Updated: June, 2021
A road trip journey can be scenic, adventurous or (mostly) boring with plain views of the highways. But what if I tell you about a road trip which is visually-appealing and extremely adventurous. Then get on the roads for an epic road trip to Hunza in Pakistan, which I promise, will be the most memorable road trip of your life! You might ask why? Well, just keep on reading…
Well connected through the Karakoram Highway in Pakistan, a road trip to Hunza is a definite bucket-list item for a majority of the local tourists and now many international ones as well. The secluded Hunza valley up north in Pakistan is a dreamland of its own with the unmatched beauty of panoramic mountain views, rivers flowing rivers and has its very own cherry blossom season too!
Want To See How Hunza Valley Looks During The Cherry Blossom Season? Check Out This Photo Guide
There are many adventurous ones out there who travel to Hunza by road from as far as the southern end of the country, however, there are two major ways to reach Hunza. If you’re short on time and budget is not really an issue, then your best bet is to fly to Gilgit from Islamabad and then hire a car to drive from there. You can reach Hunza in about 2 hours from Gilgit. But, in my opinion, the scenic route to Hunza demands for a road trip to soak in those views of the mighty mountains and an experiencing a drive on the modern dat marvel – the Karakoram highway.
There are two ways to reach Hunza by road – one through Kohistan in KPK and the other, which is the shorter one through the Babusar Top all the way from Naran. If you happen to take this route, do consider visiting Saif-ul-Muluk lake in Naran. The Babusar Top is closed during the winter months (from November to April) due to heavy snowfall in the area, so I took the Kohistan route during my trip to see cherry blossom in Hunza during March.
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Author’s Note: This blog post is from the time I visited Hunza for the first time and followed a very typical tourist trail. There is a lot more to see and do in Hunza than mentioned in this article, that many people miss due to the same kind of itinerary planned by most of the travel companies. I happened to visit Hunza again during the autumn of 2020, independently (without any travel agent), so I’ll be sharing some more recommendations towards the end of this post, which you can add to your itinerary to get a wholesome experience of the beautiful valley 🙂
Here’s how you can plan your road trip to Hunza via Kohistan with all the must-visit places to add in your Hunza Valley road trip!
Also Read: How To Travel As A Solo Foreign Female Traveler in Pakistan
Day 1 – Islamabad to Chillas in Gilgit Baltistan
This first leg of the road trip will be a very long one – 19 hours to be precise, only if you’re lucky. If luck is not on your side, the journey can be further elongated with tons of landslides on the way especially while crossing Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Therefore, it is preferred to start from Islamabad by midnight so a lot of the small and not so interesting towns of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa can be covered in the dark and you can as well catch on some much-needed sleep as the next day will be going to be a long one.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will not promise you any good roads but the views will make up for it. Don’t forget to count how many waterfalls you spotted on the way! Upon reaching Chillas, which is a small town just at the start of Gilgit Baltistan, it will be evening already and it is advisable to spend the night here before starting the next leg of the road trip to Hunza.
Day 2 – Chillas to Hunza Valley
The road trip from Chillas to Hunza Valley will take around 7 to 8 hours. The roads in Gilgit Baltistan are well paved ensuring a non-bumpy ride. This leg of the road trip to Hunza is perhaps my favorite as it comes with many interesting pit stops. Upon driving towards Hunza from Chillas, the first stop that will come on the way is the viewpoint of the great Mt. Nanga Parbat (The Killer Mountain).
Even from a distance, the notorious mountain looks grand and majestic. Sadly, the mountain got covered in clouds right before I hopped in the mini platform at the Nanga Parbat viewpoint. There is a restaurant with a paid loo (which is reasonably clean as well) right in front the viewpoint so don’t mind taking a round because there won’t be any usable toilets on the way for the next 3 to 4 hours.
Alternate option: You can choose to spend a night at Fairy Meadows before heading to Hunza right away. You’ll have to drive from Chilas to Raikot from where you can leave your car and non-essential luggage behind and hop on a jeep that will drive you to a starting point of the Fairy Meadows trek. The ride to Fairy Meadows is extremely bumpy so prepare for the adventure beforehand. The Fairy Meadows trek is NOT easy! It is an altitude trek and a pretty darn long one. For all the big city babies (read: couch potatoes), like myself, only sign up for this trek if you’re in good physical shape. Alternatively, you can book a horse ride if trekking for 3 hours (almost) is not your cup of tea. You’ll have to spend a night at Fairy Meadows before coming back to Raikot the next day. The view of Mt. Nanga Parbat from Fairy Meadows will make up for the tiring trek, I promise!
