Mountains
Mountain passes and high roads
Pakistan's mountain passes carry both history and traffic. Khunjerab Pass, at 4,693 metres, is the highest paved international border crossing in the world; Babusar Pass reaches 4,173 metres, Shandur about 3,700 metres, and the Khyber Pass at 1,070 metres has been the main route between Kabul and the Indus plain for centuries.
Quick facts
- Khunjerab Pass
- 4,693 m
- Babusar Pass
- 4,173 m
- Karakoram Highway built
- 1959 to 1978
- Lowari Tunnel opened
- 2017
Background
The Karakoram Highway, built between 1959 and 1978 at a recorded cost of hundreds of lives, follows the Indus and Hunza rivers to Khunjerab. Snow closes most high passes from roughly November to May. The Lowari Tunnel, opened to traffic in 2017, replaced the seasonal 3,118 metre Lowari Pass and gave Chitral year-round road access.
Key entries
- Khunjerab Pass
Pakistan-China border, open roughly April to November.
- Shandur Pass
Chitral to Gilgit; polo festival each July.
- Babusar Pass
Kaghan to Chilas, open around July to September.
- Khyber Pass
Peshawar towards Kabul, historically the main invasion route.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the highest paved border crossing in the world?
- Khunjerab Pass between Pakistan and China, at 4,693 metres.
- When is Babusar Pass open?
- Typically from early July to September, depending on snow.