Pak-China Border at Khunjerab Pass — Complete Visitor Guide

DestinationsHunza Travel Guide

✍ Written by: Hunza-Tours.com Editorial Team ✔ Reviewed by: Sultan Ali, Head Guide (Hunza) 📅 Content reviewed: August 2026 ⛰ Field experience: Local ground team, resident in Gilgit-Baltistan

In short: The Pak-China border at Khunjerab Pass (4,693 m) is the highest paved international border crossing on Earth — a day trip from Hunza where you stand at the famous gate between Pakistan and China, watch ibex graze the national park, and withdraw cash from the world’s highest ATM. Open roughly May to late November.

The Border Experience

The road ends (for tourists) at the monumental border gate — Pakistani and Chinese flags, the friendship arch, uniformed guards happy to witness a thousand photos a day, and the surreal sight of China’s highway continuing beyond the fence toward Tashkurgan. You can walk right up to the gate; crossing beyond needs a Chinese visa. Budget 1–2 hours at the top: photos, the ATM receipt souvenir, thin-air wandering — then descend.

Getting There from Hunza

It’s a full-day return from Karimabad (~3.5–4 hrs each way) or a shorter run from a Gulmit/Sost overnight — the smarter plan, giving early light and calmer wind. The route passes , (last town, park-fee post) and the long climb through Khunjerab National Park, where ibex, yaks and marmots are near-guaranteed and snow leopards are the resident rumour. Included in every .

What to Know Before You Go

Carry passports/CNICs for checkpoints; pay the national park fee near Sost; dress for winter whatever the month (it can snow in July); expect mild breathlessness at 4,693 m and take it slowly — our vehicles carry oxygen and the covers the day in detail. Opening dates and winter closure are covered in the .

Crossing Into China

The border operates for through-traffic on the joint Pakistan–China schedule (roughly May–November): Pakistani exit formalities at Sost, Chinese entry at Tashkurgan. Independent crossing needs a Chinese visa arranged in advance; our runs the full Kashgar–Hunza Silk Road route with both sides handled. For the full mountain-pass story — history, KKH construction, wildlife — see the main .

Official Sources & References

Border access and national-park rules are set by the relevant Pakistani authorities. Always confirm time-sensitive details (visa rules, pass openings, flight schedules) with the official source before travel:

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