Moving further, after driving for some 2ish hours, there is an interesting pit stop on the road trip to Hunza called Jaglot or The Junction Point. This is the place where three different mountain ranges collide and two rivers cross their paths! Interesting much, right? The Karakoram mountain range meets with the Himalayan and Hindu Kush mountain ranges right at this point. Just within a 360 degrees panoramic view, you can see all the three mountain ranges right in front of your eyes!
Just beneath the mountains, River Indus and River Gilgit cross each other’s path. From this point onwards all the way to the Hunza valley, it is the Gilgit River that flows.
Now the road trip to Hunza is all set to enter the Hunza valley itself – after driving for another 2 to 3 hours right before the Hunza Valley comes the town of Nagar, which is home to the highest unbroken slope in the world, Mt. Rakaposhi. This is a good place to stop over for lunch with a great view of Mt. Rakaposhi right in front. There are several restaurants, shops, and usable toilets here too making it a great pit stop for freshening up before entering the Hunza valley which is just an hour away from here.
Upon entering Hunza the entire landscape changes, in fact, it keeps on getting better and better. You’ll pass through the town of Aliabad in Hunza, which have all sorts of supermarkets, restaurants, banks, and ATMs to load up before venturing further into the valley where these things are quite sparse. It is advisable to load up cash at this point only as you won’t get to find many ATMs later in the Hunza Valley.
After a fairly long drive and a much longer day, get to your accommodation in Hunza and call it a night. Some of the preferred places to stay in Hunza are Karimabad Market, Eagle’s Nest and Gulmit.
Day 3 – Day Trip To Khunjerab Pass (Pak-China Border)
Any road trip to Hunza is incomplete without a visit to the Pakistan China Border of Khunjerab Pass which also happens to be the highest land border crossing in the world. If you choose to stay at Gulmit, the place where I stayed too – the drive to Khunjerab Pass will be nearly about three hours. Just like the rest of the road trip so far, this three hours’ drive will also be going to be extremely scenic.
To reach Khunjerab Pass, you’ll pass through the Khunjerab National Park, the third-largest national park in Pakistan. The entry fee to the national park is 50 Pakistani Rupees per person (USD 0.3). The park is a conservation center for Ibex, Yaks, and the national animal of Pakistan, Markhoor. You can ask the army personnel at the check posts in the park to help to spot a Markhoor on the mountains in the surrounding. I was lucky enough to spot an Ibex but not a Markhoor as it stays high up in the mountains in all seasons.
As you’ll drive towards the Khunjerab Pass, the temperature will keep on dropping and the entire scenery will change into white snow-covered mountains. Once you’ll reach Khunjerab Pass the temperature will drop quite low so layer up yourself before stepping out from the car. There is nothing much to do except taking a lot of photos and maybe indulge in a conversation with the army personnel at duty. They really have very interesting stuff to share.
As the back and forth journey to the Khunjerab Pass will take quite a long time, you won’t be left much of the daylight to explore more places in Hunza. However, you can still manage a visit to another popular attraction in Hunza – the Hussaini Bridge. This is another interesting and definitely adventurous stop in the road trip to Hunza as the Hussaini Bridge is one of the scariest suspension bridges in the world. In my opinion though, the nearby and lesser-known Passu bridge is way scarier than the Hussaini bridge. The Hussaini bridge has small wooden planks hung with string wires which the locals claim to cross within three to four minutes without any support. With that being said, dare to cross it at your own risk!
If you still have some daylight left for the day don’t mind going for a short thirty minutes hike to the Borith Lake near Hussaini Bridge in the Passu village. If you happened to be too tired for the hike – you can always take a ride all the way to the lake. There are some hotels with restaurants near the lake so after a tiresome day, enjoy a peaceful sunset by the Borith lake while sipping some local mountain tea.
Pro-tip: A local eatery called ‘Yak Grill’ is located right at the roadside near the Passu Cones viewpoint. It is run by a group of cousins who reside nearby and they make the best, yes, I repeat, the best Yak burger you’ll ever have in your lives! All the food is extremely fresh and made right there in front of you. I ate there twice during my visit to Hunza because I loved it that much LOL! Must-eat items at Yak grill are – Yak burger, yak steak and chicken mushroom pasta. You’ll regret it if you miss it!
Also Read: A Complete Guide & Itinerary of Traveling To The Notorious Province of Sindh in Pakistan
Day 4 – Karimabad and Attabad Lake
As you will be now nearing the end of the epic six-day road trip to Hunza – why not visit the local market and shop for some souvenirs? But before that do stop at nature’s wonder the Attabad Lake. In 2010, the Attabad Lake was formed as a result of a massive landslide that drowned many small villages in the area, remains of which are now beneath the beautiful turquoise water lake. It will definitely make you wonder how Mother Nature can be extremely scary yet stunning at the same time! There are different excursion activities to do at Attabad Lake like jet skiing, speed boating or a ride in a traditional wooden boat.
