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best way to cross pakistan
Coming from Quetta and going to Lahore I have identified two ways:
1) Quetta, Zhob , Dehra Ismail Khan, Jihang, Lahore (829 km) 2) Quetta , Dehra Ghazi Khan, Multan, Lahore (922 km) The 1) is slightly northern, 2) more central. Which is the best, as condition of roads, touristic interest, safety? Thanks Roberto |
I went the first way.
The road from Quetta to Zhob was undergoing large amounts of work when I was there about 4 months ago, at the time it was about 60% metalled with the worst of it being flood damage in the mountains which as far as I could see wasn't being repaired, though the mountain road is pretty cool in places. When I went through there'd been an earthquake in that area not long ago which probably didn't help the condition of the roads... Also while I was there there was a protest on that road which got me caught up in a mob of people who beat me with sticks and threw stones at me... Isolated incident though I'm sure! |
I suspect you'll probably get directed further south by the cops, I was told not to take the Zhob road a few months ago. In Dera Ismail Khan, I really struggled to get a room as no one wanted a foreigner in their hotels as it was a major security risk. A few days after I was there, I understand there was a suicide bomb. I was heading west and was advised to go down to Dera Gazi Khan where I ended up with police escorts to Kingri. After that I had no more escorts until the Iran border but I've heard you'll probably get an escort from the border if you're heading into Pakistan.
But surely you'll be going over to Islamabad and then up the KKH too? That was the best bit for me. |
Pishin /Turbat crossing vs. Zahedan crossing
Hi,
I'm new to this website. Very helpful and informative! I am planning to ride from Delhi to Europe in June. Can anyone tell me about taking the southern route down the valley from Lahore towards Karachi, turning off at Shikarpur and crossing at Pishin / Turbat into Iran. Is this safer than taking the route via Quetta? are the roads ok? Or is it still a better ride staying further north? It seems this is the more common route. Thanks, Jez |
best way to cross Pakistan
Bomboliere, local conditions decide, I arrived in Quetta intending to drive over Lorelie towards Lahore in oct. '08. The earhquake, and aftershocks, and social consequences with displaced people, forced me to make an unwanted detour through the Sind desert to Sukkur. There is a lot of tension in Pakistan at the moment, so one can risk being dettoured. Police escorts, and rerouting, are part of your day, but it's all on a daily basis, your safest/most interesting route can change overnight.
Jezz - I'm afraid you don't have any choice, there is only the Taftan - Zahedan border crossing available for tourists. The southern route is not safe, and the wonderful road on the Pakistani Gov website does not exist - yet! Stay clear of Karachi, in fact the Punjab is more or less off limits to tourists, but ask around (police, PTDC, other travellers) for updates. It's no joke to be caught up in civil unrest, or be taken hostage in a local conflict, and this is a possibility in this area. People are so friendly, especially to overland bikers, that it's hard to believe things can go wrong so quickly in a mob situation. Peter, in Oslo "Too much of a good thing......is just wonderfull" - Mae West |
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The Crossing between Mand (west of Turbat) to Pishin is cloised to foreigners (I've been to both sides), not due to safety concerns but due to the fact that there are no customs or immigration facilities. The 'danger' in Balochistan is rather hyped - it is a desolate area, often slightly lawless, with friendly but very conservative people, and with very few settlements or water sources, but it does NOT suffer from the genuinely dangerous situation of, say, many parts of NWFP. The coast is actually safer than the interior, as people are more used to outsiders and a little more open minded - I was welcomed with