Hello readers ..
I recently visited above mention places with my whole family and cousins on a Saloon coaster from Lahore from 2nd July 2017 to 9th July 2017 .. Our trip was 7 days long and we traveled from Lahore to karimabad(hunza) via Naran ..babusar top ..challas .. Gilgit .
Lahore to Naran road was very good and we reached naran with out any problem in 14hours ..we had stopovers on motorway / abbotabad/balakot .
Hotels were asking high room rents but we bargain as we were 25 persons and we took 5 rooms .. I will suggest here Hotel Hilton naran ..its New hotel and rooms was very good and owner was very cooperative.. He charged us 3000 for each room where others were charging 5000-6000 for small n smelly rooms in naran bazar .Hilton hotel u will find on by pass road of naran ..back side of naran bazar road .. Owner name is Mr Saleem
We stayed for night in naran and next morning we went to Lake Saif ul malook on jeeps ..road was very jumpy n rocky and it was fun ride till lake .on return we start our journey to Babusar top from naran by 2pm .. From naran to babusar there is very scenic and natural views and its like paradise .
Babusar top was cold and it was raining there and temp was low there with heavy clouds .
Then we left top and start drive to challas.. Be carefull on esteem slopes and sharp turns on this route ..
From challas to Raikot Bridge Road was very Rough and some land slidings as well there its about 35-40 kms patch .
From Raikot till hunza its KKH and its very good road for any kind of traffic .
2nd day we stayed in gilgit.
In gilgit hotels were nice and in affordable rates from 1500 to 4000.
3rd morning we went to Hunza/Nagar/Karimabad.
We stayed in karimabad for a night in 3000 each room . they will ask 4-5k but do bargain .
4th morning we wanted to go khanjrab pass but due to aunties n kids with us we had to drop the idea 
and we came back to gilgit for night stay and shopping in NLI market .
5th morning we start our journey back from gilgit and in midway we decided to turn towards Astor valley and to see deosai plains ... But as we left KKH and start drive on astor road but this is most dangerous road we met till we start journey.
Unfortunately we had to turn back from a police post on 15kms journey on Astor road as there was a land slide and our coaster can't go ahead and police warned us that it might get hours to clear road and as we were with family we decided to turn back to challas to reach Islamabad .
On our return we took challas - Dash road instead off babusar naran road .. As it was closed due to security reasons by evening daily.
Here we had a Nightmare as challas till Dasu road was very rough .. Dangerous and there were incidents going on to loot big buses n coasters in night hours .. It was very un comfortable journey till Dasu .. As GB police was not willing to pass our coaster from Bhasha dam sight for same security reasons .. After an hour Argue they got a permission from SP with the condition that we will not stop or turn On lights of coaster inside and will report each post that we r safe n sound . they filmed and gave a wireless call to all mobiles in the area to look after us .. I really Appreciate here the cooperation and efforts made by GB police for our safety .. On every 10km one mobile was there n they were asking us that we r going well.
This nightmare over by 4am on Dasu bridge . and we reached basham and stop there for Tea break ..
Then we did breakfast in shangla .. And reached Mansehra early morning safe n sound .. From Dasu till mansehra road was again very good as its part of Cpec route n many projects going on here .
From mansehra we reached Islamabad in afternoon and stayed there for a night . and then next day we reached Lahore .
My recommendation :
Don't go or take challas to dash road .. Only use babusar pass route to and from Naran .
Don't go to Astor with family n kids .. Cars can reach but still SUVs or jeeps r good for this rough road
From KKH to Sakardu road condition is very bad as well so not ideal for family drive .
Its our recent experience so plan your trip accordingly .
Thanks .. Ali Zohaib (Lahore)
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