Babusar Pass is closed to traffic and is likely to stay closed until the start of next summer, after heavy snowfall left more than four feet of snow on the road. Anyone heading for Gilgit-Baltistan this winter should use the Karakoram Highway instead and check road conditions before setting out.
What happened
The Express Tribune reported on 15 November 2026 that Babusar Pass is likely to remain closed until the start of the next summer tourist season. More than four feet of snow has blanketed the area, forcing the closure of Babusar Road, and clearing the snow and restoring traffic now depends on the weather.
Babusar Top sits at about 13,700 feet (4,173 metres) and connects Kaghan Valley with Diamer district in Gilgit-Baltistan. It is the shorter Islamabad to Gilgit-Baltistan route through Kaghan and Naran, quicker than the longer Karakoram Highway for some destinations in the summer months.
The pass first closed on 11 October 2026, and the fresh snow has now settled the question of a winter reopening. Babusar Road normally stays closed for around six months a year and reopens in summer once the snow melts and the road is made passable.
The same westerly weather system stranded passengers and cargo at Khunjerab Pass on 13 and 14 November, and blocked the Ghizer-Shandur Road after a landslide.
What it means for travellers
There is no through journey via Naran and Babusar Top to Gilgit-Baltistan this winter. Plan the trip around the Karakoram Highway via Besham instead, and keep buffer days in the schedule, since a single closed road section or cancelled flight can move everything by a day.
The closure is a setback for the businesses that depend on the short summer season, from Naran hotels to the transport operators on the Kaghan side.
Gilgit-Baltistan itself stays open in winter. Valley towns, the Karakoram Highway and winter activities such as Naltar skiing remain possible, while Babusar Pass and the high routes are closed. Our winter guide has the full picture of what is open and what is not.
Flights to Gilgit and Skardu operate in winter but are weather dependent, and cancellations are common, especially for Gilgit, where the mountain valley approach needs clear visibility. Choose morning departures and avoid same-day international connections.
What to watch
Reopening is expected around June 2027. Treat any published date as a window to confirm locally, never as a guaranteed opening day, because the exact reopening depends on snow clearance each spring. Our month-by-month guide has the usual opening window for the pass.
Call police helpline 15 before setting out for the latest road conditions.
Watch for the spring snow clearance announcements before planning a Babusar crossing for summer 2027.
Source: The Express Tribune, “Heavy snow cuts off key tourist route to G-B”, 15 November 2026. Read the original here: https://tribune.com.pk/story/2640369/heavy-snow-cuts-off-key-tourist-route-to-g-b
