Khunjerab Pass (Chinese: 红其拉甫口岸; Urdu: درہ خنجراب listenⓘ; Uyghur: قونجىراپ ئېغىزى) is a mountain pass situated in northern Pakistan, reaching an elevation of 4,693 meters (15,397 ft) above sea level. It is found in the Karakoram region and holds a crucial strategic role along Pakistan’s northern border, particularly in the Gilgit-Baltistan areas of Hunza and Nagar Districts. Additionally, it is located on the southwestern border of China, within the Xinjiang territory.
Close to Khunjerab Pass is another pass known as Mutsjliga Pass [ceb], which rises to an elevation of 5,314 meters (17,434 ft) and is approximately located at 36.97374°N 75.2973°E.
In the local Wakhi language, the term “خنجراب” translates to ‘waterfall house.’ It stems from two components: “خون”-“Khun,” which means house, and “جراب”-“Jerab,” which refers to a creek coming from a spring or waterfall.
The Khunjerab National Park is home to the snow leopard, an endangered species. Khunjerab Pass is notable for being the highest paved international border crossing in the world and the highest point along the Karakoram Highway. The construction of the road through this pass was finished in 1982 and has since replaced the unpaved Mintaka and Kilik passes as the main route through the challenging Karakoram Range.
The choice to utilize Khunjerab Pass for the Karakoram Highway was made in 1966. China recommended the steeper Khunjerab Pass instead of Mintaka, arguing that it would be less vulnerable to air strikes.
On the Pakistani side, the pass is located 42 km (26 mi) from the National Park station and checkpoint in Dih, 75 km (47 mi) from the customs and immigration post in Sost, 270 km (170 mi) from Gilgit, and 870 km (540 mi) from Islamabad. On the Chinese side, the pass serves as the southwestern endpoint of China National Highway 314 (G314) and is 130 km (81 mi) from Tashkurgan, 420 km (260 mi) from Kashgar, and 1,890 km (1,170 mi) from Urumqi. The entrance point in China is situated 3.5 km (2.2 mi) along the road from the pass in Tashkurgan County.
The lengthy, relatively flat pass is frequently covered in snow during winter, which typically results in closure for heavy vehicles from November 30 to May 1 and for all vehicles from December 30 to April 1. However, this is not absolute; late-season snowfall due to climate change can render the road accessible even throughout the winter months. Depending on snowfall amounts, road clearing can take from a few days to several weeks.
Since June 1, 2006, a daily bus service has been available across the border from Gilgit to Kashgar in Xinjiang.
A road sign displaying distances to cities in Pakistan indicates a shift from left-hand traffic (in Pakistan-administered Gilgit-Baltistan) to right-hand traffic (in China) and vice versa.
