To drive my own 4x4 on KKH till Khunjerab, alone, I had dreamt so many times and I have been longing for solitude for so long. But whenever I discussed the idea with my friends they suggested me not to go alone on such a long journey. Another reason was my 4x4?. Well everyone likes a Land Cruiser or a Prado or a Surf but very few like Pajero. It is not considered to be a reliable vehicle which I don?t agree. Every vehicle has its own plus and minus and for me? well?. I have my reasons to like Pajero more than others. Once again, it has proven its worth on this trip.
I wanted to go to Khunjerab, if not alone. I had been planning this trip for the past two years and I couldn?t do it because of one reason or another. This season, I planned again with 3 of my office colleagues but unfortunately they all had to cancel only few days before our departure. So the big elephant in the room appeared again. Can I go alone? Should I go alone? I had already gone through the thread made by @Wanderlust about his solo trip on KKH and recently he did it again. So, I discussed again with my friends and only 20% agreed with me. Then I thought ?Jitnay muun utni batain. Imtiaz! ALLAH ka naam le aur nikal parr.?
So, I started preparing for the solo trip. Vehicle check-up, places to visit, time lines, food, clothes, camping gear?.plan was to reach Naran on first day and then leave next morning early, cross Babusar and reach Hunza before sunset. But after confirming from many sources I got to know that Babusar was still closed. That was a set back because I didn?t really want to travel on KKH till Chilas. One of the reasons was that I heard that the road condition was quite bad for that part of KKH and the area between Dassu and Chilas is not safe. But I was quite determined, by that time, so I contacted @asifcae and @Wanderlust to discuss the time line and places to stay on that part of KKH. I put a lot of effort in planning this trip with the help of fellow PWers and it paid well.
[TABLE="width: 262"]
<tbody>[TR]
[TD][TABLE="class: grid, width: 262"]
<tbody>[TR]
[TD="align: center"]Location
[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Time
[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Odometer[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Distance[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Day-1[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Islamabad[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]10:00[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]99042[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]0[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Mansehra[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]14:15[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]99174[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]132[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Besham[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]17:45[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]99285[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]111[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Dassu[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]20:20[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]99360[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]75[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Day-2[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Dassu[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]5:00[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]99362[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]0[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Chilas[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]8:35[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]99477[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]115[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Breakfast[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]9:30[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]99478[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]1[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Hunza[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]14:00[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]99670[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]192[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Day-3[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Duikar[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]8:30[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]99685[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]0[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Attabad Lake[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]9:30[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]99700[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]15[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Shishket[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]10:30[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]99700[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]0[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Sost[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]12:00[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]99782[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]82[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Khunjerab[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]15:00[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]99863[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]81[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Sost[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]17:00[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]99939[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]76[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Day-4[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Sost[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]8:30[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]99939[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]0[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Borith Lake[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]11:30[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]99999[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]60[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Day-5
[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Borith Lake[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]8:40[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]99999[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]0[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Attabad Lake[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]9:20[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]100020[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]21[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Karimabad[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]11:45[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]100035[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]15[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Duikar[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]13:45[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]100040[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]5[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Day-6[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Duikar[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]7:15[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]100040[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]0[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Chilas[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]12:40[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]100267[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]227[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Dassu[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]15:40[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]100383[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]116[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Islamabad[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]0:45[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]100703[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]320[/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[TD="align: right"][/TD]
[TD="align: right"][/TD]
[TD="align: right"][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Food & Room Rent Cost= 15,000 Rs.
Boat Fare= 4500 Rs.
Fuel Cost= 16000 Rs.
Fuel Average= 9.5 km/l[/TD]
[TD="align: right"][/TD]
[TD="align: right"][/TD]
[TD="align: right"][/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]
Acknowledgments:
Special thanks to my brother @Demonoid who supported me with my decision and he has put a lot of effort and time to prep my vehicle at CAR Fest in the last two years. Without his support this trip wouldnt have been possible.
My humble gratitude goes to @asifcae, @Wanderlust and @IslamabadJeepClub for their guidance and support.
