skardu and Gilgit run when the weather allows. Murree and the Galiyat can see early snow. | Babusar Top normally closes for winter with heavy snow (6 November in 2025), most Naran hotels shut, and Deosai, Fairy Meadows and Mahodand are snowbound. Smog often hangs over Lahore. | Murree, Nathia Gali and Ayubia weekend, Shogran and Siri Paye in 2 days |
| December | Snow season starts in Murree, the Galiyat, Shogran and Malam Jabba, where the ski slopes usually open during the month. The Kalash celebrate Chawmos in mid December, reached through the Lowari Tunnel. Karachi has its most comfortable weather. | Babusar Top, Naran, Deosai, Fairy Meadows and the Saif ul Malook and Siri Paye tracks are closed. Fog can shut Punjab motorways, and heavy snow can briefly close the Lowari road; chains are required. | Murree, Nathia Gali and Ayubia weekend, Shogran and Siri Paye in 2 days, Chitral and the Kalash valleys in 6 days |
Timeless beauty · Serene waters · Living culture
Give us your window and we will tell you honestly what is open, what is not, and where the light will be best.