From Skardu the road follows the Indus gorge for about 100 km. When the valley widens, you have a view of Nanga Parbat. Shortly after the confluence of the Indus and the Gilgit River you reach Gilgit, the main town of the Northern Areas. Here the Karakorum Highway enters the Hunza Valley and runs northwards along the Hunza River. It is only at Karimabad that the narrow valley widens and you get a view of the surrounding mountains: Rakaposhi, Diran, Spantik and Ultar, all over 7000 m high. The valley is irrigated and there is intensive farming. Hunza is also famous for its apricots.

Passing the villages of Gulmit and Passu (where the Gulmit and Batura Glaciers almost touch the road) and finally the trading post of Sost, the road begins to climb and the scenery gets more and more mountainous. There are a number of long serpentines, then Khunjerab Pass is reached at 4788m. From Gilgit it takes about 6 hours by jeep.

As far as scenery is concerned, this trip is probably among the most impressive that can be done by car.