Khunjerab National Park

Khunjerab National Park is a high-altitude protected area in Gilgit-Baltistan, northern Pakistan, bordering China and encompassing part of the Karakoram range. It protects alpine plateaus and mountain habitats that support specialized wildlife.

The park contains dramatic high-mountain scenery and the Khunjerab Pass on the Pakistan-China border, a focal point for overland travelers on the Karakoram Highway. Wildlife viewing opportunities include sightings of large high-altitude ungulates such as Marco Polo sheep and habitat for predators adapted to the cold, rugged terrain.

The area was designated for protection to conserve its fragile alpine ecosystems and characteristic high-altitude species; management focuses on habitat protection and regulated grazing. The Karakoram Highway, which traverses the park at its border crossing, has increased visitor access to the high pass.

Khunjerab National Park sits in northern Gilgit-Baltistan along Pakistan’s border with China, centred on the Khunjerab Pass and adjacent high plateaus and valleys.

• High mountain pass: The park includes the high international border pass on the Karakoram Highway, which is one of the world’s highest paved border crossings at about 4,693 metres above sea level.
• Key wildlife: Wildlife of conservation interest in the park includes the Marco Polo sheep and other high-altitude mammals adapted to alpine conditions.

What to See#

• Khunjerab Pass: The Khunjerab Pass sits on the Pakistan-China border and reaches an altitude of about 4,693 metres; the pass is traversed by the Karakoram Highway and is a principal feature of the park.
• Plateaus and pastures: High-altitude plateaus and alpine pastures within the park provide habitat for species such as Marco Polo sheep and support seasonal grazing by local herders.

Khunjerab National Park and the Khunjerab Pass area are reached via the Karakoram Highway (N-35) from Gilgit and the upper Hunza/Sost corridor. Travel to the park involves driving north along the KKH toward Sost and onward to the border area; the road is the primary access route.

This is a long, high‑altitude route (many hours/over multiple days from Gilgit) and is seasonal; travellers should check road conditions, permits and local guidance before planning the trip.

• The Khunjerab area is best visited in the warmer months (roughly late spring to early autumn) when the Karakoram Highway and the Khunjerab Road border section are most likely to be open; winter closures and heavy snow are common at these altitudes.
• Allow time to acclimatize in lower-elevation towns of Upper Hunza before ascending toward Khunjerab Pass (the park reaches very high elevations), and check road and park access with Gilgit-Baltistan authorities as services and permits can change.
• Start early in the day when traveling the Karakoram Highway to avoid delays from commercial and heavy traffic, and expect very limited visitor services at higher elevations - plan logistics (fuel, food, communications) in advance.