My experiences on the KKH have been as diverse and varied as my experiences
on the actual treks. I've been up the KKH with busloads of hyper students
(140 to be exact) from LUMS who even after 24 sleepless hours still had
the stamina to sing. I've doped myself out on sleeping pills to avoid the
lewd Pushtoon music that blares all night long completely out of synch with
the disco lights inside the bus. I've had my body mauled as I try to squeeze
my six foot six frame into a seat designed for a four foot two person for
seventeen hours. Then there was the time when I was hitching a ride and
I got picked up by a van full of tablighi mullahs who wanted to convert
me to what I suppose they considered was the proper Islam. Or the time when
Atif Paracha and I were given a ride on the roof of the jeep of a local
prince (Raja Bahadur Ali of Gulmit). And the time when I waited for hours
along the highway during a relentless downpour, mentally and physically
wasted after a harrowing descent from Rakaposhi Base Camp (Taghafari) during
a storm. A van sped by and when it didn't stop I hurled every abuse I could
think of. After a few moments, I saw it reversing and the driver came and
picked me up. I almost cried.
I've made lasting friendships on this road. Ilyas Khan and I first met at
a roadblock at Nomal while waiting for the debris to be cleared. We became
instant friends and I traveled with him down to Rawalpindi. The first year
I was at LUMS, I only really got to know my students after we had spent
a day in the bus together. The formal and stuffy relationship between student
and teacher gave way to camaraderie and a jovial and periodic 'sirrrrr,
are we going to die?' or 'sirrrrr, are we there yet?' or 'sir do you know
this song?' as we'd launch into the latest number from the Pakistani pop
music scene.
You get the picture. The stories could go on and on and maybe one day
I'll actually sit down and write my tribute to the KKH and all that it
has taught me. But the point I want to make here is this: The KKH isn't
your typical soulless highway linking the Northern Areas to the lower
reaches of the country. Rather, it's a rich tapestry of people, cultures,
languages and diverse mountain landscapes. People and languages change
every few hours amidst the continuously changing scenery. The KKH is the
only road I can think of where you could be in the middle of a searing
hot desert in the morning, drive by Nanga Parbat a few hours later, and
by late afternoon be in the lush green valleys of Hunza. The next day
you could be in China.
Short of flying (and good luck to you if you plan on flying to Gilgit--Getting
there and away and Skardu, Baltistan during the summer months), the KKH
is your only route to the Northern Areas. This is our resource guide to
this grand road that connects Rawalpindi to the Northern Areas.
This page deals with getting to Gilgit. For information on travelling
to Skardu, Baltistan in Baltistan check out the Baltistan resource page.
For Hunza and Gojal, please refer to the page on Hunza.
Leaving Rawalpindi
Bus Services: Rawalpindi to
There's no shortage of transport companies that run along this route.
The pick of the lot is Silk Route that operates comfortable, clean, air-conditioned
buses. Silk Route is at 051-5479375/5470900 (Rawalpindi) and 0572-55234
( Gilgit--Getting there and away ). Two buses leave daily from both Gilgit--Getting
there and away and Rawalpindi bringing you to your destination by early
morning the next day. The fare is about Rs. 400 one way. Tickets sell
out quickly, so book at least a few days in advance. The buses make a
stop every three to four hours. In ?Pindi, buses leave from the main bus
station, Pir Badain.
If Silk Route is sold out and you're in a rush or you're on a really tight
budget then there are other options. We used to rely on Sargin, but as
of last summer (2001) the service seems to have taken a nosedive. Yasir
Khokar and I took their bus to
Then there's the rest. The government operated Northern Areas Transport
Cooperation (NATCO) runs daily buses to
Regardless of which bus you take, there are a few things that you ought
to keep in mind. Keep bottled water with you and something to munch on
is also a good idea. The buses do stop for tea and meals but the stops
(with the exception of Silk Route) aren't fixed. Many times you may be
delayed for long hours because of roadblocks and these vehicles have a
nasty tendency to break down very often. Most of these buses will stop
at local bust/truck hotels so if your picky about what you eat, carry
food with you. Unfortunately you may not have a choice but to use the
washrooms available at these places.
If you get even the least bit carsick then keep motion sickness pills
with you. Remember the further back in the bus you sit the more susceptible
you will be to jolts along the way. Anything you stow in your baggage
goes onto the roof of the bus so forget about accessing it till you reach
your destination. Medication should be a carried on person. In the summer
months the KKH highway is pretty warm even at night so you do not need
to keep warm clothes on you.
Self Hire
: For those traveling in a big group, a private hire may be worth looking
into. A 22 seater Toyota Coaster charges about Rs. 6,500 up till
Hitch Hiking
Depending on how you define hitching a ride, hitch-hiking on the KKH is
a pretty easy, but also a pretty stupid thing to do. If you stand on the
highway and flag down vehicles, chances are that you'll get picked up
by a bus or a van in a relatively short amount of time. That's what makes
hitching easy. But it's also a pretty stupid thing to do ? you may as
well just go to the bus station and get on a bus to your destination ?
it's going to end up costing the same anyway and you'll probably save
time. The great thing about Pakistan is that local buses leave all the
time and not necessarily on a schedule. When a bus fills up, it leaves.
Simple.
Of course, there are often times when the nearest bus station may be a
few hundred miles away and hitching is your only option. This often happens
if you finish your trek at a remote location and have not prearranged
to be picked up by a vehicle. I've been in this situation many times and
on the whole, my experiences have been pretty positive. Most of the time,
one gets picked up by buses or vans that have an empty seat, space on
the roof or somewhere to hang off of on the sides. As a rule of thumb,
hitching a ride north of
The Route
The KKH is a single-lane highway that was constructed in the 1960s and
1970s by the Pakistanis and the Chinese. In theory the road is paved but
parts of it keep getting washed away by landslides so the going isn't
easy. The road passes through extremely barren terrain so don't expect
lush green valleys and alpine flowers along the way. If your idea of mountain
beauty is greenery then you're better off in Murree or it's yuppie counterpart,
Nathiagali.
Even under ideal conditions, the KKH is a hard road. A half dozen towns
are scattered along the highway; besides these the KKH is a mountain wilderness.
Limited services are available along the road. If the lines are not down,
you may be able to find a Public Call Office. Medical facilities are non-existent.
If you are driving yourself always check for the availability of petrol
and diesel ahead. In case of a car breakdown, you're in trouble. Accommodation
along the road is basic, as are eating-places.
Contrary to the impression that you may have gotten above, the KKH does
not really begin in Rawalpindi, but Mansehra. Rawalpindi to Mansehra is
a four to five hour drive, passing Taxila and Abbotabad. Unless you're
really into the Gandhara Buddhist civilization, Taxila is a dump. This
entire stretch of the highway is quite dull really. Rawalpindi to Taxila
gives the impression of being one continuous semi-urban, semi-rural sprawl,
which indeed it is. The scenery improves a little by the time you reach
Abbotabad, but not by much. After Abbotabad, the road becomes heavily
forested and winding.
The buses that depart from ?Pindi in the late afternoon usually make a
very quick stop for tea/prayer around Abbotabad, but prefer to continue
past Mansehra and onto Beshaam for a rather late dinner. If you leave
?Pindi at four expect to reach Beshaam anywhere between 10 and midnight
depending on how stoned your bus driver is and whether he hasn't slept
for 48 as opposed to 72 hours.
Beshaam is interesting. For the first time you get the impression that
you're finally getting somewhere. Beshaam is when the KKH meets the Indus
and in the daytime the first view of the river is remarkable. Just prior
to Beshaam is a spot that sees regular landslides (I spent a lifetime
here during one trip down to ?Pindi).
For a good view of the Indus head down to the PTDC Motel which is a few
kilometers before Beshaam when coming from ?Pindi. Like all PTDC Motels,
this establishment is secluded from the town proper. For people opting
to stay in Beshaam this would be a safe, albeit expensive, option. Otherwise
it's a good place to grab a cup of tea or breakfast. In May 2000, when
140 of us went trekking, we just showed up and demanded breakfast for
four busloads of people. The staff, though surprised, obliged. Our belated
thanks to them.
