Plz help to plan a northern areas trip on own car

[ali_77]

AoA dear pakwheelers

After reading so many travelogues of our travel gurus and enthusiasts, i m also tempted to plan a family trip to northern areas on own car. For this, i need to seek some guidance on some aspect.No fixed dates, but i intend to do the trip between 15-30 june.

Although, i have been to almost all places in northern areas. but those were almost a decade back (from 1999 to 2005) and on public transport and jeeps. So don't have idea on latest road conditions and accessibility through own car.

The ride would be Nissan AD with spacers added in suspension giving height clearance almost equivalent to Corolla XLI.

I just want to ask accessibility of following routes by own car and approximate drive time

1. Gilgit - shandur pass

2. Skardu - Astore via Deosai

3. Chilas - Naran via Babusar pass

4. Dir - Chitral - Shandur

5. Hunza - Hoper

Although, i wont be able to cover all the above routes in one single trip, but the info would help me in planning and finalizing the Itinerary of the trip.
thanks

[ali_77]

any help?

[asifcae]

out of the mentioned routes only naran babusar top chilas is doable on own car... i did on lance last year... also went to shandur and dir circuit but that route is not for car .... its very bad........
aslo u canot cross deosai on ur own car ... u can go till chillum choki only form astore .........

i am not sure of hopar coz i havnt done that yet but i am sure its not a car track...

[ali_77]

Thanks a lot Asif bhai

[ali_77]

So, i am trying to finalize the intended itinerary. Two possible plans are as per following.

Plan A - Less travel and more stay

Day 1: Rawalpindi - Dassu
Day 2: Dassu - Karimabad, Hunza
Day 3: Hunza - Khunjerab - Hunza
Day 4: Hunza - Naltar - Gilgit
Day 5: Gilgit - Shangrilla - Skardu
Day 6: Skardu - Shigar - Satpara - Skardu
Day 7: Skardu - Chilas - Babusar - Naran
Day 8: Naran - Pindi

Plan B - Relatively hasty one

Day 1: Rawalpindi - Chilas
Day 2: Chilas - Naltar - Karimabad, Hunza
Day 3: Hunza - Khunjerab - Gilgit
Day 4: Gilgit - Shandur - Gilgit (By hiring jeep)
Day 5: Gilgit - Skardu - Shigar - Skardu
Day 6: Skardu - Satpara - Shangrilla - Jaglot/Chilas
Day 7: Jaglot/Chilas - Babusar - Naran (+ visit to Saif-ul-Muluk, if possible)
Day 8: Naran - Shogran - Pindi

Any suggestion from any friend would be valuable and really helpful to finalize my plan
thnx

[kashif]

We drove up to Phunder on santro, it was a metteled road and I hope a jeep will available from there for Shandur that is about 50 km away from there.( attached picture : PTDC phunder)

[ali_77]

How much time it took to reach Phander?

[kashif]

almost 5-6 hrs I think. we did it with long stopovers and a night stay at gupis, so can not mention exactly.

[umarxe]

Plan A - Less travel and more stay
Day 1: Rawalpindi - Dassu
Day 2: Dassu - Karimabad, Hunza
Day 3: Hunza - Khunjerab - Hunza
Day 4: Hunza - Naltar - Gilgit
Day 5: Gilgit - Shangrilla - Skardu
Day 6: Skardu - Shigar - Satpara - Skardu
Day 7: Skardu - Chilas - Babusar - Naran
Day 8: Naran - Pindi

This is not possible in your Plan A
Day 3: Hunza - Khunjerab - Hunza
Because Hunza means Karimabad, and it is not possible to reach Khunjrab from Karimabad and then get back to Karimabad in a single day (without helicopter:) ), specially when you have to cross Ata-abad lake between Ata-abad and Gulmit.

This too is almost impossible in a day
Day 7: Skardu - Chilas - Babusar - Naran

And by the way what's you plan to cross Ata-abad lake? Are you bringing your car to Gulmit on boat or you will leave your Car in Karimabad? In August 2013 the one side rate of bringing the car on boat was 3500 Rs which becomes 7000 for both sides.
One thing more, Naltar is damn scenic place but it seems you have allocated just a couple of hours to spend in Naltar, I think you should reserve more time, may be a whole day and night.

[ali_77]

Thnx Umarxe bro.....
For hunza-khunjerab-hunza, i m banking on the expectation that by mid of this year, road till khunjerab will be open.... if its not open till that time, then i m not going to khunjerab definitely.....
And yes skardu-naran is a bit tough----actually quite tough,,, but that can be reduced to skardu-chilas and chilas-naran...
Thanks for advice on naltar.... if i go this year, i ll InshaAllah keep that in mind.

[umarxe]

Thnx Umarxe bro.....
For hunza-khunjerab-hunza, i m banking on the expectation that by mid of this year, road till khunjerab will be open.... if its not open till that time, then i m not going to khunjerab definitely.....

Oh dear ohhh dearrrr... if you ask me, you must rush to catch up boat ride in Ata-abad lake before the road completes. This will be a very facinating experience in your whole tour. I want to witness Passu Cones again while being in boat in Ata-abad lake before the road completes. Mesmarising experience, believe me.

[mudasernaeem]

So, i am trying to finalize the intended itinerary. Two possible plans are as per following.

Plan A - Less travel and more stay

Day 1: Rawalpindi - Dassu
Day 2: Dassu - Karimabad, Hunza
Day 3: Hunza - Khunjerab - Hunza
Day 4: Hunza - Naltar - Gilgit
Day 5: Gilgit - Shangrilla - Skardu
Day 6: Skardu - Shigar - Satpara - Skardu
Day 7: Skardu - Chilas - Babusar - Naran
Day 8: Naran - Pindi

Plan B - Relatively hasty one

Day 1: Rawalpindi - Chilas(375km via Babusar,450via KKH)
Day 2: Chilas - Naltar - Karimabad, Hunza (300KM)
Day 3: Hunza - Khunjerab - Gilgit (400KM Include ferry(time 3-4hours))
Day 4: Gilgit - Shandur - Gilgit (By hiring jeep)(420 KM)
Day 5: Gilgit - Skardu - Shigar - Skardu(250km)
Day 6: Skardu - Satpara - Shangrilla - Jaglot/Chilas (300km)
Day 7: Jaglot/Chilas - Babusar - Naran (+ visit to Saif-ul-Muluk, if possible) (120km)
Day 8: Naran - Shogran - Pindi (275km)

Any suggestion from any friend would be valuable and really helpful to finalize my plan
thnx

Its mean u will Travel an avg of 300KM/Day wow (Wekh ly hun mery bhai tour krna hai ya safar?)
Note:All KM are not exact but with a few KM Difference.

[mudasernaeem]

Reserve Sakrdu for next attempt and Try Hunza side this year.