5 Mountain Passes That Define a Gilgit-Baltistan Road Trip

Passes as Destinations, Not Just Routes

In most parts of the world, a mountain pass is simply something you drive over on the way to somewhere else. In Gilgit-Baltistan, several passes are destinations in their own right, offering scenery, history, and even sporting culture that rivals the valleys on either side of them.

1. Khunjerab Pass

The highest paved international border crossing in the world, at nearly 4,700 meters, marking the end of the Karakoram Highway and the start of China. The drive up passes through Khunjerab National Park, home to yaks, Marco Polo sheep, and ibex.

2. Shandur Pass

Home to the world's highest polo ground, Shandur transforms each July into the site of a fast, physical "freestyle" polo match between Chitral and Gilgit teams, alongside folk music and a temporary festival atmosphere at over 3,700 meters.

3. Babusar Top

A seasonal route connecting Naran-Kaghan Valley in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa directly to Chilas on the KKH, avoiding a backtrack through Islamabad. At roughly 4,170 meters, it offers dramatic views in both directions and is popular with domestic road-trippers extending a Kaghan Valley trip into Gilgit-Baltistan.

4. Deosai Plateau Approach (via Sadpara)

Not a single narrow pass but a high-altitude approach route climbing from Skardu onto the Deosai plateau itself, one of the highest plateaus in the world, offering a gradual, dramatic transition from valley terrain to open grassland above 4,000 meters.

5. Chapursan-Zood Khun Approach

A rougher, less-traveled high route off the KKH near Sost, leading toward the last villages before Afghanistan's Wakhan Corridor. Less famous than the others on this list, but offering a genuine sense of reaching the edge of accessible terrain in Hunza.

What Makes Each Pass Worth the Detour

Khunjerab offers the bragging rights of the world's highest paved border crossing; Shandur delivers a completely unique cultural event unmatched anywhere else; Babusar provides practical route-linking value for domestic road-trippers; the Deosai approach rewards patient travelers with one of the strangest, most open landscapes in Pakistan; and Chapursan offers raw, undeveloped remoteness for those seeking it specifically.

Best Time to Cross These Passes

June through September covers all five, with Shandur's festival specifically falling in July, and Khunjerab, Babusar, and the Deosai approach all closing for winter due to heavy snowfall roughly from October/November through May.

How to Reach Them

• Khunjerab Pass: Via Sost on the KKH, roughly 2 hours further north.
• Shandur Pass: A long 7–9 hour drive from Gilgit through Ghizer district.
• Babusar Top: Roughly 2–3 hours from Naran, on the Kaghan Valley side.
• Deosai approach: A 2–3 hour jeep ride from Skardu via Sadpara.
• Chapursan approach: A rough 3–4 hour drive from Sost, requiring a 4x4.

Local Tips

• Confirm current seasonal opening status for any of these passes before finalizing travel dates, since conditions shift year to year.
• Pack genuinely warm layers regardless of season — all five passes sit at elevations where temperatures drop sharply even in summer.
• A 4x4 or high-clearance vehicle is recommended for Babusar, the Deosai approach, and the Chapursan route specifically.
• Book accommodation well in advance if timing a Shandur Pass visit around the July polo festival, given the seasonal demand surge.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I cross into China at Khunjerab Pass as a tourist? Reaching the pass and border marker on the Pakistani side is straightforward; actually crossing into China requires a separate Chinese visa and adherence to specific border operating rules, so most tourists treat the pass itself as the destination rather than a through-route.

Is Babusar Top open year-round? No, it's a seasonal route generally open from around June through September/October, closed the rest of the year due to snow.

When exactly is the Shandur Polo Festival held? Generally in July, though exact dates shift by year, so confirming current festival dates before planning is essential.

Do any of these passes require special permits? Standard identification is required at checkpoints along routes like Khunjerab and Chapursan given their border proximity; no special advance permit is typically needed for standard tourist access, though checking current requirements is always sensible.

Conclusion

These five passes turn what could be simple transit routes into genuine highlights of a Gilgit-Baltistan trip — whether that's standing at the world's highest border crossing, watching a fiercely competitive polo match at altitude, or simply taking in the sheer scale of terrain these roads have to climb through to connect one valley to the next.