The single most common question we get from first-time visitors, and the one with the most wrong answers circulating online. The short version: for the trips most people want to do, you need far less paperwork than you have been told.
Pakistani nationals
For Hunza, Gilgit, Skardu, Astore, Ghizer, Fairy Meadows and Khunjerab Pass you need your CNIC and nothing else. There are registration checkposts on the Karakoram Highway where CNIC numbers are recorded; that is a log, not a permit.
Khunjerab National Park charges an entry fee at the gate. Deosai National Park charges one too. Both are paid on the day and are included in our package prices.
Foreign nationals
A valid Pakistani visa and passport cover the open tourist areas: Hunza, Gilgit, Skardu, Shigar, Khaplu, Astore, Ghizer, Fairy Meadows and Khunjerab Pass. No separate NOC is required for these.
You will be registered at checkposts along the way, and at Sost before Khunjerab. Carry several photocopies of your passport and visa pages — it speeds the process considerably and the requests are constant.
Nationals of a small number of countries face additional restrictions that change from time to time. If you hold a passport that has historically needed extra clearance for Pakistan, tell us at enquiry stage and we will check the current position before you book anything.
Where an NOC genuinely is required
Restricted zones near the Line of Control — Minimarg, Domail, parts of the Astore and Neelum-facing valleys — need a No Objection Certificate, and it is enforced.
Trekking in the Central Karakoram National Park, including Concordia and K2 base camp, requires a trekking permit, a licensed guide and, for foreign nationals, additional clearance. Expedition peaks above 6,500 m need a separate climbing permit from the Alpine Club of Pakistan and Gilgit-Baltistan authorities.
The Pakistan–China border itself is closed to tourists on foot. You can stand at the gate at Khunjerab; you cannot cross without the appropriate visa and an official crossing.
How long it takes
Restricted-zone NOCs typically need two to four weeks. Trekking permits for CKNP are faster but still want a fortnight. If your trip involves either, book with that lead time — this is the single most common reason a trip has to be re-routed at short notice.
Rules change, and they change without much publicity. Anything in this guide should be confirmed against the current position before you travel; ask us and we will check it for the dates you are going.
Frequently asked
No. Hunza, including Khunjerab Pass, is open to foreign nationals on a standard Pakistani visa. An NOC is only needed for restricted zones near the Line of Control and for certain trekking areas.
No permit — only your CNIC or passport, plus the Khunjerab National Park entry fee paid at the gate.
Allow two weeks for Central Karakoram National Park, and two to four weeks for restricted-zone NOCs.
