Karakorum highway
The
Karakorum highway (KKH) is a road in northern
Pakistan that links
Islamabad with
Kashgar,
China over the
Khunjerab Pass. It was built through some highly mountainous terrain between 1966 and 1982 (opened in 1986) by the Pakistani government with much Chinese assistance at a high human cost as well as financial ($3 bn), an estimated 25,000 worked and 1,300 died during construction (882 official). It is over 1,250 km in length and despite constant efforts the harsh climate, snow and regular landslides often interrupt travel.
In recent years, it has become something of a destination for adventure travel.
Rock art and petroglyphs are found all along the road.
See also: Karakoram