Seasonal · roughly May to November
Hunza to Khunjerab Pass.
The highest paved border crossing in the world, at 4,693 metres, and one of the few genuinely spectacular drives you can do in an ordinary car. From Karimabad it is 140 km north through Attabad, Gulmit and Passu, then up the Khunjerab valley into the national park. The road is not the problem. The gate hours and the season are.
- Distance
- 140 km
- Drive time
- 3h 30m
- Shared seat
- On request
- Private from
- PKR 14,000
- Surface
- Paved KKH the whole way to the pass
- Vehicle
- Car reaches the pass. Van for groups.
- Departure advice
- Leave Karimabad by 07:00
Fares
What it costs, agreed up front.
One fare, agreed before you accept the booking. No meter, no surge.
What we know
Driving it, not describing it.
Khunjerab National Park has a gate, a fee and a closing time. Go early. Vehicles turned back at the gate in the afternoon is the single most common wasted day on this route.
The pass shuts to tourist traffic in winter, roughly late November to April or May, even when the KKH below Passu is completely clear. The border itself keeps its own schedule and closes for Chinese holidays.
It is 4,693 metres and you will have gained 2,200 of those in three hours. Some people get a headache at the top. Do not plan to linger for two hours, and do not take a heavy lunch up there.
Bring your ID. Passports for foreign nationals, CNIC for Pakistanis. There are checkposts and they do check.
Where you stop
The drive, hour by hour.
Roads, honestly
When this road is worth driving.
Questions
Asked often enough to answer here.
Is Khunjerab Pass open?
Roughly May to late November for tourist traffic, depending on snow. It is closed in winter even when the highway below Hunza is clear. Ask us the week you travel and we will tell you the current state.
How long does it take to reach Khunjerab from Hunza?
About three and a half hours each way from Karimabad, so allow a full day with time at the top and the park gate.
Do I need a permit for Khunjerab Pass?
No permit for the pass itself, but there is a national park fee at the gate and ID checks along the way. Carry your passport or CNIC.
Can a normal car reach Khunjerab Pass?
Yes. The KKH is paved all the way to the top. The altitude is harder on the passengers than on the vehicle.
Can I cross into China at Khunjerab?
Not as a tourist arriving by car. The Sost dry port handles cargo and the crossing has its own rules and closures. The pass is a destination, not a route through.
Read before you go
Other routes