Is Kohistan Safe for Tourists? Karakoram Highway Guide

If you are planning a road trip to Gilgit, Hunza or Skardu, you will almost certainly pass through Kohistan on the Karakoram Highway, and it is natural to ask whether it is safe. The honest answer is that the vast majority of travellers drive through Kohistan without any problem at all, because for tourists it is a transit region rather than a destination, somewhere you pass through on the way to the famous valleys further north. That said, Kohistan is a remote, deeply conservative mountain area with a challenging road, so a little awareness and a few sensible precautions go a long way. This guide explains where Kohistan is, what to realistically expect, and how to travel through it comfortably and respectfully.

Where is Kohistan?

Kohistan, sometimes called Indus Kohistan, is a mountainous district in the north of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, straddling the Indus River. The name means "land of mountains," which describes it perfectly: steep slopes, deep gorges and scattered villages. For travellers, the key fact is that the Karakoram Highway runs straight through Kohistan, following the Indus between Besham in the south and Chilas in the north, passing the town of Dasu along the way. This is the main road link between the lowlands around Islamabad and the high valleys of Gilgit-Baltistan, so most overland journeys north go through it. See how it fits the wider route in our distances and drive times guide.

Kohistan is sparsely populated and rugged, with communities spread along the river and its side valleys, and life here is shaped by the mountains and the river far more than by tourism. There is little in the way of hotels, restaurants or visitor facilities compared with the polished tourist towns further north, which is exactly why travellers tend to move through rather than stay. Understanding this helps set the right expectations: you are passing through a working, traditional mountain region, not a resort area, and that framing makes the journey much easier to enjoy.

What the drive is actually like

For most visitors, the lasting impression of Kohistan is the sheer scale of the landscape. The Indus runs grey-green and powerful at the bottom of a vast gorge, and the highway is cut into the rock high above it, with bare brown mountains rising steeply on either side. It is stark, dramatic country, very different from the green meadows and blue lakes people picture when they think of northern Pakistan. There are long stretches with barely a building in sight, then a cluster of houses clinging to a slope, a roadside stall, or a bridge crossing a side stream.

The driving rhythm is slow and steady rather than fast. You wind around endless bends, slow for rough patches and construction near Dasu, and occasionally wait while a small landslide is cleared. None of this is alarming, but it all takes time, which is why seasoned travellers never try to rush the Kohistan section and always plan to be through it and settled somewhere comfortable before nightfall. Approached in that unhurried spirit, it becomes one of the more memorable parts of the long road north, a reminder of just how remote and grand this corner of the country is.

Is Kohistan safe for tourists?

For the ordinary traveller passing through on the Karakoram Highway, Kohistan is generally safe, and huge numbers of domestic and foreign tourists drive through it every summer on their way to the northern valleys without incident. It is important to keep perspective: Kohistan is not a place tourists usually stop to sightsee, it is a stretch of road you travel along, and the practical risks are far more about the road and the remoteness than anything else.

At the same time, it would be dishonest to pretend Kohistan is just like a relaxed tourist town. It is one of the most conservative and traditional areas in Pakistan, with strong local customs, limited tourist infrastructure, and a long, winding mountain highway prone to landslides and delays. The sensible approach is the same one experienced travellers apply across remote mountain regions anywhere in the world: travel in daylight, do not linger unnecessarily, dress and behave respectfully, use a good local driver, and check the current situation before you go. Security conditions in any region can change over time, so it is always wise to check up to date government travel advice and ask a reputable local operator close to your travel date. For the bigger picture on travelling in the country, see our guide on whether Pakistan is safe for tourists.

The Karakoram Highway through Kohistan

The Karakoram Highway is one of the great road journeys on earth, but the Kohistan section is also one of its more demanding stretches. The road clings to the side of the Indus gorge, climbing and twisting high above the river, and it is genuinely spectacular. It is also slow. Expect a long day of driving rather than a quick dash, and build plenty of time into your plans.

A few realities to prepare for on this stretch:

• Landslides and rockfall are common, especially after rain, and can close the road for hours. This is normal on the Karakoram Highway and usually clears, but it can throw off a tight schedule.
• Major construction, including the large Dasu hydropower project, has affected the road in the Kohistan area for years, so expect rough patches, diversions and dust in places.
• Long gaps between services. Fuel stations, good food and clean rest stops are limited, so fuel up whenever you can and carry water and snacks.
• Mobile signal is patchy through the gorges, so do not rely on constant connectivity.

Because of all this, most travellers treat Kohistan as a section to drive through steadily in daylight, not a place to explore after dark.

Practical safety tips for travelling through Kohistan

These are the same common sense habits that make any remote mountain journey smoother and safer:

• Travel in daylight. Plan your timing so you cross the Kohistan section during the day. Avoid driving this stretch at night, both for road safety on the cliffs and general caution.
• Use an experienced local driver. A driver who knows the Karakoram Highway is worth every rupee, reads the road and the conditions, and knows where it is fine to stop. Hiring a car with a driver is the most comfortable option for families.
• Dress modestly and behave respectfully. Kohistan is very conservative. Modest, covering clothing is important, especially for women, and a low key, respectful manner is appreciated everywhere.
• Be discreet with photography. Do not photograph local people, especially women, without clear permission, and be sensitive about taking pictures in villages.
• Keep your documents handy. Carry your ID or passport, as there can be check posts along the highway, and cooperate politely with any officials.
• Tell someone your plan. Share your route and rough timing with someone, given the patchy signal.
• Fuel and supplies. Top up fuel, water and snacks before the long gaps.

Cultural sensitivity matters

More than security, the thing most travellers should focus on in Kohistan is respect for a very traditional culture. This is a region where conservative values run deep, so modest dress, polite behaviour, and discretion are not just courtesies, they genuinely shape how welcome and comfortable your passage will be. Women travellers in particular should dress conservatively and, as in much of rural Pakistan, travelling with others rather than entirely alone is wise. Approached respectfully, locals are typically courteous to travellers passing through.

Should you actually worry?

It helps to put Kohistan in perspective. Every summer, a steady stream of Pakistani families and international visitors drive the Karakoram Highway to reach Hunza, Gilgit and Skardu, and the overwhelming majority pass through Kohistan with nothing more eventful than a landslide delay or a dusty diversion. The realistic things to plan for are the long drive, the rough road, and the remoteness, not drama. Treat it as a serious mountain road in a conservative region, prepare sensibly, and it is simply one leg of an unforgettable journey north. Far more travellers have their day disrupted by a landslide or a long traffic queue than by anything more serious, and a flexible schedule with a buffer day built in is the single best precaution you can take. If your trip is tightly timed, the alternatives below are worth considering so a road delay never threatens the rest of your plans.

How Kohistan fits your trip, and how to skip it

For most travellers, Kohistan is just the corridor to somewhere else. If you are heading to Gilgit, Hunza or Fairy Meadows by road, you will pass through it. If the long Karakoram Highway drive does not appeal, you have good alternatives:

• Fly instead. Flights from Islamabad to Gilgit or Skardu skip the long road journey entirely. They are weather dependent, but for families they are the most relaxed option.
• Go via Naran and Babusar in summer. When the Babusar Top pass is open, you can travel from Naran over Babusar to Chilas and join the Karakoram Highway north of much of the Kohistan stretch, a beautiful alternative routing.

Plan your timing with our guide to the best time to visit Pakistan, and your route with the distances and drive times guide.