Pakistan holidays
| country: | Pakistan |
| departures: | 2008: 31 Jul, 4 Sep, 2 Oct, 18 Oct |
| price: | From £1450 - £1700 (16-18 days) excluding flights. We can arrange flights from the UK |
| late availability: | This 18 day small group tour, departing on 31st July 2008, travels along Pakistan's northwest frontier from the hustle and bustle of the Peshawar bazaar, the Khyber Pass, the spectacular Kalash Valleys, Chitral and Hunza |
the amazing things you'll be doing
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 Storyteller's bazaar in the heart of Peshawar's old town - haggling with turban-headed Pathans for a Bukharan carpet or Kashmiri shawl - travelling up the infamous Khyber Pass on the old British steam train 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. In August 2003, we were asked by the BBC to act as a consultant on the latest Michael Palin show, entitled 'Himalayas', by organizing the first two episodes of a five part series, through northern Pakistan and north India. He has done, almost exactly what you will do on a trip with us.
All our Northern Pakistan itineraries offer a magical blend of fascinating ancient cultures and truly gargantuan scenery. Having ten years of experience running trips here we have many friends that you will meet – be they Chitrali princes or pagan shepherds – on a journey that will surprise and amaze you. From the hustle bustle of Peshawar bazaar, you will witness the Khyber Pass, the Kalash, Chitral and Hunza, and on this trip you will do it at by far the most beautiful time as fall fires the valleys in the heady hues of autumn and in style by staying at some of the region’s best hotels.
Autumn Colours Tour
Hindu Kush Adventure
Whether wandering the Storyteller's bazaar in the heart of Peshawar's old town - haggling with turban-headed Pathans for a Bukharan carpet or Kashmiri shawl - travelling up the infamous Khyber Pass on the old British steam train 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. In August 2003, we were asked by the BBC to act as a consultant on the latest Michael Palin show, entitled 'Himalayas', by organizing the first two episodes of a five part series, through northern Pakistan and north India. He has done, almost exactly what you will do on a trip with us.
All our Northern Pakistan itineraries offer a magical blend of fascinating ancient cultures and truly gargantuan scenery. Having ten years of experience running trips here we have many friends that you will meet – be they Chitrali princes or pagan shepherds – on a journey that will surprise and amaze you. From the hustle bustle of Peshawar bazaar, you will witness the Khyber Pass, the Kalash, Chitral and Hunza, and on this trip you will do it at by far the most beautiful time as fall fires the valleys in the heady hues of autumn and in style by staying at some of the region’s best hotels.
Autumn Colours Tour
| Day 1: | Fly to Islamabad |
| Day 2-3: | Peshawar |
| Day 4: | Dir |
| Day 5: | Chitral |
| Day 6-7: | Kalash |
| Day 8: | Chitral |
| Day 9: | Phaner |
| Day 10-12: | Karimabad |
| Day 13: | Gilgit |
| Day 14-15: | Islamabad |
| Day 16: | Fly to UK |
Hindu Kush Adventure
| Day 1: | Fly to Islamabad |
| Day 2-3: | Peshawar |
| Day 4: | Dir |
| Day 5: | Ayun |
| Day 6-8: | Kalash |
| Day 9: | Chitral Town |
| Day 10: | Mastuj |
| Day 11-12: | Shandor Pass |
| Day 13: | Gilgit |
| Day 14-15: | Karimabad |
| Day 16: | Gilgit |
| Day 17: | Islamabad |
| Day 18: | Fly to UK |
what this trip includes
Trips are on full board basis, and include international flights if mentioned in the price details, transport as outlined in itinerary, twin-share accommodation, mineral water and entrance fees. how this holiday makes a difference
 In Pakistan we pride ourselves on working directly with as many local hotels, drivers, guides and cooks as possible, thereby putting money directly into the local community; to put this into perspective, a jeep driver, like Muktar Alam, that earns 30,000 rupees for one trip can with these wages educate two sons for a year and feed his family for 4 months. We also employ jeep drivers on a revolving basis and different ones in each area to ensure that the money we bring in is distributed evenly. With the small local guesthouses and home stays we use – like Saifullah’s in the Kalash Valleys – the money goes and stays in these pagan valleys rather than being siphoned out to rich, down-country hoteliers. And on each part of the trip we employ local guides – like Dost Mohammed in the Peshawar bazaar – which again places funds directly in the pockets of local families. With our travels we also help support a number of educational trusts, and directly educate two boys from the Kalash Valleys. In 2005 Pakistan was hit by a devastating earthquake that shattered the lives and homes of thousands of people. We contribute to the Pakistan Earthquake Fund that helped not only with distributing aid at the time, but also with helping people rebuild their lives after the event. We are proud to support the Adopt-A-Minefield project, an NGO that saves and improves lives by raising funds to clear landmines and help landmine survivors. With more than 830 square kilometres of land left to clear in neighbouring Afghanistan, we feel that this organisation makes a huge difference to the quality of life for people in this area. For further details please visit www.landmines.org.uk When you take one of our trips, we make a contribution to “Climate Care” – an organisation devoted to ‘offsetting’ or ‘neutralising’ harmful greenhouse gas emissions caused by your flight. This is done by funding projects across the world that will reduce greenhouse gases on your behalf through sustainable energy or rainforest restoration. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've lead the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |