Pakistan
A Short Ride in the Hindu Kush
In the autumn of 1996 I was feeling in need of a small dose of adventure. According to the guidebooks, the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan was about the most beautiful and dangerous place on Indian subcontinent — just the ticket!
Current UK govenment travel advice for Pakistan. The the North-West Frontier Province is now called Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
I flew from Heathrow to Karachi with Emirates via Dubai, booked through Trailfinders. From Karachi I took a domestic flight with PIA to Peshawar and from there a minibus north to Timergara, from where I started cycling. On the return trip I flew with PIA from Islamabad to Karachi.
I stayed in Peshawar (2 nights), Timergara, Dir, Chitral (2 nights), Buni, Mastuj (2 nights), Sor Laspur, Teru, Shamran, Gilgit (3 nights), Dut, Kuk, Shimshal (2 nights), Zyarat, Passu, Gilgit, the Karakoram Highway and Karachi (2 nights).
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Pakistan visa

Loading the bike in Peshawar for the lift north to Timergara

Timergara

On the road to Dir

Political rally, preceding Benazir Bhutto's dismissal, near Warai

On the Lowari Pass (3118 m)

On the Lowari Pass (3118 m)

Dhaba on the Lowari Pass

Descending the Lowari Pass

Chitral bazaar

Chitral

On the road to Buni

On the road to Buni

On the road to Buni

Konar river, Buni

Buni Zoum Hotel, Buni

Between Buni and Mastuj

Approaching Mastuj, en-route from Buni

Tirich Mir 7708 m, highest in the Hindu Kush

Looking south from Mastuj

Mastuj River, on the way to Sor Laspur

Between Mastuj and Sor Laspur

On the road to Sor Laspur

Sor Laspur, departing by jeep due to a broken panner bag

Shandur Pass, looking back towards Sor Laspur

Shandur Top, 3734 m, the boundary with the Northern Areas and a polo ground in the summer

NAPWD rest house, Teru

Carrom board, Shamran

Political rally in Gilgit

Polo match, Gilgit

Passu, on the Karakoram Highway

Nearing Dut

The final bridge before Dut had yet to be built

Mohamed Khan, Mohamed Wafa, John and Amin (Chris out of shot) preparing to leave Dut



Lunch at Zyarat

Shimshal River

Mulungutti Glacier and Disteghil Sar (7885 m, 19th highest)

Fermanabad, only one house permanently occupied

Shimshal village

Shimshal village

Shimshal village

Shimshal village

Friends and relations

Our guide Amin outside his house in Shimshal

Preparing dinner

Butchering dinner

Cooking dinner in Amin's house

Setting off back to Dut



Amin and a group of yak hearders heading towards Shimshal

Mohamed Wafa at Dut