Help For Travellers of Gilgit Baltistan

[nagar1]

i will suggest either hills n huts minapen aur osho thang minapen nagar...beautiful places both of them.i have shared their phone numbers here as well. You can see their photos on internet and call them for booking

[drimranarif]

If budget is not an issue ...then do try luxus ... serena or eagles nest ... all of them provide quality services and views

[dms664]

What is status of gilgit - skardu road?

[dms664]

Hunza serena inn
Hunza darbar hotel
The above 2 are close by to each other.
Eagles nest (ascend is very steep but views are great)

If you are tight on budget then hunza embassy hotel is also not bad.

[nagar1]

Around 80 % works is complete. But in areas where work is being done, they stop u frequently...the Shingus area gets frequent land slides so u never know when u will be facing a road block either due to landslide or work in progress. My cousin reached skardu from gilgit in 8 hrs 5 days back . Had to stop for a riad block as sone rocks had fallen on the riad and then 5-6 stops of half hour each for road works

[dms664]

It means nothing has changed. 3 to 4 hours travel time was promised on completion.

[nagar1]

For now ,yes but When it will complete there willbe no stoppages for maintenance work so time will reduce reasonably. I myself have travelled on the route and reached gilgit in 4.5 hrs many times on the old road which was narrower than this one. The only problem that will remain will be the land slides in Shingus area... lets hope for the best...

[imran2155]

Just as an update, Hunza Serena is closed for the season because they are demolishing existing building and constructing a new one.

This is based on my call to them last week.

[imran2155]

@nagar1 sir, is babusar pass open for non 4x4 vehicles? We have a Civic and a Grande and we are traveling this Friday inshAllah to Chilas. So far, we have planned to travel via Besham.

What you suggest?

[dms664]

Yes it is being shifted to altit fort

[nagar1]

Yes they have opened it for cars. Both cars may cause some trouble while crossing glaciers like scratching from beneath...bcoz at start of season when road is freshly opened, the cars scratch a lot on recently cleared snow...but no issues like being stuck etc
Sometimes non experienced drivers get their cars stuck on very strange places​

[nagar1]

Thats a NEWS for me too...

[dms664]

This is what the manager told me when I visited it last time. They intend to prepare altit like that of serena khaplu and shigar

[drimranarif]

Its open ...i am in naran right now ...
After kiwai drive carefully ... with extreme care ...and babusar is open for cars like corolla n civic...just drive with care and patience

[imran2155]

This is great. Driving itself is not an issue. The only concern was that the cars will be loaded with luggage and people, hence lesser ground clearance. We'll be most likely going through Besham route just to try it for once. On our way back, we'll take babusar path. Let's see how it works out.

Ona a side note, how are things over there in Naran? Cold is it? Must be crowded right?

[burhanahmed1]

We'll be most likely going through Besham route just to try it for once.

I wouldn't recommend it

[imran2155]

Lol I wouldn't disagree but, oh well, home ministry thinks our car will be stuck in babusar snow 🤷.

So, we had two options.
1- Go via Babusar i.e. (focus on driving + sara rasta suntay jain)
2- Go via Besham i.e. (focus on driving only)

Peace of mind is of great value to me so I chose option 2. lol

[drimranarif]

I'd say perfect weather ... soothing during day time but a bit chilly at night .
It is crowded but not packed with tourists ... whatever route u choose drive with care... have a safe trip

[farooq05]

going via besham and dasu can be pain in a$$ but not peace of mind...

[mustafasethi]

hills n huts minapen

Dear drimranarif,

could you please elaborate / give more detail on the road situation from Kiwai to naran and forward.
i have plans to visit in a few days and your statement has left me mystified.