Pakistan's Karakoram Highway

If you're reading this review then you're thinking of going on this trip. Stop thinking and just book it! It's an absolutely fantastic trip. Mainly it's a 9 day open top jeep ride through dusty bumpy terrain. There are long days on the road and you need to be prepared for this. But the scenery is amazing, the staff/drivers are wonderful, the locals are super friendly and so pleased to see tourists and the jeeps are part of the highlight. It is a 'full on' trip, with varied accommodation - one night in a really nice hotel, two nights in a 'simple guesthouse' and everything in between. Food is plentiful and easy but not very varied. This is an observation not a criticism. You'll be travelling to some fairly remote places and shouldn't expect a lot of choice. There is always enough to eat and Explore do their best to make it varied. Vegetarians are well catered for. The picnic lunches are a particular highlight. Top tips: Don't even think about applying for your online Pakistani Visa until less than one month before the start date. It's all very efficient (comes through in 48 hrs) but don't try to do it too soon - two weeks before you go is fine. If you do it months ahead it will run out while you're on the trip. Electricity - Pakistan uses the two pin and three pin plug systems - Type C and D. Some of the hotels require the two pin, some the three pin. You can survive taking just one of these but to be able to plug your phone in every day/night you'd need both. Money - you may well have trouble using an ATM. Take cash sterling. You can change it at the hotel in Islamabad. The rate is a little worse than the going rate (360 rupees at the moment) but much easier. You won't spend much anyway. We needed £80 per person for tips (£40 for the guide to use and then £40 per person for the guide at the end. (Sajid is a fantastic guide) We went in August - it was hot (and humid in Islamabad). You might need a fleece for one or two evenings but that's it. Men can were shorts and short sleeved shirts at times - Women should wear loose fitting clothes - be guided by Sajid. Most people on our trip either came out early or stayed longer to see more of Pakistan. We stayed on for four more days and went down to Lahore. Very hot and humid in August but worth it. For context - I am a 57 year old man who has been to over 100 countries and have done 6-8 Explore trips. This one has been a highlight. If you're up for an adventure, a few early mornings, some rough roads, simple but tasty cuisine - and you want to see a part of the world not much visited by western tourists, then book this trip.

Beautiful country, great adventure.

This was without question the trip of a lifetime. I've done several Explore trips over the years but this was one of the best - if not the best I've done. Northern Pakistan was a revelation - and far exceeded my expectations. I would strongly recommend this trip to anyone curious about Pakistan and definately intend to return as soon as possible to see more. The combination of breathtakingly beautiful landscapes, fascinating history and culture combined with incredibly warm and friendly people, made for a fantastic experience. The tour guides and drivers were outstanding. This is a tough tour in that you're on the go every day with several long journeys in open jeeps, crossing often rough terrain and in considerable heat (I was there in July). But honestly - I hardly noticed the physical discomforts. The tour was so well organised, the support team (guides and drivers) were a delight - nothing was too much trouble - and there was so much beauty and visual stimulation along the way - there simply wasn't a dull moment. Although I was apprehensive about visiting Pakistan, I never felt in danger and felt positively warmly welcomed by the people we met. If I have any suggestions to Explore for change, it would be this: First - please (Explore) give more specific advice about the likely weather and the right balance of hot and cold weather kit to bring. The advice on your website is far too generic to be helpful. Surely it is possible to send those travelling on each trip some information about the upcoming weather forecast with temperatures so your clients can pack more accurately. I brought far too much kit for cold weather which was totally unnecessary in July. Second - PLEASE update your advice about tips for the support team. Your current advice is embarrassingly low given the very long hours and very hard work undertaken by the tour leaders and drivers. They made the trip an absolute pleasure. They made everyone feel safe throughout, they supported myself and fellow travellers who found the walking too much on some days. They responded efficiently to the diversions we encountered and did their best to sort out any wrinkles that I and others experienced along the way. So please address this issue. Third, I would integrate some dedicated time for souvenir shopping along the way with some advice about where to do it. As the route is currently designed, Hunza is the best place for shopping (Avoid Naran - its poor quality tat). Explore says it's keen to support local communities and the local economy - but there was scarcely any time for our group to browse in local shops. During what time we had - we discovered that items like pashminas and clothing are far better value than in India. The lovely local businesses in Hunza were badly affected by the lack of tourists in Pakistan in recent years and we were delighted to be able to support the few we managed to visit. My suggestions to others undertaking this tour are: Bring walking shoes if you plan to do the walks (sandals are not enough), possibly some walking poles, prepare for the impacts of being at high altitude (over 4,000m), if you're going in Summer months you'll only need a light fleece in the evenings, bring a torch for nocturnal visits to the loo during power cuts, and a clip to close hotel curtains that never seem to meet! You'll be able to do laundry very cheaply along the way so don't overpack. And if you're a vegetarian - you'll be fine.

