3 group tours and 5 private trips from Lahore
Our Naran tour packages are group trips from Lahore in a Toyota Coaster, starting at PKR 15,000 per person for 3 days. The coaster leaves at 11 pm from Thokar Niaz Baig or Barkat Market and picks up Islamabad guests on the way at no extra charge. Choose the standard 3-day tour, the luxury 3-day tour with a better hotel and food, or 4 days with a night in Shogran. These Naran Kaghan tour packages suit families, friends and solo travellers who want the lakes and Babusar Top without driving.
Every price covers the coaster, the hotel nights, breakfasts and dinners, the jeep up to Lake Saif-ul-Malook and a tour guide for the whole trip. Lunch is the main thing you pay for yourself.
Couples and families who want their own car and driver can pick one of the five private trips below, from 5 to 11 days, three of them with Hunza as well, or see all our Naran honeymoon packages.
Our blog has a longer list of the top 10 places to visit in Naran.
The best known lake in Pakistan, at about 3,200 m below Malika Parbat and about 9 km above Naran. Local jeeps take 30 to 60 minutes up a rough track, private cars are not normally allowed, and two to three hours at the lake is enough. Go early, and from June, as snow often blocks the track in May; more in our Saif-ul-Malook guide.
A long, deep blue lake at about 3,400 m beside the Babusar road, roughly 50 km north of Naran and the source of the Kunhar River. No jeep is needed: coasters stop on the roadside, and 20 to 30 minutes is enough for photos.
The 4,173 m pass at the head of the valley, about 65 km from Naran on the paved road, open from about mid-June to October. There are tea stalls, a cold wind and, on a clear day, a view to Nanga Parbat. Walk slowly, as some people feel the height; read more about Babusar Top.
A wide meadow above 3,000 m, ringed by pine forest, about an hour by rough jeep track from the main road above Naran. Allow half a day. It is far quieter than Saif-ul-Malook and best in June and July, when the wildflowers are out.
Batakundi, about 15 minutes above Naran at roughly 2,600 m, has newer hotels and much less noise than the bazaar. Jalkhad, further up the paved Babusar road, has open slopes and tea stalls.
A small, tear-shaped lake above 4,000 m, reached only on foot from near Saif-ul-Malook. The trek takes 6 to 8 hours or more there and back over steep ground and old snow, so it suits fit adults with a local guide, in July and August only.
A high lake at about 3,800 m in the Lulusar-Dudipatsar National Park. The trail from Besal is about 18 km each way, so it needs two days, a guide and camping gear, from July to early September.
A waterfall beside the N-15 at Kiwai, where the Shogran road turns off, with small restaurants by the water. It is our usual breakfast stop on the way up.
A forested ridge at about 2,360 m above Kiwai, 1.5 to 2 hours below Naran, with the Siri Paye meadows an hour higher by jeep. It is quieter than Naran and can be reached in winter; see our Shogran and Siri Paye guide.
All three Naran group tours start the same way. The Toyota Coaster leaves Lahore at 11 pm from Thokar Niaz Baig or Barkat Market, whichever you choose when you book. Islamabad and Rawalpindi guests join at about 3 am near the motorway or GT Road at no extra charge, and we send booked guests the exact spot before departure. Karachi guests usually fly or take the train to Lahore or Islamabad and join there. Breakfast is at about 8 am in Balakot or Kiwai, and we check in to the hotel in Naran at about 11 am.
Because you sleep on the coaster, the first day is not lost: after three hours of rest the jeeps take the group up to Lake Saif-ul-Malook the same afternoon. Rooms are shared by 3 to 4 people, and we confirm the hotel before departure, subject to availability. The standard 3-day tour leaves every Thursday in season. The luxury and 4-day tours depart through the season, so ask us on WhatsApp for the next date.
