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Voykit pocket guide · Pakistan
Passu
Spend a half‑day for river views and short hikes; add a night if you want longer treks to Borit Lake or Yunz Valley.
Passu is a small village on the Karakoram Highway in Gilgit‑Baltistan, offering striking mountain scenery, a suspension bridge, and access to several hikes. The settlement itself is walkable, so a few hours cover the main sights; an extra night lets you join guided hikes to nearby lakes and valleys.
- Country
- Pakistan
- Best months
- Jun–Sep (clear skies, warm days)
- Avoid
- Oct–May (snow, road closures)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- PKR
- Money
- Pakistani rupee (PKR, Rs) in cash for almost everything outside big-city hotels and malls; carry US dollars as backup.
- Daily spend
- Budget Rs 2,500–3,500 excl. bed · Mid Rs 4,000–5,500 excl. bed · High Rs 6,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Jazz, Zong, Telenor and Ufone sell SIMs with passport and biometric registration at franchise shops (not usually at the airport).
- Emergency
- Police 15 · Rescue 1122 · Edhi ambulance 115
- Plugs
- Types C, D · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two- and three-pin sockets; power cuts (load-shedding) are common, especially in the north.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 5–10%.; Driver / guide: Rs 1,000–3,000 a day.; Hotel staff: Rs 200–500.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap; bottled water everywhere.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels; squat toilets with a water jug or hose elsewhere.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Tea with local snacks | Rs 150–300 |
| Meal at guesthouse restaurant | Rs 400–800 |
| Taxi (5 km (3.1 mi))Taxi (3.1 mi (5 km)) | Rs 800–1,200 |
| Bus ticket to Karimabad | Rs 120–200 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- GIL · Gilgit Airport
- Domestic flights from Islamabad; about 2 h drive to Passu.
Typical fares
- Karakoram Highway bus Passu → Karimabad
- ≈ Rs 150, 30 min (check)
- Taxi Passu → Sarai Silk Route Hotel
- ≈ Rs 800–1,200, 5 min
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The village is compact; walk everywhere. For hikes, hire a local guide (Rs 1,200–2,000 per day, check).
See and do
Known for
- Passu Cones (Tupopdan)
- Hunza River meander
- Suspension bridge
- Access to Borit Lake and Yunz Valley hikes
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Karimabad | Karakoram Highway, about 30 min by car or bus | ≈45 min |
| Sost | Karakoram Highway, about 45 min by car or bus | ≈1 h |
| Shimshal | Turn off highway 5 km (3.1 mi) north, then rough road; 2 h by 4×4Turn off highway 3.1 mi (5 km) north, then rough road; 2 h by 4×4 | ≈2 h |
Sleep
- Sarai Silk Route Hotel
- South of village, basic rooms, good for one night.
- Passu Inn
- North end, simple guesthouse.
- Cathedral View Guest House and Restaurant
- Shared room Rs 2400, mountain view, can arrange guides.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | معاف کرناma'af karna |
| Thank you | شکریہshukriya |
| How much is this? | یہ کتنے کا ہے؟yeh kitne ka hai? |
| Where is the bathroom? | بیت الخلا کہاں ہے؟baith khala kahan hai? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: 'Assalam o alaikum', right hand on heart; handshakes between men; avoid: Offering a hand to a woman first
- Hospitality: Accept tea; let hosts pay the first time; avoid: Refusing all offers
- Dress: Shalwar kameez is comfortable and appreciated; avoid: Shorts and sleeveless tops
- Shrines: Cover heads, shoes off, sit quietly at qawwali; avoid: Filming without permission
- Conversation: Cricket, food and family are safe topics; avoid: Religion, India and the army with strangers
Scams and watch-outs
- Winter snow can block the Karakoram Highway; check road status before travel.
- Altitude: 2,600 m; stay hydrated and avoid strenuous activity if unacclimatised.
- Limited medical facilities; carry basic first‑aid supplies.
Passu is generally safe for tourists; main risks are altitude, winter road closures, and limited health services.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Passu yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Passu Cones (Tupopdan)
- Hunza River meander
- Suspension bridge
- Access to Borit Lake and Yunz Valley hikes
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Passu, revision 5221431 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5221431
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/passu). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.