List of Mountain Passes in Pakistan

Mountain Passes in Pakistan; Overview

Pakistan, a country blessed with towering mountain ranges like the Himalayas, Karakoram, and Hindu Kush, is home to numerous strategically and historically significant mountain passes. These natural corridors have long served as lifelines for trade, migration, and military campaigns, connecting regions and civilizations over millennia.

Among the most renowned is the Khyber Pass, located in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which has been a vital gateway between Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent for centuries. It played a pivotal role during numerous invasions, including those of Alexander the Great (327 BCE), the Mughals, and later, British colonial forces. The Bolan Pass in Balochistan is another crucial route, historically used by traders and armies moving between South Asia and Iran. It gained modern importance during British rule, especially in the 19th century, when it became a strategic military route during the First Anglo-Afghan War (1839–1842).

In the north, Khunjerab Pass in Gilgit-Baltistan serves as the highest paved international border crossing in the world, linking Pakistan with China via the Karakoram Highway. The Lowari Pass in Chitral, once a seasonal passage due to heavy snowfall, has seen improved accessibility with the construction of the Lowari Tunnel.

These passes not only symbolize Pakistan’s geographical diversity but also echo the stories of ancient traders, fearless invaders, and resilient local tribes who once traversed these high-altitude trails under extreme conditions.