nothing but smiles, warmth and hospitality. The area is probably safer than that which the main Quetta to Taftan road traverses. The more dangerous area of Baluchistan is really across the border in Iran, though I had no problems (police aside) driving throughout this stunning region. I'm not sure which road you are accusing does not exist, but if you mean the Makran Coastal Highway, this is 100% real - I drove over 600km of perfect (and I mean perfect) asphalt from the Quetta - Karachi Highway to Gwadar. I would say it's one of Asia's great drives, there are some heart-stopping beaches along here, and they are of course totally deserted. Gwadar and Pasni are lovely little towns too. There is also a very ancient hindu pilgrimage site, the most westerly in the world. Karachi has it's moments of civil strife, but so do Paris and LA. It doesn't deserve being labelled a no-go. If you want to see the 'real' Pakistan, Karachi is the place to come. The Liari Expressway has just been completed and opened (westerly) easing congestion. The worst part of Karachi is the traffic, comparable to Tehran or Dhaka. As for Punjab being more or less off-limits for tourists, this is absolute nonsense! Not even the FCO recommends this. Punjab is the most prosperous and stable province of Pakistan. There have been recent clashes in Lahore, but this is not representative of the whole province. Most of Punjab is peacefull, timeless countryside. The worst thing to fear is the stupefying summer heat. The same goes for Sind - outside of very rare instances of violence in Hyderabad, Sind is totally peaceful, and very interesting. I highly recommend visiting the Tharparkar desert - where you can see in full technicolor that Pakistan is nowhere near 100% muslim. I have a very close friend in Hyderabad, have toured Sind extensively, lived there for some time. It really is safe. Ten to twenty years ago, there was a problem with banditry / dacoity, but this has largely disaoppeared, and daytime travel is safe. Pakistan is not without it's problems, but please only dispense advice which comes from experience... this is not useful to travellers. Daniel |
If you're determined to just cross Pakistan - which is a great shame as one wastes the oppurtunity to see one of the most fascinating and untramelled regions of the subcontinet - there are three routes;
In addition to the two listed by the OP, there is Quetta - Sibi - Shikarpur - Rohri, which gets you onto the Indus highway. This is the 'safest' and also the route which is in best condition. All the Indus Highway from Lahore to Karachi is in decent condition. The route via Zhob does have genuine risks, (hey Sam!), but that via DG Khan is OK. Beware that anytime between April and September, the area around Sibi - Jacobobad - Sukkur - Bahawalpur - Multan is horrendously hot - Multan is currently the world's hottest city, with a maximum of 56C shade air temperature. So be warned! Daniel |
Dear Danielsprague,
thanks for your infos. Which is in your opinion the average speed you can get on the indus higw in comparison to other routes? Because it seems that is - anyway - the longest option... Thanks for your infos |
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BTW, did you need any special permits to go anywhere in that region, I mean west from the Quetta-Karachi highway, and south from the Quetta-Taftan highway? If so, where did you get these from? And you were allowed to go on your own most of the time in that area? I´ve no doubt it must be a fascinating part of Pakistan. It seems I may have trusted the guidebooks warnings too much, because I went straight from Taftan to Quetta and onwards to India. |
Bomboliere: Your average speed is up to you! Traffic genrally moves at about 80 - 90km/h. If you're on bikes, you might well be lumbered with an escort. I knew one poor guy who had an escort all the way to Lahore! There are highways on both the east and west banks of the Indus, but the east bank route is generally better, all good asphalt. Traffic varies along the route, but it's almost all 4-laned, so you should be OK.
