Northern areas trip checklist: what to sort out before you go

Cash, fuel, phone signal, car checks, documents, weather and packing — the practical checklist for a road trip to Hunza, Skardu, Naran or Swat.

Updated

Most problems on a trip north are predictable: an empty ATM, no signal, a car that overheats on a climb, or a road closed by a landslide. A little preparation avoids nearly all of them.

Money

  • Carry enough cash for the whole trip. ATMs exist in the main towns but can run out on busy weekends, and many guesthouses, jeeps and dhabas only take cash.
  • Keep small notes for tolls, parking, tea stops and tips.
  • Budget for the unexpected — an extra night or a jeep you did not plan on. The calculator adds a 10% buffer for exactly this.

The car

  • Get brakes, tyres (including the spare), coolant and oil checked before you leave.
  • Fill up whenever you can in the mountains; fuel stations get far apart beyond the main towns.
  • Use low gears on long descents rather than riding the brakes.
  • Do not take a sedan onto jeep tracks such as Fairy Meadows or Deosai — hire a local jeep.
  • Do not plan to drive after dark on mountain roads.

Phone and navigation

  • Coverage is patchy in the mountains, and in parts of Gilgit-Baltistan and upper Neelum only SCOM or one or two networks work.
  • Download offline maps before you set off.
  • Tell someone at home your route and roughly where you will sleep each night.

Documents

  • Carry your CNIC — there are checkposts on the main routes.
  • If you are driving, carry your licence and the car's registration papers.
  • Foreign nationals have extra registration rules in some areas; check the current requirements before travelling.
  • Neelum Valley runs near the Line of Control. Check the current advisory before you go.

Weather and roads

  • Check the weather and road status the day before each long drive. Monsoon rain from July to August brings landslides on the Karakoram Highway and in Kaghan.
  • Keep one spare day in the plan for closures.
  • Avoid Eid and long weekends if you can — the roads into Naran and Hunza jam for hours.

Packing

  • Layers, even in summer. Nights at altitude are cold, and places like Deosai and Babusar Top are cold even in August.
  • Sunscreen and sunglasses — the sun is strong at altitude.
  • A basic first-aid kit, any regular medicines, and something for motion sickness on the winding roads.
  • A power bank; power cuts happen in the valleys.

Going above 3,500 metres — Khunjerab, Deosai, Babusar Top — can cause headaches and breathlessness. Go up gradually where you can, drink water, and come down if symptoms get worse.

Work out your trip budget