ATMs are set up for convenience, but it’s quite a mission to reach this very remote hole in the wall.
Fascinating photos show the ATM that holds the Guinness World Record for the world’s tallest ATM, standing a whopping 15,397 feet (4,693 m) above sea level.
The ATM, operated by the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP), is located in Gilgit Baltistan, Pakistan, at the Khunjerab Pass – the world’s highest paved international border crossing, connecting Pakistan with southwest China.
The Khunjerab Pass ATM in Pakistan holds the Guinness World Record for the tallest ATM in the world. Image courtesy of Creative Commons
The ATM is located in Gilgit Baltistan, Pakistan, at the Khunjerab Pass – the world’s highest paved international border crossing connecting Pakistan with southwest China
The Pakistan Army was recruited to help the NBP install the ATM, surrounded by the snow-capped peaks of the Karakoram Mountains. Installation took over four months and the solar and wind ATM was officially commissioned in 2016.
The Khunjerab Pass ATM, which offers cash withdrawals and can be used for interbank transfers, is used by security officers working on the Khunjerab Pass as well as tourists coming to the border crossing.
Bank says ATM – which has become a tourist attraction of sorts – is ‘useful for’ [the] growing needs of tourists in the region”.
“On average about four to five million rupees [£15,540–£19,427] will be withdrawn within 15 days,” Zahid Hussain, the head of NBP’s branch in the Pakistani town of Sost, told the BBC earlier this year.
The Pakistan Army was recruited to help the National Bank of Pakistan install the ATM
The solar and wind powered machine was officially commissioned in 2016
The publication adds that Sost Bank, 87 km away, is the nearest branch to the ATM. Responsible for refilling the ATM, Hussain faces extreme weather conditions and landslides on his journey to and from the Khunjerab Pass.
The BBC notes that the bank must also resolve any problems with cards and satellite connections in the machine – it usually takes a mechanic around two to two and a half hours to reach the machine.
One YouTuber, Michael Gerber, apparently had the latest problem while visiting the ATM in 2019 – when his friend tried to withdraw money, he said the communication link “lost”.
The ATM is used by both the guards working at the Khunjerab Pass and travelers coming to the border crossing (above).
Visitors can enjoy views of Khunjerab National Park (above), home to animals such as snow leopards and Marco Polo sheep
To get to the ATM, you can take a three-hour bus ride from the village of Sost to the border. The views along the way are said to be spectacular, with the ATM of Khunjerab National Park, home to snow leopards and the near-endangered species of Marco Polo sheep.
Tripadvisor user ‘Cefur’, who visited the ATM and Khunjerab Pass, praised the area’s ‘magical scenery’ and added that it felt like ‘being on top of the world’.
To cross the border, travelers must carry visa papers and go through immigration.
Source link
James is an author and travel journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a love for exploring new cultures and discovering unique destinations, James brings his readers on a journey with him through his articles.
