Category: Seasons & Roads

What each area is like month by month, and road and weather conditions.

Hunza in 2017 vs 2026: What Changed in Prices, Roads and Crowds

Visited: 2017 and 2021 · 2026 details: from my brother’s trip · Last checked: October 2026

I have been to Hunza twice: in 2017 and in 2021. I did not go in 2026, but my brother did, and he told me about the prices, the roads and the crowds. This post compares what I saw on my trips with what he found in 2026.

If you are planning a trip this year, this is what I would want to know before going. All prices are approximate and in PKR. Where a detail comes from my brother’s 2026 trip, I say so.

Hunza at a glance: then and now

What	Then	Now (2026)
Budget room, per night	About PKR 4,000 (2017)	About PKR 8,000 for friends travelling without family, up to about PKR 45,000
One restaurant meal, per person	I did not note it	About PKR 1,000, with a full meal and tea
Road from Naran towards Babusar	Very rough (around 2020)	Fully developed and clean
Crowds	Quieter	Busier every summer, very crowded in June, July and August
Access and things to see	Fewer attractions, harder access	Easy access, many attractions, easy for families
Places to stay	Fewer options	Many more hotels, plus Airbnb options in Karimabad

The 2026 hotel, food and crowd details come from my brother’s trip.

What changed between 2017 and 2021

My second trip, in 2021, felt different from the first. There were more hotels and more places to stay, and the roads were the biggest change.

More hotels and accommodation options. There was much more to choose from than in 2017.
Better roads. I took the Babusar route in 2021, and the road was fully developed and clean. I did not notice any patches.

The next big changes came between 2021 and 2026: much higher hotel prices and much bigger summer crowds, according to my brother.

Getting there: about 650 km from Islamabad

It is about 650 km one way from Islamabad to Hunza, or to the Khunjerab Pass. That is a long drive, so plan your days around it.

Travelling in your own vehicle still costs less than hired transport, and it gives you freedom. You can stop where you like, and you can stay a night on the way if you want, because you are not bound to a transport company’s schedule.

What a 7-day group trip cost me in 2021

In 2021 I went with friends in a rented Toyota Hiace with a driver. We were a group of 10 and the trip lasted 7 days, covering Hunza and Fairy Meadows.

Counting everything (the vehicle rental, fuel, meals and everything else we spent), the total came to about PKR 24,000 per person. For the whole group, that was roughly PKR 240,000.

Sharing one vehicle and its fuel between 10 people keeps the cost per person low. Hotel prices have gone up a lot since then, so expect a higher total today.

The roads: much better than before

Around 2020, the road from Naran towards Babusar was very rough. When I took the Babusar route in 2021, it was fully developed and clean, with no patches, and it is still fully developed today. The drive is far more comfortable than it used to be.

You may still see construction in the Gilgit part, where the Diamer-Bhasha Dam is being built.

Where to stay: from about PKR 8,000 to PKR 45,000 a night

In 2017, a budget room in Hunza cost me around PKR 4,000 a night. My brother says the range in 2026 is much wider. There has been a lot of hotel development, so you can pick a hotel by your budget and the standard you want, and prices now go up to about PKR 45,000 a night.

If you are travelling with friends and not with family, you can still find a hotel for around PKR 8,000 a night. If you are travelling with family, you will probably want a higher standard, which costs more.

I do not remember hotel names from my own trips. I just visit a few hotels and choose the one with better amenities or a better rate, so I cannot recommend a specific name. What I can tell you is where to look: there are some good Airbnb options in Karimabad, and if you are heading to Khunjerab Pass you can stay around the Sost border area before it.

Food: about PKR 1,000 per person per meal

My brother says a normal restaurant meal in 2026 costs about PKR 1,000 per person. That includes a full meal and tea, and it is more than enough for one person. If you eat three meals a day, plan for about PKR 3,000 per person per day on food.

Crowds: busier every summer

From what I saw in 2017 and 2021, and from what my brother saw in 2026, Hunza gets busier every year. People travel mostly between April and September. Many are now bored of the older tourist spots like Naran and Shogran, so they head further north to Hunza instead.

