Monday, October 29, 2012

One of most extreme road trips between China and Pakistan

Have you had a extreme road trips if you are a travel-lover. Here I will introduce one of the world's most extreme road trips, from Pakistan to China. Some
part of it is included in the itineraries of China tours.
A centuries-old trading trail, which once formed part of the famed Silk Road, the Karakoram Highway (more commonly referred to as the KKH) is the world’s highest altitude paved international road. Its 1200 kilometres slice through the mighty Karakoram Range, passing through some of the world’s most remarkable mountain scenery and providing access to top-notch trekking and mountaineering.
Blasted through one of the most challenging landscapes on earth, the KKH is a triumphant feat of engineering and a monumental reminder of the more than 1000 lives lost during its construction. A journey here, in the rooftop of the world, is not only a stunning salute to the power of nature but also of man’s constant struggle to contain it.
Where: from Abbottabad (near Islamabad) in Pakistan to Kashgar in China.
When: spring (May to June) and early autumn (September to October). Parts of the road are closed during winter due to snowfall and sometimes in summer because of landslides caused by the monsoon. The Sost/Tashkurgan border post along the KKH officially closes between 31 December and 1 May each year but, depending on weather, the annual reopening can be delayed. If you’re intending on travelling in early May it’s worthwhile checking beforehand.
How: public transport between the main towns on the KKH is cheap and plentiful and many travellers take two to three weeks to cover the full route, allowing time to stop off and explore. Wherever you begin your journey, you’ll need to acquire visas for both countries before you set off along the route as they aren’t issued on the Sost/Tashkurgan border post which straddles either side of the Khunjerab Pass.
Road conditions deteriorate on the Pakistan side and the word ‘highway’ should be used in its loosest sense. The entire road though is being overhauled (the Chinese portion is already finished) with an extensive program of road works for the Pakistan section being funded by the Chinese. Eventually this will mean that the road will be open year-round. Travellers should be aware that rebuilding of the section of the KKH which runs through Pakistan’s upper Hunza Valley is still ongoing after the 2010 landslide which created a lake submerging 22km of road. At the moment this portion of the route is navigated by boat.
If you are enthusiast of travel, you should consider this road trip which are not a traditional tour itineray and classic China tour package.

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