Pakistan Tourism: Information Desk

[I.R.A]

Best of luck. Take a few pictures for us too and please share a detailed account for others once you are back

Insha ALLAH.

 

[Arsalan]

Insha ALLAH.

So you went ahead with your plan or is it pending for now?

 

[I.R.A]

So you went ahead with your plan or is it pending for now?

I reached back this last Saturday. Well here is how it went

July 13th. The starting date of my journey. I had all stay bookings made with PTDC (Naran, Hunza, Gupis and back to Naran), so from Islamabad to Naran it was usual trip (I was driving Auto Toyota Altis 2012) stopped at Macdonald near Qalandarbad (Mansehra) for lunch, stopped at Balakot for refill and reached Naran in the evening (I would suggest if you plan to make stay arrangements at PTDC Naran, well I would prefer a private hotel at Saiful Maluk road .... PTDC is okay okay bus).

July 14th, Started travelling towards Hunza. Stopped near Lulu Sar and then all the way to KKH, made a stop there to refill and oh God that place was freaking hot .... once you have descended from Babu Sar Top and reached KKH the road from Chilas to Raikot is in pretty much bad condition, dusty, rough and hot (I would strictly recommend that if you are travelling during this period in that area wear full sleeves and have your head covered). From Raikot to lower Hunza roads are in good condition, you will find plenty of fuel stations on your way so need to worry (and interestingly petrol is two three rupees cheaper in those areas compared to rest of Pakistan), well my stay was at PTDC Aliabad ..... and it was an utter disappointment, I don't know I feel like lower Hunza is overrated and has nothing much to offer, it was hot, dusty and suffers from water shortage (they use glacier water that is dirty as hell) and PTDC there is bakwas. The places that you can visit in a day's time in lower hunza are Baltit and Altit fort and eagle's nest. We tried local dishes for our lunch and dinner, lunch was tasty and dinner was at a renowned restaurant there in Karimabad (Hidden Paradise) ... the taste wasn't good. If you are looking for local dishes I would recommend you eat them from women run cafes. Dry fruit is cheap, meals are cheap and majority people there are nice. Upper Hunza is your go to place, cheaper than lower Hunza and has much more to offer, on your way you will cross those tunnels and then arrive at Attabad lake, enjoy boat rides there and then you may go further up, when you reach the Borith lake spot hire a jeep / diesel run car and ask the driver to take you close to Passu glacier (it involves a bit of hike and trek once you have reached Borith lake, my youngest is now 5 years and he managed it, but its worth it instead seeing the glacier at a distance from main road, you will get to view it up close) once you come back from glacier stop at Borith lake and enjoy a boat ride, again its cheaper compared to Attabad. I started my journey back to Aliabad and didn't go all the way to Khunjarab. If you ask me I would strongly suggest that you stay at upper Hunza if you visit that area.

On 17th, Started travelling towards Gupis (ghizer district), it's a 5 hours drive at minimum, road from Huza to Gilgit is in very good condition but once you start travelling at Gahcooch road, it's in poor condition all the way to wherever you wish to go from there, however it has much more to offer in terms of scenery compared to Hunza. Ghizer is not that modern like Hunza, but its peaceful, you will see lots of springs, lakes (where river bank gets widened it forms sort of a lake, but no boating), if you are into fishing carry a fishing rod with you. PTDC Gupis is the best place, at a very good location and very well maintained. From Gupis I went to Phunder valley (2 hours min drive) .... and from there you can continue to go to Shandoor Chitral (which I didn't). Overall Ghizer is better than Hunza (in my opinion).

On 19th I started early and reached Naran PTDC, making long stops at Babu Sar, Gaitidass. The road back from KKH to Babu Sar is steep, I would recommend that during this season travelling to any of these areas you stop for five to ten minutes after every one or two hours to let your car's engine, brake discs and pads to cool down a bit.

The negatives ......... you won't find milestones / direction boards in those areas specially Gilgit when you need them the most, and somehow I saw the worst misuse and abuse of Green Number plate Vehicles (it seemed like every other shehzada and babu was there with a police party don't know what to make of this naya Pakistan, the slogan was 2 nai 1 Pakistan .... but now I feel like stranger in my own country).

@Khafee @Shane @PakSword @Dubious in case anyone of you is interested in travelling to those parts I am always available to share information.


