aka:
KKH
Friendship Highway
National Highway 35 (N35) of Pakistan
Completed in 1986 after 20 years of construction under grueling conditions, between the countries of China and Pakistan, the Karakoram Highway is the highest International Road at 4,693m/15,397ft. Ranging from Kashgar China to Islamabad Pakistan, the KKH connects China's Xinjiang region to Northern Pakistan, via a 1,300km road of varying conditions over the Karakoram Mountain Range. It traces much of the same path of the famous Silk Road and will offer exposure to many diverse cultures and subcultures of the area.
Adventurers travel the KKH by bicycle, moto and overland vehicle; each offers its advantages and disadvantages.
Being on a fat-tire bicycle will provide immediate exposure to the dangerous elements, but the fat-tires will excel on the snow and ice, will be more manageable than a heavy moto, and more convenient at times than a whole truck (won't need petrol for one).
Dangers:
Landslide -McMillan and Tunik
Disrepair- There seems to be a consistent report of the road being in constant repair through out the year due to landslides and general road collapse from erosion. Traveling on bike may have the greatest advantage here, having the ability to walk over/past what cannot be driven.
Khunjerab Pass -McMillan and Tunik
Harsh Climate- No matter what season the road is tackled in, harsh cold-weather environment will be unavoidable. Other sections will be entirely exposed to the sun and sheer cliff drop offs. It is said the best time to travel is in the Spring and early Autumn, avoiding the Monsoons of July and August. At the highest elevations, the road is made of ice and snow.
Bandits- At this time there are no significant reports from past and recent travelers.
Military Significance- The KKH travels few hundred kilometers along the Pakistani side of the Collision Zone, where China, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan border each other. KKH also runs through disputed Kashmir, where India has claimed it has been illegally built on sections of their national territory.
Friendly Pakistani Border Police- McMillan and Tunik
Border Closure- The border from China into Pakistan at Khumjerab Pass is open from May1st to December 1st every year. Also, many travellers have reported difficulty getting harassed at the Chinese side of the border by irate and overly controlling border guards. Sounds like drama will be unavoidable.
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The KKH represents a myriad of meaning and opportunities for this Project. The Cultural exposure alone sends my mind and heart to sore. In Pakistan, there are industrial sized work trucks ornately decorated with symbols and colors that express the passion and dreams of each driver. The element of mental and physical adversity sends chills of determination down my spine each time I imagine the epic over snow and iced roads in severe winter conditions.
XinJiang Provence China -McMillan and Tunik
The XinJiang region holds many -very little known- cultures of China that continue to remain hidden to the rest of the world. I've heard of rumors of stringent control of travellers through China ranging from mandatory guide patronage to constant monitoring by the government.
Travelling along the KKH will undoubtedly present challenges that can shape an individual.
Valley of Hunza, Rakaposhi towers in background -Corax
The Karakoram Highway will hold a significant place of importance in my six years of exploring Asia.
LINKS:
The Best map of the KKH I've found so far - JohntheMap.co.uk Surveyor
Karakoram Highway Pictures -Asif Raza, A Traveler's Blog
Cycling the KKH- Great Picture Source by Canadian Dan Higgins
Scewed on the KKH -A Cylclist's Account
Corax...Around the World by Bicycle -Adventurer Extrordinare 1994 Cycling Trip of the KKH as a Novice Cyclist
Pakistan KKH part one -David McMillan and Erika Tunik...Possibly the best trip reports currently on the Web.
China, XinJiang Provence -David McMillan and Erika Tunik
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