Karakoram Highway

A new all-weather road, the Karakoram Highway connecting Rawalpindi/Islamabad with China’s Xinjiang Province runs through the Northern Areas.

The 805 kms. dual carriage metalled road starts from Havelian, 100 kms. from Islamabad and winds through Abbottabad Mansehra Thakot Besham Pattan S azin Chils Gilgit Hunza to the Chinese Frontier across the 4,733 metres high Khunjerab Pass. The road built by the Pakistan Army engineers in association with the Chinese experts and technicians has been described as a marvel of civil engineering and even as "the Eighth Wonder of the World." Completed in 15 years, it has been forced through some of the world’s toughest terrain. The road not only opens up the Northern Areas to trade and travel but provides easy access to hitherto closed regions, connected by jeep or goat tracks.

PTDC and Northern Area Transport Company (NATCO) are plying regular bus service between Sost (Pakistan) and Taxkhurgan (China) for overland traffic between Pakistan and China, from 1st May till 15th November every year.

General Information

Communication

Almost all the places in the Northern Areas are linked by telephone with the rest of the country and the outside world. A number of public all offices are located in the Northern Areas. Both the Post Office and the Special Communications Organization maintain networks of telephone and wireless system.

DON’T’S

In the northern areas, please don’t photograph military installations, major bridges and airports. Taking photographs of women is also strictly prohibited but the girls in the Kalash valleys can be photographed provided they agree: the usually pose on payment. Please do not travel at night on mountain roads and do not swim in the rivers up north or other fast flowing mountain streams.

For planning your tours, please contact: Pakistan Tours Ltd., Hotel Flashman’s, The Mall, Rawalpindi, Telephone: 563038, 581480-5, Fax: 92-51-565449, Telex No. 5620 any tour operator or PIA offices in Pakistan and abroad