The Karakoram Highway — often just called the KKH — connects Islamabad to the Chinese border at Khunjerab Pass, and forms the backbone of overland travel to Skardu, Gilgit and Hunza.
A brief history
Built jointly by Pakistan and China and completed in the late 1970s, the KKH is sometimes called the “Eighth Wonder of the World” for the sheer engineering challenge of cutting a road through some of the planet’s most extreme mountain terrain, connecting the Karakoram, Himalaya and Hindu Kush ranges.
Key sections relevant to a Skardu trip
- Islamabad to Chilas — the main KKH stretch, with your first major Nanga Parbat viewpoints
- Chilas to the Skardu turnoff — where the road toward Skardu branches off along the Indus gorge
- Continuing north toward Gilgit and Hunza — for travelers combining Skardu with Hunza in one trip
Safety considerations
The KKH is generally well-maintained on its main stretches, but landslides and rockfall are a genuine, recurring risk, particularly during monsoon season (July–August) and at snowmelt in spring. Road closures for clearance are periodically necessary and usually resolved within hours to a day or two.
Best time to travel it
May through September offers the most reliable conditions. Winter travel is possible on the lower sections but riskier due to snow and ice at higher elevations.
Is it worth experiencing?
Yes — genuinely. Even travelers who fly one direction often tell us they wish they’d driven at least one leg of the KKH, given how much of the region’s scenery is only visible from the road itself. See our Skardu by Motorcycle guide if you’re considering it on two wheels, or our Self-Drive in Skardu guide for 4×4 logistics.