Sost Guide — Pakistan’s Last Town Before China

China BorderHunza Travel Guide

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

In short: Sost is the final Pakistani town on the Karakoram Highway — the dry port and immigration post for China trade, a frontier bazaar of Chinese goods, and the overnight base for early Khunjerab Pass starts.

Frontier Atmosphere

Container trucks from Kashgar, traders from both sides, customs yards against 6,000 m peaks: Sost feels like the edge of a country because it is. The bazaar sells Chinese thermoses, blankets, crockery and snacks found nowhere else in Pakistan.

Why Overnight Here

Sleeping at Sost (2,800 m) puts you one hour from the Khunjerab gate for the calm, wildlife-rich early hours — and aids acclimatisation before the 4,693 m pass. Hotels are simple but adequate; see Sost entries in our hotels list from PKR 6,000/night.

Khunjerab Logistics

Park entry fees are paid near Sost; passports are needed at checkpoints. The pass typically opens May–late November. Our 12 Days China Border tour gives Sost a full bazaar day — the only mainstream itinerary that does.

Beyond Sost

The road continues through Khunjerab National Park — ibex, yaks, marmots and, rarely, snow leopards — to the border gate and the world’s highest ATM. Crossing into China requires a Chinese visa arranged separately.