Here's why Pakistan deserves a spot on your travel wish list. Photo / Mark Daffrey
Here's why Pakistan deserves a spot on your travel wish list. Photo / Mark Daffrey
Pakistan is a country full of surprises. Breathtaking mountain scenery, mouthwatering dishes, contrasting cities … the list goes on, writes Mark Daffey.
It’s one of the world’s newest countries
Though it was the birthplace of the Indus Valley Civilisation and the Mughal Empire, Pakistan only became an independent nation afterthe partition of British India in 1947. Initially, Pakistan was split into West and East Pakistan. That was until 1974 when the two split, with East Pakistan renamed Bangladesh. Pakistan now has a population of 250 million – the world’s fifth-largest behind India, China, the US and Indonesia.
More than 70 languages are spoken
Urdu and English are the official languages, but neither is the most commonly spoken. That title goes to Punjabi. Pashto, Sindhi and Saraiki – all regional languages – are next. Then follows Urdu, a common language that bridges the linguistic divide between regions. English is the main language taught in schools, which is good news for travellers. Arabic is also widely studied during teachings of the Holy Quran.
SafeTravel’s advice to avoid non-essential travel to Pakistan contradicts my own experience. Strangers regularly asked where we were from and whether they could take photographs with us. Without warning, one man handed me a cold drink that he’d just bought at a store. Others gifted sweets. And smiling faces greeted us everywhere. In a world that’s jaded by overtourism, being looked upon as oddities was a refreshing change.
A store owner in Skardu Bazaar. Photo / Mark Daffey
Its twin cities are like chalk and cheese
Like Canberra or Brasilia, Islamabad was a planned city built from scratch during the 1960s to replace Karachi as the national capital. So it’s new and it’s neat, boasting wide boulevards where traffic flows freely and expansive parklands popular with picnickers. Some might say it’s sterile – the exact opposite of its authentic, chaotic neighbour, Rawalpindi, where crowded streets and alleys hum with life and city planning was an afterthought.
A street scene in Rawalpindi. Photo / Mark Daffey
It boasted the world’s largest mosque
Islamabad’s premier tourist attraction is Faisal Mosque, the world’s largest mosque when it was completed in 1986. With its sharp edges and needle-like minarets, it’s not a traditional design and was instead inspired by the shape of a Bedouin tent. Now the sixth-largest in the world, it can accommodate almost 300,000 worshippers inside the main hall and outside in the courtyards and terraces. The mosque is located in the Margalla Hills.
Faisal Mosque in Islamabad is the sixth-largest mosque in the world. Photo / Mark Daffey
It contains the world’s three highest mountain ranges
The world’s three highest mountain ranges – Himalaya, Karakoram and Hindu Kush – meet in Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan region, bordering Afghanistan, China and India. No other country contains all three. All up, five of the world’s 14 8000m peaks are found inside Pakistan’s borders – including K2, the world’s second-highest mountain.
Trampers in the Karakoram Ranges. Photo / Mark Daffey
You can take one of the most scenic flights on Earth there
Pack your book away for the flight from Islamabad to Skardu, the gateway to the mountains, for you’ll be too engrossed in the snow-capped scenery outside your window. Just beyond your wingtips will be Nanga Parbat, the Himalayas’ westernmost 8000m peak. For a time, mountaineers branded it the “Killer Mountain” because of the number of climbers who perished attempting to reach the summit.
The tramping in Pakistan is every bit as spectacular as Nepal’s, yet it receives one-tenth as many visitors. One area that receives a higher level of foot traffic is the Nangma Valley – otherwise called “Pakistan’s Yosemite” for its striking resemblance to the Californian national park. Sheer rock faces tower above the valley floor, some reaching as high as 6000m. A word of warning, though: forget bunking down in teahouses. Expedition-style is the only way to go, carting your own food and equipment with the help of porters and a guide.
Tramping in the Nangma Valley, the Yosemite of Pakistan. Photo / Mark Daffey
Booze is hard to come by
Alcohol isn’t strictly banned in the world’s second-largest Muslim country, though it’s tough to find a drink. In Islamabad, head to the Best Western Hotel to quench your thirst. Alternatively, stick to non-alcoholic drinks like mint margaritas – a mocktail blending fresh mint leaves with lemon, sugar and Sprite. While alcohol is explicitly forbidden in the Quran, marijuana is not, so you’ll likely see (or smell) Pakistanis from every sect and valley partaking.
A truck workshop outside Islamabad. Photo / Mark Daffey
It’ll delight your taste buds
The food in Pakistan is as tasty as I’ve found anywhere. It’s aromatic, rich and spicy, but without ever frying your taste buds. Dishes vary according to region, with influences from Indian, British, Middle Eastern and Asian cuisines. Herbs and spices such as turmeric, chilli or garam masala are used in most dishes and chicken and mutton are the most common meats, mixed with rice or flatbreads.
Details
Explore Pakistan on Intrepid Travel’s 10-night “Trek Pakistan’s Nangma Valley and Karakoram Mountains” adventure. Prices start from $5330.
The writer travelled courtesy of Intrepid Travel.
At the time of publication, Pakistan carries a Level 3 – Avoid non-essential travel advisory on New Zealand’s SafeTravel website, with certain regions rated Level 4 – Do not travel. Intrepid Travel does not operate in destinations under a Do not travel advisory. In destinations with other advisory levels, it draws on official government advice and input from local staff to continually assess on-the-ground conditions.
