Dangerous roads in Pakistan

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Lowari Pass

Lowari Pass is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3.118 m (10,230 ft) above the sea level, located in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The road over the pass, called N45, is one of the famous hairpinned roads in the world. It’s said to be the grand daddy of the passes.

The road over the pass links Dir and Chitral, and winds its way through the tribal regions bordering Afghanistan. The road is known among locals as Hell's Road. It was built by the British and is a road where even the slightest error can be fatal. The pass is closed by snow from late November to late May every year.

The road still remains an adrenaline-pumping journey and is definitely not for the faint of lungs, heart, or legs. The pass, also known as Lawari, Lawarai or Lowari Top is a relatively low pass, by far the lowest pass to enter Chitral, the rest all being 12,000 to 15,000 feet.

The road is winding, in some places only wide enough for one vehicle, and in many places bordered by a drop of hundreds of meters (many hundreds of feet) unprotected by guardrails. Despite being shown as being paved according to some maps, it turns to very rough dirt as soon as the steep incline begins, and stays that way until Dir (pronounced deer) around 40km later.

Words can’t describe the road and pictures don’t do it justice. It’s a narrow road with plenty of hairpin bends all through the way. It’s an extreme road with many close turns on the road. The road wins up the cliffs of over 10,000 feet. There are plenty of dirt switchbacks.

Avalanches, heavy snowfalls and landslides can occur anytime and can sometimes block some sections of the road, being extremely dangerous due to frequent patches of ice. Conditions can change quickly and be harsh. In winter, 4wd vehicles cannot cross the passso men must travel by foot. This is dangerous, as there are high mountains on each side of Lowari Top, and a deadly avalanche can come at any moment without warning. Every winter a few persons are killed by avalanches while crossing Lowari Top. Their bodies are buried under the snow and it is only when the summer comes and the snow melts that their bodies are found and their fate learned.

The most dangerous part of the road, a narrow stretch along the edge of cliffs was replaced by a tunnel called the Lowari Tunnel in 2009. But the tunnel was abandoned shortly thereafter and has since fallen into disrepair. It’s beautiful but it’s like in The beauty and the beast. You never really know what’s gonna happen. Truckers on the pass leave life on the edge, literally.

This twisting turning nightmare of a road is packed with heavily loaded trucks. Driving trucks across this pass is the only way these remote villagers can make a living. Steep, narrow and extremely dangerous. Some drivers turn to drugs to take the edge of the fear.

On July 2017, a tunnel was built to bypass the most dangerous sections of the drive. Construction started in September 1975. The tunnel is 8.75km (5.4 mi) + 2km (1.2 mi) long and facilitates all-weather transportation, as during the long winter season the pass is closed. All kinds of vehicular traffic can pass in the tunnels (with 24 feet width and 16 feet height). It can be open 24 hours, even in harsh winter season with a speed limit of 40 kilometers.

 

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Shimshal Valley Road

The Shimshal Valley Road is a spectacular and terrific curvy mountainous road which rarely permit speeds over 10km/h. Located in Gojal, Hunza–Nagar District in the Pakistan-administered Gilgit-Baltistan formerly known as Northern Areas of Pakistan, the journey is extremely dangerous.

The road is 35 mi (56km long). This is some serious driving. This insane road has humbled many egos. It’s not for the sissies and shouldn’t be attempted by novice drivers. The road links the Karakoram Highway at Passu (at an elevation of 2.485m) and Shimshal, a beautiful village located in Gojal, Hunza-Nagar District, at an altitude of 3.113m (10,213ft) above sea level. It’s the highest settlement in Hunza Valley of Pakistan. It is the bordering village that connects Gilgit-Baltistan province of Pakistan with China.

It’s incredibly disorienting to look over the edge, or even just to see the valleys a couple thousand feet below you. It’s a mind numbing vertical drop of hundreds of meters so you might want to give it a miss on a windy day. The road is hindered by the elevation and rugged terrain. The village was inaccessible by motor road until October 2003, when this new road was constructed. The construction of non-metallic Jeep-able road started in 1985 and completed in 2003. Eighteen years (1985-2003) of handwork finally become successful because of hard work, dedication and self-help. Up to that time it was very difficult to go there. You had to cross 3 high passes (about 5.000 m) and it was a 3-day hard and dangerous trip. Drive with care as this is a mountain road with hairpin curves and dangerous dropoffs.

Expect hundreds of turns (with several hairpin turns). Your wheels will be astounded at the wonderful views of the mountains spread out before you! They are terrible for drivers who are prone to vertigo. The journey runs along the fearsome gorges of the Shimshal River, a gigantic canyon at a height of more than 2000 m.

In many places the road is bordered by a drop of hundreds of meters (many hundreds of feet) unprotected by guardrails. Do not travel this road in severe weather conditions. The road remains covered by snow seven to eight months of the year. Avalanches, heavy snowfalls and landslides can occur anytime, being extremely dangerous due to frequent patches of ice.

The road is pretty steepA 4WD vehicle and an experienced driver are recommended. Avoid driving in this area if unpaved mountain roads aren't your strong point. Stay away if you're scared of heights. It is recommended that beginner riders avoid this road. For half of the way, the road is on a man-made ledge hundreds & hundreds of feet above the river, on the near vertical side of the gorge. The new road is very impressive. This road tests the skill, and courage, of any driver. It’s definitely not for anyone suffering from vertigo or a fear of landslides. You will have to cross some scary wooden bridges.

