Running daily · shared and private
Gilgit to Skardu by road.
The road leaves the Karakoram Highway at Jaglot and follows the Indus east into Baltistan. It has been rebuilt over the last few years and is now paved the whole way, which has taken the drive from a punishing nine hours down to about six. It is still a mountain road with a river on one side, so the departure time matters more than the vehicle.
- Distance
- 210 km
- Drive time
- 6h 00m
- Shared seat
- PKR 3,200
- Private from
- PKR 15,000
- Surface
- Paved, widened, some narrow sections past Jaglot
- Vehicle
- Car is fine. Van for groups.
- Departure advice
- Leave Gilgit before 06:00
Fares
What it costs, agreed up front.
One fare, agreed before you accept the booking. No meter, no surge.
What we know
Driving it, not describing it.
Leave before six. The Indus section is slow, and you want daylight for the narrow stretches between Jaglot and Sassi where the road is cut into rock. An afternoon departure means arriving in the dark, which we will do if you ask, but we will tell you first that we would rather not.
There is one genuine lunch stop, at Sassi or Tolti depending on how the day is running. Everything else is a tea stall. Carry water and something to eat if you are travelling with children.
Landslides after heavy rain are the one thing nobody can schedule around. If the road closes, it is usually cleared within a day. Our captains call ahead before committing to a departure, and if the road is shut we will tell you rather than start the drive and stop halfway.
Where you stop
The drive, hour by hour.
Roads, honestly
When this road is worth driving.
Questions
Asked often enough to answer here.
How long does Gilgit to Skardu take?
About six hours in a car on a normal day, including one tea stop. Allow seven if you are travelling with a family or want to stop at Kachura lakes.
What is the fare from Gilgit to Skardu?
A shared seat is PKR 3,200 per person. A private car for the whole vehicle is from PKR 15,000 one way, a van from PKR 22,000.
Is the Gilgit to Skardu road dangerous?
It is a mountain road, not a dangerous one. It is paved the whole way and has been widened. The risks are night driving, rain-triggered landslides, and drivers who do not know the narrow sections, which is why we only put captains on this route who have run it before.
Can I do Gilgit to Skardu in one day and come back?
You can, but you would spend twelve hours in a vehicle to see nothing. If Skardu is your destination, stay a night. If you only have a day, Hunza is the better trip out of Gilgit.
Is there a bus from Gilgit to Skardu?
There are shared vans that leave when full. Our shared seat is the same idea with a verified captain, an inspected vehicle and a fixed fare agreed before you get in.
Read before you go
Other routes