An absolutely fantastic trip that exceeded all our expectations! Highly recommended. In our top 3 Explore trips. While the scenery was spectacular (is there another country that can offer so much in such a small area?), it was the people that made the trip. Our tour leader, Sajid, was superb, and he was very ably supported by the jeep drivers for whom nothing was too much (see the photo). Such lovely men. And the local people wherever we went were so friendly and welcoming. We never experienced any hassle or were worried about our safety. The trip is strenuous so if you are not fit then you will not be able to enjoy it all. Get some hikes in before you go!!! The jeep travel was very interesting as it afforded great views, but it is not for everyone. The accommodation was very good except for 2 nights in one location where the quality of the bedrooms was very variable. Any pre-trip concerns on security and food were addressed. We are vegetarian, which we told could be a problem, but Sajid made sure that we always had plenty of options at every meal. We had raised this with Explore before the trip, but we were left a bit up in the air by their response so we brought back up food with us just in case. It would be helpful to make the trip notes more specific. We loved Hunza valley - the people, the scenery, the location and the town, which is good for shopping. There is not much opportunity to buy souvenirs etc on the trip, but Hunza is the place to do this (and not Naran, which is at the tacky end of the market). I suggest that the evening walk to the locals' house for dinner in the Hunza valley should be cancelled to allow more time to explore the shops. I recommend Karakoram Handicraft (near Zero Point). Credit cards are accepted at most places. The biggest improvement to the trip should be more specific advice on cold weather gear. The trip notes gave the impression that we would be facing really cold temperatures and, being unable to get accurate weather forecasts for the places that we were going to, we followed the advice and packed thermal gear. In the end, we used a fleece a couple of times and a thin jacket once or twice. The rest of the clothing remained unused. I now understand the need for the advice for an October trip, but not in June, July and August. There are a couple of very long driving days. It would be helpful to get advice at the start of each day on toilet stops, lunch, breaks etc (use the WhatsApp group?) rather than finding out along the way. The suggested tip amounts in the trip notes seem too low. A group of us were embarrassed by how low they were so added more for both the drivers and the guide. The trip notes need changing, I raise this on every trip - it is useful to get pre-trip advice on where clothes can be washed at a hotel. We were able to use the hotel facilities (quick, cheap and good quality) on 3 occasions. We should have taken fewer clothes! Definitely bring hiking shoes or boots. And walking sticks to be safe (but not entirely necessary).

this is probably one of the most exciting holidays that I have been on, ever. The country is amazing, the travel guides went way over their remit to look after us, and the itinery is packed full each day, of exciting adventures. Sajid Ali, our guide, could not have done more to ensure that we experienced all that Pakistan has to offer, his attention to detail was second to none, all the hotel and restaurant staff were hospitable and friendly and I could not speak highly enough about the organisation and thought that Explore had put into in order to ensure that we all had the most amazing time. Highly reccomend the trip to anyone