Transport · Cross-Border · Pakistan
Kashgar to Islamabad — Karakoram Highway via Khunjerab Pass
The Karakoram Highway (KKH) connects Kashgar to Islamabad via the Khunjerab Pass (4,693 m) — one of the highest paved international border crossings in the world. Open May to November only.
Route & practicalities
The Karakoram Highway (中巴友谊公路, China-Pakistan Friendship Highway) is one of the most dramatic roads in the world, connecting Kashgar in Xinjiang to Islamabad in Pakistan via the Khunjerab Pass at 4,693 metres above sea level. The total length of the KKH from Kashgar to Islamabad is approximately 1,300 km.
The road was built jointly by China and Pakistan between 1959 and 1979 and required extraordinary engineering to construct through the Karakoram mountain range, one of the most geologically active regions on earth. Sections are subject to regular rockfall, flooding, and landslides.
Khunjerab Pass (红其拉甫口岸): the highest paved international border crossing in the world. The border is open from May 1 to November 30 each year (exact dates vary slightly). It is closed in winter due to snow and extreme weather.
Transport options: - **Bus**: a NATCO (National Transport Company Pakistan) bus operates the Kashgar to Sost route across the border, departing Kashgar three times per week during the open season. The Kashgar to Sost journey takes approximately 10–14 hours. From Sost (Pakistan's first town), local transport continues to Gilgit, Chilas, and Islamabad. - **Private vehicle**: possible with a Chinese-registered vehicle from Kashgar to the border at Khunjerab, and a Pakistani-registered vehicle from the border into Pakistan. Vehicle transfer is required at the border.
Tickets: NATCO bus tickets are purchased at the Kashgar international bus station or directly from NATCO. The bus is frequently at capacity — book early during peak summer travel.
Customs: the Chinese duty-free allowance for exports applies. Pakistan allows modest duty-free imports. The crossing involves thorough customs checks on both sides given the mountain terrain and historic cross-border concerns.
Medical note: Khunjerab Pass at 4,693 m poses significant altitude sickness risk. Travellers without acclimatisation time may experience symptoms. The crossing is rapid — the bus typically does not stop long enough for acclimatisation — but the altitude is brief given road speed.
What to expect at the border
The Khunjerab crossing involves Chinese exit procedures at the Chinese checkpoint and Pakistani entry procedures at the Pakistani checkpoint. Both sides conduct thorough checks. The no-man's land between the two checkpoints is at the highest point. The scenery on the approach from both sides is extraordinary — snow-capped Karakoram peaks visible in all directions. The Pakistani side descent towards Sost is dramatic — the road descends thousands of metres in a short distance through the Khunjerab River valley.