Trip to Khunjerab Paas. Suggestions required

[umair.malik2]

Hi,

This is Umair, I just joined Pakwheels to discuss about my planned journey from Islamabad to Khunjerab. Pz help.

Actually the plan is to do the trip in November this year, I live in Karachi but my other friends live in Isb/Pindi so I'll join them in Isb, we're 4 friends, we'll have Honda Civic probably, trip duration may last upto 5 days or 7 days max. Plz answer few queries below.

Is it okay to travel in November?

What should be the approx budget and what precautions do I need to consider before leaving? Plz suggest any other Dos and Don'ts

What route should we follow? Going and exploring Naran Kaghan may or may not be the option, only if it falls in our route

Finally please inform does KKH (N35) and Naran-Jalkhad (N15) the same roads? Or these are 2 different roads, if we follow the KKH from Isb, will we skip Naran Kaghan and Babusar? Please suggest shorter route.

Thanks in advance. any expert traveler may share his contact number for advises.

[faiqzakai]

During November, Naran and Babusar will be closed due to snowfall... and only option left for you is KKH (N35).. you can opt the route as mentioned below:
ISlamabad - Hasan Abdal - Hazara Expressway - Havelian - Abbotabad - Mansehra - Besham - Dasu - Chillas - Raikot - Jaglot - KArimabad - Attabad - Gulmit - Passu - Sost - Khunjerab.

[vakaas]

Hi Umair,

First of all welcome to PAKWHEELS.

You can travel in November.

Budget would depend on the type of accommodation you settle for. As November will be an off season i presume that a trip for 7 days (ISB to ISB) should not cost more than 70 K max. As far as precautions go, always start early and reach your destination well before sun set. At least two reliable drivers, as these are long stretches.

Babusar Top would be closed in November so combining Naran Kaghan side in your itinerary would be a problem.

N35 & N15 are two different routes that branch out from Mansehra. Naran route is shorter and more beautiful but it will be closed.

Avoid using Civic if you can. Toyota is a better option on KKH.

Happy Travels.

[pwuser151057769328]

I dont advise travelling during November to northern areas because of extreme weather conditions. the last time to visit Khunjerab pass is September.

[farrukhzeeshan]

and why should one avoid using a civic?

[arsalaanali89]

Ground clearance although the route you'd b following doesn't really require so much ground clearance. I guess civic will do just fine

[vakaas]

It has less to do with ground clearance and more of a suspension issue. Honda's suspension is not build for rough terrain where as Toyota has built more endurance in this department.

[umair.malik2]

Thanks to all of you for your prompt responses and thank you vakaas for detailed answer. Majority of the things are cleared but I would like you people to please clarify few more things.

Its okay we can arrange Corolla car, I can understand your point about Honday civic.

Okay I got it N15 and N35 are different routes and if we need to go in November then we should follow N35 KKH as N15 will be closed but we are thinking to change the plan and visit in September so that we could explore Naran/Babusar as well, please confirm if September is Okay to visit Naran and N!5 road. Or just simply inform from when to when the babusar and khunjerab pass get closed?

Further I know we can't go anywhere in our car, we must hire Jeep for some locations, please inform what are those locations where only Jeep goes, also include Shogran as well.

Thanks again for wonderful advises.

[faiqzakai]

Okay I got it N15 and N35 are different routes and if we need to go in November then we should follow N35 KKH as N15 will be closed but we are thinking to change the plan and visit in September so that we could explore Naran/Babusar as well, please confirm if September is Okay to visit Naran and N!5 road. Or just simply inform from when to when the babusar and khunjerab pass get closed?

Further I know we can't go anywhere in our car, we must hire Jeep for some locations, please inform what are those locations where only Jeep goes, also include Shogran as well.

Umair,

Yes you can cross babusar pass during September, but the whether is so chilled and chances of snow fall will be high.... rest depends upon your luck.. Moreover, during September Khunjarab Pass is also accessible but also due to high altitude chances of snow fall will also be high there as well.

For hiring Jeeps, there are lot of points where jeep ride required, say, shogran, Siri Paye, Sharan Valley, Lake Saif-ul Malook, Fairy Meadows (if wanna plan to attempt, further hiking of 4-5 hours also included), NAltar Valley / Lakes, Rama Lake and so on.....

[vakaas]

There is no issue in crossing Babusar Top in September. Khunjerab Pass is accessible through out the year. You don't need to use Jeep if you are planning to move through N15 via Babusar Top up to Khunjerab Top. Cars go to Shogran as well so no need for Jeep there as well.

Following are Jeepable points along your route:

• Siri
• Paye
• Saif Ul Malook
• Sharan Valley
• Lalazar
• Fairy Meadows
• Naltar

Rama lake & Meadows are not in your route as they reside in a side valley named Astore.

[umair.malik2]

Thanks again guys for your responses.

