Why ride a motorbike in Pakistan
Few roads anywhere climb as far as the Karakoram Highway. Its Pakistani section runs about 887 km from Hasan Abdal, near Islamabad, to the Khunjerab Pass at 4,693 metres, the highest paved international border crossing in the world. On the way the road follows the Indus and Hunza rivers past Nanga Parbat, Rakaposhi and the turquoise water of Attabad Lake.
Seeing it from the saddle changes the trip. You stop where you want, feel the air cool as you gain height, and meet the truck drivers, farmers and fellow bikers who make the highway such a sociable road.
Best motorbike routes in northern Pakistan
- Karakoram Highway to Hunza and Khunjerab: the classic Karakoram Highway motorcycle tour, through Besham, Chilas and Gilgit into Hunza and on to the border.
- Babusar Pass: the summer shortcut from the Kaghan Valley over 4,173 metres down to Chilas, usually open only from around June or July until late September.
- Skardu road: a ride along the Indus gorge from the Karakoram Highway into Baltistan, with the Deosai Plains above Skardu in high summer.
- Shandur Pass: a rougher crossing between Gilgit and Chitral for riders who are happy off the tarmac.
Best time for a motorbike tour in Pakistan
May to October is the riding season. Khunjerab is most reliable for visitors in these months, Babusar opens only in high summer, and Deosai lies under snow for most of the year outside roughly July to September. Late spring and early autumn bring cooler riding and quieter roads.
Motorcycles are not allowed on Pakistan's motorways, so bike tours from Islamabad and Lahore use the national highways instead, which suits a slower, more scenic ride. Surfaces range from smooth tarmac to rough stretches around landslides and roadworks, so riders should be comfortable on broken ground, and warm layers are worth packing because the high passes are cold in the mornings even in August.
Guided tours or motorcycle rental in Pakistan
Our 13 Days Riding Experience on Karakoram Highway is a guided ride with local riders who know the road and its stops. If you would rather set your own pace, see our motorbike rental service for a bike to ride independently.
Plan your ride
Tell us your dates, your riding experience and the route you have in mind, and we will help you plan a private or small-group bike tour of Pakistan.
Small Group Tour