Published: [October 18, 2022] · Last updated: September 2026
Lahore to Skardu is about 972 km by road on the all-season Karakoram Highway route (M2 → M15 Hazara Motorway → N-35 → Skardu Road), which Google currently routes at around 18 hours of driving. The air distance is about 436 km, and a direct flight takes roughly 1 hour 20 minutes.
There is a second road route — via Naran and Babusar Top — which is longer, more scenic, and only open in summer. It reopened on 25 May 2026 after the winter closure. If you are travelling between roughly November and May, the KKH route is your only road option.
Road distance and driving time checked against Google routing on 5 September 2026. Mountain travel times vary with weather, roadworks and checkpoints.
Lahore to Skardu at a glance
| Route | Distance | Typical journey time | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| By road — KKH route | ~972 km | ~18 h driving (2 days realistically) | Generally year-round, weather permitting |
| By road — Naran / Babusar route | ~815 km | ~16–18 h driving | Summer only — reopened 25 May 2026 |
| By air (LHE → KDU) | ~436 km | ~1 h 20 m in the air | Year-round, weather-dependent |
Why the distance figure varies
You will see anything from 950 km to 1,100 km quoted for this journey, and both figures can be correct — they describe different roads.
The shorter figure is the Karakoram Highway route: the M2 out of Lahore, onto the M15 Hazara Motorway without entering Islamabad, then the N-35 through Besham and Chilas, and finally the Skardu Road from Jaglot. This is the route Google returns by default and the one that stays open through winter.
The longer figure is the Naran and Babusar route, which climbs over Babusar Top at 4,173 m before rejoining the Karakoram Highway near Chilas. It is the more spectacular drive and the one most Pakistani travellers picture when they think of this journey — but it is a summer road, and it adds both distance and driving hours.
Straight-line and flight distances are different again. The 436 km you will find on flight-distance sites is the air distance between Lahore and Skardu airports, not a road figure.
Lahore to Skardu by bus
Bus is the cheapest way north and takes roughly as long as driving yourself — Google’s own transit estimate for the route is a little under 18 hours.
NATCO and Faisal Movers are the established operators on the northern leg. Direct bus services operate daily from Lahore to Skardu (with ticket prices starting around PKR 7,875), or you can take an intercity bus to Rawalpindi/Islamabad and transfer to a Skardu-bound coach from Pirwadhai terminal.
Two things worth knowing before you book: buses run the Karakoram Highway route, not Babusar, and a long-distance coach gives you no ability to stop for the views — which for many travellers is the entire point of going by road.
✈️ Flying Lahore to Skardu
Two airlines currently operate the Lahore–Skardu route direct: PIA (flight PK453, around three times a week) and Airblue (flight PA704, most days of the week). Flight time is about 1 hour 20 minutes, and on a clear day the approach over the Karakoram is worth the window seat on its own. Carriers and frequencies checked September 2026 — schedules on this route change seasonally, so confirm before booking.
Plan for the flight not going. Skardu sits in a bowl of high mountains and the airport is weather-dependent in a way that most Pakistani domestic routes are not. Cancellations are normal rather than exceptional, particularly outside summer.
If you are flying in:
- Keep a buffer day at the Skardu end of a fixed itinerary.
- Do not book an onward connection (international or domestic) for the same day you are due back from Skardu.
- Know your fallback before you go — from Skardu that means the road to Islamabad, which is a full two days, not an afternoon.
Current schedules and fares: Skardu flight schedule and fares
Planning the drive yourself?
Northern Discover runs this route. If you would rather not drive 972 km of it, we can arrange the vehicle, a driver who knows the Skardu Road, and the overnight stop — built around your dates and which route is actually open when you travel.
Prefer email? Contact us · Already in Skardu? Rent a car in Skardu
Northern Discover route note — verified September 2026
- Route driven by ND operations: Karakoram Highway route via M15 Hazara Motorway and N-35.
- Vehicle typically used on this run: Toyota Prado / Hiace Grand Cabin.
- Overnight ND actually uses: Chilas (to make the second day’s drive into Skardu shorter and easier).
- Realistic door-to-door time ND plans for: 2 full days with an overnight stop.
- Current road condition ND can confirm: The Skardu Road (S-1) is fully paved, though localized maintenance and minor rockfall delays occur near lower Baltistan.
Road or air: which to choose
| Feature | By road | By air |
|---|---|---|
| Distance | ~972 km (KKH route) | ~436 km |
| Time door to door | 2 days realistically | ~1 h 20 m plus airport time |
| Main risk | Landslides, roadworks, seasonal closures | Weather cancellations — build in a buffer day |
| Indicative cost | Fuel + tolls + one overnight | ~PKR 20,000–55,000 one way (Sept 2026) |
| Scenery | The journey is the trip | Excellent on a clear day, but brief |
| Best for | Groups, road-trip travellers, anyone carrying gear | Short trips, tight schedules, winter travel |
Route A: Lahore to Skardu via the Karakoram Highway
This is the shorter, all-season option and the route behind the ~972 km figure.
- Lahore → Hasan Abdal / Burhan interchange (M2, then M1): Motorway the whole way, and you do not need to enter Islamabad — the Hazara Motorway begins north-west of the city, so routing through Islamabad only adds distance.
- Burhan → Thakot → Besham (M15 Hazara Motorway, then N-35): The Hazara Motorway has removed most of the old Abbottabad–Mansehra crawl. Besham is the usual lunch and fuel stop; fill up here.
