Flights to Skardu are lovely when they operate and cancelled often when they do not. The road is the dependable option, and on a clear day it is one of the great drives on earth.
The route
From Islamabad it is the Hazara Motorway to Mansehra, then the Karakoram Highway through Besham, Dasu and Chilas, and finally the Skardu Road along the Indus gorge from Jaglot.
Total driving is long, so we always break it over two days with a night in Chilas or Naran rather than pushing through.
Timings
Islamabad to Chilas is typically 10–12 hours with stops. Chilas to Skardu is a further 6–7 hours, and the newly widened Skardu Road makes that stretch far smoother than it was a few years ago.
We leave early — usually before 6am — because the light is better and afternoon roadworks slow things down.
Stretches worth staying awake for
The Nanga Parbat viewpoint near Raikot Bridge, the junction of the Indus and Gilgit rivers where three ranges meet, and the last hour into Skardu as the valley suddenly opens into desert and dunes.
Comfort and safety
We use 4x4 vehicles with experienced mountain drivers, avoid night driving on the KKH entirely, and build a buffer day into every Baltistan itinerary for landslides or weather.
Motion sickness is common on the gorge sections — take medication before you start, not after.
Want this trip planned for you?
Book Your Tour Today
