Last Updated on: 25th March 2026, 12:04 pm
Passu may just be a small village, but it’s one of the most scenic sections of the Hunza Valley and of Gilgit-Baltistan as a whole. It’s known for its turquoise Hunza River and Attabad Lake, along with the jagged peaks of the Passu Cones. And located just 15 kilometers north of Karimabad, the region can easily be visited as a day trip with a private driver.
I easily set up this day trip with my hotel, Tourist Cottage Hunza. For all of the locations featured below – plus an extra one located closer to Karimabad – I paid just PKR 8000, or roughly $30 USD – a truly incredible value.
For more information on reaching the Hunza Valley and where to stay, be sure to check the end of the article.
Attabad Lake
Our first (and later final) stop of the day was Attabad Lake, one of the Hunza Valley’s most famous attractions. But most people are surprised to learn that it was formed relatively recently – and it’s not manmade.
In 2010, a massive landslide destroyed the village of Attabad, killing 21 people and blocking the Hunza River’s flow. And over five months, water gradually accumulated here, creating a lake that now reaches depths of 100 meters.
The landslide also buried over 19 km of the Karakoram Highway, a crucial trade route to China. Given the highway’s regional importance, China funded the construction of costly replacement tunnels through the mountains.
For several years before the new road opened in 2015, travelers had to navigate the broken sections by boat.
Despite its tragic origins, there’s no denying the lake’s beauty. In a region filled with natural wonders, Attabad Lake still stands out thanks to its beautiful turquoise waters.
Though visitors can head down to the shore for boat rides around the lake, most will be satisfied viewing it from roadside viewpoints along the Karakoram Highway.
Moving on, it was just past the lake that I got my first glimpse of the Passu Cones. But more on those shortly.
The Hussaini Suspension Bridge
When many people first learn about the Hunza Valley, they come across images of a barebones suspension bridge, with large gaps between its wooden planks, hovering over a glacial river.
It’s come to be one of the most iconic sites in all of Gilgit-Baltistan. But there are actually two bridges in Passu that look nearly identical.
My driver said the Hussaini Suspension Bridge was in better condition than the Passu Suspension Bridge further north, so that’s where we stopped. At the time of writing, entry costs 300 PKR.
After purchasing your ticket, you walk down to the bridge, strap on a life vest, and begin to cross.
You can hold onto the cables on either side to maintain balance. But it’s up to you to correctly place each step and not fall into the river below. Needless to say, this is not an activity for those with a major fear of heights.
The main challenge is that the surrounding scenery is so stunning that it’s easy to lose focus on the planks. I stopped repeatedly for photos of the mountains, the Passu Cones, and the big drop below.
Reaching the other side, you can get down and catch your breath for a bit. But you’ll then have to return the same way you came.
Interestingly, before it became a tourist attraction, the Hussaini Bridge was built by locals in 1968 as a practical crossing. It’s been renovated twice since then – in 1983 and 2012.
At 193 meters long, it’s one of the longest pedestrian bridges in Pakistan.
The Passu Glacier
Heading further north along the Karakoram Highway, we stopped for a view of the Passu Glacier. The massive glacier is 20.5 km long and spreads out to over 115 square kilometers.
And when viewed from the highway, the massive peak behind it is Passu Sar (Passu Peak), which reaches up to 7,478 m.
Furthermore, this area provides yet more stunning views of the Passu Cones. The Passu Cones are natural jagged spires in the Karakoram Range, formed over millennia as water and ice gradually shaped the sedimentary rock.
The cones reach up to 6000 m above sea level. So while they’re far from the tallest mountains here, they collectively form one of the region’s most picturesque formations.
The Rainbow Bridge
Though we skipped the Passu Suspension Bridge, our next stop was yet another suspension bridge known as the Rainbow Bridge – simply named as such for having been painted in rainbow colors.
The bridge appears a lot smaller than the Hussaini Bridge, and I happened to arrive at the same time as a big group of hospitality industry students.
So I ignored the bridge itself and mostly focused on the natural surroundings. The area around the Rainbow Bridge, in fact, provides one of the very best and most direct views of the Passu Cones.
