There have been a few kidnappings in Zahedan. Also, there are two factions at war near the border on the Iranian side. Neither is an issue, because when you arrive in Zahedan, the police will be called anyways by the hotel (they have to) and you'll be attached to an officer for the time you are there, then handed off to an escort to the border. Expect to arrive at the border at noon or 1 PM if you leave at 6 am. I was hoping to make time to Dalbadin, but I got there only at 8 PM.. The police will help you buy gas in Zahedan. There is one gas station for taxis. The others are mostly empty as most gas is smuggled to Pakistan. There are off-license sellers. You won't find them as a tourist but the cops will help. It all sounds weird but it'll be perfectly normal when you're there. Enjoy your trip! It's a blast.

__________________
http://www.nohorizons.net

One more option is to skip Zahedan an stay a night in Taftan.

Taftan is not a perfect () place to stay, but it allows you to start the next day verry early driving to i.e. Quetta. We did it end 2008 and you can see the movies and read the story on Going East - Home

Enjoy!

__________________
Movies from our motortravels around the world: www.LifeIsJoy.nl

Has anyone crossed in the past couple of weeks? I've heard that the situation is beginning to hot up and am due to cross from Iran to Pakistan in around a month by 4x4. The targets appear to be Intelligence and military but would like to hear of anyone's experiences. Also I expect the escorts to be mandatory and fairly lengthy through Pakistan by now, is this the case? Regards, Matt.

Well the FCO bad-news-alerts are certainly increasing in frequency... latest explosion today again claimed a few lives. http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-...eania/pakistan

I'm planning to enter Pakistan from Iran also in about a month from now, so will be closely monitoring this thread for any advice from the ground.

Alexandros

__________________
2011-2012: 5 months in Chile
2009-2010: 5 months in Turkey-Iran-Pakistan-India

Dear All,

By no means a guide to anyone else - just our experience. We are in a 4x4 and travelled with another couple in a 4x4. We were escorted from Bam in Iran through to the border and by the time we had faffed about with different escorts managed to get into Pakistan by 4pm. We stayed in the customs house carpark in Taftan and were advised not to go out at night.

We got to Dalbandin the next day and were taken to a prison to stay. We said we would try our luck with the hotel and stayed in their carpark instead for 100 rupees.

Next day Quetta - Bloomstar hotel has a carpark that overlanders can stay in. The day we arrived the education minister had been killed in Quetta so security was tight. Again, we were told not to go out on the street by the hotel and police.

We went out during the day and I would say the reception from people is mixed - some pleased to see you, some indifferent.

The journey from Quetta to Lahore was police and armed escort all the way. We were not allowed to stop and sleep in the vehicle at any hotel and had top stay in police stations. This was not a pleasant experience.

We ended up at the PDTC motel in Wagah at the border. This was fine.

We were pleased to cross the border.

I am unaware of what danger, if any we were in because it is hard to be objective in that situation. We were not free to do much apart from drive. I do know that the universities, schools and colleges had been shut for a few days when we got to Quetta due to concerns for terrorist attacks, although some say that the gov't is concerned about potential uprisings and so on.

We ended up in transit which was nto what we wanted, but we got through and are enjoying India!

Sorry not to be more positive, but that's the state of play.

Jo

That's incredibly sad that you had to get through the country that way. I feel very lucky I did it in 2006. I spent 5 weeks in Pakistan and it's one of the nicest places I visited on my trip. Nepal probably wins, but the mountains and remoteness of Pakistan are just amazing. What a shame you were rushed through it like that.

__________________
http://www.nohorizons.net

It sounds simmeler to our trip end 2008, only difference is that we did not get a escort from Taftan to Quetta, witch we did in one (long) day. For those wo are interested Going East - Home

__________________
Movies from our motortravels around the world: www.LifeIsJoy.nl