Untouched beauty: my unforgettable Pakistan trip
When I was offered the chance to visit Pakistan in May this year, I grabbed this opportunity with both hands! I couldn’t wait to visit this fascinating and seldom-visited country, with its beautiful landscape and almost total lack of tourists. I had previously heard incredible stories from fellow travellers who had visited Pakistan, so I was really excited to discover the destination for myself. Many people who haven't been to Pakistan perceive it as a dangerous country, based on the negative stories we hear from our media news outlets in the West. I wanted to experience Pakistan's incredible hospitality and stunning scenery first-hand and make my own decision about this country. I set off with an open mind and an appetite for adventure. Before I departed for Pakistan, I was met with mixed responses, ranging from 'Wow, that should be an incredible adventure' to 'Be very careful'. Many people were concerned for my safety, purely because of the negative press that Pakistan has received in the past. I'm so glad that I didn't let this negativity affect me because this was truly the trip of a lifetime. It's a spectacular and completely misunderstood destination that I cannot recommend highly enough. Pakistan has come a long way since its issues with the borders of Afghanistan over 10 years ago. During the two weeks that I spent in Pakistan, I did not once feel threatened or unsafe. Wherever I went, I was greeted with a friendly smile. In fact, I received the best hospitality from any country I have visited in the world so far!
Arriving in Islamabad
I started my trip by flying direct from London Gatwick to Islamabad, which takes 7hrs 30 minutes. I spent my first night in Islamabad, which was a totally different experience from what I expected for a South Asian capital city. The city was purposely built in 1960 to be the new capital of Pakistan. The streets are very clean with manicured gardens, and it was not too busy when compared to other capital cities in the region.
Flying to Gilgit
I started my trip by flying direct from London Gatwick to Islamabad, which takes 7hrs 30 minutes. I spent my first night in Islamabad, which was a totally different experience from what I expected for a South Asian capital city. The city was purposely built in 1960 to be the new capital of Pakistan. The streets are very clean with manicured gardens, and it was not too busy when compared to other capital cities in the region.
Getting ready for Rakaposhi
After we collected our baggage, we were transferred by road to Minapin for a 1 night stay before commencing our overnight trek to Rakaposhi Base Camp for the night. We stocked up on amazing dried fruit and nuts from the local shops in Minapin, which had plenty to offer. We made sure to pack dried apricots to help with any altitude sickness during the trek. Rakaposhi Base Camp is an 8-hour trek from Minapin. We stopped halfway for lunch at thesummer settlement of Hakapun, where we had the chance to relax, eat and enjoy thefantastic views looking back down on the valley to where we started the trek.
Trekking to Rakaposhi Base Camp
The trek was challenging at times. The trail is very steep to begin with, initially rising 183m on switchbacks and then easing until you reach Hakapun. After that, there’s a further steep climb for the next hour. I think I possibly made this more difficult for myself by eating too much of the superb lunch on offer at Hakapun. The remainder of the climb then takes in the fantastic scenery of green pastured forests, and we met many local mountain people along the way, who always greeted us with a friendly smile. Towards the end of the trek, we climbed a set of steep switchbacks, which rewarded us with incredible views of the huge Minapin glacier. We then arrived at Rakaposhi Base Camp, where we spent the night. The tented camp had fantastic views of Diran Peak at 7266m and Rakaposhi at 7,788m above level. The toilet facilities are basic at the Rakaposhi Base Camp, but that’s to be expected when you’re trekking at this altitude. On the flip side, the toilet does have 5-star views of the glacier!
Exploring Fairy Meadows
Once we reached Fairy Meadows, which took a further 3 hours on foot, it was almost nightfall and we stayed overnight in a lodge. I woke early the next morning to see clear skies and a superb view of the sun rising over the eastern peaks of Nanga Parbat from my lodge cabin. We then began a 3-hour trek into Fairy Meadows, which is a summer pasture surrounded by beautiful pine forests and Nanga Parbat in the background. It is one of the most beautiful places I’ve visited in the world, and so peaceful and quiet. Considering that this is one of the highlights of visiting Pakistan we only came across a few tourists on this trek. It felt like you we had this fantastic place to ourselves, which is so very rare these days. In fact, we never found ourselves surrounded by other tourists at any point during the trip. If you want to get off the beaten trek and have an authentic wilderness experience, get yourself to Pakistan. There are not many places left like this in the world.
My thoughts about travelling in Pakistan
Whilst travelling in Gilgit-Baltistan, you’ll find truly unique and awe-inspiring views around every corner. It has the most amazing scenery I have ever experienced when travelling abroad. There’s no need to bring a book whilst travelling in Pakistan because the scenery out of the window will keep you mesmerised for the whole journey. If you have visited India or Nepal, or you're an experienced traveller wishing to experience somewhere truly off the beaten track, I cannot recommend Pakistan highly enough. It is such a rare and special place. I would recommend joining an organised tour of Pakistan, so that you make the most of your time away and get a real local insight into this amazing country. I travelled with a company called The Wander, and they exceeded my every expectation.