Destination: Pakistan

Odyssey travels by coach and occasionally uses local transport, including trains and ferries. Specifics are always outlined in your tour itinerary. In the major cities of Pakistan, such as the capital of Islamabad, you can expect an extensive rail and bus network to use for longer travel, and taxis and even ride-share apps for shorter travel. Smaller towns and remote mountain villages will not have as extensive a transport network, and some are only accessible via private transport. We will be using private transport on our Pakistan trip.

In major cities, Odyssey stays in centrally located 3-4 star hotels, with easy access to public transport. In smaller towns or rural areas, we usually stay in family-run hotels or guesthouses.

Odyssey always engages local guides with regional knowledge to ensure an authentic experience during which you can learn as much as possible about the history and culture of places you visit.

Pakistan is a populous, multiethnic country in South Asia, bordered by Iran and Afghanistan (west), China (north), India (east), and the Arabian Sea (south). The total land area is 796,095 sq km, which is nearly twice the size of the US state of California. It is divided into three major geographic areas–the northern highlands, the Indus River plain in the center and east, and the Balochistan Plateau in the south and west–with the Punjab province in the Indus River plain as the most densely populated. Its highest point is K2 (Mt. Godwin-Austen) at 8,611 metres, the second highest mountain in the world next only to Mt Everest. Pakistan’s climate is generally arid, which means there is little rainfall, and is characterised by hot summers and cool or cold winters, with variations depending on your location.

Pakistan has six UNESCO World Heritage Sites to date. You can view the official list of the sites here. It is well worth visiting every site, if you are able. But here are a few highlights:

• Mohenjo-Daro (“Mound of the Dead Men”) is a major city of the influential Indus civilisation and was built around 2500 BC, contemporaneous with ancient Egypt and Minoan Crete.
• Makli Hills, one of the largest funerary sites in the world. The necropolis covers an area of 10 square kilometres. It is home to various monumental tombs from different dynastic periods, and a site showcasing evolving funerary architecture.
• Takht-i-Bahi (“throne of the water spring”), an Indo-Parthian archaeological site of an ancient Buddhist monastery. Located in the higher reaches of Mardan province, the monastery survived foreign attack and is still well-preserved.

Pakistan is a majority Muslim country, so the Islamic religious festivals are observed in the country. Ramadan, marked by the observation of the crescent moon on the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, is the holiest month of Islam.

Two big festivals are held in the city of Lahore. Basant (Jashn-e-Baharaan) is held in February each year to welcome spring, while Mela Chiraghan (“Festival of Lights”) mark the urs (death anniversary) of the Punjabi Sufi poet and saint Shah Hussain.

• Making Sense of Pakistan by Farzana Shaikh
• In Other Rooms, Other Wonders by Daniyal Mueenuddin
• The Idea of Pakistan by Stephen Philip Cohen
• Pakistan: A Hard Country by Anatol Lieven
• The Oxford Companion to Pakistani History

Pakistani cuisine is influenced by Persian, Indian (especially Mughal-era), and Middle Eastern culinary traditions, the dishes packed with herbs, spices, and complex flavours. Those familiar with these cuisines will not be surprised to find biryani, roti, naans, and kebabs served in Pakistani restaurants. Travellers who want to stay away from meat will be delighted to find vegetarian fare such as tarka daal (lentils mixed with spices) and baingan (eggplant curry). End the meal with a sweet and refreshing treat such as falooda, traditionally made from mixing rose syrup, vermicelli, sweet basil seeds, milk, and ice cream.

Many governments advise against travel to Pakistan, but the Pakistani government and tourism board is working hard to improve overall safety and increase tourism. For example, the Swat Valley, hometown of Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai, was once the hotbed of terrorism but is now enjoying a steady stream of tourists. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge also enjoyed a tour of Pakistan in October 2019. Checkpoints and the sight of security personnel may be overwhelming, but they are there to keep you safe. Pakistanis are also known for being very hospitable, and may even invite you into their home for dinner.

Whenever you travel overseas, it’s always wise to take an appropriate travel adaptor. Pakistan accepts plugs of type C and D, and electricity runs at 230V/50Hz.