Khunjerab Pass is the highest paved international border crossing in the world, and the highest point on the Karakoram Highway. It stands at 4,693 metres (15,397 feet) and connects Hunza, in Gilgit-Baltistan, to Xinjiang, China. The same road is a key point on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Trade access and tourist access follow two different calendars. Since December 2024 the pass has operated year-round for trade and cargo. Travellers can typically cross or visit only from about 1 May to 31 October or early November. A cargo run in January is not a visitor day. Khunjerab is the high paved border on the Karakoram Highway: year-round for trade, seasonal for visitors.
The place itself is Khunjerab Pass. What follows covers the crossing, the corridor, and the two calendars you need before you book.
Where Khunjerab Pass is
Khunjerab Pass sits at 4,693 metres (15,397 feet) on the border between Hunza and Xinjiang. No other paved international border crossing is higher, and no other point on the Karakoram Highway is higher.
On the Pakistani side the pass is roughly 270 km from Gilgit and roughly 870 km from Islamabad. On the Chinese side it marks the start of China’s National Highway 314, roughly 130 km from Tashkurgan and roughly 420 km from Kashgar. Those distances are road distances through high country, not a flat-map shortcut.
The paved road over the pass was completed in 1982. It replaced the older unpaved Mintaka and Kilik passes as the main route across the Karakoram range. Hunza is the valley you travel through on the Pakistani side before the road climbs to the border.
Reaching Gilgit-Baltistan is a separate first step. Air and road options are on Getting to Gilgit-Baltistan. From Gilgit or Hunza, the last stretch to the pass is a border road, not a town road. Confirm that the tourist calendar is open before you treat the drive as a certain day trip.
Trade access and tourist access
Trade access and tourist access follow two different calendars. The pass being open for trucks does not mean it is open for a tourist visit.
Since December 2024, Khunjerab Pass has operated year-round for trade and cargo traffic. Before that change, trade used the pass for only about eight months of the year. Cargo, customs, and commercial passenger movement now continue through the winter months that used to close the route.
Tourist access remains seasonal and separate from that trade schedule. Travellers can typically cross or visit roughly from 1 May to 31 October or early November, weather permitting. Exact dates shift from year to year. The wider seasonal picture, including the other high passes, is on Climate and best time to visit Gilgit-Baltistan. Use that guide for the full windows. The Khunjerab split is the calendar that decides a visitor day at this border.
| Who is travelling | When the pass is used |
|---|---|
| Trade and cargo | Year-round since December 2024. Before that, about eight months a year. |
| Tourists | Typically 1 May to 31 October or early November, weather permitting. Dates shift year to year. |
Recent movement through the pass shows a working border, not an empty viewpoint. Over a recent 10-month period the crossing handled more than 50,000 passenger trips, around 11,000 vehicles, and roughly 40,900 tonnes of cargo. Customs revenue at the pass has reached roughly Rs15 billion in recent reporting.
Goods traded include textiles, agricultural goods, herbs, and other cross-border items. Those cargo lines are why the road stays in use after the tourist season ends. They do not add a winter visiting day for independent travellers.
What this means if you are booking
Book a border visit inside the tourist window, and confirm the week you travel. A news line about year-round trade is about cargo. It is not a promise that the viewpoint, the tourist crossing, or a Hunza day trip will run in December, January, or February.
Khunjerab Pass and CPEC
Khunjerab Pass is a key point on CPEC, a set of infrastructure and trade projects launched in 2015 as part of China’s wider Belt and Road Initiative. The pass is where that corridor crosses from Pakistan into China.
The full CPEC route runs from Gwadar Port on Pakistan’s Arabian Sea coast, north along the Karakoram Highway, through Khunjerab Pass, and into Xinjiang. CPEC’s stated goals include improving transport infrastructure, trade links, and energy cooperation between the two countries.
For a traveller, the useful point is simple. The highway you drive from the lowlands toward Hunza is the same corridor that continues to this border. Khunjerab is not a side track off the Karakoram Highway. It is the high point of that road, and the point where CPEC leaves Pakistan.
The 1982 paved crossing is what made that continuous road possible. Mintaka and Kilik remain the older, unpaved passes that this route replaced. CPEC, launched in 2015, is the later programme of infrastructure, trade, and energy work built along the corridor that already used Khunjerab as its mountain gate.
An older trade route
The route follows an ancient branch of the Silk Road. Historically it connected South Asia with Central Asia and China. Long before the paved highway and long before CPEC, goods and people moved through these valleys between those regions.
