Assalam O Alikum everyone!
This is the first time I am sharing my travelogue of KKH on Pak Wheels,although I have traveled on this route couple of times. Reason being that I never saved the travel details, timings etc. This time my eldest son Momin (Grade8) was very interested in putting all the details in his diary, which he did very efficiently. Even then, it took me a year to put all those in words as summers have started and my sense of Mountain Magnetism is started to kick start.
This was my 3rd family trip on the KKH. My plan was to take the Naran-Babusar route and avoid the simmering heat of Dasu-Chillas region. Unfortunately or fortunately the Babusar Pass was not yet open and I had to take the old route. Vehicle used: Our Beloved Black Pearl: Toyota Prado TX Limited.
Day 1: 7th JUNE 2014 LAHORE-BESHAM
[TABLE="class: grid, width: 500, align: left"]
<tbody>[TR]
[TD]Place[/TD]
[TD]Time[/TD]
[TD]ODO (km)[/TD]
[TD]Duration hr:min[/TD]
[TD]Distance km[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Lahore[/TD]
[TD]5:40[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Hassan Abdaal[/TD]
[TD]10:30[/TD]
[TD]402[/TD]
[TD]4:50[/TD]
[TD]402[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Abottabad[/TD]
[TD]12:15[/TD]
[TD]470[/TD]
[TD]1:45[/TD]
[TD]68[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Batgram[/TD]
[TD]16:30[/TD]
[TD]558[/TD]
[TD]4:15[/TD]
[TD]88[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Thakot Bridge[/TD]
[TD]17:20[/TD]
[TD]588[/TD]
[TD]0:30[/TD]
[TD]30[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]PTDC Besham[/TD]
[TD]18:30[/TD]
[TD]612[/TD]
[TD]1:10[/TD]
[TD]24[/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]
Total Distance covered : 612 KM Total Time : 12 hrs 50 min.
Recommendations: Plan accordingly so that you should not reach Besham before 6 pm as its very very hot even after sunset. DO NOT take the executive rooms at PTDC motel Besham. Insist/Request for the lower ground/basement rooms although these rooms are rusty and old but there you wont have to wake up in the middle of night when the light goes off. These rooms are much colder than the so called executive rooms or the ground floor rooms.
DAY 2 : 8th JUNE 2014 BESHAM - GILGIT
[TABLE="class: grid, width: 600, align: left"]
<tbody>[TR]
[TD]Place[/TD]
[TD]Time[/TD]
[TD]ODO km[/TD]
[TD]Duration hr:min[/TD]
[TD]Distance km[/TD]
[TD]Comments[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]PTDC Besham[/TD]
[TD]7:15[/TD]
[TD]615[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Pattan[/TD]
[TD]9:OO[/TD]
[TD]653[/TD]
[TD]1:45[/TD]
[TD]38[/TD]
[TD]Worst Road[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Dassu[/TD]
[TD]10:30[/TD]
[TD]690[/TD]
[TD]1:30[/TD]
[TD]37[/TD]
[TD]Worst Road[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]PTDC Berseen[/TD]
[TD]11:OO[/TD]
[TD]700[/TD]
[TD]00:30[/TD]
[TD]10[/TD]
[TD]Worst Road[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Chillas Shangrila[/TD]
[TD]14:15[/TD]
[TD]815[/TD]
[TD]2:45[/TD]
[TD]115[/TD]
[TD]Simmering Hot[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Chillas[/TD]
[TD]15:35[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]00:20[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Zohar Namaz[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Raikot Bridge[/TD]
[TD]15:55[/TD]
[TD]870[/TD]
[TD]1:20[/TD]
[TD]55[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Jaglot[/TD]
[TD]16:30[/TD]
[TD]894[/TD]
[TD]0:35[/TD]
[TD]24[/TD]
[TD]EXCELLENT Road[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Gilgit[/TD]
[TD]17:10[/TD]
[TD]940[/TD]
[TD]0:30[/TD]
[TD]44[/TD]
[TD]Excellent Road[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]
Recomendations: Start as early as possible from Besham so that you may cross or reach chillas before noon as the temperature there was 47 degrees. Stop for lunch/namaz at Shagrila Chillas.
The road ahead of Raikot bridge is none less than our Motorway, with the only difference in the road width. Otherwise you may go as fast as 110 km/hr. This excellent road continues as far as Khanjeraab Pass with the exception on the Atta' Abad lake region.
This road is exceptionally good. Well Done CHINA!
DAY 3 : 9th JUNE 2014 GILGIT-SHIGAR
Had a wonderful overnight stay as always in Serena Gilgit. Sound and comfortable sleep, a great breakfast made us forget the last day's hot and tiring drive.
Started late from Gilgit at about 10:30 am went back towards Jaglot for exactly 32 km and turned left towards Skardu. Our destination is Serena SHIGAR fort residence. (PHONG KHAR).
Gilgit to Skardu : 197 KM (7:00 hrs approx) includes a break of 1 hr.
After driving for 3 hours we reached ASTAK (PTDC). Offered Zohar.
Will share the ODO and timings shortly.
Staying at Serena Shigar Fort is a life time experience. Having breakfast under the grape vine and dinner in the 600 years old stable converted into a cosy dinning room. Not to forget the coffee experience on the terrace overlooking the entire Shigar village and the Shigar stream.
I have stayed here 4 times and always had a great time. The staff is very friendly and they will give you a feeling of a VIP.
Stroll along the Shigar stream is a must to do thing.
DEAR WEBMASTER !!!! I am unable to upload any images. ! is showing in front of any image which I upload. Pls help/