Photo: Muhammad Asif / Unsplash
Lahore to Hunza by car
About 1,000 km and 19 hours of driving (over two days) from Lahore via the M-2 Motorway and Hazara Motorway. A clean car and a driver who knows the road, at a price you see before you book.
- Distance, about
- 1,000km
- Driving, about
- 19hoursover two days
- Typical trip
- 8days
- Outstation with driver
- Rs 15,000/dayFrom, Toyota Hiace
- Roads
- M-2 Motorway, Hazara Motorway, N-15 via Babusar Pass
- Best time
- April to October
The route, stop by stop
The usual way our drivers take. On the day, they adjust for traffic, weather and road works.
- M-2 Motorway
- Hazara Motorway
- N-15 via Babusar Pass (summer)
- N-35 Karakoram Highway
- LahorePickup at your door: home, hotel, office or the airport
- Islamabad
- Naran (summer route) or Besham (KKH route)
- Babusar Top, June to October
- Chilas
- Gilgit
- Rakaposhi viewpoint
- HunzaDestination
Before you go
- Best time to go
- April to October. Blossom in April, green summers, golden autumn colours in late October.
- Road and weather
- Two routes reach Gilgit. In summer the shorter route crosses Babusar Pass (roughly June to October). The Karakoram Highway through Besham, Dasu and Chilas stays open most of the year but has slow sections, construction and landslide risk. Drive in daylight only and keep spare days for road closures.
- Tolls
- Tolls on the M-2 and the Hazara Motorway are collected at the toll plazas (M-Tag on the motorways). They are charged at actual cost on top of the car rate, along with any local entry fees. Check the current NHA rates before you travel.
Hunza is the trip people talk about for years: Rakaposhi glowing at sunset, the turquoise water of Attabad Lake, the Passu Cones and the long climb to Khunjerab on the Chinese border. From Lahore it is a serious road trip, and a driver who knows the Karakoram Highway makes all the difference.
Two ways to get there
Both routes start with the M-2 from Lahore to Islamabad and the Hazara Motorway towards Mansehra.
- Summer route via Babusar Pass (roughly June to October): through the Kaghan valley to Naran, over Babusar Top and down to Chilas, where you join the Karakoram Highway. Shorter, more scenic, and a natural overnight stop in Naran.
- Karakoram Highway route (most of the year): from Mansehra along the N-35 through Thakot, Besham, Dasu and Chilas. Longer and slower in places, with construction zones and landslide-prone stretches, but open when Babusar is snowed in.
From Chilas, both routes follow the Indus past Raikot Bridge (the jeep base for Fairy Meadows) and the junction of the Hindu Kush, Karakoram and Himalaya ranges near Jaglot, then on to Gilgit and up the Hunza valley to Aliabad and Karimabad.
What to see in Hunza
- Karimabad: Baltit Fort, Altit Fort and the old bazaar, with Rakaposhi and Ultar peaks in view.
- Rakaposhi viewpoint: a roadside stop in Nagar with a close view of the mountain.
- Attabad Lake: the turquoise lake formed by a landslide in 2010, with tunnels along its edge.
- Passu Cones and the Hussaini suspension bridge in Gojal, Upper Hunza.
- Khunjerab Pass: the border with China, above 4,600 metres. Open seasonally.
Planning and safety
- Daylight driving only on the Karakoram Highway and Babusar road.
- Buffer days: landslides and rockfalls can close the highway for hours or a day. Keep one or two spare days.
- Altitude: Khunjerab and Babusar are high. Go up slowly and come down if anyone gets a headache or feels sick.
- Fuel and cash: fill up in Chilas and Gilgit. Carry enough cash, as ATMs and card machines are limited.
- Documents: carry CNIC for Pakistanis and passport with visa for foreign visitors. There are police check posts along the way.
- Phone signal: coverage is patchy between valleys. Share your plan with family before you leave.
