Northern Areas Travel Checklist for Pakistan: Road Status, Documents and Seasons

That is the short version. Below are the two roads north and where they close, the documents checkposts ask for, the vehicle checks, and why monsoon and winter are the risky seasons.

Check the advisory for your route on the day you travel

Mountain road status changes within hours. A blog post saying a route is clear is describing a moment that has already passed, so we do not print today's conditions here, and you should distrust any page that does.

What matters is the habit. Check the advisory for the highway you are taking on the morning you travel, and again before each leg if you are going deep. The Karakoram Highway, the Naran and Kaghan road and the Skardu road all behave differently on the same day.

The two roads north, and the points that close

There are two main ways into Gilgit-Baltistan, and they fail in different places.

Both routes meet near Chilas. So a block at Chilas can stop your journey whichever way you came. A block on the Naran side can often be bypassed by taking the KKH through Besham instead. Knowing which one is shut tells you whether you have an alternative.

These closures are routine. In the first week of August 2026, the KKH was reported closed at Gini after floods and landslides, and the Mansehra to Naran to Jalkhad road was reported closed at several points after a temporary bridge at Lushi was damaged. The KKH reopened within days. That is the normal rhythm of the monsoon.

Where to check road status, and what not to rely on

Use more than one source, because they update at different speeds.

NDMA's advisories page is not a live road feed. It posts weather advisories every few days or weeks. It is useful for rain, flood and snow warnings. It will not tell you whether the Babusar road is open this morning.

Monsoon and winter are the risky seasons

From July to September, monsoon rain loosens the slopes above roads cut into the mountains. It brings landslides and flash floods, and neither keeps a schedule. A friend's clear run last week means nothing about today. A slope that held through six weeks of rain can fail on the seventh.

From late autumn, the risk changes to snow, ice and short daylight. High passes can close for days, and black ice forms on shaded bends after sunset. If you are going in winter, pack for it: our winter packing list for Murree, Naran and Hunza covers clothing.

Two rules hold in every season. Do not drive these roads at night, because the warnings a mountain road gives, water across the surface, fresh debris, a broken shoulder, are visual. And build slack into the plan. A blocked road can hold you for hours or days, and the person who must be back at work on Monday makes the worst decisions on Sunday evening.

The documents checkposts ask for

Checkposts on northern routes are routine and usually quick, and much quicker when everyone in the car has what is asked for.

Do two checks at home rather than at a checkpost. Confirm the car's papers are in order, which the Punjab vehicle verification guide covers. And clear unpaid challans. Our guide to checking an e-challan in every province lists each official portal, Punjab drivers can check by CNIC or plate, and Karachi drivers can use the Karachi e-challan check. An unpaid challan is a bad thing to discover far from home.

Check the vehicle before you leave

Northern roads punish cars that are fine in the city. Long descents overheat brakes, altitude cuts engine power, and the surface changes from smooth highway to broken track.

1. Brakes and brake fluid.
2. Tyres, including the spare, and the tools to change it.
3. Coolant, and a look underneath for leaks.
4. A full tank in the larger towns. Do not gamble on the next stop having fuel. The daily petrol price page helps you budget a long drive.

A saloon car manages the main routes in good conditions. For a rough side road to a lake, the question is ground clearance, and the safer answer is usually to hire a local jeep with a local driver.

Your phone signal will go

Coverage thins and then stops. Download offline maps before you leave. Tell somebody your route and expected arrival, and agree when they should worry. Treat a power bank as equipment, not a convenience. If your connection fails for an ordinary reason, our fixes for a Jazz SIM and a Zong SIM cover the usual causes. Up in the valleys, though, there is often simply no signal.

Questions readers are asking

Where do I check road conditions for the northern areas?

Use the NHMP travel advisory page at nhmp.gov.pk and call the police helpline 15 on the morning you travel. Do not rely on NDMA's advisories page for road status, since it posts weather and flood warnings.

Which route should I take to Gilgit-Baltistan?

Either the Karakoram Highway through Besham and Chilas, or the Babusar route through Naran and Jalkhad. Both meet near Chilas. If the Naran side is blocked you can usually take the KKH instead, but a block at Chilas affects both.

Where does the Karakoram Highway usually close?

At nullah crossings around Chilas, most often at Gini, also written as Altashi Nullah. Closures there are common in the monsoon and are often cleared within a day or two.

When is the riskiest time to travel north?

July to September for landslides and flash floods, and winter for snow, ice and pass closures. Peak tourist season overlaps the monsoon, so the valleys are at their best when the roads are least predictable.

What documents do I need?

Original CNICs for every adult, a valid driving licence, the vehicle registration, and advance permission for any restricted area on your route. Carry cash as well.

Can I drive at night?

You can, and we would not. Debris, water across the road and broken shoulders are hazards you either see or hit, and darkness removes the seeing.

Do I need a four wheel drive?

Not for the main routes in good conditions. For rough side roads to lakes and high valleys, a local jeep and driver is usually safer and cheaper.

How we verified this

What we checked and where we read it.

Last checked 8 November 2026. Official pages we opened on that date: National Highways and Motorway Police, NHMP travel advisory and NDMA advisories.