Travel

Karakoram Highway facts: the road from Pakistan to China

The Karakoram Highway runs about 1,300 km from Hasan Abdal to Kashgar, crossing the Khunjerab Pass at 4,693 m, one of the highest paved border crossings.

By Mujhe Batao Desk · · 1 min read

The Karakoram Highway (KKH), also called N-35 in Pakistan, links Pakistan and China through some of the highest mountains on Earth.

Karakoram Highway in numbers

  • Length: about 1,300 km, from Hasan Abdal in Punjab to Kashgar in China
  • Highest point: the Khunjerab Pass, 4,693 m, one of the highest paved international border crossings in the world
  • Built: by Pakistan and China together, completed in 1979
  • Opened to the public: 1986

What you pass on the way

  • The Indus valley around Besham and Chilas
  • Views of Nanga Parbat, the world's 9th-highest mountain
  • Hunza valley, Karimabad and Attabad Lake
  • Passu Cones and the Khunjerab National Park

Travel tips

  • The Khunjerab Pass is usually open to traffic from spring to late autumn and closed in winter.
  • Landslides can block parts of the road, so check conditions before travelling.

Related

Have you driven the KKH? Tell us your favourite stop on Instagram.

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