Sublime Northern
Karakoram Highway landscape

Gilgit

Karakoram Highway

Also known as KKH, Karakoram Highway (KKH), China-Pakistan Friendship Highway

Getting there · ~12 hrs from IslamabadView map
LandmarksGilgit
From Islamabad~12 hrs
From Lahore~17 hrs
Elevation1500 m
VisitMulti-day
Best monthsApr, May, Sep, Oct

Access

Getting there

450 km

Distance

~12 hrs

Drive

Last mile

The highway is the approach - branch jeep tracks start from towns along the route.

Road Open most of the year with seasonal closures at high passes and after major slips; always confirm current status.

How people go

  • Private car

    Confirm fare locally

    ~12 hrs

    Road approach from Islamabad toward Gilgit; confirm seasonal closures and access rules.

  • Shared van

    Confirm fare locally

    Shared transport common on main corridors toward Gilgit in season.

Last verified: 9 Aug 2026

When to go

Month-by-month access and crowding.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
  • Ideal
  • Crowded
  • Risky
  • Closed
  • Unknown

The Karakoram Highway is the overland spine of northern Pakistan - Islamabad to Khunjerab through gorges, valleys, and high desert.

On the ground

What to expect

  • Facilities

    Basic

  • Permit

    Not required

  • Entry fee

    Confirm locally

Facilities Services cluster in towns; long empty stretches between hubs.

The story

Treat the KKH as a multi-day corridor, not a single pin. Plan fuel, landslide delays, and overnight towns (Besham, Chilas, Gilgit, Hunza) rather than racing the full length. Side valleys peel off the highway; use destination pages for those, and this page for the road journey itself.

On the map

Karakoram Highway

36.00000, 74.50000 · Open in OpenStreetMap

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