Jonny's Travel News
Latest instalment posted 01.03.10)
As many of you will know, Pakistan is Wild Frontiers spiritual home. Named after the Northwest Frontier it was here in the Hindu Kush that we ran our first trip and I still feel this amazing land represents one of our best destinations. For this month's travel news I am going to concentrate on this, my favourite destination.
My favourite trip
Hindu Kush Spring Festival Adventure Special Offer
This is the trip I usually lead, partly because it's the first trip of the year up to the Frontier, and also because I think it's one of the best. Starting in Chitral we'll head straight to Ayun to stay with Prince Maqsood Ul Mulk before continuing into the Kalash to enjoy their spring festival. From here we'll head up to my house, perched half way up the Hindu Kush, before travelling over the Shandur Pass and on to Hunza. It's a great trip, high into one of the most scenically picturesque and culturally fascinating, places on earth and on which we are now offering a £150 discount.
But is it safe?
In my opinion, yes... at least it is safe to visit the regions we want to take you too. Having run trips here for more than a decade, we understand the political complexities of travelling to this fascinating country and our paramount consideration has always been the safety of our clients. We still believe however that most areas in Pakistan - particularly around Chitral and Hunza and the mountains of the north - pose little or no danger within the current climate, which is agreed by the British Foreign Office. As such we are confident you can experience the fantastic landscapes, local hospitality and emotions of a country plagued by negative press, but teeming with new friendships in safety and comfort. We led more than 8 successful trips in 2009, and we expect to do so again this year.
Don’t just take our word for it
Whilst visiting Hunza recently our group came across a British couple from Edinburgh - Sara Porter and James Lewis - who were on a year long overland trip to New Zealand. A couple of weeks ago they were interviewed by John Macarthy on Radio Four's Excess Baggage about their experiences in Northern Pakistan. To hear this interview please click here and go to eight minutes in. And to watch Charlie Corn's fantastic film of one of our trips to the region, please click here
K2 Trek – guaranteed departure
If you’re looking for a real challenge, and don’t want to follow the crowds to the conventional destinations of Kilimanjaro or Everest, why not join me on a truly epic trek to K2 base camp. Known locally as the Throne Room of the Gods, this is a journey that few have made, up the Baltoro Glacier to where four of the world's eight 8,000m peaks majestically scratch the sky. This will not be for the fainthearted, but if you've got the nerve - and the lungs - this experience will stay with you forever.
For more info on this incredible trip, please click here
News from Pakistan
It was with a heavy heart that we learnt of the sad demise of the 97-year-old Colonel Khushwaqt Ul Mulk. Our mutual friend Henrietta Miers introduced me to Col. Khush, as he was known, while I was wondering the region back in 1996. Since then I had the very good fortune to stay with him in Peshawar, Chitral and Mastuj on many occasions. A true bon viveur and wonderful raconteur he was a true inspiration and added huge colour to our trips to Pakistan. The last time I saw him, at the Hindu Kush Heights hotel in Chitral, he insisted on taking the women in my group through a yoga lesson… at the time he was 96!
Saifullah called last week checking on bookings for the year and informed me that although they had had heavy snowfalls all was well in the Kalash. The Khazi – who is himself now an octogenarian (it’s hard to be more specific) – is well and asking for more coffee; Akbar Nawaz, my neighbour, has been clearing snow from the roof of my house – to prevent it falling in – and Yassin has been on a trip to Islamabad… his first ever. Talking to Saifulla always makes me want to hype-space myself to the valley of Rumbur, to sit by the clear streams and eat walnuts from the trees!
And sorting out a trip for a tailor-made couple I talked to Shams at the Mountain Inn who told me the snow leopard was back in Tushi causing havoc to the local markhor. As many of you will remember this is the same snow leopard that was featured in the wonderful series Planet Earth a few years back. It is the same snow leopard I was lucky enough to see myself when I took a group there in the winter of 2007 and her return makes me wonder about taking a group back again this year, or early next. If anyone’s interested, let me know. See the pictures above
The other big news is the huge rockslide, which hit the upper Karakoram back in January, cutting of the KKH and the route out to China. Striking just south of Gulmit – and the famous bridge at Hussani – part of the mountain collapsed, covering the road, blocking the river and forming a lake behind. Amazingly only a few people lost their lives and the authorities are working hard to re open the road – which is after all a vital trade route between Pakistan and China. However how quickly they'll be able to do this remains to be seen. For now the only way to get from Kashgar to Hunza is to take a 45 minute boat across the newly formed lake... what an adventure the Karakoram Advenutre will be! To see the full scale of this catastrophy, please click here
Full list of trips to Pakistan 2010
This year we are running a number of group tours to Northern Pakistam from April through to October. The year kicks off with our Mountain Blossom - 3 cups of tea - tour to Hunza and Skardu. Following that is my Spring Festival trip and then our first Karakoram Adventure from Kashgar to Delhi by way for Pakistan, Amritsar and Dharamsala. In July we are running the Hindu Kush Adventure, followed by the autumn departures Hindu Kush Adventure and K2 Charity Trek. The final tour of the year will be our second Karakoram Adventure in October. For a fill list of trips please...
And Finally...
If you would like to see a short film that focuses on Wild Frontiers’ group trip to Northern Pakistan made by one of our clients, Charlie Corn, please click here.