- Besham → Dasu → Chilas (N-35): The Karakoram Highway proper, cut into the gorge above the Indus. Slower than the map suggests. Rockfall is a genuine risk after rain, and sections are periodically under construction.
- Chilas → Jaglot → Skardu (N-35, then the Skardu Road / S-1): You leave the KKH at Jaglot for the ~167 km Skardu Road, which follows the Indus into Baltistan. Average speed here is low. Allow most of a morning.
From Islamabad onward this is the same road covered in detail in our Islamabad to Skardu distance guide, including leg-by-leg timings.
Route B: via Naran and Babusar Top (summer only)
Status: open. Babusar Top reopened on 25 May 2026 after the winter closure. [Source: Pakistan Today]
This route leaves the motorway network for the Kaghan Valley, runs up through Naran to Babusar Top at 4,173 m, then drops to Chilas and joins the Karakoram Highway. It is longer than the KKH route and slower, and the pass is usually shut from around October until late May — the exact dates move every year with the snow.
If you take it: travel in daylight, make sure the vehicle is mechanically sound, and check the pass status before you commit to the detour — it can close again at short notice after heavy weather. Small cars manage it in good conditions, but the climb is steep and sustained.
Babusar status last checked: September 2026.
Can you drive Lahore to Skardu in one day?
Technically possible, and a bad idea. Eighteen hours of driving, most of it on mountain road, means either arriving exhausted after dark on the Skardu Road or driving the worst sections at night — which nobody who runs this route regularly recommends.
The realistic pattern is two days:
- Day 1 — Lahore to Besham or Chilas: Leave Lahore early. Motorway most of the morning, then the KKH. Besham is the shorter, easier day; pushing on to Chilas makes day two much lighter but means several hours on the Indus gorge road.
- Day 2 — onward to Skardu: From Chilas this is a comfortable half-day plus. From Besham it is a long one — start at first light.
Book the overnight ahead in July and August. Options in both towns are limited and fill up.
What the journey costs
Prices checked September 2026. Fuel and airfares in Pakistan move frequently — treat these as planning estimates, not quotes.
| Expense | One way | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel (car, ~10–12 km/l) | ~PKR 28,000–34,000 | 972 km at PKR 345.87/litre, effective 5 Sep 2026 |
| Motorway tolls | ~PKR 2,000–2,500 | — |
| Overnight, Besham or Chilas | ~PKR 5,000–15,000 | — |
| Flight, Lahore → Skardu | ~PKR 20,000–55,000 | Fare band observed on booking sites, Sept 2026 |
| Bus, Lahore → Skardu | ~PKR 7,800–8,000 | See bus section |
A 4×4 or a larger SUV will use noticeably more fuel than the figures above, and mountain driving is harder on consumption than motorway running. Current fares and schedules are in our Skardu flight schedule and fares guide.
Frequently asked questions
How far is Lahore from Skardu by road?
About 972 km via the Karakoram Highway route (M2 → M15 Hazara Motorway → N-35 → Skardu Road), which is the shorter, all-season option. The Naran and Babusar route is longer. Checked against Google routing, September 2026.
How far is Lahore from Skardu by air?
The air distance between Lahore and Skardu airports is about 436 km. Direct flights take roughly 1 hour 20 minutes.
How long does Lahore to Skardu take by road?
Around 18 hours of driving on the KKH route. In practice, plan two days with an overnight at Besham or Chilas — the last stretch on the Skardu Road is slow and should not be driven after dark.
Which route is best from Lahore to Skardu?
The Karakoram Highway route via Besham and Chilas if you want the shorter, more reliable drive or are travelling outside summer. The Naran and Babusar route if you are travelling between roughly June and September and want the more spectacular drive, and you accept it will take longer.
Is the Lahore to Skardu road open in winter?
The Karakoram Highway route is generally open year-round, subject to weather and landslides. Babusar Top closes for winter — usually around October — and reopens in late spring. In 2026 it reopened on 25 May.
Is Babusar Pass open right now?
Babusar Top reopened on 25 May 2026 after the winter closure. Conditions on the pass can change quickly, so check locally before committing to that route. Status last checked September 2026.
Can you drive from Lahore to Skardu in one day?
It is possible and not advisable. Eighteen hours of driving means either a night arrival or driving the mountain sections in the dark. Two days with an overnight at Besham or Chilas is the realistic plan.
How much does it cost to travel from Lahore to Skardu?
By car, budget roughly PKR 28,000–34,000 in fuel one way at September 2026 prices, plus tolls and one night’s accommodation. By air, one-way fares have been running roughly PKR 20,000–55,000 depending on airline and season. Estimates, September 2026 — fuel and airfares change frequently.
Which airlines fly Lahore to Skardu?
PIA (PK453, around three times a week) and Airblue (PA704, most days) operate direct. Skardu flights are highly weather-dependent, so keep a buffer day if your schedule is fixed. Checked September 2026.
Can I travel from Lahore to Skardu by bus?
Yes — direct bus services (such as Faisal Movers) operate daily from Lahore to Skardu, with ticket prices starting around PKR 7,875. Alternatively, you can take an intercity bus to Rawalpindi/Islamabad and transfer to a Skardu-bound NATCO coach from Pirwadhai terminal.
Related guides
- Islamabad to Skardu distance — leg-by-leg detail for the northern half of this route
- Skardu travel guide — what to do once you arrive
- Skardu tour package from Islamabad — if you would rather not self-drive
- Deosai National Park — worth adding to a summer road itinerary