Six peaks above 7,000 m, run from Skardu by our own Balti team. Permits, oxygen, insured high-altitude porters and a turnaround policy that is actually enforced.
Six peaks above 7,000 m, run from Skardu by our own Balti team. Permits, oxygen, insured high-altitude porters and a turnaround policy that is actually enforced.
The Karakoram Highway Motorcycle Tour: Islamabad to Khunjerab is a 12 days guided trip in Gilgit-Baltistan, northern Pakistan, topping out at 4,693 m. It is graded Moderate to demanding — about 1,600 km of mountain road in ten riding days — 10 riding days, about 1,600 km. 3 fixed departures are open from $1,850 per person, all-inclusive from Islamabad.
Ride the Karakoram Highway the way it was meant to be seen: from the plains at Hassan Abdal up the Indus gorge, past Nanga Parbat at Chilas and the junction of three ranges near Jaglot, into Hunza under Rakaposhi, through the Attabad tunnels to Passu, and up the switchbacks to the Khunjerab Pass on the China border at 4,693 m. Then home a different way, off the KKH at Chilas and over Babusar Pass at 4,173 m into the Kaghan valley.
Roughly 1,600 km in ten riding days on a 150cc road bike from our own fleet, the workhorse of Pakistan’s mountain roads. A lead rider-guide rides with you and a support vehicle follows with bags, spares and room for a tired rider. Hotels, all meals, the bike, helmet and fuel are included.
Not a rider? Our Karakoram Highway Tour covers the same road by vehicle. Local hands, real safety, fair price.
Duration
12 days11 nights
Max altitude
4,693 mhighest point
Grade
Moderate to demanding — about 1,600 km of mountain road in ten riding days
Days on foot
10 riding days, about 1,600 kmthe rest is travel
Group size
Max 1min age 18
Best season
June – Septemberopen June – September
Departures open
3next 19 Jun 2027
Karakoram Highway Motorcycle Tour Price
From $1,850 per person in a group of four to six riders. That covers your 150cc motorcycle from our own fleet, helmet and fuel, a lead rider-guide, the support vehicle and driver, 11 nights in hotels (twin share), all meals from dinner on day 1 to breakfast on day 12, the Khunjerab National Park fee and tolls.
Riding gear (jacket, gloves, boots), damage to the motorcycle, international flights, visa, travel insurance, drinks and tips are not included. Ask if you want a bigger bike: availability in Pakistan is limited and we quote it separately.
Fixed Departures
Fixed departures are scheduled dates you join as part of a group, rather than arranging your own trip. 3 dates are currently open, each capped at 8 people. Every date is the same price, $1,850 per person. A $300 deposit reserves a place. The availability column shows how many places are left on each date.
These are private departures, priced by the size of your party rather than by a set date. Pick the band that matches your group and the price per person is fixed at that rate, across 4 options. The more of you who travel, the less each person pays — from $3,800 for Solo (1 Person) down to $1,750/pp for 7-10 Persons. What each band covers is set out in the table.
Group size
Price
What it includes
Solo (1 Person)
$3,800
Your own lead rider-guide and support vehicle, on your dates.
(2-3 Persons)
$1,950/pp
A small group of riders sharing one support vehicle.
(4-6 Persons)
$1,850/pp
Our most popular group size and the best balance of cost and pace.
(7-10 Persons)
$1,750/pp
Best per-person rate for clubs and larger groups.
Can you do this trek?
Yes — if you can walk uphill for a few hours, this is well within reach.
Graded Moderate to demanding — about 1,600 km of mountain road in ten riding days.
10 riding days, about 1,600 kmDays on footthe rest is travel
4,693 mhighest pointWe build in time to acclimatise.
18minimum age
What to expect
The highest point is 4,693 m, so altitude counts here. The itinerary is built around acclimatising and your guide sets a pace that gets you there comfortably.
You’re ready ifyou walk or hike now and then and can manage a few hours uphill with a day pack.
