Cycling In Pakistan From Gilgit To Chitral - Road Guide + Info

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More Information

Pakistan Northern Areas - Gilgit to Chitral Gilgit (Many GH) Follow the road West along the river Singal (GH) Gahkuch (4xGH) Gupis (3xGH) Khalti Lake (2xGH) Steep climb up switchbacks (1:10) Top of climb (GH) Phandur (3xGH) Metal / Tar road ENDS – some of the dirt road is OK Gulakturi (GH) Steep Climb for 1km (1:9) Teru begins (long thin village) Teru (Excellent rest house) Lowest point Barsat (GH) Steep climb begins (1:10 – some rocky parts unridable) Plateau starts (track improves a little) Shandur Pass - Camping and water + place to stay below Checkpoint. Plateau ends – steep drop down switchbacks begin. Many parts of this road would be unridable from Chitral. The 'road' is VERY rocky. Assume a maximum descent speed of 10km/h for the next 60km. Your hands and shoulders will feel it. Solaspur (GH – very basic) Brook (2xGH – second one less basic) Mastuj junction. Police C/P. Mastuj and hotels are straight on. The road does a detour left over a bridge on to the worst section of this road – very rocky – Average speed (7km/h). In late 2008 a road was being built so that the detour will be unnecessary. It should go through Mastuj when finished. The 2 bridges stop buses because they are too flimsy. Jeeps ferry passengers to a new bus. Saragus. Road now improves and is now less rocky. The dirt round here is good dirt! Parwak (GH) Buni junction - Metal road starts again!!!. Go left over the bridge to Buni or straight on to Chitral (3xGH) Kuragh (2xGH) Could camp at Golden Inn Reshun (GH) Maroi – truck stop cafes Chitral (many GH) – cross over bridge and turn left for 1km to reach the main town

Distances – average of two odometers Altitudes – Suuntu Vector watch Direction Until the road is improved the route from Chitral is much harder. It isn't any steeper, just more consistently up, very few downhills apart from during the 30km after Muroi. The pass is nearer Chitral. The climb from Solaspur to the pass would be hell unless your bike is very light and you have full suspension..it is just too rocky. The hard climbs on the Gilgit side are steeper but you get them over with quickly. Road Where it is metalled it is generally good. The better surface is on the Chitral side but it is shorter. There are many places where landslides and falling rocks have left holes in the surface. The detour between Mastuj and Saragus is awful. You are riding on rocks most of the way (7km/h downhill). After Saragus it ca be very dusty but much much faster (15km/h downhill) until the Buni junction. Shops Lots of them along the way, but apart from in Gahkuch, they only really sell biscuits and sweets. People grow their own food so shops don't sell much. Expect to eat biscuits for lunch every day. If you are really lucky a shop will sell soft drinks. Places to Stay There are several guest houses along the way. They are often seasonal and in November many were closed but someone can nearly always be found to open up. The rest houses should be booked in advance but the caretaker isn't going to turn you away unless they are full. A tent would be useful on the pass and many GH have places to put a tent. Food is often basic but nice. Suggested Timetable Day 1 – Gilgit to Gahkuch (70km) lots of up and down Day 2 – Gahkuch to Khalti Lake (only 50km but Khalti Lake is nice) Day 3 – Khalti Lake to Teru (65km) – hard day Day 4 – Teru to Brook (48km) – hard day Day 5 – Brook to Kuragh (64km) – hard day on rocks Day 6 – Kuragh to Chitral (66km) To make it more interesting you could sleep on the pass (easy with a tent) and then ride to Mastuj the following day. In mid November it was much too cold and the days too short to get to Mastuj. You could also camp before the pass after the Police CP © 2008 Simon Taylor

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