ALL the routes between Quetta and the Indus are (according to people who have ridden them) unpaved in places, and generally not in good condition. From memory, the route via Sibi (you pass Mehrgarh, the oldest archaeological site on the sub-continent at 9000 years) entails the least hardship. I would not really recommend taking the route through Loralai, especially if this is your first time in Pakistan. I have to say, that I always take the southern route to Karachi, Ive never driven on any of these roads, but I have met overlanders and bikers who have driven each route. I drove the Makran Coastal Highway twice in December 2008. The snag is that it's almost a dead end. There is a road to Tubat, which is apparently metalled, but from then on Baluchistan is all dirt tracks to Quetta. There is a route from near Nushki on the Quetta - Taftan road which goes south to Kharan on a paved road, then on dirt tracks (and Ive heard they're pretty bad) to Panjgur, then Turbat, then the coast. Regarding permits, the situation is like many in Pakistan. If you ask the authorities "can I go", they will assume that it must be dangerous (otherwise you wouldnt have asked) and say NO. So I just went. The police were a little surprised to see me when they caught me in Pasni, and said I should have obtained an NOC - a No Objection Certificate - from Quetta. I had applied for one, but the guy who I was dealing with obviously couldn't be bothered to do anything (also very Pakistani) and went on Hajj. The police then gave me a gunman on the trip to Gwadar, and when I walked around Gwadar. The police are concerned for your safety here, not because it's overtly dangerous (although there are incidents), but because if anything does happen to you, they all get fired. That's why they're so shaky. To do this properly, it would be best to arm yourself with an NOC from Quetta, but if not, just go. I'm going to try to get to Kharan, off the Quetta to Taftan road, later this month. BTW I'm in a 4x4, which seems far lower profile than bikes. All bikers seem to get escorts through Baluchistan, but I've never been bothered. Another advantage of the Hilux! Take care Daniel |
Pakistan-routes and security
Hi Daniel, you are obviously a braver man than I am. I do take warnings about my personal security seriously. The main routes are open, but you will probably have a police escort. This is an annoyance, and they are definatly not in the tourist industry - I had escorts from Sukkur to Lahore in october '08, and a detour to Moenjodaro was not permited. I have no way of knowing why, they probably wanted to hand me over to the next escort as soon as possible.
The security situation has deteriated since october. The info I had on the Makran Coastal Highway was obviously wrong, my Pakistani colleaugue was not up to date. Karachi also has a nasty reputation, and I cannot find any 'must see' features, so I think you who have contacts, and obviously know the region can advise people. You are quite right when you say bikes are more noticeable, anything less than 50 people standing gawping at you is unusual, but you get used to it. Concerning Punjab, both rural and urban, people were very polite and friendly, but warned me constantly that the area was not secure. My police escorts could hardly say anything else. On the KKH they said 'don't stop outside towns', and there were checkpoints phoning ahead, but no escorts. In towns there was heavy police presence, plus all the private security with their pump-action shotguns. Seemed pretty heavy to me. The up side of the escorts is finding your hotel for you, but they barge through traffic with sirens on, waving their guns, which is very bad PR for tourists. Safe travels Peter, in Oslo |
Hi Peter
Sorry to hear you had so many escorts. It's such a shame they're so cautious. The Pakistanis are deeply concerned about their image, and are literally desparate for foreigners NOT to get kidnapped / killed etc. Hence the seriously OTT advice. In my experience, people (anywhere in the world) in one place tend to tell you the people up the road are head hunting barbarians, and that you shouldn't go there. Normally it's just ignorance. Ask someone if they've been there, if they haven't, stop listening. I was there Sept - Dec 2008, no escorts apart from the small stretch of the Makran Coastal Highway that I mentioned. Karachi admittedly has no 'must sees' from a sightseeing perspective, but there is some interesting colonial-era architecture, some stunning tombs just outside the city's eastern limits, and it oozes atmosphere, in a chaotic Pakistani way. It doesn't have the cultural legacy of Lahore, the frontier atmosphere of Peshawar or Quetta, but it is interesting in my book. You see the modern Pakistan here, alongside the slumbs Just outside the eastern ciy limits are some nice beaches, and if you're into Scuba diving... hire a boat to Charna Island. I think more people should see Karachi. It's nasty reputation is not entirely unjustified, but it's way better than the 70's and 80's when (apparently - I wasn't alive) the army controlled the streets. I've really never heard of rural Punjab being unsafe, apart from the edge on the western side along the Indus, which is grotty and uninteresting to boot. Not somewhere you really need to see. There is heavy police presence everywhere in Pakistan. Banks, shops, petrol stations, ice cream parlours, rich people's front gates all have men with pump-action shotguns snoozing on a plastic chair. It doesn't mean they're expecting a riot anytime, they're just living in a country which does suffer from bouts of instability. As for villages off the KKH being dangerous, there is some truth to this, though I'd say they're more hostile than overtly dangerous. A friend and I got pelted with rocks by kids coming down from the Babusar Pass, and Indus Kohistan is notorious for cyclists who often attract a hail of stones from the local brats. Side valleys like Darel and Tanger are dangerous, and highly xenophobic, unless you have a local guide. But once you're out pf NWFP and into the Northern Areas, it's totally safe, aside from rockfalls. My truck got whacked by a rock thudding down from a cliff near Karimabad, lost a free-wheeling hub. I would happily travel anywhere in Pakistan outside of southern / central NWFP. I remember when I came to Dir, to find the police hiding in the police station armed to the teeth with new MP5s. I reckon police escorts are like sticking a big "I'm a foreigner" target on your car / bike. Good luck, I hope you can explorte more of Pakistan soon, it's one of those places that has endless appeal in my opinion. Daniel |
Pakistan Security
This is a good thread, please anyone who has been to Pakistan recently add some more info here. I am still deciding on our route through Pakistan although Lahore and Quetta are definites.