April and May: no rush. This is the best time if you like it quiet.
June, July and August: too crowded. This is the biggest change for the worse.

The surprise: the route closes by mid-October

Babusar Top closes every year after 15 October, so by mid-October you cannot travel to Hunza via Babusar or Chilas. Snowfall covers the roads fully, and you have to go through Besham instead.

My brother found the road on the Besham side still in bad condition, and the weather around Besham, Chilas and Jaglot dry and hot. If you are travelling in autumn, check the road situation before you leave.

Babusar Top usually reopens around the start or the end of May, depending on the weather. In May 2026 it was still closed by snow when I drove up from Naran, so check before you go.

What got better, and what got worse

Better:

The road from Naran towards Babusar is fully developed.
Access is easy and there are many more attractions.
Families can travel easily and find good spots.
April and May are calm.

Worse:

Hotel prices are much higher than in 2017.
June, July and August are very crowded.
The Besham route is still in bad condition when Babusar closes.

What not to miss

If you only have time for a few things, these are the ones I would not skip:

The Karakoram Highway: the drive itself is part of the trip.
Attabad Lake
Hussaini Bridge
Eagle’s Nest: go at dawn or dusk.

Khunjerab Pass: read this before you go

I went to the Khunjerab border on my first visit to Hunza in 2017. The oxygen level at Khunjerab Pass is low, and you can only stay there for about 10 to 15 minutes at most.

If you have asthma, do not go there. The change in air pressure can also give you a headache, so keep paracetamol with you.

I am not a doctor. If you have any medical condition, talk to your doctor before you plan this part of the trip.

How I would plan Hunza in 2026

Pick your month. April or May for quiet. June to August only if you do not mind the crowds. Do not leave it until mid-October.
Choose your vehicle. Your own vehicle costs less and lets you stop when you want.
Set a hotel budget. Around PKR 8,000 a night for friends travelling together, and more if you want a higher standard or are travelling with family.
Budget for food. About PKR 1,000 per person per meal.
Check the route. Know whether Babusar is open before you leave.
Prepare for Khunjerab. Keep paracetamol with you, plan for only 10 to 15 minutes at the top, and skip it if you have asthma.

Is Hunza worth visiting in 2026?

Yes. If you have not been to Hunza, you should go once in your life. There is more than Murree and Naran ahead. Enjoy the Karakoram Highway, Attabad Lake and Hussaini Bridge, and make time for Eagle’s Nest at dawn or dusk.

These figures are approximate. They are based on my trips to Hunza in 2017 and 2021, and on my brother’s 2026 trip. Prices and road conditions change, so please check before you travel and read my disclaimer. If you went recently and something is different, tell me on the contact page.

October 21, 2026

Shogran, Naran and Babusar Top in May 2026: Road, Hotels, Food and Costs

Visited: May 2026 · Also: Shogran for the past 4 years, Babusar Top in 2021, Batakundi and Lulusar in 2021, 2024 and 2025 · Last checked: October 2026

In May 2026 I spent 7 nights in Shogran and Naran with my wife, in our own car, a Toyota Vitz, and drove towards Babusar Top. I have been visiting Shogran for the past four years, and I drove over Babusar in 2021, so I know this route well. This post covers the roads, the hotels, the food, what I spent, and when Babusar Top opens and closes.

Disclosure: I paid for all my stays. At Luxus Naran I asked for a discount and told them I would review the hotel, so I paid PKR 14,000 a night instead of the usual PKR 17,500. The other hotels in this post gave me no discount.

What the May 2026 trip cost me

We were two people, we travelled for 7 nights, and we started from Faisalabad. I spent about PKR 35,000 on fuel, at peak fuel prices. Everything together, including hotels, food and shopping, came to about PKR 150,000.

Hotel rates were lower than usual because the season was just starting, and a new Luxus hotel had just opened in Naran. Expect to pay more in the peak months.

