Adventure & Scenic · Border Crossing
Khunjerab Pass
Top of the World — Crossing the Roof of Asia at 4,693 Metres
Location
Pakistan-China border, Upper Hunza
Altitude
4,693 m (15,397 ft)
From Sost
85 km
From Karimabad
~175 km
Open Season
May 1 – Nov 30
Permit
CNIC / Passport required
Overview
Khunjerab Pass is the highest paved international border crossing in the world, standing at 4,693 metres (15,397 ft) above sea level on the Pakistan-China border in the Gilgit-Baltistan region. Located at the northern end of the Karakoram Highway — one of the most engineering-remarkable roads ever built — the pass connects Sost (Pakistan) with Tashkurgan (China's Xinjiang Province). The name 'Khunjerab' comes from the Wakhi language meaning 'Valley of Blood,' referencing the ancient dangers of the route.
Day Trip from Karimabad or Sost
From Karimabad (Full Day)
Early morning departure (06:00). Drive KKH northward past Attabad Lake, Gulmit, Passu Cones, and Sost check post (register here). Continue 85 km from Sost up the increasingly barren high-altitude plateau. Arrive Khunjerab Pass monument and border gate (10:00–11:00). Photograph the Pakistan-China border marker. Look for Marco Polo sheep. Spend 1–2 hours at the pass. Return to Sost for lunch. Back to Karimabad by early evening.
From Sost (Half Day)
Depart Sost 07:00. Register at Sost checkpost. Drive 85 km to pass (2.5 hrs). Explore the top. Return Sost by 1:00 PM.
Tips
Bring warm layers — temperatures at the pass can be 10–15°C cooler than Sost. Altitude sickness is possible — stay hydrated and move slowly. The drive from Passu to the pass is as spectacular as the destination itself.
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