A thin ribbon of asphalt strikes north from near Islamabad and leaves the modern capital and the dusty Punjab plains far behind. As it weaves through sparse green hills, the first wrinkles of mountain-building in this geological ‘collision zone’, this unassuming road gives little hint as to what lies ahead.

The second-largest city in Sindh, Hyderabad is on the Indus about 180km northeast of Karachi. It’s of little tourist interest and most foreigners who come here do so on specific business, although its sprawling bazaars are good for souvenir hunting.

This section begins in the southernmost unit of the NA, Diamir district. It’s best known for the 8125m massif of Nanga Parbat, the eighth-highest mountain in the world (Diamir is its local name).