Some call it the 8th wonder of the world, the Karakoram Highway (KKH) is an ancient Silk Road turned international highway that connects Pakistan and the entire Indian subcontinent to China. It has been traversed by traders and curious travelers alike for many centuries, as the route goes through the three highest and most beautiful mountain ranges in the world: the Himalayas, the Karakoram, and the Hindu Kush.
With this guide, you can be one of those curious travelers who explore one of the most beautiful roads in the world. Here is everything you need to know to travel the Karakoram Highway in 2 weeks.
- Karakoram Highway Itinerary Map
- 2 Weeks Karakoram Highway Itinerary
- More Pakistan Activities
- Pakistan Travel Video
- Why Travel to the Karakoram Highway?
- When to Travel to Karakoram Highway?
- Which tourist SIM card is best for The Karakoram Highway?
- What to Pack for Pakistan?
- How to Get to the Karakoram Highway?
- Transportation Along the Karakoram Highway
- Further Reading for Pakistan
Karakoram Highway Itinerary Map
| ☀️ Day 1: | Islamabad |
| ☀️ Day 2: | Overnight Bus to Gilgit |
| ☀️ Day 3-5: | Fairy Meadows & Nanga Parbat Base Camp |
| ☀️ Day 6: | Gilgit |
| ☀️ Day 7-8: | Minapin & Rakaposhi Base Camp |
| ☀️ Day 9-10: | Karimabad |
| ☀️ Day 11: | Passu |
| ☀️ Day 12-13: | Sost & Khunjerab |
| ☀️ Day 14: | Islamabad |
2 Weeks Karakoram Highway Itinerary
Day 1: Islamabad (2 nights)
Spend your first day in Islamabad preparing yourself for the Karakoram Highway. If you are planning to go hiking along the Karakoram Highway, the Centaurus Mall in sector F8 is a great place to do some last-minute shopping, stocking up on snacks and food before your trip to the mountains.
There are also several places that are worth seeing in Islamabad, such as the Pakistan Monument, the Faisal Mosque (best seen at sunset), Daman-e-Koh, and Pir Sohawa.
Where to Stay in Islamabad?
Day 2: Overnight Bus to Gilgit (1 night)
From Islamabad, you can take an overnight bus that leaves for Gilgit at 9 PM from the NATCO terminal, as shown on the map below.
- Hunza Valley & Fairy Meadows Tour, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan (10 days)
- Hunza Cherry Blossom Tour 2024/25 (7 days)
- Explore Hunza Valley Pakistan 2024/25 (7 days)
- Pakistan's Karakoram Highway (14 days)
Before you take the bus, you will need to prepare at least 10 copies of your passport so that you can give them to the driver and sleep peacefully on the bus, despite the 7+ police checkpoints along the Karakoram Highway.
If not, then they will wake you up and ask you to show the passport at every checkpoint, which is not ideal. For more information on what to expect on the overnight trip, click on the link below.
Where to Stay in Gilgit?
Day 3 - 5: Fairy Meadows & Nanga Parbat Base Camp (2 - 3 nights)
To get to Fairy Meadows, you will either have to stop at Raikot Bridge before arriving in Gilgit via your overnight bus (in case you don't have a lot of luggage), or you can simply go to Gilgit first, find a guesthouse that will let you drop off your stuff, and then get to the Raikot Bridge via a bus heading towards Chilas or a taxi. It will take around an hour to backtrack your way from Gilgit to Raikot Bridge.
From the Raikot bridge, you will have to get on one of the local jeeps waiting near the Shangri-la Resort Hotel. For an entire jeep, it will cost you around 7,600 PKR round-trip. So, if you are traveling with someone, you can share the cost together. If you are traveling alone, you can wait for others to arrive and ask to share or you can bite the bullet and pay it all yourself.
From there, it is an hour's drive up one of the bumpiest roads in the world, and then you will have to hike for 2 hours before arriving in Fairy Meadows.
Spend at least 2 nights in Fairy Meadows so you can enjoy the view of one of the deadliest mountains in the world, Nanga Parbat, or as it is infamously known among mountaineers, the "Killer Mountain".
You can do a day hike to Beyal camp or, if you are fit, go straight to Nanga Parbat Base Camp and admire the mighty Nanga Parbat up close. It is really beautiful up there, so do not hesitate to spend a few more days if you have the time.
Where to Stay in Fairy Meadows?
Gilgit (1 Night)
After staying in the mountains for a few days, take the jeep back down and hitchhike or get a taxi to Gilgit. Spend the day relaxing in the courtyard of Madina Hotel 2 and have a nice, warm shower before we go deeper into the mountains.