TIME CHART
Islamabad to Abbottabad ..... take Kashmir Highway and all the way to Hazara motorway, for the time being Shah Maqsood interchange is the only exit on Hazara motorway and from there you connect with the old road. From Islamabad to Shah Maqsood it should take you 1:30 hrs max .... and after that the road is single with two way traffic and it limits your speed, if you are lucky you can reach Abbottabad in another 1:30 hrs ...... but if its your unlucky day it may take you 3 hrs or more to reach Abbottabad from Shah Maqsood.

However, they are planning to fully make the Hazara Motorway operation in August this year. So that may reduce your travel time significantly and increase the comfort in travelling to Abbottabad.

From Abbottabad to Naran ........ it depends on your driving skills and how much you are used to travelling in hilly mountainous roads. If you are a first timer with relevant experience it should take you 1:30 hrs max to reach Balakot, and from Balakot to Kiwai around 1 hr and from Kiwai to Malakandi another 1 hr and from Malakandi to Naran 2 hrs. You may add your stay time to it ....... but if you have left Islamabad at around 10 am you should be able to reach Naran by 7 pm ... including your stays.

Naran to Babusar ......... again your driving skills and experience count, the road has got some nasty patches and plus it depends which time of the year you have chosen to travel there ...... June July you will witness glaciers on the road side, Sept Oct you won't find those glaciers and traffic load also varies in different times. However, that journey is 4 hrs.

Babusar to Chilas ......... that side remains closed from November thru March April or max early July. Road is good but with lots of curves and steep. The speed limit remains 30km/hr so it may take you min. 2 hrs to reach the KKH and Babusar road junction

Chilas to Raikot .......... hot, dusty and road is in very bad condition with curves and huge mountains at one side and river running at other. If you drive recklessly you may reach Raikot in 1.30 hrs but if you drive carefully you will reach there in 2 hrs.

Raikot to Juglot .......... road is very good and it may take you 30 to 40 minutes to reach Jaglot.

Juglot to Gilgit .......... road remains good and max an hour or early

Gilgit to Hunza ........ road remains good and min 2 hrs to reach Hunza

Hunza to Ghizer ....... you will first have to come back to Gilgit which will take the same min 2 hrs and from Gilgit you will take Ghahcooch road. Road is narrow and hmmmm okay with some very bad patches and lots of potholes. On your journey towards Ghizer region, you will have the river running in opposite direction and alongside the road. It should take you min 2:30 hrs to reach Gupis and 6 hrs to reach Phuder valley from Gilgit.

Your return journey from every spot may take little less time, as you would already be aware of the road.

A tip for people who haven't driven vehicles in that area ......... please use proper gears, while you are descending keep your vehicle's acceleration in check with lower gears, don't try top gears at all ........ if its sunny try making a stop after every 1 or 2 hrs .... that would let your disc pads and drums cool down ..... which in turn helps with better grip while braking.

And before going to that area check oil(s) and battery life / water, clutch plate plus timing belt.

 

[Ahmet Pasha]

Allama Iqbal Intl Airport management had the bright idea of making plastic wrap mandatory for Travelers and Tourists.

That will surely leave a lasting impression on travelers visiting the country.

50Rs a piece
So $0.50???

I wonder what "afsar" came up with this ingenious idea.

 

[Arsalan]

I reached back this last Saturday. Well here is how it went

July 13th. The starting date of my journey. I had all stay bookings made with PTDC (Naran, Hunza, Gupis and back to Naran), so from Islamabad to Naran it was usual trip (I was driving Auto Toyota Altis 2012) stopped at Macdonald near Qalandarbad (Mansehra) for lunch, stopped at Balakot for refill and reached Naran in the evening (I would suggest if you plan to make stay arrangements at PTDC Naran, well I would prefer a private hotel at Saiful Maluk road .... PTDC is okay okay bus).

July 14th, Started travelling towards Hunza. Stopped near Lulu Sar and then all the way to KKH, made a stop there to refill and oh God that place was freaking hot .... once you have descended from Babu Sar Top and reached KKH the road from Chilas to Raikot is in pretty much bad condition, dusty, rough and hot (I would strictly recommend that if you are travelling during this period in that area wear full sleeves and have your head covered). From Raikot to lower Hunza roads are in good condition, you will find plenty of fuel stations on your way so need to worry (and interestingly petrol is two three rupees cheaper in those areas compared to rest of Pakistan), well my stay was at PTDC Aliabad ..... and it was an utter disappointment, I don't know I feel like lower Hunza is overrated and has nothing much to offer, it was hot, dusty and suffers from water shortage (they use glacier water that is dirty as hell) and PTDC there is bakwas. The places that you can visit in a day's time in lower hunza are Baltit and Altit fort and eagle's nest. We tried local dishes for our lunch and dinner, lunch was tasty and dinner was at a renowned restaurant there in Karimabad (Hidden Paradise) ... the taste wasn't good. If you are looking for local dishes I would recommend you eat them from women run cafes. Dry fruit is cheap, meals are cheap and majority people there are nice. Upper Hunza is your go to place, cheaper than lower Hunza and has much more to offer, on your way you will cross those tunnels and then arrive at Attabad lake, enjoy boat rides there and then you may go further up, when you reach the Borith lake spot hire a jeep / diesel run car and ask the driver to take you close to Passu glacier (it involves a bit of hike and trek once you have reached Borith lake, my youngest is now 5 years and he managed it, but its worth it instead seeing the glacier at a distance from main road, you will get to view it up close) once you come back from glacier stop at Borith lake and enjoy a boat ride, again its cheaper compared to Attabad. I started my journey back to Aliabad and didn't go all the way to Khunjarab. If you ask me I would strongly suggest that you stay at upper Hunza if you visit that area.

On 17th, Started travelling towards Gupis (ghizer district), it's a 5 hours drive at minimum, road from Huza to Gilgit is in very good condition but once you start travelling at Gahcooch road, it's in poor condition all the way to wherever you wish to go from there, however it has much more to offer in terms of scenery compared to Hunza. Ghizer is not that modern like Hunza, but its peaceful, you will see lots of springs, lakes (where river bank gets widened it forms sort of a lake, but no boating), if you are into fishing carry a fishing rod with you. PTDC Gupis is the best place, at a very good location and very well maintained. From Gupis I went to Phunder valley (2 hours min drive) .... and from there you can continue to go to Shandoor Chitral (which I didn't). Overall Ghizer is better than Hunza (in my opinion).

On 19th I started early and reached Naran PTDC, making long stops at Babu Sar, Gaitidass. The road back from KKH to Babu Sar is steep, I would recommend that during this season travelling to any of these areas you stop for five to ten minutes after every one or two hours to let your car's engine, brake discs and pads to cool down a bit.

The negatives ......... you won't find milestones / direction boards in those areas specially Gilgit when you need them the most, and somehow I saw the worst misuse and abuse of Green Number plate Vehicles (it seemed like every other shehzada and babu was there with a police party don't know what to make of this naya Pakistan, the slogan was 2 nai 1 Pakistan .... but now I feel like stranger in my own country).

@Khafee @Shane @PakSword @Dubious in case anyone of you is interested in travelling to those parts I am always available to share information.

TIME CHART
Islamabad to Abbottabad ..... take Kashmir Highway and all the way to Hazara motorway, for the time being Shah Maqsood interchange is the only exit on Hazara motorway and from there you connect with the old road. From Islamabad to Shah Maqsood it should take you 1:30 hrs max .... and after that the road is single with two way traffic and it limits your speed, if you are lucky you can reach Abbottabad in another 1:30 hrs ...... but if its your unlucky day it may take you 3 hrs or more to reach Abbottabad from Shah Maqsood.

However, they are planning to fully make the Hazara Motorway operation in August this year. So that may reduce your travel time significantly and increase the comfort in travelling to Abbottabad.

From Abbottabad to Naran ........ it depends on your driving skills and how much you are used to travelling in hilly mountainous roads. If you are a first timer with relevant experience it should take you 1:30 hrs max to reach Balakot, and from Balakot to Kiwai around 1 hr and from Kiwai to Malakandi another 1 hr and from Malakandi to Naran 2 hrs. You may add your stay time to it ....... but if you have left Islamabad at around 10 am you should be able to reach Naran by 7 pm ... including your stays.