The other option is the Prince Hotel on the other side of the town. This
hotel is run by people from Hunza, and therefore seems out of place on
the fringes of Kohistan. This is a new establishment, with clean, reasonably
priced rooms, a hospitable management, and decent food. Prince Hotel has
become popular with many guides traveling with clients up or down the
KKH.
If you must break your journey, then it makes most sense to do so in Beshaam.
Not only is Beshaam approximately half way, but from here it is conceivable
to go straight to Hunza or Skardu, Baltistan without stopping in Gilgit--Getting
there and away if you leave early enough. This would not be possible from
?Pindi.
There are plenty of other places to stay in Beshaam should you want to
try them out. These are low-priced hotels in the middle of the town. I
once spent a sleepless night in the seedy Paris Hotel. Despite the name,
it didn't have much going for it but at least it was cheep (Rs. 150 for
three people). The middle of the town is also where you'll probably eat
if you travel by bus. No fancy fare here, you eat what is precooked. Later
at night only a restaurant or two and gun shops are open, should you decide
you need a weapon or ammunition in the middle of the night!
Beshaam is where the Kohistan region begins and continues pretty much
up to Gilgit--Getting there and away . Without exaggerating the danger
too much, it ought to be pointed out that this area isn't the friendliest
of places. While you probably will not come to any harm, this is not the
sort of place you want to go for a long stroll. People in Kohistan tend
to have abrupt and rough manners that have been conditioned by years of
tribal isolation. If you get unnerved by people starring at you, this
is not your town. Women travelers should be particularly careful by dressing
conservatively, and a conservative dress is strongly recommended for men
as well (for example, no shorts unless you enjoy being gawked at).
Remember that once you leave ?Pindi you are passing through traditional
societies and there is no reason to expect that your value systems of
dress or public behavior will be acceptable to local people.
From Beshaam to Dassu, the KKH hugs the West Side of the valley. You're
now traveling through some reasonably tall mountains with a sheer drop
to the Indus, at times a thousand feet below. There is a little bit of
greenery but the mountains get more barren as you head into Kohistan.
Once again, depending on your driver it can take you two to four hours
to get to Dassu. Dassu has even less charm than Beshaam and is considerably
smaller. There is a PTDC with a nice view of the Indus (spent a night
here many years ago), but Dassu isn't the sort of place you would want
to break your journey unless you really have to.
After Dassu you continue for another four hours along the winding road
to Chilas. You're now on the East Side of the valley. The road is as winding
as before, and all remnants of greenery disappear. Just before Chilas
the road drops down to the level of the river. This stretch along the
KKH gets ridiculously hot during the summer. Indeed driving past sand
dunes next to Indus is an odd, unforgettable experience. In good weather,
you can expect a brief glimpse of Nanga Parbat from here.
Chilas is a major stop for all buses traveling to and from Gilgit--Getting
there and away . Chances are you'll stop here for tea if not breakfast
or dinner. Chilas is the largest of the towns in Kohistan but despite
this food choices are limited to one or two restaurants. It doesn't make
too much sense to spend the night so close to Gilgit--Getting there and
away , but should the need arise, Chilas Inn and a more upscale hotel
are opposite one another on the KKH. Chilas is inhabited by every insect
species known to humanity and gets to be VERY hot by early in the morning.
Nights are considerably cooler and the one night I spent on the roof of
Chilas Inn was downright lovely.
People in Chilas are not known for their hospitality either so this is
not a town where you want to wander around too much. Stay within sight
of your vehicle and do not be tempted to stroll down to the Indus or scramble
up a hill.
Four hours ahead is Gilgit--Getting there and away . Two hours after Chilas
you'll pass the Raikot Bridge, the start of the jeep track for Fairy Meadows.
Another hour and you'll pass through the surprisingly green military cantonment
of Jaglot with stunning views of the Fairy Meadows . Another hour and
you're in Gilgit--Getting there and away .
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