Give yourself a little longer ifit has been a while since a long walk. A few hill walks beforehand and you will enjoy it far more.
This might not be your trip ifyou would rather not sleep in a tent, or you want a glacier crossing or a high pass. Tell us and we will match you to the right one.
One thing we do insist on: travel insurance that covers helicopter evacuation.
Travel Plan
Itinerary — Karakoram Highway Motorcycle Tour
Twelve days: four riding north from Islamabad to Hunza, a day off the bike in Karimabad, Passu and the Khunjerab Pass, then south to Gilgit and home over Babusar Pass to Naran and Islamabad. If Babusar is closed we return down the KKH in the same two days.
12 days
Airport pick-up and hotel. Bike handover in the afternoon: fit the bike, check the controls, and a short ride with your lead rider to get used to Pakistani traffic. Night in Islamabad.
Ride about 290 km. Onto the KKH at Hassan Abdal, through Abbottabad and Mansehra, then into the Indus gorge, where the road narrows and the trucks slow everything down. The busiest day of the trip, ridden steady. Night in Besham.
Ride about 200 km. Karakoram country: the Indus far below, the road cut into the cliff, and Nanga Parbat (8,126 m) filling the view near Chilas. A stop at the rock carvings beside the highway. Night in Chilas.
Ride about 110 km. Past Raikot Bridge and the viewpoint near Jaglot where the Karakoram, Himalaya and Hindu Kush meet. Short day, long lunch, afternoon in Gilgit. Night in Gilgit.
Ride about 100 km into Nagar and Hunza, stopping at the Rakaposhi viewpoint where the 7,788 m peak rises straight from the road. Night in Karimabad.
The bikes rest. Baltit and Altit forts on foot, and a short ride up to the Eagle’s Nest above Duikar for sunset. Night in Karimabad.
A short ride with plenty of stops: Attabad Lake and the five Friendship Tunnels, Gulmit, the Hussaini bridge and the Passu Cones. Night in Passu.
Ride about 250 km there and back. Through Sost and up the switchbacks of the national park to the China border at 4,693 m. Small engines feel the thin air at the top, and so do riders; the support vehicle carries oxygen. Night in Passu.
Ride about 160 km back down the highway, with the light the other way. Night in Gilgit.
South to Chilas, then off the KKH and up the long loops to Babusar Top at 4,173 m, where Gilgit-Baltistan ends, and down past Lulusar Lake into the Kaghan valley. The best riding day of the trip. Night in Naran.
Down the Kaghan valley through Balakot and back to the capital. Bike return in the evening. Night in Islamabad.
Transfer to the airport.
What’s included in the price
Every fixed departure is all-inclusive from Islamabad. This is exactly what your $1,850 per person covers, and the handful of things it does not — so there is nothing to settle at the trailhead.
Included in the price
150cc motorcycle from our own fleet
With helmet and fuel
Lead rider-guide
Support vehicle and driver
11 nights in hotels (twin share)
All meals from dinner on day 1 to breakfast on day 12
Khunjerab National Park fee
Tolls and bottled water
Satellite phone with the team and a real evacuation plan
The same safety system we run on our expeditions
Not included
Riding gear (jacket
Gloves
Boots)
Damage to the motorcycle
International flights
Pakistan visa
Travel insurance (mandatory)
Single-room supplement
Drinks and tips
Why Karakoram Venture
Because the people who take you up this mountain are from it. Our guides grew up in these valleys, and they are our own team — not a booking desk handing you to whoever is cheapest that week. Every one of them is certified by the Alpine Club of Pakistan, holds Wilderness First Aid, and has between five and twenty years on high-altitude ground.
Because the safety is real, and we will name it rather than imply it. A satellite phone travels in every camp, we hold established helicopter-rescue contacts for this region, and we tell you exactly which travel insurance to carry. Budget operators cut precisely these things, because you cannot see them on a web page.
