A Khunjerab Pass taxi fare is a price for the whole vehicle and a return trip, not a per-seat fare. In October 2026, one booking platform listed a return day from Karimabad with driver and fuel at about PKR 12,000 for a Corolla, PKR 18,000 for a Hiace and PKR 22,000 for a Prado. Hiring in Sost, 75 km below the border, should cost less because the trip is so much shorter, but we found no reliable published rate for it, so ask two drivers or your hotel and compare.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Sost to the border | 75 km each way, via the Dih checkpoint |
| Dih to the border | 42 km |
| Border altitude | 4,693 m |
| Karimabad, return with driver and fuel | About PKR 11,000 to 22,000 depending on vehicle (2026 listing) |
| Sost, return | No reliable 2025 or 2026 rate published; ask locally |
| Park fee | Paid separately at Dih, in cash |
| Petrol | About PKR 390 a litre (early October 2026) |
How is a Khunjerab taxi fare worked out?
What people call a taxi here is a car or 4x4 hired with its driver, priced per vehicle for the return trip. The driver waits at the top and brings you back.
Three things set the price:
- Where you start. Karimabad, Aliabad, Gulmit, Passu and Sost all work. The further down the valley you start, the more fuel and driving time you pay for.
- The vehicle. A sedan costs least. A Land Cruiser, Prado or Surf costs more but copes better with snow on the upper road early and late in the season.
- What is included. A proper quote includes the driver and fuel. Park fees, the driver's meals and any overnight stay usually are not.
One listing made the role of fuel clear. For a Hiace on the Karimabad return trip it gave PKR 7,000 for the vehicle alone, PKR 8,500 with a driver and PKR 18,000 with driver and fuel. Fuel is the largest part of the bill, which is why the starting point matters so much.
What does it cost from Karimabad?
In October 2026 a Gilgit-Baltistan booking platform listed these return-trip prices from Karimabad to the pass, each with driver and fuel:
| Vehicle | Seats | Listed price, return (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Suzuki Bolan or Carry van | 7 | About PKR 11,000 |
| Corolla GLi or XLi | 4 | About PKR 12,000 |
| Flying coach van | 18 | About PKR 16,000 |
| Toyota Hiace | 15 | About PKR 18,000 |
| Toyota Surf | 4 | About PKR 20,000 |
| Prado TX or TZ | 7 | About PKR 22,000 |
| Coaster | 28 | About PKR 25,000 |
Treat these as a guide to the range, not a quote. They are one platform's prices, they rise with fuel, and drivers in Karimabad will give you their own. For a family of four the Corolla is the cheapest sensible option in high summer. For a group of eight to twelve a Hiace works out at well under PKR 2,500 each.
If you are staying in Gulmit or Passu, you are already well up the valley and closer to the border, so expect a lower fare than from Karimabad. Ask for it in your guesthouse the evening before.
Is it cheaper to hire in Sost?
It should be. Sost is the last town before the border, and from there the trip is 75 km each way with the Dih checkpoint 33 km in. That is a short half day, against a full day from Karimabad.
The problem is the numbers you find online. Travel blogs from a few years ago give figures such as PKR 3,000 for a car and PKR 7,000 to 8,000 for a jeep from Sost, and at least one of their authors now says those prices are out of date. Fuel has gone up a great deal since then. We could not find a reliable 2025 or 2026 rate for a Sost-only hire, so we won't print one.
What you can do instead is work out the floor. The fuel for the Sost return trip, about 150 km with a steep climb, is roughly:
- A sedan at 10 to 12 km a litre: 13 to 15 litres, so about PKR 5,000 to 6,000.
- A 4x4 at 6 to 8 km a litre: 19 to 25 litres, so about PKR 7,500 to 10,000.
That is our estimate at early October 2026 pump prices, which you can check on PSO's fuel price page. A fair fare is that plus the driver's day and the vehicle. If a Sost quote is close to the Karimabad price, ask why.
Hiring in Sost makes most sense if you are already sleeping there. Our guide to hotels in Sost covers the options.
Car, Prado or jeep: which do you need?
The road is paved to the border, and in June, July and August an ordinary car with a careful driver manages it, if slowly on the upper switchbacks.
