When Does Khunjerab Pass Open? Border Season Dates

There are two answers to "when does Khunjerab Pass open", and they are not the same. The border crossing between Pakistan and China opened on 1 April every year for decades and, since December 2024, is officially open all year for trade and travel. Visitors who just want to drive up from Hunza and stand at the gate are in a different position: for them the practical season is roughly May to November, depending on snow.

This post sets out the border dates year by year, explains why the tourist window is narrower, and tells you how to check before you drive to Sost. For the day itself, the drive and what to carry, see our Khunjerab Pass guide.

The official border dates: 1 April to 30 November

For nearly forty years the crossing worked to a seasonal calendar. Under a 1985 border agreement between the two countries, the Khunjerab-Sost crossing was open from 1 April to 30 November, and closed from 1 December to 31 March because of heavy snow on the high road. Dawn described this pattern when the rules changed in 2024.

Those were border dates for trucks, buses and officials, not an invitation to tourists. Snow clearing at 4,693 metres is slow work, and in a heavy year the road beyond Sost was still not fit for private cars on 1 April.

The annual reopening was marked by a ceremony at the Sost dry port. In 2024, for example, the crossing reopened on Monday 1 April after four months of closure that began on 30 November 2023. A passenger van carrying Chinese citizens and European tourists crossed on the first day, alongside Chinese containers coming into Pakistan.

What changed in December 2024

In October 2023 the then caretaker prime minister and the Chinese president agreed to work towards making the pass operational throughout the year. The National Highway Authority and the Frontier Works Organization then agreed to keep the Sost to Khunjerab section of the Karakoram Highway maintained through the winter.

The change took effect at the start of December 2024. Pakistan's Foreign Office said operations at the Khunjerab-Sost crossing were "henceforth expanded to year-round operations" under the 2013 agreement on border ports between the two countries. Dawn reported that Chinese containers and passengers began crossing on 2 December 2024, with snow already several inches deep in places. In April 2025 the year-round arrangement was formally marked with a virtual ceremony involving Gilgit-Baltistan and Xinjiang officials.

One detail is worth knowing if you read older articles. In late November 2024, some outlets still carried the traditional notice that the border would close from 30 November and reopen on 1 April 2025. The announcement of year-round operation replaced that plan within days, so those reports are out of date.

Why that does not mean a January drive to the top

Year-round border operation is about trade and scheduled crossings. It does not mean the road is safe or open for a family car in January. Traders themselves raised concerns in December 2024 about snow clearing and facilities on the Pakistani side, and the section above Sost sees avalanches and long snow-blocked stretches in winter.

Tour operators and local drivers still treat the tourist season as a shorter one. The commonly quoted window for day visitors is around 1 May to 30 November, with short weather closures possible in any month. That figure comes from operators' guides rather than an official notice, so treat it as a norm rather than a rule.

If you are choosing dates, the sensible reading is this:

• December to March: not a season for visitors. Use Hunza for its winter atmosphere instead, and see our Hunza in winter guide.
• April: the border may be working, but the road to the viewpoint may not be fit for visitors. Ask in Sost.
• May: usually opening to visitors as clearing finishes. Snow can still turn you back.
• June to September: the dependable months.
• October and November: possible, but the closing date is unpredictable.

When does the tourist road usually open?

In a typical year, visitors start reaching the top in early May once the snow has been cleared and the checkpoint at Dih is staffed for the park season. Some years it is late April; in a heavy snow year it is later in May. Reports for 2025 and 2026 describe the road as fully cleared by around the start of June.

What sets the date is not a fixed calendar but the snowpack, the pace of clearing, and any avalanche risk on the day. That is why you will find tour companies quoting slightly different dates, and why none of them will promise a date in writing.

How to check whether it is open before you go

Nobody publishes one reliable live status page for visitors, so ask on the ground:

1. Ask your hotel in Karimabad, Gulmit or Passu the evening before. Hotel owners know the drivers who came down that day.
2. Ask at Sost. The checkpoint and the local transport stand know whether visitors are being allowed up.
3. Check the Gilgit-Baltistan Tourism Department or the NHA road updates for announcements, but do not rely on them alone.
4. Follow local news for snowfall in Upper Hunza in the days before you travel.

Whatever you find out, keep one spare day in Hunza. A single day of snow at the top is the usual reason plans fail.

The dates at a glance, year by year

Nothing in that list tells you when a private car could reach the gate. That depends on the snow in the week you travel, so use the table to understand the border and the checks below to plan your own day.

How the border differs from the park and the viewpoint

Three separate things get called "Khunjerab open":

• The border crossing to China, which now operates all year for trade and authorised passenger services.
• The road to the top for tourists, where the practical season is the May to November window above.
• Khunjerab National Park, whose entry checkpoint at Dih is where you pay the fee. See our post on the Khunjerab National Park entry fee.

Confusing them is why the internet is full of contradictory answers. A trader can be moving containers while a family is turned back at Dih.

Is it safe to go?

The Karakoram Highway north of Gilgit through Hunza is not on the UK government's list of areas it advises against, and Pakistani visitors travel it in season. The UK does advise against all travel on the KKH between Mansehra and Chilas (Besham, Dasu and Sazin), which is the route many people use from Islamabad. The Babusar route avoids that stretch in summer, and flying to Gilgit or Skardu avoids it altogether. Foreign-passport holders should check their own government's advice, because travelling against it can void insurance. Check local news and police advice before setting out.

Who should plan around the dates, and who should not

If you have a fixed holiday, such as Eid or a school break, plan for the dependable months and treat the top as a bonus, not the point of the trip. June to September is the range in which the road is open on most days, which is also when Hunza is crowded and hotels fill.

If you are flexible, late September and early October often give clear air and fewer people, with a real chance of a turn-back at Dih. If Khunjerab is the only reason you are going, do not book a shoulder month without a spare day.

Our seasons guide shows how the different months compare across the north.

Frequently asked questions