Foreign tourists in Pakistan

[untitled]

Video blew up, comment section is filled with disgusting Indians

Too many Unklean Kumars in that thread

 

[WinterFangs]

 

[ghazi52]

The Road Junction - westward for the border at Kila Safed, Balochistan in 1960's

 

[Path-Finder]

 

[WinterFangs]

 

[ghazi52]

Like many foreigners, when you hear the word ‘Pakistan’ the first thing that comes to mind is: Is it safe?

The media always portrays this country in a negative way. Like anyone travelling to Pakistan for the first time, one of the biggest issues was telling my family where I was going. News of my upcoming trip was often received with a moment of silence on the phone before I would hear a reaction.

Within a couple of days of landing in Pakistan I was confused. What I was experiencing was not supposed to be like this. Everyone outside of this country will tell you what a dangerous place Pakistan is, yet I had never been so warmly greeted by total strangers in a foreign country. I was treated with overwhelming generosity, kindness and hospitality. The other stuff the media focuses on is there but you have to go looking for it. What I experienced was completely at odds with my expectations.

The traffic is the craziest you will ever see but the locals have awesome driving skills. Many things defy logic, but this country defies expectations at every turn. That’s what makes it such an amazing travel destination.

It is also worth remembering that Pakistan was also a tourist destination before 9/11, something the media never talk about. Research reveals that the country was the second most popular place in the world for mountain climbing prior to 9/11. Five of the world’s 14 peaks above 8,000 meters in height are located in Pakistan.

I have now been to Pakistan 9 times and this alone tells you how safe and wonderful this country is. In 2018 two guests from Australia came with me and had the same wonderful experience I had over the years.
Will I go back? I am already planning the next trip – Insha Allah.

Andrea Francolini
Award winning photographer based in Australia.
@afrancolini

 

[ghazi52]

Pakistan has been of the most interesting places I have ever visited. Blessed with a cornucopia of sites of outstanding natural beauty such as the Karakoram Mountains and inhabited by unique and culturally diverse communities, the region enticed both my spirit and analytical mind.

Being a geoscientist and avid alpinist, the Northern Areas of Gilgit-Baltistan provided me with many opportunities to explore both important scientific issues related to glacial dynamics and climate change as well as skyrocketing mountains such as Yukshin Gardan Sar.

Despite the extreme climate and harsh environment, the people of Gilgit-Baltistan have been living a self-reliant and frugal existence, practising subsistence agriculture and transhumance, and incorporating social harmony, environmental sustainability, and spiritual sophistication in their day-to-day life adaptive and philanthropic practices which I value and try to promote in my professional life.

In Pakistan, I have found many hospitable, intelligent, and kind people, delicious food and a genuine human connection and interpersonal experience – the kind that you rarely find in the West.

I salute the government of Pakistan’s continuous efforts towards promoting and safeguarding tourism in the region and I look forward to returning to the Northern Areas in the near future for more exploration.

Sergiu Jiduc
Founder, The Karakoram Anomaly Project Fellow, Royal Geographical Society with IBG Explorer, National Geographic Society.
@sergiujiduc

 

[ghazi52]

A five-week journey through Pakistan in spring 2018 in search of the most beautiful face to ski on the planet

The expedition began with a photograph seen by Thomas Delfino in a library book. A mountain so steep, so full of icy spines and flutes, a face so beautiful and eye catching that he became obsessed with it and threw himself into research to find what it was exactly :

The Biacherahi North Tower in Pakistan's Karakoram range. Altitude : 5880m. Has it ever been climbed ? No one even knows. When he talked about it with his friend and fellow snowboard freerider Zak Mills, he discovered that Mills himself was also fascinated by this very same mighty tower. And so, Thomas gathered the best group of people to set up an expedition to get at least to the bottom of that mountain, hoping to maybe ascend and ski on it, as well as ride other mountains along the way.

To access this incredibly remote face, one must start hiking from Askole, a tiny Pakistani village, onto the vastly unknown Nobande Sobande glacier. The crew received help from the Balti porters before being left in complete isolation for almost three weeks, pulling sleds full of dehydrated food, tents and propane to melt the snow, solar panels for the camera equipments, sleeping bags, and mountain gear. The many challenges included moving camp almost every day, acclimatation to high altitude, battery, gas and food management, freezing nights, dealing with extreme mental and physical tiredness, avoiding crevasses and avalanche hazards, and of course ski beautiful, steep and committed lines without any room for mistakes.

On top of that, the expedition set off to pass the mythic Skam La, a difficult to hike 5630m high pass in order to join the Sim Gang glacier and the further Snow Lake area, one of the most beautiful places in the world. To come back to Askole the crew then came down the Biafo glacier, closing a loop of 150km by foot and by skis.

A true adventure encapsulated in the movie Zabardast, produced by Picture Organic Clothing in association with Almo Film.
Then, a smaller fraction of the group went on to visit Islamabad and traveled by trains and buses to discover the real Pakistan. They found a way to rent 125cc motorbikes and escaped towards the hills and the lakes, camping in villages and meeting with the locals.

Jérôme Tanon
Photographer and filmmaker.
@jerometanon

 

[ghazi52]

When I told my folks I was going to Pakistan, they thought I was putting my life at risk and I should reconsider going. I still went, and I’m glad I did. I was able to meet a country of people welcoming me in their homes, inviting me over for tea and food, had their families meet me and provided me with a place to stay, all because they felt honored to have me as a guest, and they wanted me to have the best time. Hospitality and warm smiles is what I experienced everywhere.

What really blew me away was the beautiful mountainous landscape in Gilgit-Baltistan and KP. I didn’t have to hike or anything – I was surrounded by mountains from the moment I entered Gilgit-Baltistan. It is so breathtaking that it is hard to take it in all at once! I felt safe and am still mind blown by how many beautiful places there are in Pakistan and how kind everyone is.

When I hear about Pakistan on the news from now on, this is what I am going to remember.

Dana Wang
Vlogger from Sydney, Australia.
@bydanawang

 

[dexter]

This guy really did a good job, made us Pakistanis, and Karachites as well proud.

 

[Path-Finder]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1491749652051357699

 

[dexter]

Once Martin @Mulvey and I finished eating the best Biryani ever, We went on a hotel hunt that didn't go as planned...

To get out of Hyderabad we decided to take the easiest way back to Karachi. Which was by train.

Orangi Town, Pakistans Biggest hood.
"This will be my last Pakistan Video, as always thank you guys for watching."
(Kurt Caz)

 

[HRK]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1491749652051357699

 

[ghazi52]

Karachi 1974

 

[ghazi52]

Tourists gathered outside a Tourist Information Office in Karachi’s PECHS area in 1972.