Pakistan
Bordering Afghanistan, China and India, Northern Pakistan is a region of both great ethnic diversity and immense natural beauty, and remains practically undiscovered by tourism.
Whether wandering the bazaars of Lahore or Rawalpindi - haggling with turban-headed Pathans for a Bukharan carpet or Kashmiri shawl - travelling over the Shadur Pass or walking through scented pine forests with pagan shepherds high in the Hindu Kush, it's a fascinating and beautiful land, sure to fill the heart of even the most seasoned traveller with a sense of wonder and joy.
Among the varied tribes of the Northwest Frontier, hospitality is a creed that fills your days with warm experiences as well as sweet green tea.
Pakistan, and in particular the Northwest Frontier, gave rise to Wild Frontiers in the late 90s. Since then we have run countless trips through the region - for both group travellers and tailor-made clients - and we consider this our spiritual home… we even have our own hideaway built on land given to us by the Kalash.
As such Pakistan is a country close to our hearts. Having run trips here for nearly a dacade and a half, 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, Hunza and the mountains of the north - pose little or no danger within the current climate, and our itineraries therefore focus on these locations.
As such we are confident our clients 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. Come and see for yourselves.
To see a short video film of the 2010 K2 Trek follow the link
How to book a trip
What to do in Pakistan
Dance at a Kalash Festival
Chitral
The strangely enchanted Kalash Valleys, entered down a dusty rock road, that are said to have inspired Kipling's fable The Man Who Would Be King, are a ravishing otherworld, in the middle of a Muslim sea. Said to have been descended from the armies of Sikander, Alexander the Great, this unique pagan tribe are rich in animistic traditions, and you can become part of the mountain dance at one of the Kalash's extraordinary festivals, in this truly extraordinary setting.
Explore Islamabad & Rawalpindi
Islamabad
Take a full-day guided city tour of the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Visit the Institute of Folk Heritage - known as Lok Versa, a small ethnological museum displaying numerous costumes and artefacts from all over Pakistan. From here proceed to the Faisal Mosque - which, when built in the 70s, was the largest in the world - which houses an Islamic university specialising in Philosophy and Law. After lunch at one of the numerous city centre restaurants, you can proceed to Rawalpindi where you can visit the bustling Raja Bazaar and Raj-era Christ's Church before finally visiting the Marghalla Hills to enjoy magnificent views over the twin cities.
Fairy Meadows Day Trek
Fairy Meadows
Spending the day in Fairy Meadows there is plenty of time for a trek through the forested foothills of the Nanga Parbat Massif to the base camp and back. This will not be too strenuous, as we will run along the contours rather than straight up, but it will be spectacular. Anyone wanting a more relaxed time can simply stay at the meadows. We will take a packed lunch with us, and have dinner back at Fairy Meadows.
Explore Hunza
Hunza
Take an full day to explore Karimabad and the surrounding countryside. Firstly visit the famous Baltit Fort, recently renovated to a very high standard by UNESCO, and then take a stroll through the town's quiet bazaar. From here visit the Buddhist petroglyphs at Ganesh before taking a short trek on the Hopper Glacier.
Explore Islamabad
Islamabad
Take a half-day guided city tour of the Pakistani capital. Visit the Institute of Folk Heritage - known as Lok Versa, a small ethnological museum displaying numerous costumes and artefacts from all over Pakistan. From here proceed to the Faisal Mosque - which, when built in the 70s, was the largest in the world - which houses an Islamic university specialising in Philosophy and Law. Finally you can visit the Marghalla Hills to enjoy magnificent views over the city before taking dinner at one of the many restaurants in old Islamabad where Saidpur Village still survives amid the modern planning.
Play polo with a royal team
Chitral
The soaring Shandur Pass is home to an ancient rivalry between the villagers of Chitral and Gilgit, the highest polo match in the world. Among the white bivouacked tents of the Chitral Scouts, few have been privaleged to even watch the pitched polo battle that ensues. One that developed out of the ancient game of Bushkazi, when a goat's, or even human head, surficed for the playing end of 'stick and ball'. Wild Frontiers offers the rarest of riding opportunities, to play in a match itself, with a royal team. The Ul Mulks were the former Mehtars, or Kings, of Chitral, and have been playing in these tournaments for generations, so Chitral's spirit will become yours, as you partake directly in a contest that sets these valleys at a gallop.