Luxury does not mean a different trip. The luxury tour uses the same route and the same coaster as the standard tour, with a better hotel and better food. The 4-day tour with Shogran and Siri Paye adds a night in Shogran and a jeep ride to the Siri Paye meadows.
| What you get | Standard, 3 days | Luxury, 3 days | Babusar and Shogran, 4 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price per person | PKR 15,000 | PKR 19,000 | PKR 23,000 |
| Child, 3 to 9 years | PKR 7,500 | PKR 13,500 | PKR 16,000 |
| Child under 3 | Free | Free | Free |
| Nights | 2 in Naran | 2 in Naran | 2 in Naran, 1 in Shogran |
| Hotel | Standard hotel | Executive rooms | A category hotels |
| Meals | 3 breakfasts, 2 dinners | 3 breakfasts, 2 dinners from a better menu | 4 breakfasts, 3 dinners |
| Jeeps | Saif-ul-Malook | Saif-ul-Malook, 6 people per jeep | Saif-ul-Malook, Shogran and Siri Paye |
| Departs | Every Thursday | Through the season | Through the season |
Pick the standard tour if price comes first and a simple, clean room is enough. Pick the luxury tour if you are travelling with parents or want a better bed and dinner after the long drive. Pick the 4-day tour if you can take one more day off, because the night in Shogran is the quietest part of the trip.
We also arrange private Naran tours with your own car and driver, from any city in Pakistan, quoted on request. Families with small children or older parents often prefer this, because you travel in daylight and stop when you need to.
Each tour page has its full list; the luxury tour also includes mineral water and first aid.
Times are approximate and change with the road and the weather.
Overnight drive with breakfast in Balakot or Kiwai, check-in at Naran around 11 am and three hours of rest. Then the jeeps go up to Lake Saif-ul-Malook, and we are back by 6 pm for dinner, Naran Bazaar and the bonfire.
After breakfast we drive north along the Kunhar River to Lulusar Lake and up to Babusar Top for photos and tea, then back to Naran for dinner. Early in the season we check the Babusar road before we set off.
We leave Naran at 9 am. Islamabad guests get off on the way, and the coaster reaches Lahore at about 11 pm.
On day 3 the coaster drives down to Kiwai. It does not go up to Shogran, so the group switches to jeeps there, and the jeeps carry on to the Siri Paye meadows before the night in Shogran. On day 4 the jeeps bring you back to Kiwai for the drive home.
June and September are the best months: everything is open, and in September the monsoon is over and the crowds thin out. July and August bring school holidays, Eid and the 14 August weekends, and heavy rain can cause landslides. Summer days are about 15 to 25°C and nights drop below 10°C even in July. Travel midweek if you can, and reach the lake before 9 am.
| Month | Weather | Roads and jeep tracks | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|
| April | Cold, snow around town | Road above Kaghan often blocked; lake under snow | Almost none, most hotels shut |
| May | Cool days, cold nights | Road to Naran usually open; lake track may stop at snow; Babusar closed | Low, rising late in the month |
| June | Mild, mostly dry | Lake track clears; Babusar usually opens mid to late June | Busy at weekends and Eid |
| July | Warmest, some rain | Everything open; landslides possible after heavy rain | Peak |
| August | Warm, wettest month | Everything open; most landslide closures happen now | Peak, very busy around 14 August |
| September | Dry and clear, cool nights | Everything open | Much lower after the first week |
| October | Cold nights, near freezing | Open early in the month; Babusar can close with the first snow | Very low, hotels closing |
| November to March | Snow and freezing | Road closed above Kaghan | Naran closed; go to Shogran instead |
From Lahore take the M-2 to Islamabad, then the Hazara Motorway past Abbottabad to Mansehra, and the N-15 through Balakot, Kiwai and Kaghan. From Islamabad join the Hazara Motorway at Burhan, near Hasan Abdal. The motorways are fast. The last 80 km from Balakot is a mountain road through villages, and that is where the time goes.