Yeah fairy meadows and Rama are not part of our destination even Naltar is not part of our plan, Rama is part of skardu trip I know that.

Saif Ul Malook, Siri Paye (I guess its one destination but Vakaas has mentioned separately) Lalazar and Sharan valley are accessible through Jeeps I got it but never heard of Sharan valley where is this located?

[vakaas]

Sharan Valley is a side valley to Kaghan Valley. You have to leave N15 near Paras and join the Sharan Road. It is a jeepable track. Sharan Valley has various camping pods, forrest. There is a Youth Hostel as well in Sharan Valley.

Siri & Paye are two different locations and are 2.8 KMs apart. People tend to combine the two places due to close proximity of them.

Rama is not in Skardu. It is in Astore.

[shk_54]

If you are going in September then even Civic can do it because the road through Naran- Babusar is good till Khunjerab.. Never travelled thru Besham Dasu side but heard that there is a very bad portion of road somewhere near Dasu.. If your first priority is to visit Khunjerab then keep Siri Paye and Sharan optional for your return journey if you have enough days.. Best place to stay is Hunza valley.. Karimabad or Passu

[umair.malik2]

Thanks to all of you guys for your valuable advises. Thanks Faiq and Shk as well.

Looks like Sharan valley is my kind of place, peaceful and calm, will definitely visit there/

Our drviers are very expert, all 3 are good except me, they can make civic do the trip but we'll decide what to do.

We may have 4 to 5 more days and we can stretch our trip upto 12 days, wondering if we could visit Skardu as well. Do you guys have any idea about Skardu trip? How to get to Skardu & Deosai and what route should we follow. I've heard that road from Gilgit to Skardu (S1) is very dangerous. Is there any other route to Skardu? Somewhere I read about Naran-Astore road, please confirm this.

We are never worried about long journey, we don't feel tiredness as there are 3 drivers. Only thing we are concerned about is road and route.

[vakaas]

Gilgit Skardu road is under construction. Construction work stops on Friday. Traffic is stopped on many points due to on going construction work which makes the trip stretch to Approx 10 to 12 hours. Other than that the road is narrow too. But not that dangerous if you are driving carefully.

Other route you can follow is:

KKH -> Astore -> Chilum Chowki -> Deosai -> Skardu

This route is very scenic and is a life time experience. Added advantage of this route is visit to following areas:

• Rama Meadows
• Rama Lake
• Trishing
• Nanga Parbat Base Camp
• Deosai
• Burzil Pass
• Minimarg

All these places are jeepable except Nanga Parbat Base Camp where trekking is required.

Disadvantage of using this route is that you will have to leave your car at Astore and hire a Jeep to travel till Skardu.

Advantages of this route are very scenic landscape & much less travel time. (Around 4 to 5 hours from Astore to Skardu)

[umair.malik2]

To me narrow means dangerous, I'm very scared of heights and close cliffs, hope naran-astore road is not like that, bumpy road is okay just need to do good driving. I'll not go to fairy meadows as well bcz that road is narrow too.

Can we travel from astore to skardu by corolla or will it be a risk? I read a guy's travelogue on PW, he traveled on corolla from gilgit to skardu then skardu to astore via deosai without any problem. I'm concerned bcz I think we've to hire jeep for 4, 5 days till we back to astore on same jeep, this will enhance our budget.

[razor_salman1]

For crossing deosai , you will need a jeep. Dont ruin your car by taking it from astore fo skardu. Otherwise you have to use Skardu road from KKH.

[vakaas]

Using car to cross Deosai is not recommended. Skardu side pay utartay hoay agla bumper haath main a jaye ga.

[umair.malik2]

Got it. What about crossing deosai on Gli from Skardu side? I mean if we go through gilgit-skardu road to reach skardu and then skardu to astore on gli then is it the same problem that not to go by gli and only use jeep?

Will there be snow in Deosai in Sep? What is the first and last time to enjoy snow in Deosai?

[vakaas]

Road is very steep from Skardu side to Deosai. Very difficult to cross with out engaging 4x4. Entering Deosai from Astore side is much easier. It is an easy ride (a dirt track but no issue of ground clearance till Bara Pani) but once you near Skardu side the extreme incline of the road makes your front bumper touch the road and gets cracked in the process. I have seen 2 cars with broken bumpers.

Another issue from Astore side is a big Aabshar falling on the road before Chilum Chowki. That Aabshar is deep and even Jeeps get stuck there if 4x4 is not engaged. Trick to cross that Aabshar is to try in the wee hours of the morning as water level in Aabshars are at their lowest at that time.

All in all it is a risk taking your car to Deosai. Even then, if you are determined to try your luck then i suggest entering from Astore side as it will be comparatively easier but i don't recommend it.

There will be no snow in Sep. It will probably start snowing there by end of Oct or start of Nov. No locomotive can cross Deosai in snow season as the track gets blocked.