Abbottabad to Khunjerab Pass on Motorcycles – Sept 2017

We visited Khunjerab Pass on Motorcycles on 3 to 7 Sept 2017. It was amazing experience.

Here was our trip plan:

Day 1 Abbottabad to Chilas, 6.5 hrs

Day 2 Chilas to Sost, 6 hrs

Day 3 Sost to khunjerab, 1.5 hours Khunjerab to Gilgit, 5.5 hrs

Day 4 Gilgit to Naran, 4.5 hrs

Day 5 Naran to Abbottabad, 4 hrs

Just a few tips if you are planning to go on motorbike:

1. Keep at least 2 extra tubes.

2. Keep puncture repair kit ( air pump, at least 3 levers to open tyre, puncture stickers and lube, and scratcher tool to scratch tube during puncture, and nose plas to pull out any unwanted object from tyre)

3. Keep all the tools required to open/detach tyre from motorbike

4. If tyre punctures, simply detach the tyre, and replace the tube, later in your hotel you can perform puncture repair. This can save lot of time during travel

5. Try to accommodate all your stuff in two bags, otherwise, too many bags are difficult to handle.

6. Plan your trip so that night travel should be avoided at any cost.

7. Always wear helmet as a falling stone from mountain can prove fatal

8. Never go alone, always take a partner with you.

9. If your bike is missing too much on hill climb, remove air filter foam. The reason is that air filter foam could be blocking oxygen supply (which is already short on mountains) to your bike, and combustion not taking place properly.

10. If you are planning to visit Chilas/Gilgit from Naran side, try to reach Batta Kundi before 4:30, as there is a checkpost who do not let vehicles cross after 5 PM.

11. Schedule your trip between 15 June to 15 Aug. After that weather becomes quite cold and bike riding becomes difficult.

12. Keep some shoppers in bike. If it starts raining cover your gloves in shoppers.

13. Always leave your name, address, and cell number inside/on your luggage bags, so that if you misplace or lost one, the person who finds it is able to contact you.

14. When traveling together, never leave any member behind, as he might be facing some trouble with bike. Must always use rear mirror when going on long trips. Keep your fellows on sight using rear mirrors. Also, use of rear mirror is must to spot any fast approaching vehicle from behind.

15. Before going to hilly area, always thoroughly test your bike on nearby hills for any missing, or related issues, so that it should not become problematic during tour.

16. Always change oil before and after journey as in hilly areas, oil quickly burns out.

17. Take a very good air proof jacket with you. Must keep rain coat, and extra pair of shoes, socks as there is high probability of shoes getting wet due to water pools on roads. It is highly recommended to use rubber long shoes instead of regular to avoid water filling in shoes. Also keep a plastic sheet to put on your luggage in case it starts raining.

18. Keep an extra mobile sim from the operator who provides coverage in remote northern areas. For instance, ufone service does not work in Sost, however, some other does.

Here is the video of our beautiful journey: