Alhamdulillah, I have safely back from a wonderful trip to Swat, Kalam, Gilgit, Naltar Lake, Khunjrab Pass, Naran etc from Karachi

[umairnoor]

This is my first trip of Northern Area & its was Awesome.
Total 15 Days by Road Trip on My Suzuki Margalla.
25 June 2107 to 10 July 2017
1st Day: Karachi to Zahir pir
2nd Day: Zahir pir to Kalar Kahar
3rd Day: Kalar Kahar to Mingora-Swat
4th Day: Mingora-Swat to Malam Jabba and return back in hotel Mingora-Swat
5th Day: Mingora-Swat to Kalam and return Bahrain, Swat
6th Day: Bahrain, Swat to Besham-KPK
7th Day: Besham-KPK to Giglit
8th Day: Giglit to Naltar Lake to Attabad Lake
9th Day: Attabad Lake to Kunjrab Pass and Back Hotel in Attabad Lake.
10th Day: Attabad Lake to Hooper Glacier to Chillas
11th Day: Chillas to Naran
12th Day: Naran to Sohgran
13th Day: Sohgran to SiriPaye and Start our Back journey and reach at Faisalabad
14th Day: Faisalabad to Rahim Yar Khan
15th Day: Rahim Yar Khan to Karachi.

Total Car Millage: 5000km (Karachi to Karachi) with approx 10.5 to 11 km/ltr Average.
My Previous Post related to Information is https://www.pakwheels.com/forums/t/family-road-trip-from-karachi-chitral-to-kunjrab-bypass/545409

[umairnoor]

Khunjrab Pass - (Pak China Border)
Snowfall

Attabad Lake

Naltar Lake - Gilgit

Lulusar Lake - Naran

Hooper Glacier

[born_star5]

Nice journey, must have enjoyed. How is the road condition between mingora and kalam, mingora to bisham ?

[djrock900]

Waiting for the details. Hotels/Rents/Bookings/Expenses etc
Keep posting...
Great pics...

[umairnoor]

View from Attabad Lake

On the way of Attabad Lake from Gilgit

National Bank ATM - World Highest ATM Machine
i have used for my record

On the way of Hooper Glacier

On the way of Naran

Saif ul Malook Lake

Hotel in Batakundi (Near Naran)

View from Batakundi Hotel

Siri Paye Shogran

[umairnoor]

Nice journey, must have enjoyed. How is the road condition between mingora and kalam, mingora to bisham ?

yes, we enjoy alot.
Mingora to behrain --> Road is ok.
behrain to Kalam --> wrost condition. mein apni car mein ja kar phans gaya tha.
Mingora to besham --> Road is very good.
if you go besham from mingora then must visit "Yakhtangay". Excellent Place.
https://www.google.com.pk/?gws_rd=cr&ei=PAZtWfHXC4Hf-QGVkLmgDg#q=yakhtangay

[umairnoor]

Waiting for the details. Hotels/Rents/Bookings/Expenses etcKeep posting...Great pics...

I paid Hotel Rents: approx 3000 to 5000.
Relax hotel Palace (Mingora)(3500/-)
Hotel Marina & Resturant, Behrain hotel (its normal)(3000/-)
PTDC Besham (excellent hotel and service)(4000/-)
PTDC Gilgit (Normal, not so much good as compared to PTDC Besham)(3500/-)
Eden Lake View Hotel in Attabad Lake (Charged: 4000/- Very good hotel with best service)
Hotel DE-Rose Wood Batakundi Near Naran (its cheaper but its good hotel with excellent service)(3000/-)
Hilton hotel Sohgran (They charged: 5000/night, its expensive due to Peek Season but service wise its good).

[djrock900]

Great brother. Thanks alot for sharing. Keep them coming.

Any specific reason for staying at Zahir Pir instead of the usual Sadiqabad or Rahimyarkhan? Any recommendations in Zahir pir regarding hotels?

Which route you chose ti get to Kalar Kahar from Multan?

How is the Khi Hyd super highway now?

[umairnoor]

Great brother. Thanks alot for sharing. Keep them coming.