I particularly like the statement that instability can arise at anytime, this is true for even the more stable of countries, take Greece for example. We are looking forward to travelling in Pakistan in May and will definitely report back. |
Pakistan
Hi everyone,
I agree, any info appreciated. I'll be coming through from the India side heading for Turkey soon. I would have been hitting Lahore about the 5th April, but due to Iran visa issues I can see it'll be more like 20th Now (maybe still being rather optimistic :thumbdown:) so any 'latest' news would be useful. Cheers Pete PS. If anyone wants the latest news on the on-going 'Nepal petrol fiasco' drop us a line as I live/work there and can give a bit more accurate info than some that is being posted elsewhere. |
Hi there erverybody,
I drove november 2008 in one day from Quetta to Multan using the road crossing Dehra Ghazi Khan. There is 75 km unpaved road and the total trip did take 15 hours-driving! Staying overnight in Dehra Ghazi Khan was not allowed by the police who did give a escort from Dehra Ghazi Khan to Multan. On my website Going East - Home you can see a small movie and read a dutch (or translated) diary. (there will be a good englisch diary in 2 weeks) Enjoy: Going East - Home |
I just arrived in Quetta, after 3 days from Taftan.
Travelling in 4x4, I was not given an escort from Taftan, and managed a side-trip to Kharan, where they caught me, and told me I was the first tourist there... ever. The police were extremely friendly, but insisted on giving me 'security' to Nushki and onward. Luckily however, between Nushki and the Lak Pass, the escort suddenly stopped and waved me on. Happy days. I'll be driving the route down through Sibi to Multan in a day or two, I'll then post some info. Sibi is in a slightly risky part of Baluchistan, as there are often feuds between local tribes. The UN guy who was kidnapped in Quetta in January has just been found in the area, so security could be tight... Daniel |
Just completed the Quetta to Sukkur leg.
From Quetta, the road winds over the long Bolan Pass, though the road trip is not half as interesting as the train journey. The road is good until Mach. From Mach the road quality varies between poor to good, on and off, but nothing too bad. No problem with any type of car / bike. Once one gets to Dhadar, the road is perfect highway to Jacobobad. This passes through an area of feuding Baluchi tribes (the area around Mehrgarh archaeological site), though they are very friendly to foreigners. I got loads of great photos of Baluchi tribesmen with their guns... From Jacobabad, the road turns to s*** until halfway between Shikarpur and Sukkur. This is honestly one of the most dangerous road stretches in Pakistan - the poor surface, masses of lorry traffic and crazy minibus drivers make this seriously dangerous. Be extremely careful on a bike. This short stretch is also preyed upon by bandits occasionally, but the traffic is so heavy, I can't really see them getting an oppurtunity to hold anyone up. Once in Sukkur, you're on NH5, and can go south to Hyderabad / Karachi, or north to Multan / Lahore / Islamabad / Northern Pakistan. Best wishes Daniel, in Hyderabad. |
Roads East of DG Khan
It was 2007, but I hope it helps.