A 4x4 earns its extra cost:
- In May and from October into November, when snow can lie on the upper road or fall on the day.
- For a larger family, where a Prado's seven seats beat two cars.
- If anyone is nervous on mountain roads. A higher, heavier vehicle feels steadier.
Ask the driver whether he has been up in the last few days and what the road is like. Snow can close the top for a day at a time even in season, and a driver who knows that will tell you before you pay.
What the fare should include
Before you agree, settle these points out loud:
- Driver and fuel included, with no separate fuel charge on the way back.
- The full route: from your hotel to the border and back to your hotel, not just to Dih.
- Waiting time at the top. An hour is normal. Altitude is a good reason not to stay much longer.
- Photo stops on the way down, at Passu or Attabad if you are coming from Karimabad.
- Who pays the park fee for the vehicle and driver, if any is charged.
- The start time. Leave Karimabad by 7 or 8 in the morning so you are not driving back along the Attabad stretch after dark.
- What happens if the top is closed by snow. Agree a lower price if you are turned back at the checkpoint.
Carry cash, because card payment is not something to rely on in the upper valley. Our post on the Khunjerab ATM covers cash at the border.
How to bargain without causing offence
A first price is a starting point.
- Ask two people. Your hotel and a driver in the bazaar will often give different figures for the same trip.
- Bargain on the total, not the driver's share. A small reduction is reasonable; trying to push a fare below the cost of fuel is not.
- Be clear about numbers. Say how many people are coming and how much luggage, so there is no argument at the car.
- Agree everything before you leave, and pay at the end of the day.
If you already have a driver for your whole northern trip, Khunjerab is simply one day of his hire, and you pay for the fuel. Our guide to jeep hire in Gilgit-Baltistan covers how day rates work across the region.
Fees you pay on top of the fare
The Khunjerab National Park fee is paid at the Dih checkpoint, per person, in cash, and it is not part of the taxi fare. Pakistanis show their CNIC. Foreign nationals pay a much higher fee and show a passport. The fee has changed several times, so read our Khunjerab National Park entry fee guide and pay what is posted at Dih.
Bring a little extra for tea and snacks, and buy food and water in Sost before you go up, as there is very little beyond it.
Hire a car, drive yourself or join a tour?
Hiring a car and driver suits most families and groups who flew into Gilgit or came up by bus. You get a driver who knows the road and the checkpoint, and nobody in your group has to drive at 4,700 metres with a headache.
Driving your own car is cheaper if you already have it in Hunza. The road is good, but read our guide to Hunza to Khunjerab Pass by car first for fuel, timing and altitude.
A tour makes sense if you would rather not arrange anything. Our Gilgit, Hunza and Khunjerab tour includes the Khunjerab day, the park fees and the driver.
Hiring only in Sost suits independent travellers coming up the highway by bus who are staying the night there anyway. For everyone else, the saving rarely justifies an extra night in Sost.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a taxi from Karimabad to Khunjerab Pass?
In October 2026 one booking platform listed the return trip with driver and fuel at about PKR 12,000 for a Corolla, PKR 18,000 for a Hiace and PKR 22,000 for a Prado. Local drivers will quote their own prices, so compare two.
Is there a shared taxi or bus from Sost to Khunjerab?
Not for day visitors. The bus that crosses the border runs to China and needs a Chinese visa. To visit the pass and come back the same day, hire a car or jeep with a driver.
Can a normal car go to Khunjerab Pass?
Yes, in summer. The road is paved to the border. From May and from October onwards, snow can make a 4x4 the safer choice.
Does the taxi fare include the park fee?
Usually not. The Khunjerab National Park fee is paid per person at the Dih checkpoint, in cash, on top of the fare. Ask whether there is any charge for the vehicle and driver too.
How long does the Khunjerab trip take by taxi?
From Karimabad, plan on a full day of eight to ten hours. From Sost, the 150 km return trip with an hour at the top takes about half a day.
Is the road to Hunza safe for this trip?
Gilgit-Baltistan is not on the UK's list of areas to avoid, but the UK advises against travel on the Karakoram Highway between Mansehra and Chilas. In summer the Babusar route avoids that stretch. Foreign-passport holders should check their own government's advice, because ignoring it can void travel insurance.
