Assalam-O-Alaikum All,
After having our earlier trip to Baltistan in 2012, Alhamdulliah with the special blessing of Allah we have completed another mega road trip with family.
Link of first trip is as below (Though in completed one L, will update it as well with this iteration)
https://www.pakwheels.com/forums/road-trips-vacations/195958-family-road-trip-astore-rama-deosai-skardu-shangrilla-babusar-top-july-2012-a
Tour Planning Hero: All Pakwheels Members and their threads (Loaded with tons of information)
I would like to pay special thanks to one of our Travel Guru @aeseige (Mobeen bahi) who helped me a lot in planning all this.
His valuable suggestions and rearrangement of suggested plan did play unmatchable role.
Trip Members: Me, Wife and two Kids
The Horse: Toyota Surf 1994 (1KZ)
Route: LHR > Abbotabad > Chilas > Hunza > Attabad > Gulmit > Sost > Khunjarab Pas >> Sost >> Hunza >> Gilgit > Gupis > Phandar > Shandoor Pass > Mustuj > Chitral > Ayun > Kalash and its Villages > Nagar > Lowari Top > Dir > Malakand > Dargai > Mardan > ISB > LHR
Total Distance Covered : 3200 KM
Day wise travel details are as below with stay and road conditions.
I also try to provide relevant contact Details where possible
Day 1:
Lahore > Abbotabad
Stay: Lodge Inn (Just before Green?s Hotel)
Rent: 1900
Status: Good hotel for family
Contact Details: Not Available
Road and Travel Condition:
Excellent road ? Relaxing and Enjoyable Journey
Day 2:
Abbotabad > Besham > Chilas
Stay: Shangrilla
Rent: 3200
Status: Good hotel for family
Contact Details: Ahsan Khan 0321-7115511 ? 05811-485050
Road and Travel Condition:
From Abbaotabad to Thakot Bride road is very good rather excellent for some patches.
(Green Scenic Views)
Thakot Bridge to Besham: Very bad condition, worst than my earlier trip in 2012.
(Bit Tiring due to road)
Besham to Chilas: Very bad but better than Besham patch. This road was significantly good when I travelled in 2012 but now it?s in bad shape.
(Tiring and Long Travel with scenic views)
Day 3:
Chilas to Hunza
Stay: Hunza Embassy Hotel
Rent: 2500
Status: Good Hotel for Family
Contact Details: 05813-457001-2
Road and Travel Condition: Road was in bad condition with few worst patches till Raikot Bridge.
From Raikot to Hunza Road is excellent with magnificent views (Mini Motorway).
(Excellent and Magnificent Views - Refreshing )
Day 4:
Hunza To Sost (Cossed Attabad Lake)Stay: PTDC Hotel Sost
Rent: 2800
Status: Excellent Hotel
Contact Details: Road and Travel Condition:
Excellent Road from Hunza to 7 Km before Attabad Lake.
Hire Boat from their for family and for Vehicle.
Paid 5500 for return Journey. i.e. (2750 for each Side)
Boat owner name was (Nazeer). He is a nice man. He handled all the process very maturely.
His contact number is as below 0345-2860413 (Recommended)
The main important step of shipping car on boat is loading and unloading.
After crossing Attabad Lake 15 Km is very rough due to flood in Gojal Valley.
Day 5:
Sost to Khunjarab Pass and back to Hunza
Stay: Eagle Nest Hotel (Hunza)
Rent: 5000
Status: Excellent Hotel with Sunset and Sunrise Magical Views
Contact Details: 05813-457583
Road and Travel Condition: Excellent Road throughout with Exceptional scenic Views.
Too much Coldness at Khunjarab Top. Got Live Snow falling.
About Eagle Nest Hotel, it?s at quiet high altitude.
Day 6:
Hunza to Nagar >> Glacier
Stay: Eagle Nest Hotel
Rent: 5000
Status: Excellent as stated above
Contact Details: 05813-457583
Road and Travel Condition:
Road is good all around. Though there is a rough track about 15-20 Km while approaching to Nagar Valley.
Nagar Valley itself very beautiful full of greenery.
With family we took 3 hrs for trekking up to Glacier both Side and it?s worth full.
Glacier is unique one, because for this one has to descend. From the Valley it seem black but become white as we approaching near to it.
This is Fastest moving glacier which moves around 6 inch per day.
Day 7:
Hunza (Karimabad Explore) and then move to Gilgit
Stay: PTDC Gilgit
Rent: 3000
Status: Good one
Contact Details: Jawad Ali 05811-454262 0346-5174386
Road and Travel Condition: Excellent Road all around. Peaceful travelling
Day 8:
Gilgit to Gupis
Stay: PTDC Gupis
Rent: 3000
Status: Excellent Stay.
Contact Details: Tariq Majeed 05814-480777 0355-5100004 0315-0050124
Road and Travel Condition: Good Road with few bad patches. Due to bridge damage, one water crossing was the tough one, even 4*4 vehicles crossing it with difficulty.
For Cars: Tractor has to pulled the cars in order to cross this.
Day 9:
Gupis to Mustuj (PTDC)
Stay: PTDC Mustuj
Rent: 2800
Status: Average Hotel. Ok for family but Not Maintained
Contact Details:
Road and Travel Condition:
Road and Travel Condition: Gupis to Phandar is average road, you will find few bad patches as well.
Phandar is 1.5 hrs drive from Gupis. One can stay at Phandar PTDC along with Phandar lake,it?s a good place to Stay but I will prefer Gupis PTDC.
From Phandar to Mustuj, there is no road just rocky track. One can hardly maintain 30KM speed on this track.
But this track beauty is matchless, very close to nature. Way to Shandoor Pass is just magical.
Day 10:
Mustuj to Chitral and Then Chitral to Barmolglasht ? Chitral Gol National Park
Stay: PTDC Chitral
Rent: 2500
Status: Average hotel. Ok for Families.
Contact Details:
Road and Travel Condition:
From Mustuj to booni approx. 2-2.5 Hrs travel, there is no road just rocky track.
After Booni up to Chitral Road is very good and it?s about 2 hrs travel.
From Chitral to Barmoglasht and GOL National Park road is very narrow and unpaved.
Day 11:
Chitral to Kalash
Stay: PTDC Bumburt
Rent: 3000
Status: Exceptionally good with respect to stay and scenery.
Contact Details:
Road and Travel Condition: Road up to Ayun is very good. From Ayun up to Chitral there is no road its just unpaved and rockery track.
Kalash Road is very narrow and it?s bit dangerous. For broader vehicles like Surf, Prado, Landcruiser, road is a bit challenge.
Alhamdulliah we have managed to take Surf up to Kalash but many tourists have to park their surf almost 12Km before Kalash as there is very narrow bridge exists there which has been destroyed by rains and one has to be very careful for crossing it.
Excellent place to visit. One can see/learn very interesting things about Kalash Culture.
Day 12:
Kalash to Nagar.
Stay: Nagar Fort
Rent: 2500
Status: OK for Families.
Contact Details: Not Available
Road and Travel Condition: Excellent Road all the way
Day 13:
Nagar to Pindi via Lowari Top
Road and Travel Condition:
From Nagar road is better but as you approach near to Lowari Top Road Gets terrible and it sustains up to Dir.
Lowari Tunnel is permanently closed in summer. Only Top is open for the crossing
We almost did 40 Km in 3.5 hrs due to bad track of lowari Top.
From Dir road get better. Few bad patches found but overall its good.
Then Road is almost excellent for Dargi, Malakand, Mardan upto Pindi.