It’s also around here that one can view part of the Batura Glacier. All in all, it’s a massive glacier that stretches out to 57 km long and covers an area of over 285 square km. Notably, it’s said to be the fifth longest glacier located outside of polar regions.
The Khunjerab Pass?
The Rainbow Bridge marked the northernmost point of our day trip. But if one were to keep heading north along the Karakoram Highway for about two more hours, they’d reach the border with China.
Known as the Khunjerab Pass, it’s the highest paved international border crossing in the world at around 4,880 meters.
For that reason, a lot of visitors like to travel there just to see it before turning around. However, that would add considerable time and expense to a day trip like this.
In my case, I didn’t feel the need, as I had plans to actually cross into Xinjiang Province later on in my Asia journey. Though it would be via a very distant border – the Khorgas border with Kazakhstan.
The 'Passu Cones Viewpoint'?
Finished with the Rainbow Bridge, it was time to turn around and head back south. As mentioned, there are plenty of spectacular viewpoints of the Passu Cones along this route.
Still, I was intrigued by a spot on Google Maps a bit south of the Rainbow Bridge simply marked ‘Passu Cones Viewpoint.’ I asked my driver if we could stop there, and he agreed. But there was no place to park a car.
Even after telling my driver to forget about it, he grew more and more curious, and he even went down onto some dirt roads along the riverbank to see what was there! While I was grateful for the effort, the views from here weren’t any better than what we’d seen thus far.
Stopping For Lunch
When it comes to restaurants, there are plenty of options to choose from along this part of the Karakoram Highway. Upon the recommendation of my driver, we stopped at a place called Glacier Breeze.
The food was tasty, and this place is apparently famous for its apricot pie.
But best of all were the panoramic views visible from the outside terrace.
Borith Lake
On our way back to Karimabad, we also stopped at another lake called Borit. It’s accessible off the highway via a dirt road, and I was practically the only visitor at the time.
While maybe worth a quick stop, the green lake here can’t compete with the splendor of Attabad, while there’s really not much to do other than walk around the shore for a bit.
The highlight here is the views of snowcapped peaks way up in the sky. Having been to mountainous regions around the world, the sheer size of the mountains here never ceased to amaze me.
While I’m not completely sure what mountain this is, it may be Tupopdan.
After another stop at Attabad Lake, we then proceeded toward Karimabad. My day trip didn’t end there, however, as we also made a stop at the Sacred Rocks of Ganish.
But considering how those aren’t located in Passu, you can learn more about them in our general overview of the top things to do in the Hunza Valley.
Additional Info
Most visitors to the Hunza Valley will either be basing themselves in Karimabad or Aliabad – a short drive away from one another.
If you’re coming from Islamabad, you have two options: plane or bus. Those intent on flying will first have to take a plane to the city of Gilgit. And from there, it’s about a two to three hour-ride to Aliabad. Plenty of shared minivans as well as coach buses make the journey, as it’s just along the Karakoram Highway.
Most routes will culminate in Aliabad, but you can then take a shared or private taxi to get to Karimabad from there.
But what about the bus from Islamabad? Specifically, the bus departs from Rawalpindi, the bustling city just south of the capital. And you can buy tickets to ‘Hunza,’ which really just means Aliabad.
The journey can last anywhere from around 18-24 hours! And that’s if there are no major incidents, such as landslides or traffic jams, along the way.
The plane from Islamabad to Gilgit, meanwhile, takes just one hour. So why even consider such a grueling bus ride?
One simple reason is cost. Flights can cost up to $90 one-way, while the bus ride costs roughly $20.
But another reason is reliability. Flights frequently get cancelled or delayed due to weather or visibility issues. Therefore, if you have limited time in the region, it can be very hard to make concrete plans knowing that your flight may repeatedly get delayed.
In my case, I already had plans to take the bus both ways. But during my trip, a brief war between India and Pakistan happened to break out, and all flights were cancelled for a couple of weeks!
The buses, on the other hand, were running daily as scheduled. So, in contrast to numerous stranded travelers that I met, my plans didn’t get interrupted at all.
Let’s talk more about the bus ride. There’s no way to sugarcoat it – this ride really, really sucks. But it is a way to travel over 600 km for next to nothing, while you’re bound to meet friendly locals during the journey.