Naran to Babusar ......... again your driving skills and experience count, the road has got some nasty patches and plus it depends which time of the year you have chosen to travel there ...... June July you will witness glaciers on the road side, Sept Oct you won't find those glaciers and traffic load also varies in different times. However, that journey is 4 hrs.

Babusar to Chilas ......... that side remains closed from November thru March April or max early July. Road is good but with lots of curves and steep. The speed limit remains 30km/hr so it may take you min. 2 hrs to reach the KKH and Babusar road junction

Chilas to Raikot .......... hot, dusty and road is in very bad condition with curves and huge mountains at one side and river running at other. If you drive recklessly you may reach Raikot in 1.30 hrs but if you drive carefully you will reach there in 2 hrs.

Raikot to Juglot .......... road is very good and it may take you 30 to 40 minutes to reach Jaglot.

Juglot to Gilgit .......... road remains good and max an hour or early

Gilgit to Hunza ........ road remains good and min 2 hrs to reach Hunza

Hunza to Ghizer ....... you will first have to come back to Gilgit which will take the same min 2 hrs and from Gilgit you will take Ghahcooch road. Road is narrow and hmmmm okay with some very bad patches and lots of potholes. On your journey towards Ghizer region, you will have the river running in opposite direction and alongside the road. It should take you min 2:30 hrs to reach Gupis and 6 hrs to reach Phuder valley from Gilgit.

Your return journey from every spot may take little less time, as you would already be aware of the road.

A tip for people who haven't driven vehicles in that area ......... please use proper gears, while you are descending keep your vehicle's acceleration in check with lower gears, don't try top gears at all ........ if its sunny try making a stop after every 1 or 2 hrs .... that would let your disc pads and drums cool down ..... which in turn helps with better grip while braking.

And before going to that area check oil(s) and battery life / water, clutch plate plus timing belt.

Excellent.
So it seems you traveled up to Attabad then and explored Hunza and Ghizer in this tour. Didnt went all the way to Khunjerab Pass? Makes sense since you were with kids. How about Naltar? you managed to go there?

Questions;
PTDC hotel reservations. How to manage that?
Recommended food



As for my trip, we have faced another week delay now. With the rainy season coming i fear we may have to cancel the trip altogether! Lets see.

TIME CHART
Islamabad to Abbottabad ..... take Kashmir Highway and all the way to Hazara motorway, for the time being Shah Maqsood interchange is the only exit on Hazara motorway and from there you connect with the old road. From Islamabad to Shah Maqsood it should take you 1:30 hrs max .... and after that the road is single with two way traffic and it limits your speed, if you are lucky you can reach Abbottabad in another 1:30 hrs ...... but if its your unlucky day it may take you 3 hrs or more to reach Abbottabad from Shah Maqsood.

However, they are planning to fully make the Hazara Motorway operation in August this year. So that may reduce your travel time significantly and increase the comfort in travelling to Abbottabad.

From Abbottabad to Naran ........ it depends on your driving skills and how much you are used to travelling in hilly mountainous roads. If you are a first timer with relevant experience it should take you 1:30 hrs max to reach Balakot, and from Balakot to Kiwai around 1 hr and from Kiwai to Malakandi another 1 hr and from Malakandi to Naran 2 hrs. You may add your stay time to it ....... but if you have left Islamabad at around 10 am you should be able to reach Naran by 7 pm ... including your stays.

Naran to Babusar ......... again your driving skills and experience count, the road has got some nasty patches and plus it depends which time of the year you have chosen to travel there ...... June July you will witness glaciers on the road side, Sept Oct you won't find those glaciers and traffic load also varies in different times. However, that journey is 4 hrs.

Babusar to Chilas ......... that side remains closed from November thru March April or max early July. Road is good but with lots of curves and steep. The speed limit remains 30km/hr so it may take you min. 2 hrs to reach the KKH and Babusar road junction

Chilas to Raikot .......... hot, dusty and road is in very bad condition with curves and huge mountains at one side and river running at other. If you drive recklessly you may reach Raikot in 1.30 hrs but if you drive carefully you will reach there in 2 hrs.

Raikot to Juglot .......... road is very good and it may take you 30 to 40 minutes to reach Jaglot.

