Travelling to Gilgit Baltistan from Islamabad or Rawalpindi

 

Traveling from Islamabad or Rawalpindi to Gilgit and Skardu through road is one of the most exhilarating and rewarding experiences of one's life. To go from Islamabad to Skardu or Gilgit, the cars travel through breathtaking landscapes and breathtaking valleys, which contain practically all of the lovely spots in KPK. Travelers from either Islamabad or Rawalpindi may take one of two routes to reach Gilgit-Baltistan. The Karakorum Highway (KKH), often known as N35, is the first option.

Route 1 (N-35 or KKH)

Islamabad » Taxila » Haripur » Abbottabad » Mansehra » Batgram» Thakot » Bisham » Dasu » Chilas » Gilgit » Skardu

 

The route from Islamabad to the city of Mansehra in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa follows the N15 national highway. The Naran and Kaghan valleys, as well as Gilgit-Babusar Baltistan's Top, can all be seen from this road, which also connects to KKH in the Chilas District. The map below will help you better comprehend the journey.

Route 2 (N-15 or Naran-Kaghan-Babusar Top)

Islamabad » Taxila» Haripur » Abbottabad » Mansehra » Balakot » Mahandri »Kagahn » Naran » Chilas » Gilgit » Skardu

 

Departing from Islamabad or Rawalpindi the more you cover the distance the more you will be going higher and higher towards the land of Peaks. Depending on the time of departure, your vehicle will either stop for a cup of tea or a full dinner, depending on how long it takes to get there. After that, you will arrive at Besham City, which is located in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK). For a lunch or tea, the cars will pull off here. The KKH will track the Indus River's ebbs and flows from this vantage point. In Kohistan, the last district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, you will be embraced by the Gilgit-Baltistan peaks. Chilas, the capital of the Diamer Area, is the first town you will come across when entering the district. If your leave Islamabad before noon, you'll be in Jigloat for breakfast, if you leave Islamabad after noon, you will be at Chilas for breakfast. After leaving here, you will come to a fork in the road that divides Gilgit from Skardu.

 

From this intersection, it will take roughly 30 minutes to go to Gilgit city. Getting to Skardu, though, will need you to travel a further 200 kilometers. Skardu is a four- to five-hour drive away. Lunch will be served at the PTDC hotel Stak Valley on the route to Skardu, which will be the last tea or meal. At 2 and a half hours into your journey to Skardu city, you should arrive and be able to appreciate its great weather and tourist attractions.

 

How long is the journey from Islamabad to Gilgit and Skardu?

In regular traffic, it takes 15-16 hours to go from Gilgit to Skardu and 18-20 hours to travel from Skardu to Gilgit. The Karakoram Highway is now being maintained, and the work has been finished from the China border to the outskirts of Chilas city. As a result, travel time between Chilas and Gilgit is less than in the past. However, the state of the KKH between Chilas and Bisham in KPK is not ideal.

 

Gilgit and Skardu, both of which can be reached by flight, are hubs from which to explore the surrounding region. The towns of Gilgit-Baltistan may be visited in a variety of ways from Gilgit. Skardu will take three hours, Hunza and Nagar about an hour and a half, Ghizer around two hours, and Astore and Chilas approximately three hours.