Day 7 - 8: Minapin & Rakaposhi Base Camp (2 nights)
From Gilgit, you can either hitchhike or take a bus from the Nagar Valley bus stop to Minapin. The bus leaves at 3 PM, and it will take you around 2 hours to reach Minapin. Spend your first night there and prepare a lunchbox for a hike you will be doing tomorrow.
Start hiking to the Rakaposhi Base Camp as early as you can, as it will take you around 4 hours (non-stop) to reach the base camp. When you arrive on the ridge, you will be greeted with a panoramic view of one of the most beautiful and psychedelic glaciers I have ever seen.
You will also be directly facing all the snowy peaks of the Rakaposhi mountain. It is quite a sight to behold.
Start heading down by 2 PM, and it should take you around 2.5 hours to get back to Minapin. Enjoy a nice, warm shower and sleep in for the night.
Where to Stay in Minapin?
Day 9 - 10: Karimabad (2 nights)
Karimabad is the Shangri-la everyone is looking for. In order to get here, you will have to walk from Minapin to the Karakoram Highway and flag a car that is going northward. Most people will be passing through Ali Abad, which is close to Karimabad, so you can take the car and from Ali Abad, you can either walk uphill to Karimabad or take a taxi up.
There are plenty of things to do in Karimabad, such as visiting the Baltit and Altit forts. If you still can't get enough of hiking in Pakistan, you can embark on a day hike up to the Ultar base camp.
Where to Stay in Karimabad?
Day 11: Passu (1 night)
Only an hour's drive away, Passu is a great place for a short stop before heading to Sost, the last town before you reach China. You can easily hitchhike from Karimabad to Passu as Karimabad is near the Karakoram Highway.
The highlight of Passu is the iconic jagged peaks of Passu peak. I have seen many photos of a road leading up to the Passu peaks so many times that it felt pretty surreal to see it with my own eyes.
If you are staying at the Passu Tourist Lodge, you will have the best view of the Karakoram Highway with the peak in the background. If you have more time, make sure to check out Husseini bridge, Passu, and Batura glaciers as well.
Where to Stay in Passu?
Day 12 - 13: Sost & Khunjerab (2 nights)
Last but not least, we have finally arrived at the frontier town of Sost, the final destination for this Pakistan Karakoram Highway trip. From Passu, you can easily hitchhike to Sost, as any car that is going that way will likely stop at Sost.
From Sost, you will have to arrange a car (3,000 PKR) or a jeep (7,000 PKR) (depending on the amount of snow on the road) to get to Khunjerab Pass.
The Khunjerab Pass itself is nothing impressive, other than the fact that it is the highest border crossing in the world, with the highest ATM located there as well.
The highlight of this trip is the national park surrounding it, which is a great place to spot wild animals such as the Himalayan ibex, blue sheep, and, if you are lucky, Marco Polo sheep. We saw hundreds of ibex on our way to the pass.
If you are planning to cross into China, make sure that you have the visa prior to your trip to Pakistan and that you are not traveling on weekends and in winter as the border is closed during these times.
You can read more on how to cross to China via the Karakoram Highway from this guide by Against the Compass: Pakistan – China border crossing at Khunjerab Pass.
If you are not planning to cross the border, there is a bus that goes directly from Sost to Gilgit. It leaves from the NATCO bus terminal at 5 AM, and you will arrive in Gilgit by 9 AM. From Gilgit, I would recommend taking a flight back so that you can see the region from the air. I believe it is another great way to experience the beauty of Gilgit Baltistan.
Where to Stay in Sost?
Islamabad (1 night)
When you arrive in Islamabad, spend a night there and enjoy the luxury of being able to access the internet before flying back home.
More Pakistan Activities
If you are looking for more activities to do here, be sure to check out some of the available tours and day trips:
- Hunza Valley & Fairy Meadows Tour, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan (10 days)
- Hunza Cherry Blossom Tour 2024/25 (7 days)
- Explore Hunza Valley Pakistan 2024/25 (7 days)
- Pakistan's Karakoram Highway (14 days)
Why Travel to the Karakoram Highway?
It is the world's greatest road and one of the highest in the world, with the highest point (Khunjerab Pass) at 4,880 m above sea level. Along both sides of the road, you will constantly be bombarded with unobstructed views of the stunning valleys and colossal mountains, such as Nanga Parbat and Rakaposhi, throughout the 800+ km stretch.