Juglot to Gilgit .......... road remains good and max an hour or early

Gilgit to Hunza ........ road remains good and min 2 hrs to reach Hunza

Hunza to Ghizer ....... you will first have to come back to Gilgit which will take the same min 2 hrs and from Gilgit you will take Ghahcooch road. Road is narrow and hmmmm okay with some very bad patches and lots of potholes. On your journey towards Ghizer region, you will have the river running in opposite direction and alongside the road. It should take you min 2:30 hrs to reach Gupis and 6 hrs to reach Phuder valley from Gilgit.

Your return journey from every spot may take little less time, as you would already be aware of the road.

A tip for people who haven't driven vehicles in that area ......... please use proper gears, while you are descending keep your vehicle's acceleration in check with lower gears, don't try top gears at all ........ if its sunny try making a stop after every 1 or 2 hrs .... that would let your disc pads and drums cool down ..... which in turn helps with better grip while braking.

And before going to that area check oil(s) and battery life / water, clutch plate plus timing belt.

Brilliant!! Thanks a lot for this bro.

 

[Shane]

I reached back this last Saturday. Well here is how it went

July 13th. The starting date of my journey. I had all stay bookings made with PTDC (Naran, Hunza, Gupis and back to Naran), so from Islamabad to Naran it was usual trip (I was driving Auto Toyota Altis 2012) stopped at Macdonald near Qalandarbad (Mansehra) for lunch, stopped at Balakot for refill and reached Naran in the evening (I would suggest if you plan to make stay arrangements at PTDC Naran, well I would prefer a private hotel at Saiful Maluk road .... PTDC is okay okay bus).

July 14th, Started travelling towards Hunza. Stopped near Lulu Sar and then all the way to KKH, made a stop there to refill and oh God that place was freaking hot .... once you have descended from Babu Sar Top and reached KKH the road from Chilas to Raikot is in pretty much bad condition, dusty, rough and hot (I would strictly recommend that if you are travelling during this period in that area wear full sleeves and have your head covered). From Raikot to lower Hunza roads are in good condition, you will find plenty of fuel stations on your way so need to worry (and interestingly petrol is two three rupees cheaper in those areas compared to rest of Pakistan), well my stay was at PTDC Aliabad ..... and it was an utter disappointment, I don't know I feel like lower Hunza is overrated and has nothing much to offer, it was hot, dusty and suffers from water shortage (they use glacier water that is dirty as hell) and PTDC there is bakwas. The places that you can visit in a day's time in lower hunza are Baltit and Altit fort and eagle's nest. We tried local dishes for our lunch and dinner, lunch was tasty and dinner was at a renowned restaurant there in Karimabad (Hidden Paradise) ... the taste wasn't good. If you are looking for local dishes I would recommend you eat them from women run cafes. Dry fruit is cheap, meals are cheap and majority people there are nice. Upper Hunza is your go to place, cheaper than lower Hunza and has much more to offer, on your way you will cross those tunnels and then arrive at Attabad lake, enjoy boat rides there and then you may go further up, when you reach the Borith lake spot hire a jeep / diesel run car and ask the driver to take you close to Passu glacier (it involves a bit of hike and trek once you have reached Borith lake, my youngest is now 5 years and he managed it, but its worth it instead seeing the glacier at a distance from main road, you will get to view it up close) once you come back from glacier stop at Borith lake and enjoy a boat ride, again its cheaper compared to Attabad. I started my journey back to Aliabad and didn't go all the way to Khunjarab. If you ask me I would strongly suggest that you stay at upper Hunza if you visit that area.

On 17th, Started travelling towards Gupis (ghizer district), it's a 5 hours drive at minimum, road from Huza to Gilgit is in very good condition but once you start travelling at Gahcooch road, it's in poor condition all the way to wherever you wish to go from there, however it has much more to offer in terms of scenery compared to Hunza. Ghizer is not that modern like Hunza, but its peaceful, you will see lots of springs, lakes (where river bank gets widened it forms sort of a lake, but no boating), if you are into fishing carry a fishing rod with you. PTDC Gupis is the best place, at a very good location and very well maintained. From Gupis I went to Phunder valley (2 hours min drive) .... and from there you can continue to go to Shandoor Chitral (which I didn't). Overall Ghizer is better than Hunza (in my opinion).

On 19th I started early and reached Naran PTDC, making long stops at Babu Sar, Gaitidass. The road back from KKH to Babu Sar is steep, I would recommend that during this season travelling to any of these areas you stop for five to ten minutes after every one or two hours to let your car's engine, brake discs and pads to cool down a bit.