Because the price is honest. Local infrastructure is why $1,850 per person covers the trip from Islamabad rather than a stripped-down base rate. Exactly what it includes — and the handful of things it does not — is set out above.
How to book this trip
Four steps from here to the mountains
1Pick your dateA fixed departure above, or private dates you choose.
2Send the requestThe form on this page, or WhatsApp. Name, party size, date.
3Pay $300 per personThat holds your place. We reply within 24 hours.
4Balance 30 days beforeThen we take over: flights, hotels, permits, crew.
No card details on this page. Nothing is charged until you confirm.
More About the Karakoram Highway Motorcycle Tour
Booking & Payment
A deposit of $300 per person confirms your place. Balance is due 30 days before departure
Book through our website or directly on WhatsApp. We confirm within the hour in season
Cancellation Policy
Cancel 60+ days before departure for a full refund of the deposit. 30-59 days: half the deposit. Under 30 days: the deposit is forfeit
If we cancel a departure
You receive a full refund or a transfer to another date
Your choice
If Babusar Pass is closed
We return down the KKH via Besham at no extra cost
Permits & Documentation
A standard Pakistan tourist visa covers the route
Including the Khunjerab National Park and Babusar Pass. Carry your passport
Visa
Motorcycle licence and International Driving Permit for the checkpoints
Plus photocopies
Health & Fitness
Moderate to demanding: about 1,600 km of mountain road in ten riding days
With one day to 4,693 m. You must be an experienced rider holding a valid motorcycle licence and an International Driving Permit. Minimum age 18
Travel insurance covering motorcycling is mandatory and arranged by you
Important Notes
Carry at least 2 recent passport-size photos for verification and documentation.
A valid passport (foreign nationals) or CNIC (Pakistani nationals) is mandatory for booking and travel.
Keep your original passport or CNIC with you throughout the tour for security checks and hotel check-ins.
Foreign nationals need a valid passport and the correct visa; any NOC and trekking/restricted-area permits are arranged by Karakoram Venture.
Special Information
Professional and experienced Tour Manager available from start to end of the trip.
Delicious and fresh daily meals included from Day 1 until departure.
No complimentary meals provided on flights or during transit stops.
Follow updated state travel policies carefully for a hassle-free journey.
Transportation Details
Comfortable and spacious A/C Coaches for long trips and intercity travel.
Sturdy 4x4 jeeps for mountain roads and sightseeing (up to 7 pax per vehicle).
Reliable 4x4 vehicles (Land Cruiser / Prado) for off-road and high-altitude excursions.
Arrival & Departure Guidelines
Day 1: Report at the designated airport on time as per schedule.
Final Day: Depart after successfully completing the full itinerary.
Frequently Asked Questions
What motorcycle do I ride?
A 150cc road bike from our own fleet, the workhorse of Pakistanu2019s mountain roads, with helmet and fuel included. It is light, easy to fix anywhere and enough for the KKH; it slows down at 4,693 m, as everything does. Bigger bikes are scarce in Pakistan: ask if you want one and we will quote what is available.
What licence do I need?
A valid motorcycle licence from your home country plus an International Driving Permit. Carry both with your passport and visa; the highway has police checkpoints.
How hard is the riding?
Moderate to demanding. Roughly 1,600 km in ten riding days on paved mountain road that narrows to one lane in places, with sheer drops, trucks, livestock and the odd landslide. You should already be a confident rider; this is not the place to learn.
What if Babusar Pass is closed?
Babusar is usually open only from about June to September, and snow can close it early or late. If it is shut, we ride home down the KKH via Besham over the same two days, at no extra cost.
Is there a support vehicle?
Yes. It carries your luggage, spares and tools, oxygen for the Khunjerab day, and room for a tired rider or a broken bike. A lead rider-guide rides with the group and a satellite phone travels with the team. Small repairs happen at the roadside; anything bigger goes to a workshop in Chilas, Gilgit or Karimabad.
Top-Notch Service, Excellent Reviews
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