Any specific reason for staying at Zahir Pir instead of the usual Sadiqabad or Rahimyarkhan? Any recommendations in Zahir pir regarding hotels?

Which route you chose ti get to Kalar Kahar from Multan?

How is the Khi Hyd super highway now?

No special reason, i stay on my relative home at zahir pir
From Multan i used Motorway till Khanewal then Toba tek Singh then Gojra and again use Motorway till Kalarkahar.

Khi- hyd motoray: karachi to lucky cement (just okay) after that all roads till punjab is good.

[rehankillbill]

Umair bhai wonderful trip waiting for more pics and detail

[djrock900]

Did you take your car to shogran from kewai?
How is the road now?

[djrock900]

How is the road from chichawatni - kamalia - tobatek singh - gojra
Is it a single road?
average speed of yours on that road?
Traffic?

[umairnoor]

Yes I go shogran in my car. Road is normal.

[automakerz]

wow, wonderful trip and you all must have enjoyed the beauty of our country Umair.

hats off to Margalla - here i am afraid to take my city 2007 to Highway. you did it.

Nice pics and thanks for the details regarding hotels and roads as well.
Regards

[khurem]

Great pics... I am also planning to visit the northern areas. However due to short timeframe that I get I can't do all in one go like you did. Most likely I would either go to Swat side, or Naran/Shogran or Gilgit/Hunza or Chitral.

So can you share your experience of the respective places - which are the must see places and which are just average? Like How is Shogran/Kaghan/Saif-ul Maluk/Naran/Siri-Paye visit as compared to Swat/Kalam/Malam Jabba etc? And how is Gilgit/Hunza as compared to these places?

Anyone else having experience of visiting all these places in different seasons are most welcome to comment. Thanks

[umairnoor]

How is the road from chichawatni - kamalia - tobatek singh - gojraIs it a single road?average speed of yours on that road?Traffic?

i used Kabirwala - Shorkot - Toba tek Singh - Gojra
yes its single road, my speed approx 100kn/hr on these roads and approx 120km/hr on motorway.
karachi to bhawalpur - too much heavy traffic (trucks). Some time my speed was 30~40km/hr due to trucks.

[umairnoor]

Great pics... I am also planning to visit the northern areas. However due to short timeframe that I get I can't do all in one go like you did. Most likely I would either go to Swat side, or Naran/Shogran or Gilgit/Hunza or Chitral.

So can you share your experience of the respective places - which are the must see places and which are just average? Like How is Shogran/Kaghan/Saif-ul Maluk/Naran/Siri-Paye visit as compared to Swat/Kalam/Malam Jabba etc? And how is Gilgit/Hunza as compared to these places?

Anyone else having experience of visiting all these places in different seasons are most welcome to comment. Thanks

thanks.
in which dates you planed?
when you plan and if weather condition is good then must visit hunza valley, attabad lake, khunjrab pass, naltar lake etc

can you also plan to go by road?

[umairnoor]

wow, wonderful trip and you all must have enjoyed the beauty of our country Umair.

hats off to Margalla - here i am afraid to take my city 2007 to Highway. you did it.

Nice pics and thanks for the details regarding hotels and roads as well. Regards

Thanks
yes, we enjoy a lot the beauty of country. No doubt our country is beautiful.

[khurem]

Thanks, right now the plan is by Oct-Nov, but it may all change due to various factors. That's why interested in knowing the best time to go as well.

I will go by road from Islamabad either in my own car or in a trip.

So I think from your response I should go from Naran to Gilgit Hunza area first. Swat and Kalam side can be visited later..am I right?

[umairnoor]

Thanks, right now the plan is by Oct-Nov, but it may all change due to various factors. That's why interesting in knowing the best time to go as well.

I will go by road from Islamabad either in my own car or in a trip.

So I think from your response I should go from Naran to Gilgit Hunza area first. Swat and Kalam side can be visited later..am I right?

yes first try to visit Gilgit and Hunza Area then Naran. if you have time then cover all these in same trip.

I am not sure about weather condition for babusar top & some areas of Gilgit like Naltar lake in Oct-Nov.
but this is not a big deal, find some hotel numbers and call them one week before leaving to take information of current weather and road conditions.