The negatives ......... you won't find milestones / direction boards in those areas specially Gilgit when you need them the most, and somehow I saw the worst misuse and abuse of Green Number plate Vehicles (it seemed like every other shehzada and babu was there with a police party don't know what to make of this naya Pakistan, the slogan was 2 nai 1 Pakistan .... but now I feel like stranger in my own country).

@Khafee @Shane @PakSword @Dubious in case anyone of you is interested in travelling to those parts I am always available to share information.

TIME CHART
Islamabad to Abbottabad ..... take Kashmir Highway and all the way to Hazara motorway, for the time being Shah Maqsood interchange is the only exit on Hazara motorway and from there you connect with the old road. From Islamabad to Shah Maqsood it should take you 1:30 hrs max .... and after that the road is single with two way traffic and it limits your speed, if you are lucky you can reach Abbottabad in another 1:30 hrs ...... but if its your unlucky day it may take you 3 hrs or more to reach Abbottabad from Shah Maqsood.

However, they are planning to fully make the Hazara Motorway operation in August this year. So that may reduce your travel time significantly and increase the comfort in travelling to Abbottabad.

From Abbottabad to Naran ........ it depends on your driving skills and how much you are used to travelling in hilly mountainous roads. If you are a first timer with relevant experience it should take you 1:30 hrs max to reach Balakot, and from Balakot to Kiwai around 1 hr and from Kiwai to Malakandi another 1 hr and from Malakandi to Naran 2 hrs. You may add your stay time to it ....... but if you have left Islamabad at around 10 am you should be able to reach Naran by 7 pm ... including your stays.

Naran to Babusar ......... again your driving skills and experience count, the road has got some nasty patches and plus it depends which time of the year you have chosen to travel there ...... June July you will witness glaciers on the road side, Sept Oct you won't find those glaciers and traffic load also varies in different times. However, that journey is 4 hrs.

Babusar to Chilas ......... that side remains closed from November thru March April or max early July. Road is good but with lots of curves and steep. The speed limit remains 30km/hr so it may take you min. 2 hrs to reach the KKH and Babusar road junction

Chilas to Raikot .......... hot, dusty and road is in very bad condition with curves and huge mountains at one side and river running at other. If you drive recklessly you may reach Raikot in 1.30 hrs but if you drive carefully you will reach there in 2 hrs.

Raikot to Juglot .......... road is very good and it may take you 30 to 40 minutes to reach Jaglot.

Juglot to Gilgit .......... road remains good and max an hour or early

Gilgit to Hunza ........ road remains good and min 2 hrs to reach Hunza

Hunza to Ghizer ....... you will first have to come back to Gilgit which will take the same min 2 hrs and from Gilgit you will take Ghahcooch road. Road is narrow and hmmmm okay with some very bad patches and lots of potholes. On your journey towards Ghizer region, you will have the river running in opposite direction and alongside the road. It should take you min 2:30 hrs to reach Gupis and 6 hrs to reach Phuder valley from Gilgit.

Your return journey from every spot may take little less time, as you would already be aware of the road.

A tip for people who haven't driven vehicles in that area ......... please use proper gears, while you are descending keep your vehicle's acceleration in check with lower gears, don't try top gears at all ........ if its sunny try making a stop after every 1 or 2 hrs .... that would let your disc pads and drums cool down ..... which in turn helps with better grip while braking.

And before going to that area check oil(s) and battery life / water, clutch plate plus timing belt.

Thanx. Nice and to the point. A helpful guide with key pointers for tourists going up there. Will definitely give you a hollar before visiting.

The green number plate thingy reflects the matching brain wavelengths of our semi literate babus across the board , high aspirations but same old mediocre actions, hanooz dilli dor ast.

 

[I.R.A]

Excellent.
So it seems you traveled up to Attabad then and explored Hunza and Ghizer in this tour. Didnt went all the way to Khunjerab Pass? Makes sense since you were with kids. How about Naltar? you managed to go there?

I went further up from Attabad, to see Borith lake and Passu glacier, at Borith lake spot ask for Gohar Ali (he is a driver who owns a diesel car, ask him to take you up close to Passu glacier, the glacier and borith lake are in the same direction, there is kacha road up till lake and then from there you have to walk to see the glacier, and Gohar Ali is a nice gentleman doesn't charge much I paid him extra).