Rohtas Fort Excursion
Islamabad
Enjoy an excursion to Rohtas Fort. Sher Shah Suri, the celebrated Afghan King who ruled over India, built this massive fort in 1540 A.D. Its size and strength can be imagined from the fact that it could easily accommodate the 12,000 men of Sher Shah's army who were once stationed here to defend his domain against the Ghakkar tribes living in the vicinities of the Salt Range. This big edifice now encloses a village, which is in itself an interesting site. However the most impressive buildings are of the Sikh Period; though in ruins they still reflect the wealth and grandeur which the Sikhs enjoyed for a short period.
Shigar Valley Tour
Skardu
Drive to the fertile Shigar Valley that was one of the 5 major kingdoms of Baltistan. On this hour long journey you will enjoy majestic views of Haramosh Range and see the gigantic sand dunes on the other side of the Indus. Once there take a walk with your guide through the village and surrounding farmland. Take lunch at the beautiful Shigar Fort before returning to Skardu.
Explore Skardu
Skardu
Take a walking tour through the town's main bazaar to the 'organic village' via an old trail at the foot of Kharpocho Fort. Enjoy a game of Polo at the town's main field, and visit the K2 museum at the K2 Motel. This is an ideal way to experience the capital of Baltistan and understand the life of the locals and the mountaineers that visit.
Trek to K2 base-camp
Skardu
K2, the aptly named 'Savage Mountain', has killed one in four contenders attempting to climb the sky-tearing peaks of the second highest mountain on earth, and has never been climbed in winter. A base camp is of course where any such expedition really starts, but it is a remarkable enough feat to trek up to K2's, at a dizzying 5,400 metres, from the glacial junction called Concordia, up the Boltoro and Austin Godwin Glaciers, with an unfolding vision of the Karakorum's 'eigth thousanders', that makes this one of the greatest and most awe-inspiring treks on the planet.
Visit WF funded school
Skardu
Wild Frontiers know the hidden cost of travel, and prides itself on an involvement with and commitment to local people. Our story really began visiting a school in Chitral, and so in 2010 we started along the long road of funding, building and helping to run a small school in Baleygon, Northern Pakistan. Hoping to bring the crucial start in life education offers local children, come and see the work we are doing, hear the success stories, and meet both teachers and children. Although only at its nascent stage, we hope this project will develop into one of our proudest achievements
How to book a trip
Where to stay in Pakistan
Shigar Fort Residence
Skardu
Located in the beautiful northern province of Baltistan, Shigar Fort Residence is the result of a heritage conservation...
Serena Hotel Islamabad
Islamabad
The Islamabad Serena Hotel stands in the city centre, at the foot of the Northern Hills in six acres of landscaped...
Serena Hotel Gilgit
Gilgit
The luxurious Serena Hotel is set in six acres of rugged landscape in Jutial Village and has breathtaking vistas of the...
Hunza Baltit Inn
Hunza
The Hunza Baltit Inn enjoys a spectacular location in Karimabad, one of the oldest settlements of the Hunza Valley....
Marriott Islamabad
Islamabad
Close to all the main sights, the Islamabad Marriott is an iconic property at the foot of the Margalla Hills. Having...
The Eagle's Nest
Hunza
Two hour's testing yet rewarding walk (or an equally dramatic 30 minute drive) from the village of Karimabad, the...
Ayun Fort, Chitral
Chitral
This gorgeous guesthouse, home to Maqsood Ul Mulk, one of the princes of Chitral, is a wonderful place to stay....
Hindu Kush Heights
Chitral
This is one of Wild Frontiers favourite hotels in the world!By far the best hote in Chitral, Hindu Kush Heights is in...
The Mountain Inn
Chitral
Although tired and somewhat past its sell by date, The Mountain Inn is something of an iconic place to stay. Formed in...
Khaplu Fort
Skardu
This 19th Century Fort has recently been restored to its former glory by the Aga Khan Foundation and as such is an...
K2 Motel
Skardu
The K2 Motel has long been a starting point for climbing expeditions heading into the Karakoram, and especially the...
How to book a trip
Suggested Itineraries
How to book a trip
Pakistan Travel Guide
Gilgit
Gilgit is certainly no postcard town. Encircled by stark black mountains it carries the oppressive feeling of a place cut off from the rest of the world. However, since the opening of the Karakoram Highway and the Kunjarab Pass, the old trade route between China and the subcontinent has flourished giving rise to a teeming bazaar packed with strange goods, animals and people. It is also a superb place to watch frontier polo a wild version of the spectacular sport where few, if any, rules apply.