List of all Mountain Passes in Pakistan

Pass Name	Location	Elevation (m)	Notes
Babusar Pass	Kaghan Valley, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – Gilgit-Baltistan	4,173	Connects Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with Gilgit-Baltistan; scenic route.
Bashkaro Pass	Swat District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – Ghizer District, Gilgit-Baltistan	4,924	Also known as Kukush Pass; challenging high-altitude trek.
Bolan Pass	Sibi – Quetta, Balochistan	1,793	Historic trade route; traversed by road and railway.
Broghol Pass	Chitral District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – Wakhan Corridor, Afghanistan	3,798	Connects Pakistan with Afghanistan; part of the Hindu Kush range.
Badawi Pass	Upper Dir District – Utror & Kalam, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa	3,523	Also known as Badogai Pass; links Kumrat and Kalam Valleys.
Bichhar Pass	Boundary of Ghizer and Gilgit Districts, Gilgit-Baltistan	4,532	High mountain pass in the Hindukush Mountains.
Burzil Pass	Astore District, Gilgit-Baltistan	4,100	Ancient pass connecting Gilgit with Srinagar and Skardu.
Chaprot Pass	Chaprot Nala, Lower Nagar, Gilgit-Baltistan	4,900	High-altitude pass in the Karakoram range.
Chillinji Pass	Ishkoman Valley, Gilgit-Baltistan	5,335	Remote trekking route connecting Ishkoman and Chapursan Valleys.
Daintar Pass	Daintar Valley, Gilgit-Baltistan	4,500	Trekking route near Naltar Valley.
Darkot Pass	Yasin Valley – Ishkoman Valley, Gilgit-Baltistan	4,700	High-altitude pass in the Hindukush range.
Darmodar Aghost Pass	Baltistan region, Gilgit-Baltistan	5,100	Remote trekking pass in the Karakoram range.
Dogdaar Pass	Ghizer District, Gilgit-Baltistan	4,800	High-altitude trekking route.
Dargai Pass	Mardan – Malakand, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa	1,200	Connects Mardan to Swat Valley.
Dorah Pass	Chitral District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – Badakhshan Province, Afghanistan	4,300	Historic route between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Didrilli Pass	Ghizer District, Gilgit-Baltistan	4,600	Trekking route in the Hindukush range.
Gondogoro Pass	Skardu District, Gilgit-Baltistan	5,585	High-altitude trekking pass near Concordia.
Gumal Pass	South Waziristan – Zhob, Balochistan	1,072	Ancient trade route connecting Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Gyong La	Siachen region, Gilgit-Baltistan	5,689	Militarily strategic pass near the Line of Control.
Hayal Pass	Naltar Valley, Gilgit-Baltistan	4,700	Trekking route near Shani Peak.
Hispar Pass	Nagar District – Baltistan, Gilgit-Baltistan	5,151	Connects Hispar and Biafo Glaciers; trekking route.
Irshad Pass	Hunza District, Gilgit-Baltistan – Wakhan Corridor, Afghanistan	4,977	Border pass between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Ishkoman Aghost Pass	Ghizer District, Gilgit-Baltistan	4,800	Remote trekking pass in the Hindukush range.
Karakoram Pass	Gilgit-Baltistan – Ladakh, India	5,540	Historic trade route; currently closed.
Khojak Pass	Quetta – Chaman, Balochistan	2,290	Important railway tunnel runs through the pass.
Kalandar Pass	Ghizer District, Gilgit-Baltistan	4,800	High-altitude trekking route.
Karambar Pass	Ishkoman Valley, Gilgit-Baltistan – Wakhan Corridor, Afghanistan	4,344	Near Karambar Lake; trekking route.
Khora Bhurt Pass	Ishkoman Valley, Gilgit-Baltistan – Wakhan Corridor, Afghanistan	4,572	Ancient trade route between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Karakar Pass	Swat – Buner, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa	1,336	Connects Swat Valley to Buner District.
Khunjerab Pass	Hunza District, Gilgit-Baltistan – Xinjiang, China	4,693	Highest paved international border crossing in the world.
Khyber Pass	Peshawar – Torkham, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa	1,070	Historic trade route between Central and South Asia.
Khurram Pass	Kurram District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – Afghanistan	3,500	Connects Parachinar to Afghanistan’s Paktia Province.
Kilik Pass	Hunza District, Gilgit-Baltistan – Xinjiang, China	4,827	Ancient Silk Route pass; less used today.
Kohat Pass	Kohat – Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa	1,000	Connects Kohat to Peshawar; strategic road.
Lupghar Pir Pass	Hunza District, Gilgit-Baltistan	5,190	High-altitude trekking route near Shimshal Valley.
Lowari Pass	Dir – Chitral, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa	3,118	Lowari Tunnel now facilitates year-round travel.
Lasdana Pass	Bagh District, Azad Jammu & Kashmir	2,600	Scenic pass in the Pir Panjal range.
Muztagh Pass	Baltistan region, Gilgit-Baltistan – Ladakh, India	5,422	High-altitude pass in the Karakoram range.
Malakand Pass	Mardan – Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa	1,362	Connects Mardan to Swat Valley.
Mintaka Pass	Hunza District, Gilgit-Baltistan – Xinjiang, China	4,709	Historic Silk Route pass; less used today.
Naltar Pass	Naltar Valley, Gilgit-Baltistan	4,600	Trekking route near Naltar Valley.
Shandur Pass	Chitral District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – Ghizer District, Gilgit-Baltistan	3,700	Venue of annual Shandur Polo Festival.
Shangla Pass	Swat – Shangla, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa	2,200	Connects Swat Valley to Shangla District.
Shahchoi Pass	Neelum Valley, Azad Jammu & Kashmir	3,500	Trekking route in the Neelum Valley.
Saral Pass	Kaghan Valley, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – Neelum Valley, Azad Jammu & Kashmir	4,000	Trekking route connecting Kaghan and Neelum Valleys.
Shimshal Pass	Hunza District, Gilgit-Baltistan	4,735	Trekking route connecting Shimshal Valley to the Pamir region.
Thoi Pass	Yasin Valley – Ishkoman Valley, Gilgit-Baltistan	4,500	Remote trekking pass in the Hindukush range.
Tochi Pass	North Waziristan – Khost, Afghanistan	1,200	Historic route between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Zagaran Pass	South Waziristan – Paktika, Afghanistan	1,500	Remote tribal access pass.

Mountain passes in Pakistan are far more than mere geographical features; they are the arteries of historical change, cultural exchange, and modern connectivity. From the storied Khyber Pass to the serene Shandur Pass—famous today for hosting the world’s highest polo ground—each passage holds a tale of strategic importance and timeless endurance.

These natural gateways have witnessed the ebb and flow of empires, the migration of peoples, and the evolution of trade routes that once formed the backbone of the Silk Road. Today, they continue to play a critical role in regional connectivity, tourism, and defense strategy. As Pakistan continues to develop its infrastructure and tourism sector, these mountain passes stand as both scenic wonders and symbols of its historical legacy and geopolitical relevance.