Guides & Tips
Plan your Lahore to Skardu road trip: distance and time on the Babusar and KKH routes, overnight stops, 5 to 15 day itineraries, Deosai, best cars and booking with a driver.
Plan your Lahore to Skardu road trip: distance and time on the Babusar and KKH routes, overnight stops, 5 to 15 day itineraries, Deosai, best cars and booking with a driver.
Skardu is one of the longest road trips you can take from Lahore, and one of the most rewarding. Blue lakes, the Katpana cold desert, the Deosai plains and some of the highest mountains in the world are all within a short drive of the town. Getting there takes planning, though. You need to choose between two very different routes, decide where to sleep on the way, and pick a car that can handle the last few hundred kilometres. This guide covers all of it, using what our drivers see on the road every season. To plan your trip, call or WhatsApp 1 Call Cabs on +92 303 0160840.
There are two road routes, and the distance depends on which one is open when you travel.
Karakoram Highway (KKH) route: about 970 km, open most of the year
Naran and Babusar Pass route: about 880 to 900 km, summer only
You will see anything from 900 to 1,050 km quoted online. Both ends of that range can be right. It depends on the route, where you start in Lahore, and where in Skardu your hotel is. The air distance is only about 440 km, which is why the 1 hour 20 minute flight is popular, but flights are often cancelled in bad weather, and you still need a car once you land.
Map apps show around 17 to 18 hours of driving on the KKH route. In real conditions, with checkposts, single-lane sections, meal breaks and slow traffic on the mountain roads, plan for 18 to 22 hours of total driving. That is a two-day drive at least, and on the KKH in winter or after rain it is more comfortable over three days. The final stretch from Jaglot to Skardu should never be driven after dark.
Via Naran and Babusar | Via Karakoram Highway | |
|---|---|---|
Distance | About 880 to 900 km | About 970 km |
Driving time | About 18 to 20 hours | About 18 to 22 hours |
Season | Usually late May or June to October | Most of the year, weather permitting |
Highest point | Babusar Top, about 4,170 m | Much lower; follows the Indus gorge |
Usual overnight stop | Naran | Peshawar, Besham or Chilas |
Scenery | Kaghan Valley, Lulusar Lake, Babusar Top | Indus gorge, Nanga Parbat views near Raikot |
Best for | Summer families who want a scenic first night | Spring, autumn and winter travel |
Our rule is simple. If Babusar Pass is open, our drivers take the Naran route and stop overnight in Naran. If it is closed, they take the Karakoram Highway and stop overnight in Peshawar, or push further to Chilas, depending on how tired the passengers and driver are. Always check whether Babusar is open a few days before you leave, because the opening date changes every year with the snow.
Leg | Approx. distance | Approx. time |
|---|---|---|
Lahore to Hazara Motorway via M-2 and M-1 | 370 km | 4 to 4.5 hours |
Hazara Motorway to Mansehra | 80 km | 1 hour |
Mansehra to Naran via Balakot and Kaghan | 120 km | 3.5 to 4 hours |
Naran to Chilas over Babusar Top | 120 km | 3.5 to 4 hours |
Chilas to Jaglot on the KKH | 85 km | 1.5 to 2 hours |
Jaglot to Skardu on the Skardu Road | 167 km | 4 to 5 hours |
Day 1, Lahore to Naran: leave Lahore early, ideally before 5 am, so you clear the motorway before the heat and reach the Kaghan Valley in daylight. Lunch is usually around Mansehra or Balakot. Most people reach Naran by late afternoon, which leaves time for a walk along the river. Our Lahore to Naran by car guide covers this first leg in detail.
Day 2, Naran to Skardu: another early start. You pass Batakundi and Lulusar Lake, climb to Babusar Top, then drop steeply down to Chilas. From there you join the KKH, pass Raikot Bridge (the turn for Fairy Meadows), and leave the KKH near Jaglot for the Skardu Road. It is a long day of 10 to 12 hours, so plan to reach Skardu before dark.
