Planning to visit by road from Karachi to Chitral - Kalash - Mastuj - Shandur - Phandar - Gilgit - Naran - Islamabad

[fayzan1st]

AsSalam o Alaikum to all members,

I am planning to visit northeren areas by road all the way from Karachi in 1st week of October. I need your expert advices and do's / dont's regarding this trip. We are family of husband/wife plus one 7years kid and I am the only driver and will use my Cultus 2014-15 in good condition for this trip. I have read many threads but didnt found anyone about current road conditions either this trip is do able on cultus or not. I also want to know what are the famous places I will visit in these areas and how much time is required as I have almost 15 days for it. To be more specific I am sharing all my questions below and request you all experts here to please guide me as much as you can.

so here is what I think and planned to start from:
Karachi - Multan - DG Khan - DI Khan - Kohat - Peshawar - Mardan - Batkhela - Timergara - Dir - Chitral - Kalash - Boni - Mastuj - Shandur - Phandar - Gilgit - Chilas - Babusar - Naran - Abbottabad - Islamabad - Karachi

Ques1: I choose to take DG Khan - DI Khan - Kohat - Peshawar - Mardan route to explore as much as I can, please advice me if this is a good idea or ok to travel on this route with family?(if not then I will use Motorway from multan to Isb, as I have planned to do at time of returning)

Ques2: Where to stop for night stays and normal/reasonable fare motel/hotel ?

Ques3: Places and main attraction to see in above mention places near Chitral - Kalash - Boni - Mastuj - Shandur - Phandar - Gilgit ? I know I would need to see some points by jeep so please mention them as well.

Ques4: Is it safe to plan this kind of road trip with family on Cultus ??

Ques5: Weather conditions in October ?

Ques6: Any other tips or important note which I forgot to mention here??

It will be a great help if you guys answers in details so I can be able to start preparing for this trip.

waiting for your replies.

JazakAllah

[pwuser150875590445]

There are many threads on chitral you will get the idea from that regarding your queries
1. Its better to travel on motorway to save time.
2. You can night stop at Multan or Faisalabad on your first day being only driver.
3. Main attraction is Kalash valley, garm chasma an historic mosque at chitral city. You have to take jeep for kalash and garm chasma (if road is not destroyed by recent floods) and You can take your cultus upto Boni but onward you have to take jeep to see Shandur and you can travel upto gilgit on jeep only.
4. Cultus is ok no problem upto chitral a bad patch after Lawari Tunnel but you can manage on cultus.
5. Weather is not very cold in start of October in day time but its cold at night.

[fayzan1st]

Hi,

Thanks for your expert advices and so you mean to say that I cant go to Gilgit via Chitral-Mastuj-phandar on my cultus and I should have to come back to chitral after visiting boni - shandur?

Also how long the bad patch is after lowari tunnel?

[ali_77]

As per my knowledge, chitral to gilgit via shandur is doable on any car. However, it requires very very patient drive from Booni to Shandur and even further upto Phandar. But definitely doable. I am myself planning to traverse this route in 1st week of october on Nissan AD InshaAllah.

[fayzan1st]

Well it will be really helpful if someone share his experience who have already traveled on this route before.

[fayzan1st]

Ali,

Its good to know that you are also planning and please tell me what do you think about going to chitral from DG Khan - Kohat - Peshawar route and have you know someone who has done chitral to gilgit in normal car before?

[ali_77]

DG Khan -Kohat-peshawer route would be morr hect8c and time taking... Best option is to take Multan-pindi bhattian-islamabad-swabi and exit from interchange of swat motorway.

For 2nd part of ur question, there are a lot of videos on youtube.... Check this out

At 1:54:38, the video maker crossed 5 cars coming from shandur side... And the cars were Gli/Xli, Prius, BRV, Civic X and Swift.

[fayzan1st]

Yeah I have checked this video, track is do able but I think it will be a little risky to go there on cultus because if something goes wrong it will be very very hard to get help, its a very lonely and no traffic type track. Your point of checking videos is valid and I will research on it.

[rohail.imtiaz.98]

Hi,

I have similar plans to travel up north by 10th October. I will be travelling with the family (Wife & a kid). Let me know if we can connect and plan together.

Regards

[fayzan1st]

Hi,

Sure but I will start my tour from tomorrow morning from karachi InshaAllah.

Tell from where are you and how will you travel also did you research for your tour?

[rohail.imtiaz.98]

Can you connect with me on 0341-235-245-6