Most bus companies weren’t even accepting foreign passengers at the time of my visit, leaving NATCO, a state-run bus company, as the only option. Unfortunately, a lot of NATCO buses (but not all) are in pretty bad shape.
In my case, aside from the general discomfort of sitting in a cramped bus for so long, the ride mostly went as planned. But if you’re traveling shortly after heavy rain, landslides may delay the journey tremendously.
Another important thing to be aware of is the security situation. There are a lot of security measures in place to keep tourists safe, especially in the province of KPK, through which this bus passes as it travels along the Karakoram Highway.
Before your journey, you must prepare around 15 photocopies (or even more if you can) of both your passport and Pakistani visa. You’ll give these to the driver as the trip starts, and he’ll then pass a copy to police or security personnel at various checkpoints along the way. Fortunately, this means you won’t have to get woken up by the guards.
(Pakistan doesn’t really do centralized digital databases, so oftentimes these officers are just snapping a photo of your papers with their phone and then distributing it to a WhatsApp group with other officers!)
For the record, I felt completely safe while in Pakistan, and a lot of these practices are just extra precautions to keep foreign tourists safe.
If you’re a Chinese national, however, there are extra security precautions in place for you. I don’t have the updated information, so please look that up on your own.
All in all, the best way to get the latest information is to follow various Pakistan travel-oriented groups on Facebook.
Though Aliabad may be the region’s main transport hub, there’s a reason that most tourists prefer to stay in neighboring Karimabad instead. Karimabad is more charming, laidback, and is home to numerous historical sites and scenic viewpoints.
It also has plenty of tourism infrastructure, though it may be too touristy for some people’s tastes.
As a budget traveler, I had a great stay at Tourist Cottage Hunza. It was a bit outside the touristy center, but still walkable to numerous restaurants and even the forts. Furthermore, the staff were very helpful and set me up with affordable drivers to Passu and Hopar Glacier. And the view from just outside my room was spectacular.
Popular midrange options, meanwhile, include The Jade Palace and Razhek.
For those able to splurge, the views from Eagle’s Nest Hotel simply cannot be beat. And the Hunza Darbar Hotel is another famous luxury option.
Note that even if you already have a Pakistani SIM card, it’s probably not going to work in Gilgit-Baltistan. But there is a dedicated telecom company operating in the territory known as SCOM.
It’s easy enough to obtain a SIM card there upon your arrival – even as a foreign tourist. As I obtained mine in Skardu, I’m not sure exactly where to find one in Gilgit. But you’ll probably need to go to the MAIN office and not a branch, as not all offices can sell SIM cards to foreigners. (Most locals don’t realize this and may direct you to the wrong shop.)
In any case, you’ll definitely want to download Gilgit-Baltistan maps for offline use in advance of your trip.
The autonomous territory of Gilgit-Baltistan is part of the broader Kashmir region, which, before the Partition of 1947, was part of the Princely State of Jammu and Kashmir.
Today, Gilgit-Baltistan is controlled by Pakistan and can only be entered from within Pakistan or via the land border with China. While we won’t be getting into politics here, many maps of India include Gilgit-Baltistan in its territory, which can make trip research especially confusing.
Pakistan actually controls two Kashmiri territories, the other being Azad Kashmir. To make matters even more confusing, when many Pakistanis use the word ‘Kashmir,’ they’re often specifically referring to Azad Kashmir – not the entire region.
As its name suggests, Gilgit-Baltistan consists of two main divisions. Skardu is the capital of the Baltistan division, and the city of Gilgit is the capital of the broader Gilgit division (and also of the entire Gilgit-Baltistan territory).
Accordingly, these are the two main transport hubs of the region. You can find direct buses from Islamabad to both cities, while both Skardu and Gilgit are home to the region’s airports.
But though Gilgit may have plenty of hotel and shopping options, it should only really be thought of as a place to pass through. Skardu, on the other hand, is also a destination in its own right, with plenty to do around the area.
Another must-visit destination in Gilgit-Baltistan, meanwhile, is the Hunza Valley, with its main hubs being Karimabad and Aliabad. Part of the Gilgit division, that region is a lot closer to Gilgit than it is to Skardu.
Check out our upcoming Gilgit-Baltistan itinerary guide to learn more about how to both get around and plan your time in the region.