I crossed Pakistan East to west. From the surroundings of Bahawalpur, south of which there´s a magificent desert fort and the mausoleums at Uch sharif http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1034/...bfa4e779_m.jpg , http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1198/...bb6423cf_m.jpg I crossed the Indus at a bridge I can´t pinpoint on the map. It was a one lane long bridge managed by the Police. I skipped DG Khan but climbed a mountain port on unpaved roads (some had been paved a long time ago but most of what´s left´s just a reminder). From there to Loralai. There was petrol in some villages sold on cans or bottles. A great, great ride all the way to Quetta. DD |
Just another tip regards changing money. There are no ATMs until Quetta (and none that accept western cards in Iran), so you'll need to change some money on the border. Do it on the Pakistani side. You can change dollars / sterling at the National Bank of Pakistan, but not Iranian Rials. Avoid the moneychangers at the border.
Instead, there are reliable, honest changers in Taftan town. Driving away from the border post (into Pakistan), you drive perhaps 500m straight, then turn right. (remember to drive on the RIGHT!!) Then there's another 500m or so before you turn right to customs or left onto the main highway. Take the last left turn before the road joins the main highway, and you'll find moneychangers hiding from the sun on the righ hand corner of the square (chowk). These guys give good rates, frist time, with no tricks (in my experience). |
Thanks for everyone who has contributed in this thread - it's been a helpful read. My brother and I are currently on an overland trip from London to Sydney (Half Way Round) and are in Turkey at the moment about to head in to Iran.
Trying to find out what the security situation is like in Pakistan with all that's going on there at the moment. Daniel, your posts suggest that the central/southern areas are not overly risky, however we will be travelling up towards Islamabad and then on up the KKH in to China. Does anybody have any recent experience of this route? We are genuinely concerned that as foreigners we may be a target in these areas (particularly in a 'stickered up' UK registered Subaru Forester). Any advice or experience would be greatly appreciated. |
Hey, that's cool, how did you manage to get your vehicle in to China? I only went as far as the end of the KKH and back down again, a bit like going up a very long dead end street if you will.
Good on you doing the trip in a Subaru, that'll be fun in the rough stuff!! Quote:
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Well we have to make it through Pakistan first before we get in to China!
We've used Chinese agency to organise everything for China (company called NAVO) - they do drivers lic, number plates, all the government permits etc and supply a guide. The Forester has been pretty good so far - made it through the appalling mountain roads in Albania (at about 10km/h for hours on end). It's only been in low range once so far going up Nemrut Dagi in Turkey! :) Half Way Round » Going Up! (photo) |
Hi
I'm normally a proponent of safe Pakistan, but things have flared up in Baluchistan recently. The restive Baluch (who have a highly popular separatist movement) are up in arms over the killing of three of their leaders by Pakistani intelligence. There have been seemingly random attacks, targeting non-Baluchi Pakistanis - Pashtuns, Punjabis, Urdu speakers. There have been killing in Quetta, and even on the road through Mach and Sibi which I took three weeks ago. It's not clear if they're targeting foreigners as this is an internal problem, the hatred is directed towards 'other' Pakistanis who are seen to be taking the wealth etc. I would still come, but stay in police stations (most of the local police are Baluchis) and use the free-escort service once you get to Nushki on the road from Iran. I hate to say it, but it might be an idea to give Quetta a miss, and take the road from the Lak Pass (before Quetta) down to Karachi. It'a a diversion, but it goes through the safer (and emptier) Brahui areas (Kalat, Khuzdar) to the coast (much safer) and avoids the tribal areas around Sibi. Plus you can see Karachi and go up the interesting Indus Valley in Sindh Alternatively, you could take the route through Loralai / DG Khan, though this goes through Quetta and is considered a little insecure by some (I've not driven this route yet). I'll be in Quetta myself after two to three weeks to pick up some car parts (very cheap here - stock up), so if you're there, let me know. If you come down to Karachi, you can stay with us in Hyderabad on your way past if you want... If you need any info on Iran, I may be able to help too. Take care Daniel |
and what about the Karakorum Highway?
