Six limestone spires that rise almost vertically from the Hunza River valley. One of the most recognisable landforms in the Karakoram.
The Passu Cones — officially the Tupopdan Peak group — are a cluster of six sharp limestone pinnacles rising to approximately 6,000m directly above the KKH. They are among the most photographed landforms in Pakistan, visible from the road as dramatically vertical spires against an almost impossibly blue sky.
The most iconic photograph is taken from the Hussaini suspension bridge — the old rope-and-plank footbridge that crosses the Hunza River with the Cones as backdrop. The new bridge was built alongside it; both are still standing and crossable.
| From the road | The simplest view is from the KKH pullout near Passu village. Impressive but not the most famous angle. |
| Hussaini Bridge | Walk across the suspension bridge over the Hunza River for the classic shot. The old plank bridge sways; the new bridge is stable. Both free. |
| Passu village walk | Walk through Passu village (1km from KKH) for elevated views and traditional houses in the foreground. |
| Photography timing | Morning light (8–10am) hits the Cones' eastern faces. Late afternoon (4–6pm) turns them golden. Midday is flat. |
| Getting there | Passu is 105km north of Karimabad on the KKH. Shared transport from Karimabad: Rs.200–300. Jeep hire: Rs.5,000–8,000 for Passu day trip. |
Most people stop, photograph the Cones from the roadside, and drive on. That's a missed opportunity. Passu sits in one of the most concentrated stretches of mountain scenery on the entire Karakoram Highway, and the village itself rewards anyone who lingers for an afternoon rather than a few minutes.
The Hussaini suspension bridge is the obvious draw — a long footbridge of weathered planks spanning the Hunza River, with the spires rising behind it. Beyond the bridge, the old footpaths through Passu village pass stone-walled fields, irrigation channels, and traditional homes, with the Passu Glacier visible above. The Batura and Passu glaciers both tumble down toward the valley near here, so the landscape shifts from green terraces to bare ice within a short walk.
Because Passu lies in Upper Hunza, the local language is Wakhi rather than the Burushaski spoken further south near Karimabad. The community here is small and welcoming, and a tea stop or guesthouse meal is an easy way to slow down and take the place in properly.
The Cones are visible whenever the KKH is open and the sky is clear, but the experience changes a lot with the season. Late spring through early autumn (roughly May to October) gives the most reliable weather and the easiest road conditions, along with green fields in the valley below the spires.
Autumn is the photographer's favourite: the poplars and apricot trees around Passu turn gold, and the air is usually at its clearest. Winter brings snow to the lower slopes and a stark, dramatic look, but the road can be affected by weather and side tracks may be icy. Whatever the season, early morning and late afternoon light is far kinder to the Cones than the flat glare of midday, when the vertical faces lose their shape.
The Passu Cones — the Tupopdan Peak group — rise to approximately 6,000m. They appear especially dramatic because they climb almost vertically straight up from the Hunza River valley beside the KKH.
No. The Cones are visible free of charge from the Karakoram Highway near Passu, about 105km north of Karimabad. Crossing the Hussaini suspension bridge is also free.
The classic shot is from the Hussaini suspension bridge over the Hunza River, with the spires as the backdrop. The KKH roadside pullout near Passu and an elevated walk through Passu village are good alternatives.
Morning light (roughly 8–10am) hits the eastern faces, and late afternoon (around 4–6pm) turns the Cones golden. Midday light is flat and the spires lose their definition.
Passu is about 105km north of Karimabad on the KKH. Shared transport runs along the highway, or you can hire a private jeep for a Passu day trip that can also take in Attabad Lake.