Choosing a car
For Hunza we recommend a Toyota Fortuner or Prado with a driver who has done the Karakoram Highway before. For groups of eight or more, a Toyota Hiace or coaster keeps everyone together. Read the northern areas road trip guide for seasons, packing lists and day-by-day ideas.
Combine with Skardu
With a few extra days, you can combine Hunza with Skardu: the Skardu road branches off the Karakoram Highway at Jaglot, between Chilas and Gilgit.
Which car for Hunza?
Mountain roads reward ground clearance and power. These are the cars we recommend for this trip, with live rates from our fleet.
Representative image Toyota Fortuner
SUVs7 seats3 bags
Outstation with driverfrom Rs 18,000 per dayDriver night stay Rs 1,500 per night
Representative image Toyota Land Cruiser Prado
Luxury7 seats4 bags
Outstation with driverfrom Rs 32,000 per dayDriver night stay Rs 2,000 per nightToyota Hiace
Vans14 seats8 bags
Outstation with driverfrom Rs 15,000 per dayDriver night stay Rs 1,500 per nightToyota Coaster
Coasters29 seats
Outstation with driverfrom Rs 26,000 per dayDriver night stay Rs 2,000 per night
Sample fleet: cars and prices are placeholders until the real catalog is published.
How outstation pricing works
Four simple rules, the same for every outstation trip. Your quote lists every item before you confirm.
Every 24 hours is one day
Outstation days are counted in 24-hour blocks from your pickup time, not by calendar date. Leave at 6 am Friday, back by 6 am Sunday: that is two days.
The outstation day rate
Trips out of Lahore use each car's outstation rate with a driver. It covers the car and the driver for every 24-hour day.
from Rs 15,000 per dayDriver night stay and food
For every night away from Lahore there is a fixed night allowance that covers the driver's stay and meals, so you never have to arrange them yourself.
from Rs 1,500 per nightFuel and tolls at actual cost
Fuel, motorway tolls (paid by M-Tag) and parking are charged at actual cost, with no mark-up. Your quote explains how they are settled.
Background: Lahore at night. Photo: Wasif Mehmood / Pexels
Get a quote for Lahore to Hunza
Choose a car and your dates. We confirm the price, the route and the driver on WhatsApp.
- 01Tell us the car, dates and pickup point
- 02We reply on WhatsApp with a clear price
- 03Confirm, and the car arrives on time
Lahore to Hunza: questions
How long does it take to drive from Lahore to Hunza?
About 19 hours of driving, done over two days. Most people stop overnight in Naran (summer route via Babusar) or Besham or Chilas (Karakoram Highway route), and arrive in Hunza on the second evening.
Which route is better, Babusar or the Karakoram Highway?
When Babusar Pass is open, roughly June to October, it is shorter and more scenic. The rest of the year, the Karakoram Highway through Besham and Chilas is the way. Our driver picks the route based on the season and the latest road reports.
How many days do we need for a Hunza trip from Lahore?
Eight days is a comfortable minimum: two days each way and four days for Karimabad, Attabad Lake, Passu and Khunjerab. Add a day or two as a buffer for landslides or bad weather.
Can we go to Khunjerab Pass?
Yes, when it is open. Khunjerab usually opens in spring and closes in late autumn. It sits above 4,600 metres, so go slowly, drink water and come back down if anyone feels unwell.
Why do you recommend an SUV for Hunza?
The roads are long, high and sometimes rough, with gravel patches after landslides. A Toyota Fortuner or Prado gives you ground clearance, power on the climbs and comfort over long days. Groups can take a Hiace or coaster.
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- Lahore to Islamabad by carabout 375 km, 4 h 30 min
- Lahore to Kartarpur and Nankana Sahib by carabout 125 km, 2 h 45 min
- Lahore to Multan by carabout 340 km, 4 h
- Lahore to Murree by carabout 435 km, 6 h 30 min
- Lahore to Naran Kaghan by carabout 645 km, 10 h 30 min