By road from the south: the Karakoram Highway runs north from Islamabad through Gilgit and Karimabad (Hunza). The drive from Gilgit takes about 6 hours through some of the most spectacular mountain scenery in the world. NATCO and other Pakistani operators run daily buses; private cars and 4x4s are widely available for hire in Gilgit.
By road from the north (China): foreign travellers can cross at the Khunjerab Pass from Tashkurgan, but the journey requires careful planning. Chinese border procedures are slow; the NATCO bus from Tashkurgan to Sost runs daily in season.
Pakistani immigration, customs and the office of the Northern Areas Police are all based at Sost. Cell phone signal is patchy north of Hunza; a Pakistani SIM with mountain coverage helps but cannot be relied upon.