ciao Daniel,
I'm sorry to hear from you that the situation seems to be worsening in Pakistan. I'm sill planning my motorcycle trip for september 09 and I hope thinghs will get better after summer. Who knows? By the way, let me ask you also regarding the KKH. Is it still safe? thanks for your infos taking into account that my plan is not to run the whole KKR to china, but just the first hundreds km, just to "feel" this famous road. many thanks roberto |
bomboliere, we are entering Pakistan tomorrow to drive up to the KKH and in to China. We will be travelling with some others from HU, to hopefully be safer in a group. I'll reply to this thread once we are in China and let you know how we get on.
Thanks again Daniel for your updates - your advice has been really appreciated. |
Golfish,
If that is you Dave, we have been told there is only one place to stay in Taftan so if we miss you at the border crossing we will meet you on the other side at the sole hotel in town. Either way, give us a call on Simon's phone at about 2:00pm Iran time. We will be leaving Bam at 7:00am sharp. |
Up-to-date info on Pakistan much appreciated!
I'm traveling through Pakistan starting on ~5 May. Route is east-west and we're planning to do the KKH. Could anyone passing through in the next week or so let me know what the security situation is like?
Thanks! Rob One man caravan |
From the look of it?
DAWN.COM | NWFP | Troops deployed along Karakoram Highway BBC NEWS | World | South Asia | Disarray on Pakistan Taleban threat Not so great... I'm sure Dan will pop in with a confirmation/denial however, we all know how he loves the Indus valley and SWAT ;) |
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It takes about 10 hours to get from Bam to Taftan. |
Going east to west
Hi, my Iranian visa seems to have been finally sorted so I should be crossing to Lahore (from Amritsar) on 8th May (one month behind schedule :(). Anyway, at least I'm moving !
I'll be heading on what you'd call a southern route I guess (Lahore - Multan - Bahawalpur - Sukkar - Quetta - Dalbhandian - Taftan), so any updates always appreciated. Cheers Pete |
things have settled down again in Baluchestan, so I'd say it's as safe as usual, i.e. pretty safe but with the potential for security to deteriorate quite quickly. But don't worry too much about it.
As for troops being posted on the KKH, this is purely a precautionary measure. The Taliban temporarily took Buner, 70km from Islamabad, and this scared the government. But pressure from the US and UK sent them out again. This is a long way from any part of the KKH, and security on the KKH is not affected at all. Travel by day only and you'll be fine. But be prepared for incredible heat from Multan through Bahawalpur and Sukkur until you climb up through Sibi. Drink LOTS of water and try to rest at the hotest times. Daniel |
As promised, finally got a chance to reply to this thread! We're in China now, so safely made it through Pakistan :)
Our route was: Taftan, Dalbandin, Quetta, Sukkor, Lahore, Abbottobad (start of KKH) and then up the KKH. First of all, don't do what we did and stay in Taftan - it's a hole. Best plan (particularly if you were on a bike in this heat) would be to stay in Zahedan and get up at sunrise to cross the border and then head for Dalbandin. Don't underestimate the heat and crappy roads - 400km can be a LONG way. From Taftan to Quetta we had no police escort at all. Bit suprised by this, but we had no problems and felt quite safe. The locals along the road were quite friendly and when we stopped for petrol (purchased from drums and coke bottles!) they were all very friendly. From Quetta leaving the hotel, we again had no police escort but got 'picked up' shortly out of town. In all of Baluchistan there are frequent police check points. Some of them require only a smile and a wave, some require you to stop and fill in passport details in the log book, and some of them stop you and start to escort you. From Quetta to Lahore I would say that we were escorted perhaps 70% of the way. The types of escorts also vary - some seem to be nothing more than the local policeman trying to take you to his mates hotel, right through to extremely serious, well armed guys who are quite concerned and cautiously taking care of you in places they see as high risk. The police escorts can occasionaly be tiresome, travelling well below the speed that you'd be