The road: then and now

When I saw it around 2020, the road to Naran was still under development. Today it is very smooth. It is clean, and it is a proper highway for travel.

In May 2026 everything was super smooth, but the road had not been properly cleared because of snow. My Toyota Vitz, a small Japanese car, handled the drive smoothly and did not struggle anywhere.

Shogran: you can drive up now

I have visited Shogran for the past four years. My 2026 visit was in May, because I went with my wife. Otherwise, October is likely the best month to go, with cosy weather, especially if you are with friends.

The road from Kiwai to Shogran has been developed for the past two years, so you can take your own car now. You do not need a jeep to reach Shogran.

For Siri Paye, I always stay at Shogran and take a jeep from there the next morning. Some people used to park at Kiwai and take a jeep from there. I have never done that, and I do not think many people park there anymore, as of 2026.

Where I stayed in May 2026, and what it cost

Hotel	Place	Per night (May 2026)	What I noticed
Spruce	Shogran	PKR 27,000 (deluxe room)	Modern rooms. Each room has its own attached balcony.
Cedarwood	Shogran	PKR 24,500	Older furniture and interior. No separate attached balcony.
Luxus	Naran	PKR 14,000 (usual PKR 17,500)	My favourite place to stay.

Spruce had the more modern rooms, and each room had its own balcony. Cedarwood felt older, with old furniture and no separate balcony. Luxus Naran is my favourite place to stay.

If I had to choose one place to sleep in Shogran, I would choose Spruce.

Where to eat in Shogran and Naran

Shogran: Spruce has its own kitchen, but for dinner I prefer to go to Cedarwood. Its restaurant has breathtaking views. If you are not staying there, they charge PKR 1,000 per person extra to visit. A proper meal with tea for two people costs about PKR 6,000 to 8,000. It is expensive, but worth it. You can also just go in the evening for tea.

Naran: for desi food, Moon Restaurant and New Punjab Hotel are good choices. A proper meal for two people, including tea, costs about PKR 4,000.

Naran and Saif-ul-Malook

Naran in May was peaceful. It was empty, hotels were available, and the weather was calm, with no crowd.

I have been to Saif-ul-Malook only once in my life, and I do not like this lake, because it is easy for everyone to get to. If you want to go, a jeep with a driver costs about PKR 5,000 today.

Batakundi and Lulusar Lake: where to stop

Batakundi: there is no special sight to stop for, and I never stay there. The hotels in Batakundi do not have proper electricity: you get a single bulb at night and low voltage. I would not book a room there, because you will not find peace at that place. It is only somewhere to take a break on the way.

The Adventurers Resort & Restaurant: in Burawai, right after Batakundi on the way to Lulusar Lake, you can stop for coffee or tea. It is new, and most people who have not travelled beyond Naran since 2023 do not know about it. It is expensive. I had coffee and fries, and I have stopped there many times. I would not book a room there, because there is nothing around it and it looks scary at night. You can check their menu on their Google Maps listing.

Lulusar Lake: there is a restaurant with a lake view, and toilets are available. It serves breakfast and lunch, and I am not sure whether it opens at night. For breakfast you can get eggs in different styles with paratha or roti. For lunch or dinner you can get chicken karahi, daal varieties and sabzi, served with roti. From Lulusar it takes about 45 minutes to an hour to reach Babusar Top.

Babusar Top in May: still closed

I knew Babusar Top was closed before I left. I still wanted to enjoy the long drive, so I drove from Naran towards Babusar. The road was not fully open because of snow, and I could not reach the top.

Only the drive to Babusar Top is mesmerizing for me, not the top itself. Next time, whether I go will depend on my mood.

It is about 70 km from Naran to Babusar Top, and it takes 2 to 3 hours.

What Babusar Top is like (my 2021 visit)

You can easily stay for half an hour. There are views of valleys and mountains far away, and there is not much else to do. Have a cup of tea or coffee, eat some pakoras, and enjoy the view.

When does Babusar Top open and close?

Closes: every year, after 15 October.
Opens: around the start or the end of May, depending on the weather.

