Destination Details

Naran, Pakistan

A road trip from Lahore to Babusar Top is one of Pakistan's great high-pass drives, but planning it for December requires a major adjustment: Babusar Top is completely closed in the winter.

While you might recall the green valleys around Kaghan and Saif ul Malook from your past travels up north, December brings heavy blizzards that bury the N-15 highway under several feet of snow. The pass sits at an elevation of 4,173m (13,691 ft) and is only open from mid-June to late October. In December, temperatures plunge to -10°C or lower, and avalanche risks make the area strictly off-limits.

Here is a look at how winter weather changes access to the valley: