Islamabad to Khunjerab Pass is roughly 870 to 900 km by road, almost all of it on the Karakoram Highway, and the drive climbs from about 540 metres to the Chinese border at 4,693. It takes 20 to 24 hours of actual driving. Four days is the least we would give the journey up, with nights in Chilas and central Hunza and one in Gulmit or Passu, and five or six is more comfortable. With the drive back, a sensible round trip is nine or ten days.
This guide is about planning the distance: how far each town is, how many days you need and why, three ways to pace the trip, and which overnight stops suit whom. For the road itself, section by section, see our Karakoram Highway road trip guide.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Distance | About 870 to 900 km one way |
| Driving time | 20 to 24 hours one way |
| Days up | 4 minimum; 5 or 6 comfortable |
| Round trip | 9 to 10 days, including a spare day |
| Height gained | From about 540 m to 4,693 m |
| Best overnight stops | Chilas, Karimabad or Aliabad, Gulmit or Passu |
| Season for the top | Roughly May to November; June to September most reliable |
| Last fuel | Sost |
How far is Khunjerab Pass from Islamabad?
The Gilgit-Baltistan tourism department's distance chart gives 628 km from Rawalpindi and Islamabad to Gilgit, measured on the old road through Abbottabad and Mansehra, and 278 km from Gilgit to the Khunjerab Pass. That makes about 906 km. Most drivers now take the Hazara Motorway as far as Thakot, which is a little shorter, so plan on roughly 870 to 900 km depending on your route and where you start in the twin cities.
| Place | From Islamabad (tourism department chart) | Altitude |
|---|---|---|
| Besham | About 270 km | About 610 m |
| Dasu | About 380 km | |
| Chilas | About 490 km | About 1,265 m |
| Raikot Bridge | About 545 km | |
| Gilgit | About 630 km | About 1,500 m |
| Karimabad | About 730 km | About 2,500 m |
| Gulmit | About 765 km | About 2,465 m |
| Passu | About 780 km | |
| Khunjerab Pass | About 905 km | 4,693 m |
Distance is the smaller half of the story. The 200-odd km from Besham to Chilas, through Kohistan, take longer than the 270 km before them, and the last 125 km from Passu to the border climb more than 2,000 metres.
How many days do you need?
Two things set the pace: daylight and altitude.
Daylight. The Kohistan stretch between Besham and Chilas is narrow, busy with trucks and prone to slides, and it should only be driven in daylight. That fixes the first night at Besham or Chilas, whatever your hurry.
Altitude. The border is at 4,693 metres. Sleeping a night or two at around 2,500 metres in Hunza before you go up makes the day at the top far more comfortable, especially for children and older parents. Going straight from Chilas to the pass in one day is a climb of almost 3,500 metres, and it is how people end up with a pounding headache at the border. Our guide to altitude sickness in Gilgit-Baltistan explains the signs.
Put those together and four days up is the minimum that is both safe and enjoyable.
Three ways to pace the drive
Four days up: the minimum
| Day | Drive | Night |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Islamabad to Chilas, 10 to 13 hours | Chilas |
| 2 | Chilas to Karimabad via Gilgit, 5 to 6 hours | Karimabad or Aliabad |
| 3 | Karimabad to Passu via Attabad and Gulmit, 1 to 1.5 hours | Gulmit or Passu |
| 4 | Passu to Khunjerab and back, about 5 hours | Passu or Gulmit |
This works for experienced drivers who can share the wheel. The first day is long and must start before dawn to get through Kohistan in daylight.
Five or six days up: comfortable
Add a night at Besham before Chilas, turning the first day into two of four to six and five to eight hours. Then add a full day in Karimabad for Baltit and Altit before moving up the valley. No day is much over eight hours at the wheel, and everyone reaches the pass rested and acclimatised. This is the pace we would choose for families.
Three days up: possible, not advised
Islamabad to Chilas, Chilas all the way to Passu, then the pass on day three. It means two very long days on mountain roads, only one night at altitude before the border, and no slack if anyone is unwell at the top.
Choosing your overnight stops
Besham is the gentle first stop, four to six hours from Islamabad, with roadside hotels by the Indus. Choose it if you leave after work or have children in the car. The cost is that Kohistan comes the next morning.
Chilas is the stop almost everyone uses, because it puts Kohistan behind you. It is low and very hot in June and July; book a room with working air conditioning.
