Karakoram Highway

The KKH is famous around the world and I have been keen for a long time to drive the road. Chinese customs are 130km from the border and they organise all cars into a convoy with a Chinese army guard, for our safety – yeah right!!! They were mucking around, so I pushed a little and they organised a separate escort for me – I had a very long drive ahead to reach Karimabad in Pakistan. Then that car was slow so I left them and drove by myself, what could the Chinese do in ‘no man’s land’? No problem got to the last checkpoint, they were surprised to see me alone, they made a call and out of China I drove.

Driving along the Chinese side from Tashkorgan I averaged 110km/h on smooth roads but as soon as I entered Pakistan the road was gravel, one lane, pot holes, rock slides and switch backs down the mountain from the pass at 4700m.


The Pakistani border police were relaxed, casually dressed, spoke English and up for a joke – the way I like borders.

I heard the Chinese are rebuilding the KKH and the road is now worse during contruction. I have discovered that any trade route to western China, the roads in that country are being rebuilt by the Chinese - interesting to see if the Chinese are helping the Nepalese?