The route demands 100% concentration. Drivers must remain cautious as the pass has been known to claim the lives of careless drivers. The road is in dreadful condition and requires strong nerves to negotiate it. It’s certainly breathtaking and it has a fearsome reputation. It still remains an adrenaline-pumping journey and is definitely not for the faint of lungs, heart, or legs.

 

[Path-Finder]

After visiting the area I have to say vive la

 

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National Highway 15

The National Highway 15 (also called N-15) is a highway located in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, in the north-west of Pakistan, with a total length of 240 km (150 mi).

The road, with asphalted and unpaved sections, is often used as a bypass for the N-35 and connects the cities of Mansehra in Mansehra District, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, at an elevation of 1,088 m (3,570 ft) above the sea level, and Chilas, a small town in the Gilgit-Baltistan province, on the left side of river Indus.

National Highway 15 is very popular among tourists who visit Naran and the surrounding areas. Naran is one of the most scenic towns in Pakistan, attracting thousands of tourists, trekkers, photographers and nature-enthusiast, every year. The town is located in upper Kaghan Valley in Mansehra District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province at an elevation of 8,202 feet (2,500 m) above the sea level.

In winter the road is blocked due to heavy snowfall and it is very difficult to reach these zones. But avalanches and heavy snowfalls can block some sections of the road anytime and can be extremely dangerous due to frequent patches of ice. Conditions can change quickly and be harsh. Road closures can be frequent, so check conditions before traveling to this area.

The route demands 100% concentration. This road has humbled many egos. Drivers must remain cautious as the pass has been known to claim the lives of careless drivers. The road is in dreadful condition and requires strong nerves to negotiate it. It’s certainly breathtaking and it has a fearsome reputation. It still remains an adrenaline-pumping journey and is definitely not for the faint of lungs, heart, or legs.

 

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Nathia Gali Road

Nathia Gali Road is an asphalted high mountain road with a length of 28,8 km located in Hazara, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, in Pakistan, climbing up to a mountain resort town or hill station called Nathia Gali (or Nathiagali).

This infamous road is tightly hairpinned and bumped, an exquisite winding mountain drive with sharp and blind curves and hairpin switchbacks leading the traveler over the mountains. The drive time from Islamabad is usually about two hours, unless there is a lot of traffic. Nathia Gali is famous for its lush green meadows, deep forests of oak, cedar and pine, where fog in July/August present a glory. In winter snowfall adds to the scene.

The weather on this zone is harsh and highly unpredictable and it does not take much time for the bright sun shine to change over to moderate to heavy snow fall. The weather of Nathiagali remains cool, pleasant and foggy in Summers (1 May to 31 August). During the Monsoonseason (1 July to 16 September), rain is expected almost every day. Cold winds start to chill the weather in Autumn. Winters (1 November to 28 February) are very cold and chilly. In December and January, heavy snowfall occurs here. The weather remains cold in Spring. Here most comfortable weather is the summer season.

Conditions can change quickly and be harsh. Road closures can be frequent, so check conditions before traveling to this area. During the months of December and January, heavy snowfall occurs in this area and the road which leads to Nathiagali is block due to heavy snow.

 

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Khunjerab Pass

Khunjerab Pass (sometimes called Khunerjab Pass) is a high mountain pass on the northern border of Pakistan with China, at an elevation of 4.733 meters (15,528 feet) above the sea level. The Khunjerab Pass is the highest border-crossing in the world and the highest point on the Karakoram Highway.

Khunjerab Pass is located in the Karakoram Mountains in a strategic position on the northern border of Pakistan's Gilgit–Baltistan Hunza-Nagar District on the southwest border of the Xinjiang region of China. For comparison, Mont Blanc, the tallest mountain in Western Europe, is 4.810 m and Mount Whitney, the highest point in the 48 contiguous United States, is 4.421.

This section of the road was completed in 1982 and is possibly the highest metalled border crossing in the world. On the Pakistani side, the surface of the road is gravel. On the Chinese side, the surface of the road is a bad asphalt.
During the rainy season (December-April), because of mudslides the pass is closed to all vehicles except large trucks. The long, relatively flat pass is often snow-covered during the winter season and as a consequence is generally closed from November 30 to May 1. Choose your time carefully. The road bad conditions, with extremely large pot holes could potentially pop a tire, crack a rim, or screw up your cars allignment.

Portions of the road may be temporarily closed due to road work or inclement weather. Heavy or prolonged rain can cause local flash floods that cover the road with water or wash out culverts or bridges. There are some police checkpoints along the highway in China that may slow down your journey significantly if there are many cars and trucks. It is not advisable to take cars, 4x4 is preferred but a Van / coaster would serve the purpose.The unpaved sections of the road can be impassable when wet. In any case, driving 4WD is recommended due to uneven surface. During and after a storm the road may be impassable, even with a four-wheel-drive vehicle and can easily get muddy if it rains making it challenging to get through. It’s a tough terrain and expect landslides during rainy season.

Watch out for sudden loose-gravel breaks. And that pavement can ripple like a roller coaster track in places where “frost heaves” are caused by seasonal freezing and thawing of the ground. The surface on this gravel road is often loose, especially along the sides of the road. It makes necessary to drive carefully and slow down whenever approaching an oncoming car. Besham is the start of Kohsitan which is famous for its ruggedness and stubbornness. It is highly advisable to limit your stay and keep going preferably during day time. Kohistan borders Baltistan which is relatively safe. Main town to stay overnight is Chillas.