It is known as ‘KKH’, National Highway 35, or NH-35, or the China-Pakistan Friendly Highway. The total length of Karakoram Highway is 1,300 Km, in which 887 Km of the highway is in Pakistan whereas, 413 Km of Highway is in China. It is one of the popular tourist attraction and one of the highest paved roads in the world with a maximum elevation of 4,714 meters at a point. The construction of Karakoram Highway was started in the year 1959 and completed its construction in the year 1979 whereas, it was open for public access since 1986. It is also a part of the Asian Highway ‘AH-14’.

The construction of Highway causes a huge cost for both the countries not in terms of money, but also in time and loss of life. About 810 Pakistani and 200 Chinese workers lost their lives while building the highway. The major cities connected with this highway of Pakistan and China are Haripur, Abbottabad, Mansehra, Battagram, Besham, Pattan, Dasu, Chilas, Gilgit, Aliabad, Gulmit, Sust, Tashkurgan, Upal, and Kashgar. Due to its location, construction height, a risk factor associated with it, it is also considered as the ‘Eighth Wonder of the World’.

The scenery of the highway is very beautiful yet it is filled with a huge number of risks like snowfall, avalanche, and landslides. Traveling on this highway is not for the weak hearted people. It is a two-lane road which is filled with hairpin turns and stream crossings. The highway journey is so risky that people used to say about it that, “It can take an hour to travel just one mile on the Karakoram Highway, and only a second to depart it”. So, the risky ride is not opted by all, if the other options exist there.