Now, your next stop of the day is the Karimabad market but before that, consider stopping at the Buddhist rock carvings which comes on the way. I am not sure if it is marked on the map as I was with a guided group, but you can ask any local about the Buddhist rock carvings and they’ll surely guide your way.
A short thirty minutes’ ride away from the Attabad is Karimabad market, a local market in the mountains with some contemporary cafes and restaurants for the tourists. It is a great place to get your hands on the local stuff – some of the specialties of Hunza include handmade shawls, colorful decorated traditional feature caps, and dry fruits! As Hunza receives a huge influx of local tourists, some of the items in the Karimabad can be very expensive so explore the entire market first and negotiate well before the purchase.
From the main Karimabad market, there is a steep 800m hike to the centuries-old Baltit Fort. It is an 8th-century fort belonging to the Royal family of Hunza, which was apparently their summer house. The entrance ticket to the fort is 500 Pakistani Rupees which include a guided tour by the caretaker of the fort. After a nice back and forth hike to the fort, stop by any cafe at Karimabad market for lunch.
Another highly recommended place to visit near the Karimabad market is the 1000 years old remains of the Ganish settlement. The entrance to the small old settlement is marked on a blue board on the side of the road. You can do a self guided tour and see the old houses and how people used to live there back in the day. Some of the houses are still habited by the locals so be courteous towards them during your visit and do not trespass anyone’s private property.
Day 5 – Altit Fort and Eagle’s Nest
This is the day when you will be starting the final leg of your road trip to Hunza – journey back to home. Pack all your stuff and check out of the hotel – you will be having only two pit stops for the day as it will be a long journey back with a stop preferably at Besham in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. While coming back to Aliabad in Hunza, make the first stop at Altit Fort, which is an ancient fort belonging to the ruling family of Hunza. Just like Baltit fort, even Altit Fort has an entrance ticket of 500 Pakistani Rupees that include a guided tour of the fort. According to the guide, Altit was the winter house for the Royal family.
There is a beautiful garden with a café run by two Hunzai women at Altit Fort. The café comes with an extremely picturesque view of the entire valley. Also, when you’re at Altit Fort do not forget to try ‘Chamoos’ which is an apricot juice made with locally grown apricots of Hunza.
After visiting Altit Fort, the final stop to visit on this epic road trip to Hunza is Eagle’s Nest or ‘Duikar’, as it is called locally. Eagle’s Nest is a viewpoint on top of the mountain that gives a complete 360 degrees view of the Karakorum Mountain range that surrounds the Hunza valley. It can be reached by a short ten minutes off-road drive on the mountain followed by another ten minutes easy hike to the main viewpoint on the mountain.
From Eagle’s Nest now the journey is all about heading back to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. This will be a long drive of around 14 to 15 hours from Hunza to Besham in KPK.
Day 6 – Besham to Islamabad
This day will be all about reaching back home. After making a night’s stop in Besham – a small town in KPK that offers decent accommodation options, Islamabad is just some 8 to 9 hours away. You’ll drive pass through all the small towns in KPK and including some major cities like Abbottabad and Mansehra eventually leading your way to the Islamabad highway. There is nothing to much see and do on this leg of the road trip so don’t mind sleeping all the way to Islamabad.
So, this was adventurous road trip to Hunza itinerary that I followed. Feel free to change it accordingly as per your preferences. With that being said, like I mentioned earlier that I will be sharing a little bit about lesser-known places in and around Hunza, that are quite literally never a part of the zillion Hunza road trip packages sold by the travel companies. If you’re traveling to Hunza independently, consider adding a few more days to your trip and visit these amazing places:
- Khyber – Not very far from Passu, is a small village/town called Khyber. Most tourists don’t come this far so you can enjoy the serenity of nature without the tourist crowd here. There are beautiful farms on both sides of the road in Khyber, but do not just walk into someone’s backyard just like that. Always have a word with a local, tell them about yourself, be kind to them and I assure you that they will be kind enough to show you around their extremely beautiful backyard. I was so lucky to spot a big herd of ibexes from a very close distance in Khyber.
- Shimshal – Shimshal valley is yet another beautiful valley in Hunza, which many people don’t visit. The road to Shimshal is not the best one you’ll see in Hunza but that doesn’t make it unworthy of not visiting. You can enjoy views of the mighty glaciers and mountains up and close in Shimshal and again, without any tourists! You’ll definitely need a few more days to take out time to visit Shimshal. To book a stay in Shimshal, you’ll need to find some local connections before the trip. There are quite a few good homestays to stay at.