Leg | Approx. distance | Approx. time |
|---|---|---|
Lahore to Burhan interchange via M-2 and M-1 | 370 km | 4 to 4.5 hours |
Burhan to Thakot on the Hazara Motorway | 180 km | 2.5 to 3 hours |
Thakot to Besham | 30 km | 1 hour |
Besham to Chilas via Dasu on the KKH | 170 km | 5 to 6 hours |
Chilas to Jaglot | 85 km | 1.5 to 2 hours |
Jaglot to Skardu | 167 km | 4 to 5 hours |
Distances in both tables are rounded and approximate. Actual times depend on traffic, roadworks and weather.
Option A, two days with a night in Chilas: a very long first day that suits experienced groups. You reach Chilas in the evening, and the second day is a shorter run to Skardu.
Option B, a gentler start with a night in Peshawar or Besham: better for families, elders and anyone who does not want 14 hours in the car on day one. Some families make this a three-day drive in winter, stopping again at Chilas.
The Besham to Dasu section is the slowest part of the KKH. It is cut into the side of the gorge, there are often construction works, and rockfall is a real risk after rain. Do not judge your timing by the kilometres here.
Both routes end on the same road. The 167 km Skardu Road follows the Indus River east through a deep, narrow gorge. It has improved a lot in recent years, but it is still narrow in places, has sharp bends and sheer drops, and landslides can block it after heavy rain. Average speeds are low. An experienced mountain driver makes a real difference here, and this is the main reason we only send Skardu cars with our own drivers.
Fuel is easy to find on the motorways and around Mansehra, Besham, Chilas and Skardu town. Between those points, stations are fewer and supply can be patchy, so drivers fill up at every major town rather than running low. Besham and Chilas are the key fuel stops on the KKH; Naran and Chilas on the Babusar route.
Carry enough cash for fuel, food and small hotels. ATMs work in Mansehra, Besham, Chilas and Skardu, but machines in smaller towns often run out of cash or go offline, and many roadside places do not take cards.
Motorway service areas cover the first few hours. After that, the usual meal stops are Balakot or Naran on the Babusar route, and Besham or Chilas on the KKH. Keep snacks and water in the car for the long stretches in between.
Signal is good on the motorways, then patchy along the KKH and the Skardu Road, with long dead zones in the gorges. In Skardu town most networks work, and SCOM has the widest coverage in Gilgit-Baltistan. Share your route and expected arrival times with someone at home before you leave.
Plan a minimum of 5 to 6 days from Lahore. Two days go into getting there and two into getting back, so anything shorter leaves almost no time in Skardu itself. Many of our customers stay longer, and trips of up to 15 days are common for people who also want Hunza, Gilgit or Fairy Meadows.
Day 1: Lahore to Naran (summer) or Lahore to Peshawar or Chilas (KKH)
Day 2: Drive on to Skardu, check in and rest
Day 3: Shangrila, Lower and Upper Kachura Lakes, Katpana Cold Desert at sunset
Day 4: Shigar Fort and the Shigar Valley, or Deosai in summer
Day 5: Start back, overnight in Chilas or Naran
Day 6: Reach Lahore
Days 1 to 2: Lahore to Skardu with one overnight stop
Day 3: Shangrila, Upper Kachura and Skardu Fort
Day 4: Full day at Deosai (Sheosar Lake and Bara Pani), June to September
Day 5: Shigar Valley and Shigar Fort
Day 6: Khaplu Palace and Manthokha Waterfall
Day 7: Sadpara Lake, Katpana Desert and Skardu bazaar
Days 8 to 10: Slow return with a stop at Chilas or Naran, plus a spare day for weather
Days 1 to 2: Lahore to Skardu
Days 3 to 7: Skardu, Shigar, Deosai, Khaplu and Manthokha
Day 8: Skardu to Gilgit, then on to Hunza
Days 9 to 11: Karimabad, Altit and Baltit Forts, Attabad Lake, Passu and Khunjerab Pass
Day 12: Hunza to Raikot Bridge for Fairy Meadows, or straight to Chilas
Days 13 to 15: Fairy Meadows (optional) and the drive back to Lahore
For the Hunza leg, read our Lahore to Hunza by car guide. For a planned trip, see our Skardu and Gilgit tour from Lahore or the Fairy Meadows tour.
Always keep one spare day in any itinerary. A landslide or a closed road can easily cost you a day, and a spare day means nobody feels pressured to drive in bad conditions.