comfortable at (frustrating when you are trying to do big km's in a day). Other times though they can get through traffice that might otherwise hold you up (more applicable in a car than a bike I guess). At no point did we have any trouble at all. Most of the time the police escorts seemed to be only precautionary, and we rarely felt unsafe. There were only two times when the police seemed to be taking things more seriously than usual that we were a little concerned - but neither time were there any actual issues. I think the thing to remember is that things can change quickly. Only the week before we were in Quetta, the town was apparently swarming with armed civillians. When we were there, we briefly walked around and saw nothing like that. I think you need to be prepared to change your itinerary if required, and just follow what the local police direct. We didn't get a feeling of any animosity towards foreigners, and I think if you were to be caught up in something then it would mostly just be bad luck - rarther than being targeted. The KKH was an entirely different story. We felt safe and apart from Besham (linked via road to the Swat valley) there was very little police presence. Dave. Half Way Round |
Hi all,
was reading some old threads and was wondering what the latest reccomended routes for crossing Iran-Pakistan Im currently in Tabriz and will be crossing in around 6 days...(all being well) |
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I'm sorry I can't help you with route recommendations but I'm very curious which route you take and your experiences! I hope you have the time to share your story with us |
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Taftan-Dalbandin-Quetta-Sukkur-Multan-Lahore. Especially Quetta- Sukkur is important. I did drive from Quetta to Multan passing Dera Ghazi Khan and it was not allowed to stop in Dera Ghazi Khan, resulting in a mad 15 hours drive. Don't make the same mistake and take the route with Sukkur. More details including a complete diary and movies you find on our website: Life Is Joy - Home |
Is Lahore the only place to cross to India?
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This is the only way to cross Pakistan now...
I crossed in October 2011 and went this way - Taftan-Dalbandin-Quetta-Sukkur-Multan-Lahore. Lahore is the only place you can enter/exit to and from India. |
I found this blog from a guy in Scotland. Singapore to Scotland
He went the other way around. His route Lahore - Islamabad - KKH to Chinese border and back - Islamabad - Der Ismail Khan - Der Ghazi Khan - Quetta - Taftan. I especially like the KKH part. Maybe I'll do the suggested route here and from Lahore up north to the Chinese border and back to Lahore. I really want to drive the KKH! So this is possible right? |
KKH is a MUST!!
Going up the KKH is a must do in Pakistan!
Don't ever get discouraged against it! Most people go up to Hunza and back down, but there are a lot of side trips you can take to see the most spectacular scenery ive ever seen on my trip to date! here is a link to my website and my brief look into places i went too in Northern Pakistan. AND these are only some of them. A Beautiful Haven Within Pakistan - Motomonkey Adventures |
I was there 4 years ago so sure things have changed, Maximondo will no doubt have more up to date info. The KKH is a must-do if you can get there.
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I will keep an eye on the situation and probably decide what I'm going to do when I'm there. I don't want to be the stupid, foolish tourist that get's himself kidnapped because he drove his motorcycle into a Taliban camp or something. :oops2: Looking forward to your story Andrew! |
The areas between Quetta and Multan are (or at the very least were) off-limits for foreigners. Actually the police should guide you to make a detour via south. The Swiss couple, who were kidnapped, were on that area, where they probably should not have been, no idea how they even got there.
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If you get yourself into trouble you've probably got yourself to blame. This was my experience below. They guide you through because it's a very unsafe country. You don't have much choice on routes and if you worry about staying in crap places then this isn't the part of the world for you.
http://travelpod.com/members/jtw000 |
Wow, this post is still going!
