Khunjerab Pass sits at 4,693 metres on the Pakistan-China border, making it one of the highest paved international border crossings in the world. The drive from Karimabad in Hunza to the pass and back is possible in a long day. It is one of the more unusual excursions available from Hunza and worth understanding before you plan for it.
The drive from Karimabad
Karimabad to Khunjerab Pass is approximately 155 kilometres, taking around 3.5 to 4 hours in good conditions. The Karakoram Highway north of Karimabad is paved and generally well-maintained, though sections near Attabad and around Gulmit can have landslide debris in spring.
The drive passes through some of the most dramatic scenery on the Karakoram Highway. Attabad Lake (the turquoise lake formed by a 2010 landslide) is 90 minutes from Karimabad. North of Attabad, the valley opens and the landscape becomes increasingly stark and high-altitude. Passu village, about 2 hours from Karimabad, has the famous Passu Cones: cathedral-like rock spires above the valley. A short stop here is worth the 10 minutes.
Sost is the last town before the pass, about 3 hours from Karimabad. This is where the border checkpoint is located: all vehicles entering the restricted zone beyond Sost require documentation. From Sost to the pass is another 86 kilometres, roughly 1.5 hours on a road that climbs continuously to 4,693 metres.
What is at Khunjerab Pass
At the top: a marker stone, a Pakistani flag, and a Chinese flag. The landscape is broad, flat, and bleak in the way that extreme altitude produces: thin grass, a cold wind regardless of season, and the sense of being very far from anything. The views back south along the valley you drove up are excellent.
There is a Pakistan Customs and Immigration post on the Pakistani side. In summer, a small stall or two operates near the marker. Nothing else.
The border itself is closed to most international tourists for crossing into China. Pakistani nationals can cross with valid Chinese visas. International tourists generally cannot cross unless they have arranged a Chinese tour group visa in advance from within China. If visiting the pass, plan to turn around and drive back to Hunza the same day.
Permits and documentation
Pakistani nationals require no special permits to visit the pass. International tourists visiting the pass as a tourist (not crossing) also require no special permit beyond their standard Pakistani visa. The checkpoint at Sost will register your vehicle and check documentation.
If you plan to trek in the Khunjerab National Park area (the protected zone between Sost and the border), a park entry fee is collected at the Sost checkpoint. This applies to vehicle visitors as well.
When the pass is open
Khunjerab Pass is open to tourists from approximately May 1 to October 31 each year, subject to weather. The exact opening and closing dates vary year to year. Snow can close the pass temporarily even within the open season. In October, the closing can happen any time from mid-month onward depending on snowfall.
The best months for the drive are June through September. July and August have the most reliable road conditions and the least chance of snow closure. October is possible but the risk of an early closure increases as the month progresses.
Should you do it as a day trip?
A Karimabad to Khunjerab and back day trip is long: 8 to 10 hours of driving with stops. It is manageable but tiring. The alternative is to stop overnight at Sost or Passu in each direction, which allows you to add Gulmit and the Borith Lake area to the itinerary without rushing.
For most travellers on a Hunza itinerary, the drive to Passu and the Cones viewpoint (3.5 hours from Karimabad) is a satisfying shorter version of the same journey. The Passu landscape is, in many ways, more visually interesting than the bare plateau around the pass itself. If time is limited, Passu gives you 80 percent of the drive experience at less than half the distance.
Raahi includes the Khunjerab drive as an optional addition to Hunza itineraries. Tell us how many days you have and we will tell you whether the full pass trip or the Passu circuit makes more sense for your schedule.