You will also go through many villages with different ethnic groups and cultures, allowing you to see how diverse the people of Pakistan are.
If you are looking to go on a road trip to really off-the-beaten-path places, the Karakoram Highway should be at the top of your bucket list!
When to Travel to Karakoram Highway?
Karakoram Highway is one of the highest international highways in the world, with the highest point reaching 4,880 m. Consequently, some parts of the highway are often closed off during winter due to snow. Planning when to go is essential if you want to traverse the entire highway, and I would recommend visiting during the months of May to October.
I was there in early October, and the weather was moderate during the day and a bit chilly at night, but the sky was clear 90% of the time. To avoid the crowds (local tourists), I would recommend visiting outside of the midsummer months of June to August.
Daily Budget
This location is less expensive than most countries, but it's not exceedingly cheap. Expect to spend around $30 - $50 USD per day per person, which includes both accommodation and meals.
Please keep in mind that these are suggested daily budgets based on my own style of travel, which leans more towards the budget side of things. If you aim to stick to this budget, anticipate sleeping in dormitories, dining out only occasionally, and being comfortable with the cheapest and most convenient modes of transportation, which often involve a considerable amount of walking.
Which tourist SIM card is best for The Karakoram Highway?
Update: If your phone supports eSIM, I highly recommend checking out Airalo, a global eSIM marketplace. It allows you to stay connected affordably while traveling in Pakistan without having to switch out your physical SIM card.
Gone are the days when you needed to scramble to find a local SIM card at an airport upon arrival. You can purchase an eSIM before your arrival, and you'll be good to go. If your phone doesn't support eSIM, here is how you can get a local SIM card in Pakistan:
Do not expect to have reliable internet anywhere on the Karakoram Highway, except in Islamabad. So, prepare your clients, friends, or family that you will be offline most of the time.
Even if you have a SIM card, as I did, you will only have an unreliable EDGE connection from Gilgit onward. The only way to stay connected to the outside world is to rely on the Wi-Fi of your accommodation or restaurants, which is just as unreliable as the cell signal.
The only few reliable connections I found along the Karakoram Highway are at Madina Hotel 2 in Gilgit and at Cafe de Hunza in Karimabad.
There is no internet or cell connection in Fairy Meadows, Passu, and Rakaposhi Base Camp.
The only reliable internet I found is from Cafe de Hunza. They have fast internet and are often available even during power outages. So, if you want to stay in contact with your friends and family, buy a cup of coffee there and ask for their WIFI.
Tips: To stay connected with people at home, be sure that you have a VPN, such as ProtonVPN, installed before traveling. It's FREE, and you can gain access to services that may be blocked in certain countries.
What to Pack for Pakistan?
As you may already know, I am an advocate of light traveling, and indeed, packing light for a journey like this is a unique art form. Here are some packing tips for your upcoming trip to Pakistan:
- Walking/Hiking Shoes: With all the walking and possible hiking during your travel, a comfortable pair of shoes is a must. I recommend the Timberland 3-Eye Classic Boat Shoes that are my go-to pair for long strolls and hikes.
- Breathable Shirts: Given the potential for hot weather, pack a few breathable shirts for your outdoor adventures.
- Shorts/Jeans: Anticipate lots of walking during your travels? Be sure to pack some breathable shorts and a pair of Levi's jeans for when the weather cools. For women, leggings are excellent for both hot and cold climates, so consider packing some as well.
- Fleece Jacket: For colder weather, layering is the key, and a fleece jacket makes an excellent insulating layer. I recommend the Columbia Steens Mountain Fleece (for women).
- Outer Shell Jacket: An outer shell jacket is great for windy or rainy conditions. I highly recommend the Columbia Watertight Jacket (for women). It's lightweight, breathable, and even comes in a cool orange color.
- Microfiber Towel: A Microfiber towel is the ideal backpacker's towel due to its lightness, quick drying, and compressibility.
- Camera: You should also pack a good camera for your trip so that you can capture all the beautiful experiences you might have. I recommend the Sony a7R V camera together with the Sony 24-70mm f2.8 GM II lens, which is probably the highest-performance camera and lens combination you can get right now.
- Power Bank: Keep your electronics charged on the go with a 20,000+ mAh Power Bank.
- Water Bottle: The Hydro Flask Trail Water Bottle is a great insulated water bottle to have with you in cities or on hiking trails. It is lightweight and can keep your water cold or warm for more than 12 hours. It's a total game-changer.
- Universal Adapter: You'll need just one universal adapter to plug in your electronics in any country you visit.