Just thought I'd post an update (very belatedly) to my Pakistani experiences. I lived in Hyderabad for about 6 months, and on my 4.5 year trip around Eurasia I spent (by chance) 365 days in Pakistan over three visits. I took yet another route through Quetta on my way north from Hyderabad in September 2009. I had just rebuilt the engine in my Hilux and broke it in blasting up the Bolan pass through Sibi etc, non-stop to Quetta. It was hard to find a cheap place to stay in Quetta that accepted foreigners, but I found one eventually. The good old days at the Muslim Hotel are certainly over though. After Quetta I headed north through Qila Saifullah to Zhob. As someone who has seen most of Pakistan, I was rapturous about the scenery in northern Baluchistan - beautiful apple orchards and good roads. Very friendly locals, though I found Zhob to be a very conservative town. My destination was Islamabad, from where I planned to cross the Khyber Pass and move on to Jalalabad / Kabul and further into Afghanistan. This western part of Pakistan was the water test for me; if I felt comfortable and safe here, then i would be OK in Afghanistan. I was wearing local dress, driving an unmarked Toyota Hilux with local-style number plates (though with my UK number). I had no trouble from the police, who thought I was local at first, would speak Pashto, then Urdu, then finally a few words of English when they realised I was a foreigner. It was a beautiful late autumn drive and I was very glad I decided to try this route than take on all the wretched traffic on the National Highway (which goes through Punjab). From Zhob, I pushed further north through spectacular scenery, many nomadic families leading camels laden with their tents, very friendly people, though clearly not used to seeing foreigners. I clipped a corner of South Waziristan (I didn't actually know this at the time), through very steep gorges with striking scenery not unlike the KKH, before emerging onto a bleak plain near Dera Ismail Khan. I didn't stop in DI Khan, but pushed on through Bannu. There was a lot of army deployed on the road, but otherwise everything felt OK. I spent the night in Kohat, a very friendly but very Pashtun town with really decent bazaars. I think there was a bomb attack a day after I left though. From Kohat, I decided against trying the road through Dara Adam Khel (the gunsmith's town) as I had heard from good sources that this little road between Kohat and Peshawar was really unsafe - even for locals. Shame. The road from Kohat to 'Pindi is decent, crosses the Indus on an old British iron railway bridge. The river is pretty feeble up here compared to what it can be in Hyderabad. Then the usual awful mayhem of driving through Pir Wadhai in 'Pindi before chilling out in Islamabad. Pictures here: https://picasaweb.google.com/1136194...rPassAndBeyond which continue the journey over the Khyber Pass and into Afghanistan. Sorry that there are still no labels. Almost three years old (how time flies!), and probably not of any use to anyone here, but just wanted to say that if you ever fancy taking an unorthodox route from Quetta to the north, it's very scenic indeed. Daniel |
We crossed Pakistan about one month ago. We entered from Iran through the border at Taftan - but we didn't stay in Taftan, we stayed the night before the border in Mir Javeh on the Iranian side.
We had to travel with escort all the way to Quetta, which took us two very long days - the roads are in some parts really bad (sand, huge potholes) and sometimes you have to wait for the next escort for an hour or so. In Quetta we tried to get the NOC to travelfurther on to Lahore - but it was denied. We were told it is too dangerous at the moment. And we heared about a guy that was arested because he went without the documents.... but this might just be a fairy-tale of the road... so we decided to take the train directly to Lahore also to avoid the extreme heat during this time of the year. From Lahore we went to Islamabad, and then we explored the Karakorum Range - which is amazing and incredibly beautiful. But don't stay on the KKH - go and explore the side roads, like the road to Skardo, the Deosai Plains, the Road from Murree to Abottabad, and many other small valleys and places - the KKH itself is in some parts spectacular, but in other it is just boring, full of dust and traffic.... If you want more information, you can have a look at our website 2 Live the Dream | Heike & Filippo Travel the World on Motorcycle - there is also a contact link, and you can write us an email.... |
Heike,
Thx for sharing your experience. Visited your blog earlier tonight. You've got some nice pictures there! Only the site appears to be down at the moment. Regarding the NOC. How come you did not get one but you still got to travel by train to Lahore? You don't need an NOC when you travel by puclic transport but you do when you go by bike? |
Yes, we were told by the officials that the NOC is needed only for the road, not for the train - but there are many different stories, and everybody is telling something else....
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well, dont think that NOC is for every place, even if you are with a Bike or Car. Moreover, you will need when you change the route too.
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