I have been up to the northern areas several times now, and I have made one rule for myself: never fly straight through Islamabad. Always give it at least a day. Here is why that stopover has saved my trips more than once, and how I spend it.

The practical reason

Northern flights from Islamabad to Gilgit and Skardu cancel often because of weather, and the Karakoram Highway journey is long. Building a day into Islamabad gives me a buffer: if my onward flight gets pushed, I have not lost anything, and I am already in the right city to rebook or switch to the road. That single habit has spared me a lot of stress.

How I actually spend the day

Rather than just waiting, I make the stopover enjoyable:

• An early Margalla Hills hike on Trail 5 to stretch my legs before days of sitting in a car or plane.
• Sunset at the Faisal Mosque, which never gets old — that white marble against the hills is genuinely moving.
• A relaxed dinner at Pir Sohawa with the city lights below, or a café evening in F-7.

Stocking up

Islamabad is also where I prepare for the north. I withdraw enough cash here because ATMs up the valleys are unreliable, buy any warm layers I am missing, grab a SCOM SIM for mountain signal, and confirm my onward transport. Doing all this in a well-stocked city is far easier than scrambling in Gilgit.

Where I stay

I usually book a mid-range hotel in F-6 or F-7 for around PKR 15,000 a night — central, close to cafés, and easy for ride-hailing to the airport early the next morning. For a short stopover, staying central is worth it.

My advice

• Always keep a buffer day in Islamabad before northern flights.
• Use the day to acclimatise gently and do a short hike.
• Withdraw cash, buy warm layers and sort your SIM here, not up north.
• Confirm your onward flight or road transport the evening before.

Islamabad is more than a transit point — it is the smart traveller's staging ground for the mountains. Give it a day, and your northern trip will run smoother for it.