Driving yourself, leave Lahore before dawn to reach Balakot in daylight, and fill up in Mansehra or Balakot, as fuel in Naran is not reliable.
| From | Distance | Drive time | Route |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lahore | About 610 km | 10 to 12 hours by coaster | M-2, Hazara Motorway, N-15 |
| Islamabad or Rawalpindi | About 250 km | 5 to 6 hours, more in peak traffic | Hazara Motorway, N-15 |
| Karachi | About 1,650 km | Fly or take the train to Lahore or Islamabad first | Then as above |
| Balakot | About 80 km | 2 to 2.5 hours | N-15 via Kiwai and Kaghan |
| Naran to Babusar Top | About 65 km | 2 to 2.5 hours | N-15 past Lulusar Lake |
| Naran to Lake Saif-ul-Malook | About 9 km | 30 to 60 minutes by jeep | Jeep track |
The N-15 is paved to Naran and on over Babusar Top, and a normal car manages it in dry weather. After heavy rain in July and August, landslides can close parts of the road between Balakot and Naran for a few hours, sometimes for a day. Babusar opens when the snow allows and closes with the first heavy snow in October or November. On peak weekends the worst delay is traffic through Balakot and the Naran bazaar.
Zong and Telenor usually give the best signal in Naran town. Expect little or none at the lakes and on most of the Babusar road, so give your family the tour guide's number before you leave. Naran has a few ATMs, but they run out on busy weekends and do not take every card. Bring cash from Islamabad, Mansehra or Balakot, because jeeps, boats, horses and most restaurants take cash only.
Every adult needs an original CNIC: hotels record it at check-in and police posts on the N-15 sometimes ask for it. Foreign nationals should carry a passport and visa and expect to register at check posts.
The town is safe and used to families. The real risks are landslides after rain, steep jeep tracks, the fast and cold Kunhar, and thin air at Babusar Top, so keep children off the riverbank and only raft with a life jacket and helmet. From November to April snow closes the road above Kaghan, and we run no Naran tours.
Send us a WhatsApp message with the tour, the date and the number of adults and children. A 30% advance confirms your seats, and you pay the rest at departure. The refund if you cancel depends on how close to departure you tell us; the full terms are on our terms and conditions page.
| When you cancel | Refund |
|---|---|
| More than 7 days before departure | 75% of what you paid |
| 5 to 7 days before departure | 50% of what you paid |
| In the last 4 days, or a no-show | No refund |
“The best ever company to travel with! No compromise on comfort and peace. 🌸 Pakistan Travel Diaries provided all the necessities and comfort with such and elegance during my last trip to Naran Kaghan. Such a friendly host! Perfect arrangement of jeeps, food and hotels! Perfect views from hotel 🥳 Highly Recommend for Naran Kaghan Tours!!”
Neha NabeelNaran Kaghan Luxury Tour 3 Days 2 Nights from Lahore“The best company for Naran Kaghan Tours and other northern areas of Pakistan. The Tour Operator and Perfect Guide "Abuzar Khan Buzdar" is one man army who will be there for u to provide u maximum satisfaction. I just love their Services They always provide luxurious tour to their customers cum family ♥️Always Recommend❤️”
Bint E JavaidNaran Kaghan Luxury Tour 3 Days 2 Nights from Lahore“I went to Naran Kaghan Valley with Pakistan Travel Diaries on 3 Days & 2 Night Tour & I really enjoyed the trip. The Tour Guide Abuzar Khan is really very cooperative & trustworthy person. He provided luxury facilities like Hotel Rooms, Breakfast, Dinner & Lunch in Best Budget. Other than that I really enjoyed Bonfire & BBQ Night during stay at Hotel. So Highly recommended from my side.”
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Syed Qasim AliSwat Valley Tour 3 Days 2 Nights: Luxury Group Tour
Our Naran tour packages from Lahore cost PKR 15,000 per person for the standard 3-day tour, PKR 19,000 for the luxury 3-day tour and PKR 23,000 for 4 days with Shogran and Siri Paye. Children aged 3 to 9 pay PKR 7,500, 13,500 or 16,000, and children under 3 travel free. Islamabad guests pay the same price.
Every Naran group tour includes the Toyota Coaster from Lahore with Islamabad pickup, hotel nights with 3 to 4 people per room, breakfasts and dinners, the jeep to Lake Saif-ul-Malook, a BBQ dinner and bonfire, and a tour guide. The 4-day tour adds the jeeps to Shogran and Siri Paye. Lunch, snacks and personal expenses are not included.
The coaster leaves Lahore at 11 pm from Thokar Niaz Baig or Barkat Market, and you choose the pickup point when you book. The standard 3-day tour departs every Thursday in season. The luxury and 4-day tours depart through the season, so message us on WhatsApp for the next date.
Yes. Islamabad and Rawalpindi guests join the coaster at about 3 am near the motorway or GT Road, at no extra charge, and pay the same price as Lahore guests. We send the exact spot before departure. Karachi is about 1,650 km from Naran, so Karachi travellers usually fly or take the train to Lahore or Islamabad and join there.
Rooms on our Naran group tours are shared by 3 to 4 people. Couples who want a room of their own can ask for one at an extra charge, and the couple price is shown on each tour page. Tell us your group when you book so we can plan the rooms.
We do not publish hotel names, because the hotel depends on availability for each date. The standard tour uses a standard hotel in Naran, the luxury tour uses executive rooms, and the 4-day tour uses A category hotels in Naran and Shogran. We confirm your hotel before departure.
No. Children aged 3 to 9 pay a child price: PKR 7,500 on the standard tour, PKR 13,500 on the luxury tour and PKR 16,000 on the 4-day tour. Children under 3 travel free. Children over 9 pay the adult price.
Naran is about 610 km from Lahore and 250 km from Islamabad by road. From Lahore it takes 10 to 12 hours by coaster on the M-2, the Hazara Motorway and the N-15. From Islamabad a car takes 5 to 6 hours, and peak-season weekends can add two hours or more, mainly through Balakot and the Naran bazaar.
June and September are the best months to visit Naran. All roads and jeep tracks are open, the weather is mild and the crowds are smaller than in July and August. Babusar Top usually opens in mid to late June. July and August are busier and wetter, and May still has snow at Lake Saif-ul-Malook with Babusar closed.
No. From about November to April, snow closes the N-15 above Kaghan in most years and nearly all of Naran's hotels close, so we run Naran tours only from late May to early October. For snow in the Kaghan Valley, go to Shogran above Kiwai, where a few hotels stay open.
Yes, Babusar Top and Lulusar Lake are on day 2 of every Naran group tour. The Babusar road usually opens in mid to late June, once the snow is cleared, and stays open until the first heavy snow in October or early November. The date changes every year, so early in the season we check the road before we set off.
Three days from Lahore is enough for Lake Saif-ul-Malook, Lulusar Lake and Babusar Top, because the coaster travels overnight and you arrive in Naran by late morning. Choose the 4-day tour if you also want a night in Shogran and the jeep ride to the Siri Paye meadows. With five days or more by car you can add Lalazar or a free day.
Yes. The 9 km track from Naran is rough and steep, and private cars are not normally allowed up, so everyone goes in local jeeps, 30 to 60 minutes each way. Fares are set locally each season and rise on busy weekends, so agree the price and waiting time first. On all our Naran group tours the lake jeep is included.
Yes. We arrange private Naran tours with your own car and driver, starting from any city in Pakistan, quoted on request: send us your dates, the number of people and your city on WhatsApp. For couples, the Naran honeymoon packages start at PKR 120,000 per couple for 5 days, without meals.
Zong and Telenor usually give the best signal in Naran town. There is little or no signal at Lake Saif-ul-Malook, Lulusar Lake and on much of the Babusar road. Naran has a few ATMs, but they run out on busy weekends, so bring cash from Islamabad, Mansehra or Balakot for jeeps, rides and food.
Yes. Naran is one of the most popular family destinations in Pakistan, and our group tours carry families, friends and solo travellers with a tour guide for the whole trip. The risks are natural ones: landslides after heavy rain, steep jeep tracks, a fast cold river and thin air at Babusar Top.
Send us a WhatsApp message with the tour, date and number of travellers. A 30% advance confirms your seats, and you pay the rest at departure. If you cancel more than 7 days before departure we refund 75%, and between 5 and 7 days we refund 50%. Cancellations in the last 4 days, and no-shows, are not refunded.
Tell us your dates, group size and budget and our Lahore travel desk will tailor a package for you. Call +92 311 1696777 or send an enquiry.