- Chipurson Valley – Chipurson is one of the remotest valleys to visit in Hunza. An unmarked and unpaved road from Sost near Khunjerab takes you on an epic 2.5hrs extreme off-road drive to Chipurson Valley. The valley is made up of seven small villages and it is located quite near to the Wakhan corridor nearing the Afghanistan border. Extremely remote and serene is all I have to say about Chipurson.
- Misgar – Misgar is the last village of Pakistan before the China border. Right before the entrance of the Khunjerab National Park, a small board to Misgar Valley is placed on the left side of the road that will take you to the Misgar village. It is again an off-road ride but only for 30-40 mins this time. There is only one homestay in Misgar, where I spent a lovely night in a typical Hunzai house. You’ll need local connections to book accommodations in all these remote valleys. You can try asking the hotel staff in Sost, Passu, or Gojal to help you out in booking stays in all these places.
Best Places To Stay In Hunza Valley
Here are best hand-picked hotels and accommodations to stay at in Hunza, which offers luxury, comfort and breathtaking views too!
- Hunza Serena Inn – Located in Karimabad, this hotel is one of the most luxurious hotels in the valley and a part of the luxury hotel chain, Serena Group. Check the latest per night rates at Hunza Serena Inn, here.
- Hunza Glamping Resort – Just as the name suggests, this is a newly built glamping style accommodation in Hunza. At Hunza Glamping Resort you get to stay in dome-shaped rooms with panoramic views of the valley. Check the latest per night rates at Hunza Glamping Resort, here.
- Eagle Nest Hotel – Located at the mountain top at Duikar (Eagle’s Nest), this hotel not only offers the best views of the valley below but also a 360 degrees views of the mountains that surround the valley. Stay here if you want to witness the most beautiful sunrise and sunset of your life from the Eagle’s Nest viewpoint. Check the latest per night rates at Eagle Nest hotel, here.
- Baltit Heritage Inn – A budget-friendly option to stay at in Hunza is the Baltit Heritage Inn. The inn has a terrace restaurant, you can enjoy your meal whilst looking at the majestic Hunza Valley. Check the latest per night rates at Baltit Heritage Inn, here.
Fancy exploring more of beautiful Pakistan? Read my other travel guides on Pakistan:
- A Complete Guide + Itinerary of What To Do In Skardu, Pakistan
- From Terrorism to Tourism – All About Exploring Swat in KPK, Pakistan
- Experience The Madness of The Cholistan Desert Jeep Rally in Pakistan
- Interesting Things To Do & Day Trips To Take From The City of Nawabs, Bahawalpur
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The way you described your journeys is really helpful and useful for those people who want to travel to Hunza. I have been looking at various forums or websites for such things. Founds yours one of the best.
As you mentioned here that if someone wants to come properly enjoy here, they should come by with ample time as lot of time will be spent on transportation, which no doubt will be iconic at the same time.
As such, I’m willing to do that. I’m planning a trip. However, I would like to line up with someone reliable who is providing a car with a driver. Do you know of anyone who could be useful for this? Kindly note, I don’t need a tour guide. Just a driver with a car who can take me to places where I want.
If you want to discuss more, I think you know my email address by now, so kindly drop an email or if not, let me know, I can give you mine.
Would appreciate your assistance regarding this. Apologies for the inconvenience.
Kind regards
Really helpful, your writing with passion about batural beauty of hunza really pushed us to finalize our family tour to Hunza.
Details really helped to plan a detailed itenary, looking forward to our family trip in last week of September.
Thanks alot
I’m so happy to know I was able to persuade you to plan your trip. Have a great time in Hunza 🙂
thank you very much for this guide. It helped a lot for making my trip.
I am so happy my guide was able to help you out plan your trip! Have a wonderful stay in Hunza 🙂
Attabad lake is One of the most beautiful lake in Pakistan. Famous for its scenic and mesmerising view.
Absolutely!
I love this post. Hunza is such a nice place.
I had never heard of the Hunza Valley before this post, Rahma, so thank you for bringing it to my attention with such a vivid description and stunning photographs. Attabad Lake looks incredible but what a sad way for it to be formed.
You’re welcome, Hazel! I am glad you liked it and got to know about a gorgeous unknown valley in Pakistan 🙂
This looks amazing ! And that Chinese border is identical to the Nepal – Tibet one. I so want to get to Pakistan but our K2 trek this September is now off unfortunately.
Oh I’m so sorry to hear about the cancellation on your K2 trek! How does it happen? I sincerely wish you get to visit Pakistan very very soon 🙂