- Packing Cubes: Packing Cubes will help you save space in your backpack and keep all your belongings organized.
- Daypack: The Langly Alpha Globetrotter is my go-to everyday camera backpack. It's large enough to carry all my travel gear, and it comes with plenty of slots and pouches. Plus, it's stylish as hell!
- Large Backpack: You will need a large backpack to carry all of your stuff. I recommend the Osprey Atmos AG 65L backpack. With excellent weight distribution and a lifetime guarantee, you can't go wrong with Osprey.
For more information on what I pack in my backpack for this trip, check out: My Packing List: 60 Travel Essentials.
How to Get to the Karakoram Highway?
In reality, the Karakoram Highway begins from Hasan Abdal, which is a few kilometers away from Islamabad. However, most people start their journey from Islamabad and head northwards towards China.
In order to get to Islamabad, you will have to fly to the new international airport located a bit outside of the city. Do not mistake the old airport near Rawalpindi as they have recently switched to the new airport, but Google Maps still hasn't updated its location.
From the US, you can fly on Middle Eastern airlines such as Etihad, Qatar, or Turkish Airlines. If you are coming from the east, Thai and Air China are also great options. I always look up prices on Expedia or Skyscanner and compare the best price and route combinations to find the right flight for me. Give them a go, and you might be able to find great deals on flights to Pakistan.
Transportation Along the Karakoram Highway
Ever since the Chinese helped pave the Karakoram roads in 2015, traveling the Karakoram Highway has become much more convenient and efficient. Back then, you needed a 4WD jeep to traverse the road, but now, a regular sedan car can travel all the way through the highway, unlike its sister road, the Pamir Highway on the Tajikistan side, which is mostly unpaved and much more remote.
By Public Transportation
From Islamabad to Gilgit, I would recommend taking an overnight bus from Islamabad because there are several police checkpoints that require foreigners to register. Some parts of the Karakoram Highway are also closed to foreigners at certain times of the day (for example, traveling overnight through Chilas as a foreigner is prohibited). So, in order to eliminate unnecessary headaches, taking the bus is the best option as the driver will manage everything without any problems.
From Gilgit onward, you will have to flag a public bus or a van from the road yourself and ask them to drop you off at the places you are planning to go. There are no strict schedules for these buses, so you will have to wait for them to drive by and ask the driver if they are going to the places you are headed or not.
This can be time-consuming, as sometimes the bus leaves later in the day. So, if you are looking for a more efficient and free way to travel the Karakoram Highway, believe it or not, hitchhiking is the most reliable way to travel from Gilgit northward.
Traveling back from Sost to Islamabad, there is a direct bus to Gilgit that leaves at 5 AM from the NATCO terminal, and you should be back in Gilgit by 9 AM.
Hitchhiking
This is the best way to travel the Karakoram Highway beyond Gilgit as the road is quite busy, and there will be plenty of friendly locals who are more than happy to let you tag along with them for free. I never have to stand for more than 1 hour to get somewhere by hitchhiking.
One time, a guy, who is a manager of an energy company in Lahore, picked me up and took me all the way to Passu, even though he was supposed to go to Ghulkin. He even recommended me a place to stay for the best view of the Passu peak. Hitchhiking is almost too easy in Pakistan, but that just shows how friendly they are.
Taxis
Another way to travel through the Karakoram Highway is via taxi. It is the most expensive option, but some parts of the Karakoram Highway require me to take a taxi.
From Sost to Khunjerab Pass, I had to rent a jeep for 8,000 PKR to take me through Khunjerab National Park and to the pass and back. It was expensive, but we spotted some ibex and blue sheep, and my driver was happy to stop for me to take some photos.
Other than going from Sost to Khunjerab Pass, I would recommend hitchhiking instead, as it is just as effective but doesn't cost anything.
Private Driver
You can also hire a driver to drive you through the Karakoram Highway all the way to the end and back if you do not have a lot of time or if you don't feel comfortable hitchhiking or taking public transportation. However, it will be very expensive, almost like buying a tour package.
If you decide to go this route, I would recommend organizing it from Islamabad or Gilgit before travelling.
Now that we have all the information we need, it's time to start planning your trip! Here are some resources to help you get going:
Are you planning to travel independently? Be sure to check out my guide on How To Plan A Backpacking Trip here.
Further Reading for Pakistan
I hope this guide will help you plan your trip to Pakistan. I have written tons more articles about Pakistan, and here's a selection of them to further assist you in planning your Pakistan trip.
