#9 of 79 · mountain
Hunza — Karakoram Highway
Karimabad, Hunza → Khunjerab Pass
155 km · May – Oct · Challenging
Attabad’s turquoise cut, the Passu cones, then the climb to the Chinese border at 4,693 m. The Karakoram Highway’s finest stretch, and not a casual afternoon.
Viewpoints
Attabad Lake
The lake that ate the old road. The new one hangs above it.
20 km
2,560 m
Passu cones
The teeth. Stop before the village, not in it.
45 km
2,470 m
Khunjerab Pass
4,693 m. China is the fence. Turn around unless you have the stamp.
155 km
4,693 m
- Road
- Mostly paved, sometimes rebuilt after slides. Altitude after Sost. Weather at Khunjerab can close the gate. Fuel in Karimabad and Sost; nothing after.
- Permits
- Khunjerab National Park entry for the last stretch. Passport for the pass even if you are not crossing.
Tips
- 01
Sleep in Hunza first
Altitude starts being honest after Passu. Do not leave Karimabad at dawn on day one.
- 02
The pass closes
Winter, and sometimes a Tuesday. Check Sost before you burn the fuel.
From the road
2 notes
Field reports from people who have driven this route.
Driven this road? Join as a driver to leave a note from the road.
Ayesha H.
Jun 2025
Attabad at eight, Passu cones in hard light, Sost for fuel. Khunjerab was a wind that moved the car. Two nights in Karimabad first — do not skip that.
Imran K.
Oct 2025
The pass gate was shut after overnight snow. Waited at Sost. There is no clever way around Khunjerab — when it closes, it closes. Hunza was still the day.