Gilgit’s place on that older story is written separately on Silk Route legacy in Gilgit. Read that account for the historical detail. The modern pass, the two calendars, and the corridor that now uses the 4,693 metre crossing are the subject here.
Visiting Khunjerab Pass
Visit Khunjerab from Hunza, inside the tourist window, and treat the border as its own day. Valley walks, forts, and lake stops in Hunza do not depend on the pass being open to visitors. The border day does.
Start with how you enter the region, using Getting to Gilgit-Baltistan. Then base yourself in Hunza and add the pass only after you have checked the current tourist dates. Those dates, and how they sit beside Babusar and Shandur, are on Climate and best time to visit Gilgit-Baltistan.
Take the camera rules seriously before you ride up. Read photography restrictions first. A border road is not the same as a valley viewpoint, and the restrictions apply on the approach as well as at the pass.
If your dates fall outside 1 May to 31 October or early November, keep the Hunza valley plan and drop the pass. Year-round trade since December 2024 does not change that visitor limit. Weather can also shorten the tourist window inside those months, so leave room to move the day rather than locking a single morning months ahead.
Planning a day trip to the pass
Most tourists see Khunjerab as a long day trip from Hunza rather than a border crossing. Start early, because the drive up through Gojal and Sost to the top takes time, and the weather at the pass is usually best before midday. Carry your identity documents for the checkpoints, and allow time for stops along the way. Plan to be back down well before dark.
Altitude at Khunjerab
The pass is high enough to affect visitors who have not spent time at altitude. Walk slowly, avoid running or heavy exertion at the top, and keep your stay short if anyone feels dizzy or develops a headache. Spending a night or two in central Hunza or Gojal before going up helps the body adjust.
Weather and clothing
Conditions at the pass can be harsh even in summer, with cold winds, low temperatures and sudden changes. Pack a warm jacket, hat, gloves and sunglasses, and wear sunscreen because the high-altitude light is strong. Carry water and snacks, since there may be few facilities at the top.
Wildlife along the route
The approach to the pass runs through a protected landscape where wildlife may be seen from the road. Watch from your vehicle, keep a respectful distance, and never feed animals. Follow any instructions from park staff and checkpoint officials.
Respecting a border zone
Khunjerab is an international border, and security procedures apply. Follow instructions at checkpoints, keep to permitted areas, and check what you are allowed to photograph before taking pictures. Being patient and polite with officials keeps the visit smooth for everyone.
Frequently asked questions
What is Khunjerab Pass?
Khunjerab Pass is the highest paved international border crossing in the world, and the highest point on the Karakoram Highway. It stands at 4,693 metres (15,397 feet) and connects Hunza, in Gilgit-Baltistan, to Xinjiang, China.
Is Khunjerab Pass open in winter?
It depends who is crossing. Since December 2024 the pass has operated year-round for trade and cargo. Tourist access stays seasonal, typically from 1 May to 31 October or early November. Winter trade does not mean a winter tourist visit.
How far is Khunjerab Pass from Gilgit and from Kashgar?
On the Pakistani side it is roughly 270 km from Gilgit and roughly 870 km from Islamabad. On the Chinese side, National Highway 314 starts at the pass, roughly 130 km from Tashkurgan and roughly 420 km from Kashgar.
What is CPEC, and where does the pass fit?
CPEC is a set of infrastructure and trade projects launched in 2015 as part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative. The route runs from Gwadar Port on the Arabian Sea, north on the Karakoram Highway, through Khunjerab Pass, and into Xinjiang. The pass is a key point on that corridor.
When was the paved road over the pass built?
The paved road was completed in 1982. It replaced the older unpaved Mintaka and Kilik passes as the main route across the Karakoram range.
Can I photograph at the pass?
Read the photography restrictions before you travel. The pass is a border crossing, not an ordinary viewpoint, and those limits apply on the approach as well as at the border itself.
Can I visit Khunjerab Pass as a day trip from Hunza?
Yes. Most tourists visit as a long day trip from Hunza. Start early and plan to be back before dark.
Is altitude a problem at Khunjerab Pass?
It can be. Walk slowly, keep your stay at the top short and spend a night or two in Hunza first to adjust.
What should I wear at Khunjerab Pass?
Bring a warm jacket, hat, gloves, sunglasses and sunscreen. It can be cold and windy even in summer.
Do I need documents to visit Khunjerab Pass?
Carry your identity documents for the checkpoints on the route and follow officials’ instructions.