Raikot Bridge and Fairy Meadows turn the drive into something bigger. Stop at Raikot, take the jeep to Tato and walk to the meadow for a night or two under Nanga Parbat, then rejoin the highway.
Gilgit is the practical stop: banks, pharmacies, mechanics and a wide choice of hotels. Choose it if you arrive late from Chilas and don't want to reach Hunza in the dark. Our guide to the drive from Chilas to Gilgit covers the viewpoints on the way.
Karimabad or Aliabad is where to spend your first night at about 2,500 metres, with the widest choice of hotels on the route. Two nights here help with acclimatisation.
Gulmit or Passu makes the Khunjerab day shorter: about two and a half hours each way from Passu, against three and a half to four from Karimabad. Both are quieter than Karimabad.
Sost, at about 2,800 metres, is the last town and the last fuel. Sleep there only if you are crossing into China; it is a border town rather than a place to stay.
Coming back down
You have three choices for the return:
- The same road, in two long days (upper Hunza to Chilas, then Chilas to Islamabad) or three easier ones with a night in Gilgit or Besham.
- Over the Babusar Pass, in summer. From Chilas the Babusar road climbs to 4,173 metres and comes down through Naran to Mansehra, avoiding Kohistan. It usually opens in late May or June and closes with the autumn snow, and it is a daylight-only road.
- Fly from Gilgit, if you hired a car and driver in the north rather than bringing your own. The flight depends on clear weather, so keep a spare day before it.
Whichever you choose, keep one day spare at the end. A single landslide or a snow closure at the top can cost you a day, and the trip should not hang on it.
When to make the trip
June to September is the reliable window. The road to the top is usually open to visitors from about early May into November, but May, October and November carry a real chance of snow closing the last stretch for a day or two. July and August bring the most landslides on the southern half of the highway, and September is often the best month overall. Our Khunjerab Pass guide covers the season and what happens at the border.
Around Eid and long weekends, book Chilas and Karimabad ahead.
Is it safe?
Pakistani families drive this road every day, and in the north of Gilgit-Baltistan the main hazards are natural: landslides, rockfall and altitude. The Kohistan and Diamer stretch between Besham and Chilas is different. In March 2024 a suicide bomber attacked a bus carrying Chinese engineers near Besham, killing six, and in December 2023 gunmen attacked a passenger bus near Chilas, killing ten.
The UK government's travel advice, updated in September 2026, advises against all travel on the Karakoram Highway between Mansehra and Chilas. Overseas visitors should read their own government's advice, since travelling against it can void insurance, and should consider flying to Gilgit instead. Everyone should check local news and police advice before each day's drive, carry ID for the checkposts and follow police instructions.
Drive all the way, or fly to Gilgit?
Drive the whole road if you have nine or ten days, two drivers and a real appetite for the journey. You will see the country change from the plains to the border, and having your own car in Hunza makes every side trip easy.
If you have a week or less, or nobody wants to drive Kohistan, fly to Gilgit and start there. The 278 km from Gilgit to Khunjerab hold most of the highway's best scenery. That is how our nine-day Gilgit, Hunza and Khunjerab tour works, with an experienced mountain driver, a night in Gulmit or Passu before the pass and a spare day held for weather. Our guide to the best stops on the KKH covers that stretch stop by stop.
Frequently asked questions
How far is Khunjerab Pass from Islamabad?
Roughly 870 to 900 km by road. The Gilgit-Baltistan tourism department's chart gives 628 km from Islamabad to Gilgit on the old road and 278 km from Gilgit to the pass.
How many days do you need from Islamabad to Khunjerab?
At least four days up, with nights in Chilas, central Hunza and Gulmit or Passu. Five or six days is more comfortable, and nine or ten days covers the round trip.
Can you drive from Islamabad to Khunjerab in two days?
Not sensibly. It would mean driving Kohistan or the mountain road after dark and going to 4,693 metres with no time at altitude first.
Where should I stay between Islamabad and Khunjerab?
Chilas for the first night, Karimabad or Aliabad for one or two nights, and Gulmit or Passu the night before the pass. Add Besham if you want a shorter first day.
Is Khunjerab Pass open all year?
For trade, it has been kept open through the winter since December 2024. For visitors, the drive to the top is realistic from about May to November, and most reliable from June to September.
