Passu is a village at the foot of an immense rock wall, and the wall has a face that people photograph more than their own families. The jagged spires of the Passu Cones, also called Tupopdan, a ridge of dark granite and ice reaching about 6,100 metres, rise straight above the fields and the road in the upper Hunza valley, in a district called Gojal. A short distance away, the Passu Glacier flows down toward the river, its dirty grey tongue easy to reach on foot, and the glacier is a good example of how quickly the ice here moves and changes. In front of it, the valley floor is a patchwork of barley, potatoes and apricots in tiny stone-walled fields.
The most famous sight in the village is the Hussaini suspension bridge, a long and sagging footbridge of wooden planks and steel cables over the grey, fast river. It looks alarming, with large gaps between planks, and it is often described as one of the most dangerous bridges in the world, though local people use it with ease. Crossing is optional and at your own risk, and a section of a nearby bridge is in better condition. The mountains around the village hold many other peaks and glaciers, and trekking trails lead up to viewpoints and high pastures.
North of Passu the Karakoram Highway continues to Sost, the last town before the Chinese border, and then climbs to the Khunjerab Pass at about 4,700 metres, one of the highest paved border crossings in the world. The road here is demanding. It runs through narrow gorges and across gravel plains, with sections damaged by landslides, floods and glacial outwash, and the weather is cold and changeable. Altitude affects both rider and machine at the pass. The pass is open to travellers only at certain times and may require permits, so check conditions and rules well in advance.
Fuel is limited in this part of the valley, with the main supplies at Aliabad and Sost, so fill the tank when you can. Small guesthouses serve simple meals of bread, lentils and tea, and in the evening the temperature drops quickly. Autumn brings the best colour and clear air, though nights are cold.