Khunjerab Pass
خنجراب درہ
A China-Pakistan border pass at about 4,693 meters, one of the highest paved international road crossings in the world. The Pakistani side lies within Khunjerab National Park.
Khunjerab Pass is a mountain pass on the China-Pakistan border at roughly 4,693 meters. It is one of the highest paved international road crossings in the world. From the Pakistani side, you travel about 80 km north from Sost, the town where Pakistan's customs and immigration offices are located, along the Karakoram Highway. The route enters Khunjerab National Park, where you must pay the park entrance fee at the checkpoint (foreigners pay more than Pakistani nationals). The park is known for Marco Polo sheep, Siberian ibex, snow leopards, and marmots, and if you're lucky you may spot marmots by the roadside. At the pass stand the China-Pakistan border monument and boundary markers, and you can look across to the Chinese border gate. Visitors from Pakistan often take photos here, and the snow is deep in winter. For Chinese travelers, Khunjerab is mainly a land crossing: you can travel from Kashgar through Tashkurgan and exit China, then complete Pakistani entry formalities at Sost. Note that rapid altitude gain can cause altitude sickness, so avoid staying too long or exerting yourself strenuously. Opening hours and entry and exit policies change with the season and with policy, so always confirm in advance. Photographing military facilities and personnel in border areas is prohibited.
Opening hours
Port of entry seasonally open (approx. May–Nov; check official notices)
Nearby sights
- Sost
- Batura Glacier
- Passu Cones (Tupopdan)
- Hussaini Suspension Bridge
- Passu Glacier
- Borith Lake
- Gulmit
- Attabad Lake