Tours to Babusar Top
Ready-made itineraries that visit this destination.
Babusar Top
Babusar Top is the 4,173-metre pass at the head of the Kaghan valley where the road from Naran crosses into Chilas and joins the Karakoram Highway. For travellers it is two things at once: a viewpoint people drive up to from Naran for the afternoon, and the shortcut that turns Kaghan and Gilgit-Baltistan into a single loop instead of two separate trips.
The drive from Naran
It is roughly 70 km and two to two and a half hours from Naran, climbing past Batakundi, Burawai and Lulusar Lake before the final switchbacks to the top. The road is paved the whole way and in good condition, so no jeep is needed — an ordinary car manages it when the pass is open. Most people stop at Lulusar on the way, which sits at about 3,410 m and is the source of the Kunhar river that runs the length of Kaghan.
The view from the top
On a clear day Nanga Parbat is visible from the pass, and the drop down the far side towards Chilas is one of the more dramatic descents in the country — the green of Kaghan gives way to the bare, hot rock of the Indus gorge within an hour. There are tea stalls at the top in season and little else. Weather changes fast at 4,173 m; snow flurries in July are not unusual and the wind is constant.
The Kaghan-to-Hunza link
Babusar's real value is as a connection. Crossing it puts you on the Karakoram Highway just short of Chilas, from where Gilgit, Hunza and the Skardu Road are all within reach. That makes an itinerary like Naran → Babusar → Chilas → Hunza possible without retracing, and it is why so many northern loops are built around whether the pass is open. The alternative — going up and back the Kaghan valley, then north via Besham — costs the better part of a day.
When Babusar opens
The pass is generally open from around late June to September and closed by snow the rest of the year, though the exact dates shift annually and it occasionally opens earlier after a light winter. It can also close temporarily mid-season after heavy rain or snowfall. We confirm the status before routing a group over it and always keep the longer Besham route as the fallback rather than gambling a whole itinerary on a single pass.
Weather, safety and timing the crossing
The pass is best crossed in the morning. Afternoon cloud builds quickly at this altitude, and rain or sleet on the descent towards Chilas turns an easy road into a slow one. Fuel up in Naran — there is nothing between there and Chilas — and carry warm clothing regardless of the temperature in the valley below. Anyone prone to altitude headaches should not linger at the top; the drop to Chilas is fast and symptoms usually clear within the hour.
Frequently asked questions
Straight answers to what travellers ask us most.
When is Babusar Top open?+
Do I need a 4x4 for Babusar?+
How long does it take from Naran?+
Can you see Nanga Parbat from Babusar Top?+
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