Babusar Top (Babusar Pass): Complete Guide 2026

Babusar Top is the dramatic high point of any Kaghan Valley trip and one of the great mountain drives in Pakistan. At well over 4,000 metres, this windswept pass marks the top of the road above Naran, the threshold where the green Kaghan Valley gives way to the bare peaks of Gilgit-Baltistan, and the famous summer shortcut between Naran and the Karakoram Highway. This guide covers where Babusar Top is, how to get there, its altitude, the short season it is open, what to see along the way, and the practical tips that make the trip safe and memorable rather than cold and rushed.

Quick facts

Babusar Top, also called the Babusar Pass, is the highest point on the Kaghan Valley road, at an altitude of roughly 4,170 metres (about 13,690 feet), which makes it one of the highest accessible mountain passes in Pakistan. It sits at the head of the Kaghan Valley, connecting Naran in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with Chilas and the Karakoram Highway in Gilgit-Baltistan. It lies around 70 km from Naran town, reached on a paved but winding mountain road, and is open only in the short summer window, buried under snow for most of the year. From the top you get sweeping panoramic views over the surrounding peaks and meadows, often with patches of snow lingering even in midsummer.

Where it is and how to get there

Everything starts in Naran, the main town of the Kaghan Valley, which is roughly a 6 to 8 hour drive from Islamabad. From Naran, the road climbs north for around 70 km, passing the beautiful Lulusar Lake on the way, before switchbacking up to Babusar Top itself. Beyond the pass, the road descends toward Chilas, where it meets the Karakoram Highway, the route onward to Gilgit, Hunza and Skardu. The drive from Naran to the top takes a few hours depending on stops and traffic, and the road, while paved, is steep and winding, so a sturdy vehicle and an unhurried pace are wise. Many travellers hire a local car with a driver for this leg. Plan the wider journey with our Naran Kaghan travel guide and distances and drive times guide.

What the journey is like

The drive from Naran to Babusar Top is one of those journeys where the road is the attraction. Leaving Naran, the valley is still green and busy, dotted with hotels, roadside dhabas and the clatter of jeeps heading to Lake Saif ul Malook. As the road climbs, the trees thin out, the air cools, and the landscape opens into wide alpine meadows grazed by sheep and the occasional herder's tent. The colours shift from forest green to the pale gold and grey of high pasture, and the peaks ahead grow steadily barer and more dramatic. About halfway up you reach Lulusar Lake, a long, deep blue glacial lake that mirrors the surrounding ridges and is, for many travellers, the single most beautiful stop of the entire route.

Beyond Lulusar the road tightens into a series of switchbacks, gaining height fast until the trees disappear entirely and you are surrounded by open, treeless slopes. The final stretch to the top can feel slow because the gradient is steep and the air is thin, but the reward is immediate. A broad saddle marked with a signboard appears, and on busy summer days you find a scatter of parked cars, tea stalls and visitors bundled in jackets taking in the panorama. Standing at the top, with the green Kaghan Valley falling away behind you and the brown ranges of Gilgit-Baltistan stretching ahead, the contrast between the two worlds the pass joins is striking. It is a genuinely moving spot for many Pakistani travellers, the literal high point of a much loved valley.

Day trip from Naran or crossing to the north?

There are two ways people experience Babusar Top, and it helps to decide which one your trip calls for. The first is a day trip from Naran: you drive up in the morning, stop at Lulusar Lake, spend time at the top, then return to your hotel in Naran the same evening. This is the most popular option for families and first-time visitors, because it needs no onward logistics, keeps you based in a town with food and lodging, and still delivers the full scenery. The drawback is several hours of mountain driving in a single day, so an early start and a relaxed pace matter.

The second way is to cross the pass as part of a longer journey north. In summer, travellers heading to Gilgit, Hunza or Skardu often drive from Naran over Babusar Top and down to Chilas, where they join the Karakoram Highway and continue onward. This turns the pass from a destination into a spectacular link in a multi-day road trip, and it is one of the most scenic routes in the country. It does require planning, because once you descend toward Chilas you are committed to the onward road, and accommodation and fuel need to be lined up in advance. If a grand northern loop is your goal, this is the route that stitches the green valleys near Islamabad to the high Karakoram in a single, unforgettable drive.

Best time to visit

Babusar Top is strictly a summer destination. Because of its altitude, the pass is snowbound and closed for most of the year, and it generally opens only from around late June or July through to September, sometimes into early October, depending on the snow. July and August are the most reliable months, with the road clear and the high meadows green, though even then the top is cold and the weather can change fast. Outside this window the pass is shut and impassable. If your trip depends on crossing Babusar, build in flexibility, as an early or heavy snow year can shorten the season. Time it with our best time to visit Pakistan guide.

What to see and do

• The panoramic views: the whole point of Babusar Top. On a clear day the views stretch across ranges of bare peaks, with the green Kaghan Valley behind you and Gilgit-Baltistan ahead.
• Snow in summer: even in July and August, patches of snow often linger near the top, a novelty for many visitors from the plains.
• Lulusar Lake: the stunning alpine lake on the way up from Naran, well worth a stop in its own right.
• The drive itself: the switchbacks, meadows and changing landscape make the journey as memorable as the destination.
• Photos and tea: small stalls operate at the top in season, and it is a place to pause, soak in the scale, and take in the thin, crisp air.

It is a place to stop and absorb rather than rush, so allow time at the top rather than a quick photo and turnaround.

Why the pass matters

Beyond the scenery, Babusar Top has real significance as a route. When it is open in summer, it provides the shortcut between the Kaghan Valley and the Karakoram Highway, letting travellers loop from Naran over the pass and on toward Chilas, Gilgit, Hunza and Skardu, rather than backtracking. This makes it a key link in the classic northern Pakistan loop, and one of the most scenic ways to connect the green valleys near Islamabad with the high Karakoram. For how it fits a bigger trip, see our Naran Kaghan itinerary, and our Hunza vs Naran and Skardu vs Naran comparisons.

Practical tips

The pass is high, cold and remote, and the conditions catch many first-time visitors off guard. People arrive from the heat of Islamabad or Lahore in light clothes, then find themselves shivering at the top within a few hours, so it pays to treat Babusar as the serious high-mountain environment it is. The weather can turn quickly, with bright sun giving way to cloud, wind or even sleet in the space of an hour, and afternoons are generally less settled than mornings. A little preparation makes the difference between a comfortable, memorable trip and a cold, rushed one:

• Dress warm, even in summer. It is genuinely cold and windy at the top regardless of the heat down in the valley, so bring a jacket and layers. Our Pakistan packing list covers it.
• Take the altitude gently. At over 4,000 metres some people feel breathless or light-headed; move slowly, stay hydrated, and do not linger too long if you feel unwell.
• Check the pass is open before relying on crossing it, especially early or late in the season.
• Start early and cross in daylight. The road is winding and weather can close in during the afternoon, so morning is best.
• Fuel up in Naran and carry water and snacks, as services are limited on the climb.
• Hire a local driver for the mountain road if you are not confident on steep switchbacks.

Nearby and where to stay

Babusar Top is the highlight of a Naran trip, and it pairs naturally with the valley's other sights: Lake Saif ul Malook, the marquee alpine lake above Naran, and Lulusar Lake on the way to the pass. Most travellers base in Naran, which has plenty of hotels and guesthouses, and visit Babusar as a day trip or as a leg of the onward journey north. For where to stay, see our where to stay in Naran guide and the Lake Saif ul Malook guide. Browse the wider area on the Naran Kaghan destination page.