- Looking for a complete itinerary and travel guide for Pakistan? One Month Travel Itinerary for Pakistan.
- Lahore is a beautiful city full of stunning Mughal and British architecture that has stood the test of time. If you are looking for things to do in Lahore, here's 7 amazing things to do in Lahore.
- Islamabad is the new capital city of Pakistan, built with a modern mindset in mind and it shows. Here's 6 best things to do in Islamabad.
- Are you ready to go hiking in Pakistan? First, you will have to get to Gilgit-Baltistan, and here's a complete travel guide on how to get to Gilgit from Islamabad.
- Fairy Meadows and Nanga Parbat, the 8th highest mountain in the world, is probably the most accessible 8000+ mountain out there. Here’s a complete hiking guide to Fairy Meadows and Nanga Parbat Base Camp.
- Another great hike you can do is the Rakaposhi Base Camp hike, which will take you up atop Nagar Valley with an unbeatable view of the Minapin Glacier. Here’s a complete hiking guide to Rakaposhi Base Camp in one day.
- The Hunza Valley is one of the most beautiful valleys in Pakistan. The capital city of the Hunza Valley is Karimabad which is a perfect base for you to explore the Valley. Here’s 5 awesome things to do in Karimabad, Hunza Valley.
- You can also watch my travel videos about South Asia here: Sri Lanka travel video, Nepal travel video, and Pakistan travel video.
- Want to know where to go after Pakistan? How about exploring the Golden Triangle in India, doing some trekking in Nepal or going off-the-beaten-path, or exploring Sri Lanka by train?
- For all articles about Pakistan, visit Pakistan Travel Guide page.
- Looking for more travel guides for South Asia? You can find more on my South Asia Travel Guide page.
- For more of my travel guides, visit my Destinations page.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links.
13 Comments
Hey! I was reading your post on 2 weeks on Karakoram Highway. I was wondering if you had contacts in Pakistan that would be willing to drive tourists to visit the sites you listed in your post? I am a female traveller, and I would prefer a driver as opposed to hitchhiking or public transport.
Hey Sarah,
Thank you for the comment! I didn't rely on tours personally so I don't have a first-hand experience, that said, I have done some business with Lost Horizon Trek, and they organize all the documents for LOI for me. They also offer tours so it might be worthwhile looking up on the agency.
I hope this helps!
Oh my gosh, what an honour to receive a reply from the man himself! I will definitely check out Lost Horizon. Thank you SO MUCH! Such an inspiration.
Haha, no problem! I'm glad I could help :) Good luck with your Pakistan trip! It surely is a once in a lifetime experience!
Hi Pete, I’m in Pakistan at the moment and would like to get a flight up to Gilgit and exploring the hunza area Probably minus the mountain trekking as I don’t really have the time, do you think it will be safe travelling alone without at tour?
Hey Amanda,
Of course, people are quite friendly up there so you should not have any trouble. How are you planning on traveling? Hitchhiking or buses or both?
If you stick to traveling during the day and doing a short trip, hitchhiking maybe ok for you. Otherwise, vans and buses are ok too if you ask your hotel in gilgit for the schedule. Taxi is expensive but they are convenient and you can ask your hotel or a tour company to organize it for you.
I hope this helps!
Hello Pete!
Thank you for the article! I would like to ask you more for the weather. I am going there on my motorcycle also in early October. I am an little afraid of the snow on the road. Could you please tell me more details and conditions on the road, is it possible to reach Khunjerab Pass then? Ia there snow on the road then? I would be grateful for your response! Cheers.
There was a little bit of snow on the road towards Khunjerab Pass when I was there in October and the locals told me to get a 4WD although when we were there, we saw many people up there with a regular car and motorbike so, in mid October, I think it is still ok to get up there as long as the sun is out. I hope this helps!
Hello pete, read yours very informative article inspired much and hopefully reach the 8th wonder by next year.
A few problems,1.is hitchhiking is possible with 2 guys together?2.about hiking shoes, should they be non leaking?3.im from Sri Lanka(SAARC country), for visas do they require a letter of invitation?
Hey, Hitchhiking is possible but will take time, especially with 2 guys from my experience, so you should spare an entire day on your travel day if you plan to hitchhike because you might be standing by the roads for an hour or so before someone picks you up. They might also not take you directly so you might have to hitchhike a few times to get to your destination.
For hiking shoes, any hiking shoes should be fine.
For letter of invitation, i think you will still need one but i'm not 100% sure. It's best you ask the Pakistan embassy in your country for updated information.