Need guidance for Naran - Hunza family Tour with small kid

[azeem.agha]

AoA Travel expert's.

I am planning for a family tour in the month of August / September 2018. My expected travel dates will be 13th August,2018 or in the beginning of September 1st /2nd of September.

Family: Me , My Mrs and 2 Yr Kid.
Route : Islamabd - Naran - Hunza
Transportation : I will prefer private transport mean hire rented car along with driver.
Avoid: Night time travel

please suggest me best possible route for Islamabad- Naran - Hunza (Chillas / gilgit / hunza/ karimabad / beesham) - Islamabad . I have been to Naran with my friends in year 2016 but this is my very first tour with my family so i don't want any trouble through out my tour.

Please suggest me following

1. When should we start our journey?. Travel Guru's recommendation required in this regard (August / September)
   1: Route / itinerary.
2. Best hotels for hunza route and their expected rent in the month of August / September.
3. Best places for food in hunza route (Chillas / gilgit / hunza/ karimabad / beesham)
4. Expected budget ( I am keeping 120K )
5. Safety measures with family travel.
6. Medications

I am expecting overwhelm response from travel experts. Your guidance will be very appreciable and very much valuable for me during tour.

Thanks.

[kailash.kumar1305]

1. Better to start on 1st or 2nd sep as on 13th Aug, it would be very crowded due to Independence Day Vacations.. Route that you can follow is ISB-Abbottabad-Naran (Night Stay)-Babusar-Chillas-Gilgit-Hunza
2. You should expect higher rent during these days as it would be a peak season.. I would recommend you to book in advance to avoid any problems.. PTDC is a good option to stay and you can book in advance from Islamabad..
3. Why would you go from Besham route during Aug or Sep? You can find good hotels in Naran and in Hunza as well..
4. 120K is more than enough (for 8-9 days)..
5. No issues of security in this area..
6. Keep essential medicines with you, however you can get those easily in Naran and Hunza..

[azeem.agha]

Thanks Kailash...I will keep in my mind.

[imranq]

I went on this route last year in July (2017). 15 days after Eid. Peak Season.
Me, wife and 4 kids ages 11 to 18. Vehicle Toyota Altis 1.6 2015 Model. Total Expenses probably 150K.

There are medical stores in Naran and Hunza for basic medicines.

Travel Details are.
DG Khan to Kallar Khar. Night stay at company Guest House.

Kallar Kahar to Naran. 2 nights stay. travel time 9 hours via Abbotabad. 1 Hour traffic jam in Abbotabad. Stayed at Ferry Meadows hotel. They charged 7.5K per night after much bargain. booked 2 rooms for 2 nights. Most Hotels were fully booked. My favorite hotel in Naran is STC Motel. It was fully booked.

Naran to Hunza (Karimabad) via Babusar ,Chilas. 8 hours drive. 2 nights stay. Hotels in Hunza were expensive and most were fully booked. Stayed at a small house converted to hotel in 4.5K per room in main bazar of Karimabad. Booked 2 rooms for 2 nights. Accommodation was just live able. Road from Naran to Hunza is mostly very good. A small patch of some 50 KM is partly average with bad patches. This is from Chilaas to Raikot Bridge. Other than that excellent roads.

Had short stay at Lulusar Lake and Babusar. It was good experience.

Hunza to Khunjrab Pass. 4 to 5 hours drive. Excellent road. Witnessed Snowfall in Khunjrab (in July). Night stay at Sost PTDC 4.5K.

Dont miss Khunjrab pass. On they way there are 6 tunnels (Attabad Tunnels) one of them is 4.5KM long. Also have a short stay at Attabad lake. Do boating if you want. Also see the Passu cones etc.

Sost to Giligit. Stayed one night with relatives there. Did some shopping of Chinese goods.

Gilgit to Naran. 7 hours drive. Stayed at a hotel on Naran Bypass. Hotel was OK not as good as Ferry Meadows but cost was Rs. 4.5K per night. Booked 2 rooms for 2 nights.

Naran to Murree via Balakot, Muzzafarabad. Road is OK with few bad patches. 6 hours to Murree.

One night stay in Murree. It was difficult to find a reasonable hotel in Budget. Booked a large room with 4 beds in 8K. Hotel and accommodation was good but only one washroom for 6 persons.

Murree to Islamabad. Stayed one night in a guest house in F7. 4K per room after bargain. Booked 2 rooms for one night. Visited few places and relatives. Dinner at Monal was a good experience. Good food and too good views.

Islamabad to DG Khan via Chakwal Mianwali Bhakker etc.

Maybe something useful for you in this.

[azeem.agha]

Thanks Imran... Its very informative and very useful for me. Allah pak ap ko is ka ajar ata karay... AMEEN.

[vakaas]

1. I would suggest starting the trip in September due to two reasons namely, Hunza is extremely beautiful in Fall season with orange and purple leaves and peak season will have ended due to re-opening of schools all across Pakistan. This will ensure peaceful environment as well as reasonable rates through out the trip.

2. Please take your car along as renting a car would put too much strain on your budget. Rent a car would charge you around 5 K (minimum) per day for car plus driver. Fuel cost would be there too. Any car can commute these roads given they don't have any major issue. spending around 50 K on transportation is wastage of resources in my view.

3. You have not mentioned number of days available for the trip but if you are flexible then i suggest that you add Astore as well to your itinerary. You will love this peaceful valley plus it gives easy access to Rama Meadows, Rama Lake and Deosai Plains.

4. Proposed Route is as under:

Day 1: Islamabad to Naran. Night Stay Naran
Day 2: Naran to Astore. Night Stay Astore
Day 3: Rama Meadows & Rama Lake. Night Stay Astore
Day 4: Deosai Plains Night Stay Astore
Day 5: Astore to Hunza Night Stay Karimabad
Day 6: Altit Fort, Baltit Fort & Bazaar Night Stay Karimabad
Day 7: Khunjerab Pass Night Stay at Sost
Day 8: Boating at Attabad & Sunset at Eagle's Nest Night Stay Karimabad
Day 9: Hunza to Naran Night Stay Naran
Day 10: Naran to Islamabad End of Trip

Budget of 120 K is more than sufficient for 10 days given that you use your own car. 4x4 will only be required while visiting Deosai in the route given above. Same can easily be hired from Astore.

No need to go to Besham. Use Babusar Top for joining KKH.

Naran will be most expensive in terms of accommodation & Food cost. Bargain hard over there. Rest of the places are reasonable. On average accommodation will 6 K per day. Food (3 meals per day) costs around 4 K per day. Please note that this cost is on the higher side and actual cost will be much less Allah willing.

Keep basic medicine with you (specially for the baby). All Night Stay points have medical stores.

No issue of safety along the route.

Hotel Demanchi in Naran is good, but then so are many others. Finding a good hotel in Naran is not an issue. Finding a reasonable one is !!!
Royal Resort Astore. Both comfortable & reasonable. Around 3 K per night if I remember correctly.
Hunza Embassy Hotel in Karimabad. Around 3.5 to 4 K per night with good views and walking distance from Karimabad Bazaar.
Hunza Embassy Hotel in Sost. Room can be booked from Karimabad.

I am not a travel expert but I hope that this was overwhelming enough for you...

Enjoy your trip...