Oasis Operations Director, Mark recently traveled where few others have ... north Pakistan:
"Oktoberfest, Munich 2014 - We spoke for almost 8 years and never really had the time, and we were both very aware that a security point of view, it was probably not the place to go for now ...... or was it just hype? After several large Bavarian beers, a plan was loosely did and it was left to chance if we both keep our word and make it happen.
Dressed in shalwar chemise
Islamabad in July 2015 - Dressed in a Shalwar Babydoll, local Pakistani clothes, and both large amounts of facial hair sport, my friend and I hopped on a former military jeep in 1970 and the north. Due to the potential instability of the region and the delicate crops that we were visiting, we decided to do a tour of all kinds. Local knowledge can not be truly defeated, and our driver and guide proved valuable for all sorts of things, what areas we could reasonably achieve, what to say and how to behave in the company of each ethnic area. Remember that we not only in one area of potential terrorism, but more dangerous in many ways were landslides, flooding and the very real issue of an accident of traffic. These are all good reasons to invest your money into people who know the region and dangers and who have up to minute information and vehicles to deal with the ground.
Ehsan Our guide us, ready to explore
Gilgit was our first major stop - it's a hustling city in the heart of the far north, and is a kind of hub for travelers in all other areas - and it would be if there were other travelers! Ehsan our guide, who lives in the city, announced that we were his 2 e and 3 e Western guests this year! It became very apparent more we traveled, that since 9/11 and the disappearance of tourism in the region, local people are really struggling to survive. We were told that tourism is arrested as "turning a switch off 'in 01 and he has not returned. Pakistanis are venture north on vacation, but it seems that people much prefer "foreign" because of their friendliness and appreciation of their country and experience, certainly not for their potentially largest portfolios! Once there, Pakistan was a very cheap country to travel, with great food, friendly people, and in fact very little to spend money! If wild party nights are your thing, then this is not the place for you!
Ferry on Lake Attabad
Venturing north on Karakorum Highway (KKH) we went to Karimabad, where 2 strong Tibetan style of there are nearly 00 years sit atop a high rocky outcrops, surveying the valley below. Landslides are a real danger to the region and can quickly change travel plans, so that our route was quite fluid and all who travel this area should take this as part of the adventure. For example, there is a slide 5 years on a biblical scale blocked the road south of Passu, flooded several villages and created Lake Attabad. Entrepeneurs in the region had quickly wooden boats transported to Karachi, matched with boards for transportation vehicles, and started a ferry service on the route by 45 minutes on the lake! So this was to be our turn also - I must say that my heart was in my mouth as Matu inched the Jeep on the boards, and came to rest with a stone behind each wheel through the boat with two front axles and pasted back on the water!
Our initial plan was to travel all the KKH in Kashgar in China, but the two issues of visas and weather were making life difficult. Looking back, our time was well spent in Pakistan itself and it gave us more time to enjoy the people and landscapes. You can not believe you're sitting 4000mtrs and many peaks around you are another 3 to 4000mtrs higher!
Driving through northern Pakistan in our jeep open top
We finally make the Khunjerab Pass on the Chinese border to 4700mtrs, one day he opened, and just before the river completely taken on the road! As I said, it's all part of the experience of Pakistan!
On reflection, cycling down from that height at just under 3000mtrs on a local bike with a wobbly wheel brakes and traditional "non-disc" was a bad idea. Think hairpin bends, Chinese oncoming truck driven at full throttle, rocks the size of small bungalows sitting on blind corners, and you have an idea of the next 45 minutes of our lives!
Besides freefalling down the Karakorum range on a bicycle, one of the greatest memories I will take with me was our trek to base camp Rakaposhi. It was quite a chore carrying our equipment 1400mtrs the elevation Minapin to 3800mtrs in an afternoon, but once there, I really can not believe I've never sat in a more impressive landscape. Our guide Ali, who said he was "the best", has proven its value to our 2 e channels day, as he took us through several kilometers of glaciers, winding its way around crevasses and melt water that were spilling down the peaks of 7000mtr Diran and Rakaposhi, and all without any climbing equipment or crampons!
As with all great adventures, this time in Pakistan had come to an end, but I have certainly only amazing memories. Of course we can not forget the terrible things have happened in this area, and others parts of the world, but unfortunately, in my opinion, they were dramatized in the media, mainly due to human being in the crosshairs of the United States. So I would say that if it was on your 'to visit' list as long as my colleague and I, do not wait - go now "
We now offer two routes to this spectacular part of the world, our 15 days Pakistan Karakorum Highlights and our 21 days Pakistan Karakorum Highlights and Chitral Valley.
Call us or write us if you want a little more information about these trips to Pakistan.
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