Hunza
The area known as Hunza lies on the ancient Silk Road to Kashgar and today the Karakoram Highway follows the same route, with Karimabad being the region's main town.This small, mountainous region was until recently a semi-autonomous state but is now fully unified with Pakistan. It is named after Prince Karim Agha Khan, the spiritual head of the Shia Ismaili Nizari community and is one of the most beautiful areas of Pakistan. The situation really is extraordinary, with several peaks over 7000m in view. Cricket, Pakistan's national sport, is often played in the streets and as the people are famed for their friendliness and hospitality you might be asked to take part in a few overs. The main language here is Brushuski although most people understand some English and Urdu. The majority of the region's peoples are Ismaili Muslims.
Islamabad
Islamabad has been Pakistan's capital since 1967 when it was moved here from Rawalpindi. It is a relatively young city compared with others in the country but there are a number of interesting things to see.
Skardu
Set in a landscape of towering mountains, deep gorges, resounding waterfalls and calm, deep lakes Skardu is perched at an elevation of 2,286 m in the backdrop of the great peaks of the Karakoram mountain range. As the capital of Baltistan, it sits on the old tea and trade routes between China and the subcontinent and for trekkers and non trekkers alike, it is a fascinating place to visit.
Fairy Meadows
Pakistan is blessed with areas of matchless beauty and Fairy Meadows can be considered as one of the most beautiful locations in the region. A visit to Fairy Meadows requires a hike of approximately three hours but the views of Nanga Parbat, the 8,000m plus Killer Mountain, are very rewarding. You will have the best views of Nanga Parbat from Fairy Meadows while sitting in your wonderful log cabin.
The Kalash
Obscured by time, the routes of the Kalash are steeped in myth and legend. Descended, they maintain, from the armies of Alexander the Great, the Kalash worship a plethora of ancestral gods and hold colourful religious festivals of music and dance. Though the men now wear the standard Pakistani shalwar kameez, the women still dress in traditional garb; voluminous black dresses held tight round the waist with a thick red belts, flamboyant head-dresses made of wool, decorated with cowry shells, old buttons, beads and bells and, perhaps most striking of all, around their necks great strands of coloured beads. Practising the ancient agricultural system of transhumance, the Kalash divide the summer months between herding their goats in the high pastures and tending their crops of wheat and maize in the valleys. Apricots, mulberries and walnuts are collected and dried for winter while the grapes are made into wine.
Khunjarab Pass
The highest point on the famous Karakoram Highway and the highest paved border crossing in the world, the Khunjarab Pass lies at a lofty 4,693 metres, straddling the frontier between Pakistan and the Xinjiang Autonomous Region of China. Located amongst some of the most spectacular mountain landscapes on the planet, the pass, which was completed in 1982, links the barren wastes of Pakistan’s desert gorges with the fertile high altitude plateau of the Chinese side, where grazing herds of yaks and sheep live amongst the local populations of Tajik herders.
Chitral
Lying in a fertile valley beneath the mighty Tirich Mir – at 7,700m the highest mountain in the Hindu Kush – Chitral Town is a cosy place, inhabited by warm and welcoming people. A lively bazaar, many of the stalls and restaurants run by Afghan refugees, leads through its centre to the small airstrip at one end and the polo field at the other. The old mud fort, scene of the famous British siege, still rest on the banks of the Chitral River next to the imposing Shahi Mosque. From here the hot springs of Garam Chashma, the Kalash Valleys, Mastuj and the Shandor Pass are all accessible. Cut off as it is from the rest of the country by high mountains, Chitral has developed its own particular feel and charm.
Deosai Plains
Renowned for its rich flora and fauna, the Deosai Plains lie along the alpine steppes of the Karakoram-West Tibetan Plateau. During the spring, these fertile plains are blanketed in millions of colourful wild flowers that attract a vast army of butterflies to their dazzling blooms. The highest plateau on the planet, spread across almost 3,000 square kilometres, it lies at the boundary of the Karakoram and western Himalayan ranges and its remarkable biodiversity has earned it the accolade of a national wilderness park. Established initially to secure the survival of the Himalayan brown bear, the park is also home to golden marmots, snow leopards and huge soaring lammergeiers.
Lahore
Other than the many famous historical monuments, this city, the second largest in Pakistan, is also known for its beautiful gardens mostly laid out during the Moghal Empire and the British Raj. Its faded elegance, busy streets and bazaars, and wide variety of Islamic and British architecture make it a city full of atmosphere, contrast and surprise. The people of Lahore, when they want to emphasize the uniqueness of their town, say - "Lahore is Lahore". The traditional capital of Punjab for a thousand years, it had been the cultural centre of Northern India extending from Peshawar to New Delhi.