In May 2026 it was still closed, so do not count on the first days of May.

I check the road status on social media before I leave. TikTok is the best for these updates, and I prefer watching Zunair Kamboh’s updates.

How we went in 2021: Faisalabad to Chilas

In 2021 my group went from Faisalabad to Islamabad, then took the Hazara Motorway to Mansehra, then Mansehra to Naran, Naran to Babusar, Babusar to Chilas, and from Chilas on to Fairy Meadows.

We drove from Faisalabad to Chilas in about 23 hours of driving, in a rented Hiace. I do not recommend doing that in one go.

Fuel, signal and what to pack

Petrol stations on the way: Bhera rest area, Chakri, Islamabad, Mansehra interchange and Balakot city. Naran also has fuel stations. Gilgit has them too, on the Karakoram Highway.

Mobile signal: there is no network at Batakundi and beyond, until you reach Chilas or Jaglot. In Hunza, SCOM was the only SIM that worked on my trips in 2017 and 2021. You can recharge it with Nayapay or at local mobile shops. Coverage changes, so check before you go.

What to pack: a jacket is a must if you travel between October and May.

Is this drive worth it?

Yes. The road is now smooth and comfortable, and you can drive to Shogran in your own car. Naran was quiet in May, and the drive from Naran towards Babusar Top is the best part. The top itself is only for tea, pakoras and a view, so check the road status before you leave, because Babusar Top was still closed by snow in May 2026.

These figures are approximate and based on my May 2026 trip, my visits to Shogran over the past four years, and my 2021 trip over Babusar. Prices and road conditions change, so please check before you travel and read my disclaimer. If you went recently and something is different, tell me on the contact page.

October 20, 2026

Shogran Travel Guide: Road, Siri and Paye, Hotels and Food (After 4 Visits)

Visited: first week of October in 2023, 2024 and 2025, and May 2026 · Last checked: October 2026

I have been to Shogran four times: in the first week of October in 2023, 2024 and 2025, and in May 2026 with my wife. Shogran is a very small place, and it has changed a lot in these years. The road is developed, the hotels are better, and prices have roughly doubled.

This guide covers how to get there, where to stay and eat, how I do Siri and Paye, the best month to go, and what to carry.

Shogran at a glance

Shogran quick facts	Details
Best month	October. It has the best weather and fewer people.
Time from Islamabad	About 6 hours
Road from Kiwai to Shogran	Fully developed. No jeep needed.
Jeep from Shogran to Siri and Paye	About PKR 6,000
Local hotel, per night	PKR 5,000 to 8,000, depending on location and room type
Spruce (deluxe room) or Cedarwood, per night	PKR 27,000 at Spruce and PKR 24,500 at Cedarwood (May 2026)
Dinner for two at Cedarwood, with tea	About PKR 6,000 to 8,000
Mobile signal	None at Siri and Paye. Full 4G at Shogran.
ATMs or banks in Shogran	None. Carry cash.

What changed since my first visit

The road. The road from Kiwai to Shogran has been developed for the past two years. You can take your own car now, and you do not need a jeep.
The hotels. The hotels are better now. New hotels are still being built, because it is easy to reach Shogran in your own vehicle.
The prices. Prices are about double what they were. For example, friends who stayed in Shogran in 2022 told me a room cost about PKR 4,000. The same kind of room now costs about PKR 8,000.

Getting there

From Islamabad to Shogran it takes about 6 hours. The road from Kiwai to Shogran is fully developed, so you can drive all the way up in your own car.

I have never parked a car at Kiwai, so I do not know what it costs. I do not think many people park there anymore, as of 2026.

Siri and Paye: how I do it

I always stay at Shogran to rest. The next morning I take a jeep from Shogran to Siri and Paye. It costs about PKR 6,000, and I spend the whole day there.

If you can, hike to Makra Peak as well. It is the top at that point. It takes about an hour to reach Makra Peak from Paye Meadow.

The hike is a long walk, and honestly it is a little difficult. But the view from the top is worth it.