Distances and times below are approximate, by road from Skardu town.
Place | From Skardu | Drive time | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
Katpana Cold Desert | About 10 km | 20 minutes | Best at sunset; any car |
Sadpara Lake | About 10 km | 20 to 30 minutes | On the way to Deosai |
Shangrila and Lower Kachura Lake | About 25 km | 40 minutes | Resort, boating, cafes |
Upper Kachura Lake | About 30 km | 45 minutes plus a short walk | Quieter, clear blue water |
Shigar Fort | About 35 km | 1 hour | Restored fort, gardens |
Manthokha Waterfall | About 75 km | 2 hours | Combine with Khaplu |
Khaplu Palace | About 100 km | 2.5 to 3 hours | Make it a full day or overnight |
Deosai (Sheosar Lake) | About 60 to 70 km | 3 to 4 hours | Summer only; 4x4 recommended |
Kharpocho Fort above the town gives a great view over the Indus and the Skardu valley. The bazaar is the place to buy dried apricots, cherries, almonds and local woollens.
Lower Kachura, home to Shangrila Resort, is the famous one. Upper Kachura is smaller, deeper and calmer. Sadpara Lake sits just above town on the Deosai road.
Both valleys have restored royal forts and palaces, apricot orchards and old wooden mosques. Khaplu is far enough to deserve a full day, or a night in the valley.
Deosai is a high-altitude plateau at over 4,000 m, usually reachable from around June to September, depending on snow. The road from Skardu climbs past Sadpara Lake and then becomes a rough, unpaved track with stream crossings and loose stones.
A Prado, Fortuner 4x4 or Revo is the right car for Deosai. Sedans should not attempt it, and even a BR-V is not built for the rougher sections. Many families travelling in a sedan or BR-V leave their car in Skardu for the day and hire a local jeep for Deosai, which is a common and sensible option.
Leave early and plan to be back before evening, as there is very little on the plateau.
It is cold even in July, so carry jackets.
Expect no mobile signal for most of the day.
Carry water and snacks, and take your litter back with you.
We take Skardu bookings all year. Demand drops in extreme cold, because snow closes passes and some roads, but winter trips on the KKH are still possible with careful weather checks.
March to April: spring blossom in Skardu, Shigar and Khaplu. Babusar is still closed, so you use the KKH. Cold nights.
May: pleasant days, KKH route. Babusar often opens late in the month or in early June.
June to August: peak season. Both routes are usually open and Deosai is accessible. Monsoon rain in July and August can trigger landslides on the KKH and the Skardu Road, so watch the forecast closely.
September to October: clear skies, autumn colours and fewer crowds. Babusar usually stays open until the first heavy snow. One of the best times to go.
November to February: very cold, with snow in Skardu. Babusar and Deosai are closed. The KKH is usually open, but many hotels close and travel depends heavily on the weather.
For Skardu, we only provide cars with a driver. Self drive is not allowed for this route, because of the long mountain stretches, the changing weather and how remote parts of the road are. Our drivers know the route, the overnight stops and the fuel points, and they know when to wait out bad weather instead of pushing on. See our rent a car with driver service for how it works.
If you are not arranging the driver's food and accommodation, add PKR 2,000 per day for his meals and stay.
Skardu trips vary a lot in length, car and stops, so we quote each one separately. Send us your dates, the number of passengers and the car you prefer on WhatsApp, and we will send you a clear quote.
For larger families or friends travelling together, we can arrange more than one car or a bigger vehicle. Our customized family tour package is built around your group's pace.
Rather than quoting one fixed figure that rarely matches real trips, here is what actually shapes the cost, so you can plan properly.
The biggest factor is the number of days and the car you choose. A 6-day Corolla trip and a 15-day Prado trip are very different budgets. Daily rates for each car are on our fleet page.
The round trip is roughly 1,800 to 2,000 km before local sightseeing, and another few hundred kilometres around Skardu. Fuel cost depends on the car and current petrol prices. Mountain driving uses noticeably more fuel than the motorway.
Motorway tolls apply on the M-2, M-1 and Hazara Motorway in both directions.
PKR 2,000 per day for the driver's food and stay, unless you arrange them yourself.
Hotel prices in Skardu change sharply between peak summer and the quiet months. Add meals on the road, entry tickets for forts and resorts, and a local jeep for Deosai if your car is not a 4x4.
Keep money aside for one extra day of car rent and hotel in case weather holds you up.
Our customers usually choose based on budget, group size and how adventurous the trip is. For a full comparison, read the best car for the northern areas.
For couples or small groups watching their budget, a Toyota Corolla or Corolla Altis handles the main roads well. It suits travellers sticking to Skardu town and the paved sightseeing spots. Pack light, because boot space fills quickly on a long trip.
The Honda BR-V seats seven, has more ground clearance than a sedan and keeps costs reasonable. It is the most popular family choice for Skardu.
For Deosai, rough side roads, or simply a more comfortable ride over long hours, go with a Toyota Prado or a Toyota Fortuner 4x4. Elders especially notice the difference on the Skardu Road.
Groups heading off the beaten track often pick the Toyota Revo for its toughness, ground clearance and space for camping gear.
Do not try to reach Skardu in one day with children or elders. An overnight in Naran or Peshawar, and an earlier stop if anyone is unwell, keeps everyone in good spirits.
The mountain roads are full of bends. Seat kids who get car sick near the front, carry motion sickness medicine, avoid heavy meals before the mountain stretches, and keep plastic bags handy.
Mix one long outing, like Deosai or Khaplu, with an easy day at the lakes or in town.
Anyone with heart or breathing problems should check with their doctor before going high. Most of Skardu is around 2,200 to 2,500 m, but Babusar and Deosai go above 4,000 m.
Skardu town itself rarely causes problems, but Babusar Top and Deosai are high. Headache, nausea, dizziness and breathlessness are the warning signs. Drink plenty of water, go slowly on the first day, avoid running or heavy exertion at high spots, and come down if symptoms get worse.
Look at the forecast for Naran, Babusar, Chilas and Skardu a day or two before departure, and again on the morning you set off.
Heavy rain brings landslides on the KKH and the Skardu Road. If it is pouring, it is safer to stay an extra night and wait. Our drivers will not push on into bad weather just to stick to a plan.
Call local contacts or your hotels before leaving to confirm they are open, especially early or late in the season, when many places in Naran, Chilas and Skardu close.
Plan each day around where you will be at sunset, not how many kilometres you want to cover. Mountain roads at night are a different risk altogether.
Carry your original CNIC. Overseas Pakistanis and foreign visitors should carry their passports. There are several police and security checkposts on the way, and having documents ready saves time.
Warm jacket, sweater and cap, even in summer
Comfortable walking shoes
Sunglasses, sunscreen and lip balm (the sun is strong at altitude)
Personal medicines, motion sickness tablets, painkillers and a small first aid kit
Power bank and charging cables
Enough cash for several days
Reusable water bottles and dry snacks
Original CNIC or passport, plus photocopies
A small bag for litter
Rain jacket or umbrella in the monsoon months
Tell us your travel dates, how many people are going and which car you want. We will suggest the best route for the season and send a quote.
Phone: +92 303 0160840
WhatsApp: +92 303 0160840
Email: contact@1callcabs.com
Prefer to book online? Use our booking page. Planning a shorter northern trip first? Try our Lahore to Swat and Kalam guide.
About 970 km via the Karakoram Highway, and about 880 to 900 km via Naran and Babusar Pass, which is open only in summer.
Around 18 to 22 hours of driving, split over at least two days, with an overnight stop in Naran, Peshawar or Chilas.
No. For Skardu we only provide cars with an experienced driver.
At least 5 to 6 days. Many travellers take up to 15 days to include Hunza, Gilgit, Deosai or Fairy Meadows.
A Corolla or Altis is fine for the main road to Skardu and the paved sightseeing spots. For Deosai, take a Prado, Fortuner or Revo, or hire a local jeep from Skardu.
Yes, we take bookings all year. In extreme cold some roads close, so the route and dates depend on the weather. Driver food and stay is PKR 2,000 per day if you do not arrange it.
Leave the mountain driving to people who do it every season. Call or WhatsApp +92 303 0160840, or email contact@1callcabs.com, for a quote on your Lahore to Skardu car with driver.
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