Islamabad to Hunza Tours

Of every Pakistani city, Islamabad is the easiest place to start a Hunza trip. It sits right where the plains meet the mountains, so the Karakoram Highway begins almost on the city's doorstep — no long transfer just to reach the start line. That single fact is why most of our Hunza departures, and most of the country's, leave from the capital. This page lays out the real logistics from Islamabad: the road options, the Gilgit flight, honest timings, 2026 costs and the itinerary we actually run.

Why Islamabad is the natural gateway

Hunza is roughly 600 km north of Islamabad, and there is no shortcut around the distance — but the capital gives you the most flexibility. You can leave at dawn and be on the Karakoram Highway within the hour, you have the only realistic flight option to Gilgit on your doorstep, and if a flight cancels you can switch to the road the same day. Travellers coming from Lahore or Karachi all funnel through here first, so starting in Islamabad simply removes a step.

By road up the Karakoram Highway

The classic route is the full Karakoram Highway via Hasan Abdal, Abbottabad, Besham, Chilas and Gilgit, then up into Hunza Valley. It is around 600 km and the road hugs the Indus River through some of the deepest gorges on earth before the Karakoram opens up near Chilas. It is long — 14 to 18 hours of moving time — but it is also the drive people fly across the world for. Rakaposhi (7,788 m) appears head-on as you approach Nagar, and the famous viewpoint at the Rakaposhi View Point cafe is a standard tea stop. This route is open year-round, which is why it is the default in spring and autumn.

The Babusar Pass shortcut (summer)

In summer there is a second option: head into the Naran Kaghan valley and cross the Babusar Pass (4,173 m) down to Chilas, where you rejoin the KKH. It is the more scenic of the two on a clear day and keeps you off the lower river gorges. The catch is that Babusar is only open roughly late June to September, the top of the pass is slow, and weather can shut it with little warning. If you are travelling for the late-March cherry blossom or the October autumn colours, assume Babusar is closed and budget for the full KKH instead.

By air via Gilgit

If you want to save a day in each direction, fly. PIA operates Islamabad–Gilgit in about an hour, and from Gilgit it is a 2.5–3 hour drive into Karimabad. The flight itself is spectacular, passing close to Nanga Parbat. The honest caveat: Gilgit flights are limited in number and cancel frequently because the approach is entirely visual and weather-dependent. We never sell a fly-in trip without a road fallback — if PIA cancels in the morning, we put you on the KKH the same day so you do not lose the holiday. For many clients the best plan is to fly one leg and drive the other.

How long it takes & where to stop

By road, almost nobody drives Islamabad to Hunza in one go, and we do not recommend it. The standard is to break the journey overnight — Chilas is the usual midpoint on the KKH, while Besham works if you get a late start, and Naran is the natural overnight if you are going via Babusar. That gives you a long-but-manageable first day, a fresh second morning, and arrival in Karimabad by early afternoon on day two. The same applies on the way back.

• Day-one stop on the KKH: Chilas (or Besham for a late start).
• Day-one stop via Babusar: Naran, then over the pass next morning.
• Arrival: Karimabad, the heart of Hunza, by early afternoon on day two.
• Inside the valley: Baltit Fort, Altit Fort, Attabad Lake, Passu Cones and Khunjerab Pass are all day trips from a Karimabad base.

Cost breakdown (2026)

These are realistic 2026 ranges for a trip starting in Islamabad. Costs swing with group size, season and hotel standard.

Private 4x4 (Prado) round-trip from Islamabad, with fuel & driver: PKR 160,000–220,000 for the vehicle.
Toyota Coaster for larger groups: PKR 240,000–330,000 for the vehicle.
Islamabad–Gilgit return flight (per person, when available): PKR 40,000–55,000.
Hotels in Hunza (per room, per night): PKR 8,000–25,000 depending on standard.
Khunjerab Pass national park & permit fees: budget a few thousand rupees per person.

A sample itinerary we run

Our standard 6-day road trip from Islamabad looks like this: Day 1, Islamabad to Chilas via the Karakoram Highway with stops along the Indus. Day 2, Chilas to Karimabad, arriving for sunset at the Eagle's Nest viewpoint in Duikar. Day 3, explore Hunza Valley — Baltit Fort, Altit Fort and the old town. Day 4, day trip to Attabad Lake, Passu Cones and the Hussaini Suspension Bridge. Day 5, full-day excursion up to Khunjerab Pass on the Pakistan–China border, the highest paved border crossing in the world at 4,693 m. Day 6, begin the drive south, overnighting again near Chilas. Add a day or fly the Gilgit leg if your time is tight.

Want this tailored to your dates, group and budget? Browse our Hunza tour packages or message us and we will build a private Islamabad-to-Hunza itinerary around you — with a vetted mountain driver, the right vehicle, and a road fallback if you choose to fly.