Peshawar
Like many of the subcontinent’s bustling bazaars, the streets of old Peshawar – especially around Qisa Khawani, the storytellers bazaar – are a swirling kaleidoscope of colour, cultures, races and creeds, only here it’s on a massive scale. The jewellers don’t have stalls next to the cloth merchants, or the leather sellers close to the vegetable traders; squashed into the sunless alleyways, the merchants have their own bazaars. It’s a noisy place buzzing with life and energy: a storybook town, echoing the times of The Arabian Nights. For the traveller to wander the streets, lost in this very different world, is simply a joy. Whenever possible we stay in the heart of the old town at the Khan Klub, an old haveli now converted into a fine heritage hotel.
The Shandor Pass
ituated between Chitral and Gilgit, in the heart of the Hindu Kush, the Shandor Pass is a spectacular mountain plateau rising to a height of almost 4,000 metres. Surrounded by snow-capped peaks, dissected by tumbling rivers teeming with trout and inhabited by grazing yaks, eagles, fox and the rare snow leopard, this is where the subcontinent dramatically transforms into Central Asia. It is also home to the highest polo ground in the world. In our opinion, especially during the polo festival in July, there is simply nowhere better. The three or four-day journey from Chitral to Gilgit is when WILD FRONTIERS truly lives up to its name.
The Karakoram Highway
The Karakoram Highway, or KKH in short, is the greatest wonder of modern Pakistan connecting Pakistan to China on one of the most spectacular roads in the world. It twists through three great mountain ranges – the Himalayas, Karakoram and Pamir - following one of the ancient silk routes along the valleys of the Indus, Gilgit and Hunza rivers to the Chinese border at the Khunjerab Pass. It then crosses the high Central Asian plateau before winding down through the Pamirs to Kashgar, at the Western edge of the Taklamakan Desert. By this route, Chinese silks, ceramics, lacquer-work, bronze, iron, fur and spices travelled south and west while the wool, linen, ivory, gold, silver, precious and semi-precious stones, asbestos and glass of South Asia and the west travelled north and east.
How to book a trip
Pakistan Travel Information
Visa Information
UK Passport holders require a visa to visit Pakistan.
This must be done no sooner than two months prior to departure. A letter of invitation from Pakistan is required and Wild Frontiers will send this out to approximately two months before departure.
Your passport must be valid for at least six months after the end of your trip, and it must have at least one blank page for each visa required. Please ensure the passport details we hold for you are correct.
Please note it is your responsibility to ensure you have the correct visa documentation when starting your trip. Country entry regulations can alter daily and it is always best to check with the relevant embassies for any changes.
If you would rather avoid the embassy to organise your visa before departure this can be done through a visa company such as:
Travcour (UK)
Tempo House
15 Falcon Road
Battersea
London SW11 2PJ
Tel: 020 7223 5295
Fax: 020 7738 2617
Email: info@travcour.com
Website: www.travcour.com
If you are travelling on a non-UK passport, please contact your nearest consulate/embassy for up to date visa information.
Insurance:
Travel insurance is compulsory for anyone travelling on a Wild Frontiers Tour.
Clients should be aware that Wild Frontiers visit certain destinations and carry out some activities that are not always covered by many standard insurance policies. Because of this we strongly recommend that you purchase a policy that takes into account many of the unique factors that come from travelling with us.
We also appreciate that few people are experts in insurance shopping, so to make your life easier there is a ‘Wild Frontiers’ policy issued by Travel & General. This is split into two options, a Standard policy, since plenty of our tours and destinations visit stable areas, and an Elite policy for those trips which go to areas where the Foreign Commonwealth Office (FCO) is advising against travelling to. On top of this there is also an option to extend the cover to include any claims that may arise from a terrorist attack in an area where the FCO is advising against.
This insurance is available for anyone up to the age of 75-years-old (after which additional quotes may be needed), and covers horse riding, mountain walking, trekking, white-water rafting and all other activities we offer as part of our tours. These policies are available to all residents of the UK and those residing within the EU.
The cover is underwritten by the International Insurance Company of Hannover Limited (IICH), who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA). Wild Frontiers Limited is an Introducer Appointed Representative of Travel & General Insurance Company plc, details of which can be found at the FSA's website www.fsa.gov.uk.
To contact them please visit their website at www.travel-general.com or call 0845 408 0583.
Health and Vaccinations:
There are no mandatory immunisations for travellers to Pakistan though you should be up-to-date with Typhoid, Tetanus, Polio and Hepatitis A. We recommend you seek advice from your local GP or travel centre as to the correct immunisations and preventative treatments.
We also recommend:
• A dental check-up prior to travelling.
• You inform us of any pre-existing medical conditions or medication.
To be on the safe side you can also check on www.fitfortravel.scot.nhs.uk