When I left Hunza for Ghizer I did stop at Naltar diversion, but I was short on time, Gupis (in Ghizer) is minimum 3 hours from Gilgit and road is in bad condition, I could have traveled at night, but that didn't seem to be a wise thing with family, not that I was afraid of security or something but because if you have any problems with the car, you won't find anyone to fix it.

Questions;
PTDC hotel reservations. How to manage that?
Recommended food

Gupis (ghizer) is cheap and you can get at spot booking, Phuder another 2 hours from Gupis also has a PTDC resort, you will be able to get on spot booking .... but only if you reach these places before sunset.

Don't stay in Aliabad Hunza (there is water shortage there and glacier water is dirty) and the PTDC there is bakwas, try going towards Attabad, Gojal and get a private guest house or hotel there.

Food is cheap (not PTDC), you can try local dishes in Hunza but only from cafes that are run by women / ladies, don't try local dishes from any other restaurant you will be disappointed. Chap shuru, cheese chapati, apricot juice, there are few other local dishes that you can try. If you wish you can try desi food, should be okay.

In Ghizer you will get trout fish (river wali) for Rs 1,000 / kg, 1kg is plenty by the way for 3 adults.

I would recommend spend more days in Ghizer than Hunza.

As for my trip, we have faced another week delay now. With the rainy season coming i fear we may have to cancel the trip altogether! Lets see.

If you manage to cross the Kaghan belt, you will be okay, because from chilas to any other part it was hot and dry. But sometimes region in between Chilas to Raikot get blocked because of the rock blasting and slides (and the condition of road in this region is the worst).

Take dry fruits with you it helps with nausea, tie a big bag behind one of the head rest of the car and use it as garbage bag, empty that bag when you find proper dustbins and repeat, take wipes with you, plenty of tissue paper, and just remember its nearly 2000 kms of return journey.

Edit: Arsalan I know you have been to that area, however if you are planning for Sakurdu from this side the road is under construction and it was closed. And you may try IBEX Resorts there one of them in Hunza seemed fine to me with tents and things.

 

[Dubious]

Allama Iqbal Intl Airport management had the bright idea of making plastic wrap mandatory for Travelers and Tourists.

That will surely leave a lasting impression on travelers visiting the country.

50Rs a piece
So $0.50???

I wonder what "afsar" came up with this ingenious idea.

Check the thread. The order was taken back

 

[Arsalan]

I went further up from Attabad, to see Borith lake and Passu glacier, at Borith lake spot ask for Gohar Ali (he is a driver who owns a diesel car, ask him to take you up close to Passu glacier, the glacier and borith lake are in the same direction, there is kacha road up till lake and then from there you have to walk to see the glacier, and Gohar Ali is a nice gentleman doesn't charge much I paid him extra).

Excellent. That makes a visit to Borith lake and the Passu Glacier a nice activity while in that area then.

Gupis (ghizer) is cheap and you can get at spot booking, Phuder another 2 hours from Gupis also has a PTDC resort, you will be able to get on spot booking .... but only if you reach these places before sunset.

Don't stay in Aliabad Hunza (there is water shortage there and glacier water is dirty) and the PTDC there is bakwas, try going towards Attabad, Gojal and get a private guest house or hotel there.

Food is cheap (not PTDC), you can try local dishes in Hunza but only from cafes that are run by women / ladies, don't try local dishes from any other restaurant you will be disappointed. Chap shuru, cheese chapati, apricot juice, there are few other local dishes that you can try. If you wish you can try desi food, should be okay.

In Ghizer you will get trout fish (river wali) for Rs 1,000 / kg, 1kg is plenty by the way for 3 adults.

I would recommend spend more days in Ghizer than Hunza.

Excellent. Very valuable information. Thank you.

If you manage to cross the Kaghan belt, you will be okay, because from chilas to any other part it was hot and dry. But sometimes region in between Chilas to Raikot get blocked because of the rock blasting and slides (and the condition of road in this region is the worst).

Yeah i know that. However we will be traveling as a group of friends and will most probably be taking one vehicle so everyone can stay together so i think we will manage it. Chilas to Raikot is hell really! No doubt about that.