I do not stay at Kiwai for food or a meal. The only reason to do that is if some condition stops you from reaching Shogran.

What the day looks like. You can have breakfast at any of the spots there. You can easily get paratha, egg, daal and roti.

The rest of the day is for the mountain views and the walks in the valleys, which are breathtaking. Enjoy the walk, and enjoy your own company, or your friends and family.

There is no cellular service at Siri and Paye, so you will have no screen time. Come back before sunset. The jeep track is muddy, and your full 4G coverage comes back once you reach Shogran.

Where to stay in Shogran

Spruce. This is the one I recommend. It has more modern rooms, and each room has its own attached balcony. A deluxe room cost PKR 27,000 a night in May 2026, early in the season.

Cedarwood. It cost PKR 24,500 a night. It feels older, with old furniture and no separate balcony. I go there for dinner instead (see below).

Cheaper local hotels. There are cheaper options for people who do not want luxury. These local hotels have rooms for about PKR 5,000 to 8,000 a night, depending on their location and the type of room. You can bargain, but only by about PKR 500.

If you plan to visit when it is snowy, call the hotel first and ask if it is open. You can find the numbers for Spruce, Pine Park and Cedarwood on Google.

Where to eat in Shogran

Spruce has its own kitchen, but for dinner I prefer to go to Cedarwood. Its restaurant has breathtaking views. If you are not staying there, they charge PKR 1,000 per person extra to visit. A proper meal for two people, with tea, costs about PKR 6,000 to 8,000. It is expensive, but worth it. You can also go in the evening just for tea.

An evening in Shogran

In the evening, walk to the small bazaar. You can enjoy the local eateries, with fast food, desi food, coffee and fries.

Do not shop for anything at the bazaar unless you need it or want something badly. Shogran is very small, so most of the time you will enjoy your own company at your hotel, with your friends or family.

Best months to visit

October is the best month. It is colder than May, the weather is at its best, and there are fewer people. From April to September it is easy to reach, but it is likely to be crowded.

I go in October every year because the rates are usually lower than in May, June and July. There is no crowd, so I can enjoy the peace. We like quiet places and we do not like crowds.

You can also visit when it is snowy if you love snow. Just call ahead to check that your hotel is open.

What to carry

A jacket. Always carry one. The weather changes at night, so it keeps you warm.
Gloves: only if you are visiting in a snowy month or on a snowy day.
Cash. Most places now accept bank transfers, but there are no ATMs or banks in Shogran, so keep cash with you.

How I would plan 2 days in Shogran

Day 1. Drive up from Islamabad (about 6 hours), check in, walk to the bazaar in the evening, and have dinner or tea at Cedarwood.
Day 2. Take the jeep to Siri and Paye in the morning (about PKR 6,000), have breakfast there, walk the valleys, and hike to Makra Peak if you can (about an hour from Paye Meadow). Be back in Shogran before sunset.

Quick answers

Do I need a jeep to reach Shogran? No. The road from Kiwai is fully developed.
Do I need a jeep for Siri and Paye? Yes. I take one from Shogran for about PKR 6,000.
Is there an ATM? No. Carry cash.
When is the best time? October.
Can I visit in snow? Yes, but call your hotel first.
Is there mobile signal at Siri and Paye? No. Full 4G comes back at Shogran.
Is Shogran or Naran quieter? Shogran.

Shogran or Naran?

If you are an introvert, you will love the peaceful environment at Shogran. Naran is much more crowded than Shogran.

Naran was quiet when I went in May 2026, early in the season, but in general it is far busier. If you want calm and your own company, I would choose Shogran.

Is Shogran worth it?

Yes. It is a small, calm place, and the road makes it easy now. Go in October if you can, stay at Spruce, spend a full day at Siri and Paye, and keep an evening free for tea at Cedarwood.

These figures are approximate and based on my four visits to Shogran. Prices change, so please check before you travel and read my disclaimer. If you went recently and something is different, tell me on the contact page.

October 20, 2026