The Khunjerab Pass & China Border Day Tour is a guided trip lasting 1 day in Gilgit-Baltistan, northern Pakistan, topping out at 4,693 m. It is graded Easy on foot, demanding on altitude — 4,693 m by road — short walks at the pass. 3 fixed departures are open from $70 per person, all-inclusive from Islamabad.
Khunjerab Pass Day Tour — to 4,693 m Without Putting on Boots
The Karakoram Highway ends its climb at the Khunjerab Pass, 4,693 m, the highest paved international border crossing on earth, where the Pakistan–China boundary runs across a high, cold saddle in the snow. The drive is the trip: past Passu’s cathedral spires and the Batura glacier snout, through the Sost checkpoint at about 2,800 m, then into Khunjerab National Park, where marmots stand on the roadside and more than half the land lies above 4,000 m. It is about twelve hours from Karimabad and back, and it climbs nearly 2,000 m in a few hours, so we pace it properly and keep the time at the top short. Local hands, real safety, fair price.
- Duration
- 1 Day
- Max altitude
- 4,693 m
- Grade
- Moderate
- Days on foot
- 0
- Best season
- May - October
- Group size
- Max 6
Khunjerab Pass Day Price
From $70 per person in a group of four to six. That covers a private vehicle from your Hunza hotel to the pass and back, a local guide, the Khunjerab National Park entry fee, bottled water and an emergency oxygen cylinder in the vehicle. Meals are at your own cost; we stop for lunch in Sost or Passu. Bring your passport: it is checked at Sost.
Fixed Departures
Fixed departures are scheduled dates you join as part of a group, rather than arranging your own trip.
Private & customised groups
These are private departures, priced by the size of your party rather than by a set date.
| Group size | Price | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Solo (1 Person) | $150 | Private vehicle and guide to yourself for the long day. |
| (2-3 Persons) | $95 | One vehicle, shared, ideal for couples. |
| (4-6 Persons) | $70 | Best per-person rate for families and small groups. |
Can you do this trek?
Yes — if you can walk uphill for a few hours, this is well within reach.
Graded Easy on foot, demanding on altitude — 4,693 m by road.
What to expect
The highest point is 4,693 m, so altitude counts here. The itinerary is built around acclimatising and your guide sets a pace that gets you there comfortably.
One thing we do insist on: travel insurance that covers helicopter evacuation.
Travel Plan
Itinerary — Khunjerab Pass
An early start up the Karakoram Highway through Gojal, the Sost checkpoint and Khunjerab National Park to the 4,693 m border, a short time on top, then back to Hunza by evening.
Day 1Hunza to the Khunjerab Pass & Back
4,693 m
Early start north from Karimabad on the Karakoram Highway past Attabad Lake, the Passu cones and the Batura glacier snout to Sost, about 2,800 m, for the passport check. Into Khunjerab National Park at Dih, watching for marmots and Himalayan ibex, and up the long final climb to the pass at 4,693 m. About an hour at the border and the pass viewpoint, then down to Sost or Passu for a late lunch and back to Hunza by evening.
What’s included in the price
Every fixed departure is all-inclusive from Islamabad. This is exactly what your $70 per person covers, and the handful of things it does not — so there is nothing to settle at the trailhead.
Included in the price
- Private transport Hunza to Khunjerab and back
- Local English-speaking guide
- Khunjerab National Park entry fee
- Bottled water
- Oxygen in the vehicle
Not included
- Meals
- A Chinese visa or any border crossing
- Personal spending
Resources
Free guides from our local team, so you arrive ready.
- Trekking gear list what to pack
- Trekking medicine & altitude staying well up high
- Maps, books, visa & permits planning your trip
Why Karakoram Venture
Because the people who take you up this mountain are from it. Our guides grew up in these valleys, and they are our own team — not a booking desk handing you to whoever is cheapest that week. Every one of them holds a guide licence from DTS Gilgit-Baltistan and the Federal DTS, renewed each year, and worked at least five years in the region before applying for it. Most also hold Wilderness First Aid.
Because the safety is real, and we will name it rather than imply it. A satellite phone travels in every camp, we hold established helicopter-rescue contacts for this region, and we tell you exactly which travel insurance to carry. Budget operators cut precisely these things, because you cannot see them on a web page.
Because the price is honest. Local infrastructure is why $70 per person covers the trip from Islamabad rather than a stripped-down base rate. Exactly what it includes — and the handful of things it does not — is set out above.
How to book this trip
More About the Khunjerab Pass
Booking & Payment
A deposit of 10% of the trip price confirms your date. Balance is payable on the day in Hunza.
Book through our website or directly on WhatsApp. We confirm within the hour in season.
Cancellation Policy
Cancel 2+ days before the tour for a full refund of the deposit. Within 2 days the deposit is forfeit. If we cancel for weather or a closed road, you get a full refund.
Transportation Details
Private vehicle with driver on the paved Karakoram Highway, with an emergency oxygen cylinder on board.
Permits & Documents
Bring your original passport and visa; they are checked at Sost. No separate permit is needed to visit the pass on the Pakistan side.
Important Notes
Carry at least 2 recent passport-size photos for verification and documentation.
A valid passport (foreign nationals) or CNIC (Pakistani nationals) is mandatory for booking and travel.
Keep your original passport or CNIC with you throughout the tour for security checks and hotel check-ins.
Foreign nationals need a valid passport and the correct visa; any NOC and trekking/restricted-area permits are arranged by Karakoram Venture.
Special Information
Professional and experienced Tour Manager available from start to end of the trip.
Delicious and fresh daily meals included from Day 1 until departure.
No complimentary meals provided on flights or during transit stops.
Follow updated state travel policies carefully for a hassle-free journey.
Transportation Details
Comfortable and spacious A/C Coaches for long trips and intercity travel.
Sturdy 4x4 jeeps for mountain roads and sightseeing (up to 7 pax per vehicle).
Reliable 4x4 vehicles (Land Cruiser / Prado) for off-road and high-altitude excursions.
Arrival & Departure Guidelines
Day 1: Report at the designated airport on time as per schedule.
Final Day: Depart after successfully completing the full itinerary.
Frequently Asked Questions
How high is the Khunjerab Pass?
4,693 m (15,397 ft). It is the highest paved international border crossing on earth and the highest point of the Karakoram Highway.
Will the altitude affect me?
It can. You go from Karimabad at about 2,440 m to 4,693 m in a few hours by road, and a headache or breathlessness at the top is common. We keep the time at the pass to about an hour, carry oxygen in the vehicle, and turn back early if anyone feels unwell. If you have a heart or lung condition, check with your doctor first.
Can I cross into China?
Not on this tour. Foreign visitors can drive to the border area at the top of the pass and see the boundary, but crossing requires a Chinese visa and onward arrangements. We stay on the Pakistan side.
How long is the day?
About twelve hours from Karimabad and back, with the passport check at Sost on the way up and a lunch stop on the way down. There is no fuel above Sost, so the day is planned around that.
When is the road open?
Usually from May to October for visitors; snow and border schedules close it in winter. The road through the national park is paved, but snow can linger at the top into early summer.
