Hunza or Skardu: which to visit, and how the roads, flights and seasons compare

Choose Skardu if you want to fly: it is the only airport in northern Pakistan that can handle large aircraft, and in March 2026 flights from Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi were running. Choose Hunza for a road trip: it sits on the Karakoram Highway (KKH), with Baltit and Altit forts, Attabad Lake and Khunjerab Pass on the China border. If Deosai is the reason for your trip, it is open to tourists only from June to November.

Both are in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), and both lost roads to floods in summer 2026. Check the road and the weather before you set off, whichever you pick.

Hunza or Skardu: which is best for your trip?

Sources: GB Tourism Department, Dawn, The Express Tribune and Arab News Pakistan, dated in the sections below.

Which is more beautiful, Hunza or Skardu?

We don’t rank scenery. What we can tell you is what each district offers, from the GB Tourism Department’s own lists.

Hunza covers 11,695 sq km and was once a princely state. Its two old forts have been restored and are now museums: Baltit Fort in Karimabad (restored in 1996, UNESCO Asia-Pacific award in 2004) and Altit Fort (restored in 2010, UNESCO award in 2011), according to the Aga Khan Development Network. Attabad Lake offers boating, jet skiing and fishing.

Skardu sits where the Indus and Shyok rivers meet, and it is the starting point for climbers heading to K2 and the Gasherbrums. It is also the way into Deosai, an alpine plain averaging 4,114 m that spans Skardu and Astore districts.

Deosai became a national park in 1993 to protect the Himalayan brown bear, and the GB Tourism Department cites a stable population of 72 bears. Sheosar Lake on the plateau lies at 4,250 m.

Which is easier to reach from Islamabad?

Skardu, if you fly. Skardu is the only airport in northern Pakistan that can handle large aircraft; the runways at Gilgit and Chitral are too short for long-haul flights. On 29 March 2026, Dawn reported that flights from Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi to Skardu were running smoothly.

By road, we found no official distance or drive time from Islamabad to either Hunza or Skardu. Figures on travel blogs vary widely, so we have left them out. The one sourced leg is the upgraded Jaglot to Skardu road: 167 km, about four hours by bus (Arab News Pakistan, January 2022).

You have two road routes north, and the choice matters:

• Babusar Pass (about 13,700 ft) links Naran in Kaghan valley with Chilas. In May 2025, Dawn reported the Diamer to Mansehra trip took about 7 hours via Babusar against 14 hours via the KKH. It is usually closed by snow from roughly November to late May or June.
• The KKH is the other route, but the UK FCDO advises its citizens against all travel on the stretch between Mansehra and Chilas (see the safety section below).

In 2026, Babusar reopened to tourists on 25 May, and on 31 May the district administration urged travellers to avoid non-essential trips because of persistent snow, with some sections one-way. Authorities advised travelling in daylight, checking the weather first and using a mechanically fit vehicle. They described travel after 6pm as especially risky.

Can you fly to Skardu?

Yes. Skardu was declared an international airport in December 2021. On 15 August 2023, PIA flight PK234 from Dubai became the first international flight to land there, carrying 79 people. At the time, the Civil Aviation Authority said international flights would run under Visual Flight Rules only, which apply in clear weather without cloud or rain.

We couldn’t confirm PIA’s 2026 schedules or fares to Skardu or Gilgit: PIA’s website blocked our checks, and fares on booking sites weren’t dated reliably. We also couldn’t confirm whether a direct Dubai to Skardu flight runs in 2026. Check with the airline before you plan around a flight.

Is Hunza safe to travel right now?

2026 has brought disruption from both unrest and weather. Here is what we found, with dates, so you can judge for yourself.

Unrest in March 2026. On 1 March 2026 the internet was suspended and flights to and from Skardu were halted, after violent protests in Skardu and Gilgit that followed the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader. A curfew in Skardu was lifted after 11 days, and mobile, internet and flights were due to resume on 12 March. Section 144, a ban on processions, gatherings and rallies, was still in force in Skardu district on 12 March.

Foreign advisories. After the March unrest, a tour operator quoted by Dawn on 29 March 2026 said many countries, including the UK, had advised their citizens not to visit Gilgit-Baltistan. The same report said the KKH was in good condition. As of 15 October 2026, the UK’s advice page does not name Gilgit-Baltistan.

Floods and landslides in 2026. GB’s Disaster Management Authority recorded 120 floods from cloudbursts and glacier melt between June and August 2026. The ones that hit these routes:

• 25 July: the Jaglot to Skardu road was blocked, and the Baltistan Highway had been closed for a third day after a bridge was washed away. Hundreds of tourists were stranded in Astore and Skardu, with food and petrol shortages reported in Skardu. The Astore to Skardu road via Deosai stayed open.
• 4 August: the KKH was closed near Altashi Nullah in the Gini area of Chilas. Flash floods also blocked the KKH near Gulmit in Upper Hunza for a time.
• 5 September: landslides closed the KKH between Sost and Khunjerab Top, with no reopening time given. The Murtazaabad to Hassanabad section in Hunza reopened, and tourists were advised to avoid unnecessary travel.

If you need help in GB, the emergency number is 1122, and the Tourist Police are on 1422 or 05811-930055 (as listed by the GB Tourism Department in July 2025).

What is the best time to visit Hunza and Skardu?

The GB tourism season usually starts in May. Blossom-season visitors peak in late April, and the climbing and trekking season runs from June to mid-August, according to Dawn.

Each part of the year has a catch:

Sources disagree on how long Deosai stays open: Dawn says June to November, while the GB Tourism Department says only “summer”. We follow Dawn, but treat late autumn as uncertain. We found no official climate averages for Hunza or Skardu.

What is the distance between Skardu and Hunza?

We couldn’t find an official road distance or drive time between Skardu and Hunza. If you are planning a Skardu and Hunza trip in one go, ask a local transport operator for the current route and time, and check that both roads are open.

When is Khunjerab Pass open?

Khunjerab Pass, at about 15,500 ft, links Gilgit-Baltistan with China’s Xinjiang region. Dawn calls it the highest paved international border crossing in the world. Under a 1985 agreement it was open only from 1 April to 30 November.

In December 2024 China agreed to keep the Khunjerab to Sost crossing open all year, and year-round trade and travel was formally inaugurated on 22 April 2025. It still closes at times: trade and travel stopped from 1 to 5 October 2026 for China’s National Day, and landslides closed the road to Khunjerab Top on 5 September 2026. Check before you drive up.

Do foreigners need an NOC for Hunza or Skardu?

No, not for general travel. In March 2019 the Interior Ministry ended the no-objection certificate (NOC) requirement for foreigners, and Gilgit-Baltistan became non-restricted.

Some strips are still restricted: 10 miles along the Pakistan to China border, 5 miles along the Line of Control in GB and AJK, and 10 miles along the Line of Actual Contact at Siachen. Foreign climbers and trekkers apply for permits: the GB tourism department had received over 1,000 foreign applications by March 2026, against 850 by March 2025.

More guides: travel insurance for Pakistanis, sending money to Pakistan, using Wise in Pakistan, all Where to Go guides.