Take dry fruits with you it helps with nausea, tie a big bag behind one of the head rest of the car and use it as garbage bag, empty that bag when you find proper dustbins and repeat, take wipes with you, plenty of tissue paper, and just remember its nearly 2000 kms of return journey.

Edit: Arsalan I know you have been to that area, however if you are planning for Sakurdu from this side the road is under construction and it was closed. And you may try IBEX Resorts there one of them in Hunza seemed fine to me with tents and things.

We now plan a one stop destination since some years. The idea behind this is that all of us friend are working and on job, the reason to go is to relax and we cannot relax while trying to squeeze more than one place in a shourt 4 to 5 days visit. Last time it was Fairy Meadows, this time, it will be Deosai!!

 

[ebr77]

-Do Pakistan issue visa to Bangladeshi for tourism ?
-can we cross via wagah - Attari border or does it have to be by air only
- I want to visit Karachi , Lahore , ISD , neelum valley and if permitted Kashmir , —-how much money should i bring , and how much time should I spend in each place ?
Thanks in advance .

 

[Arsalan]

-Do Pakistan issue visa to Bangladeshi for tourism ?

YES!

-can we cross via wagah - Attari border or does it have to be by air only

Should not be a problem as long as you have a valid Pakistan VISA but since you are coming from Bangladesh then why come via Wagha and complicate things unnecessarily? Better to come by air.

- I want to visit Karachi , Lahore , ISD , neelum valley and if permitted Kashmir , —-how much money should i bring , and how much time should I spend in each place ?

Depends on what you are looking for. Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad are urban cities but with plenty to offer from historic land marks to old mughal era gardens to scenic beauty of Islamabad (not sure if you will be charmed by by the sea in Karachi but must visit a couple of sea side places for food). So if you are into that stuff and if you are a foodie, i would say 2-3 days in each city will give you a good taste of the place. The more time you have the better. If you have more time, may be plan 2 or 3 days for Karachi, 3 or 4 for Lahore and a couple for Islamabad. For Neelum Valley, 2-3 days visit from Islamabad will be great. Should take time to visit Swat/Kumrat/Naran etc or one of these if possible. Again, depends on how much time you got and what things you are looking for. As for budget, will you be traveling with family or alone or with a friend?

Thanks in advance .

Sorry about the delayed response.

 

[ebr77]

YES!


Should not be a problem as long as you have a valid Pakistan VISA but since you are coming from Bangladesh then why come via Wagha and complicate things unnecessarily? Better to come by air.


Depends on what you are looking for. Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad are urban cities but with plenty to offer from historic land marks to old mughal era gardens to scenic beauty of Islamabad (not sure if you will be charmed by by the sea in Karachi but must visit a couple of sea side places for food). So if you are into that stuff and if you are a foodie, i would say 2-3 days in each city will give you a good taste of the place. The more time you have the better. If you have more time, may be plan 2 or 3 days for Karachi, 3 or 4 for Lahore and a couple for Islamabad. For Neelum Valley, 2-3 days visit from Islamabad will be great. Should take time to visit Swat/Kumrat/Naran etc or one of these if possible. Again, depends on how much time you got and what things you are looking for. As for budget, will you be traveling with family or alone or with a friend?


Sorry about the delayed response.

I will be travelling alone mostly . I am not sure how post COVID-19 situation will play out for travellers worldwide . I think I will want to spend about 15 days in Pakistan . I want to see the country , people , places the way it is .

 

[Arsalan]

I will be travelling alone mostly . I am not sure how post COVID-19 situation will play out for travellers worldwide . I think I will want to spend about 15 days in Pakistan . I want to see the country , people , places the way it is .

So? Did you went ahead with your travel plans or is it pending?

 

[Arsalan]

can anyone share contact information of some good tour operators for a trip to Skardu? Preferably from Lahore but Islamabad/Rawalpindi will do!!

Need this over the next 3 4 days if anyone can help!

 

[DESERT FIGHTER]

can anyone share contact information of some good tour operators for a trip to Skardu? Preferably from Lahore but Islamabad/Rawalpindi will do!!

Need this over the next 3 4 days if anyone can help!

@krash could help.. i went there but i did the tour on my own. Deosai, waterfall, shigar, khaplu, buddha rockp0⁰py