China - Pakistan - Iran

I can't think of a single reason someone would want to visit Pakistan of their own volition.

>>1215710
It's fucking beautiful, that's why.

Shitty people live in beautiful countries.

>>1215720
There are many beautiful countries in the world though.

Including places where you won't be attacked or kidnapped for being white, can find hotels that aren't infested with cockroaches, and can even enjoy a beer at night.

>>1215720
Well Afghanistan is gorgeous, too and apparently the border with Pakistan is a joke you could pay a visit

>>1215729
I get this. I have done India, South America and Europe. Developed counties don't interest me as much as developing countries. Countries like Pakistan are mostly untouched by tourist and have such amazing landscapes.

>>1215720 (You)
I could get a free ride into rural Afghanistan and meet the local Taliban. Tempting.

>>1215733 second half was a response to >>1215731

My cat wanted head scratches and I fucked up.

>>1215729
Additionally, this is the type of travel that interests me. Camping out, finding dodgey hostels and trying to communicate with locals is fun to me and my friends. Some of my favourite expriences travelling have been when I was in the shittiest conditions. It's all about what you take away from those experiences.

Going from city to city, hotel to hotel is not what I'm into.

Bumping for anyone that could possibly share their experiences or reference some decent online help?

Be aware you need to get Pakistan visa from the embassy in your home country

>>1215733
I know what you mean, but there are many developing countries where you're not in imminent danger. South-East Asia, South America, those countries to the north of Pakistan in central Asia. I mean, many African countries are safer than Pakistan even.

For me part of the 3rd-world appeal is being able to get wasted on the cheap and possibly bang a local. Alcohol is illegal in Pakistan and the women are hairy and look like men if you catch them out of the niqab.

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Lots of it will be OK, but the area around the Pakistan/Iran border is very dangerous, like one level below an outright terror zone dangerous, tourists have been kidnapped for ransom on more than one occasion in that area and the border crossing is a nightmare. It's possible, people on this board have done worse before but you have to be very sure you know what you're doing, being able to speak conversational Urdu is an absolute must so that you can actually get good information on safe routes from locals, and not be an idiot essentially.

Here's a general map.

>>1215705
You do realize you'll need to cross the Himalayas, that Islamabad-Afghanistan vicinity (to be more precise, not this area in a whole, search for Pakistan tribes area) is practically a war zone and expats in Pakistan can't enter it without an armed guard? That Lahore and Karachi area are more safe, but you are guaranteed to have a food poisoning and on top of that a night in a good hotel will cost you like 200 bucks a night?
Don't get me wrong, it's really beautiful and I enjoyed Pakistan, but it seems to me you don't realize where you're going

>>1215748
Are the problems along the Karakoram Highway, other than occasional landslides?

>>1215748
>>1215756
I was thinking about the Karakoram Highway and was hoping someone could provide more information about how possible it would be to access Pakistan that way. Or if anyone here has made that journey before?

I've done India, I know the risks of food poisoning etc. I've spent two weeks in Udaipur speaking my guts out. I'm not looking to stay in a decent hotel. I'm happy with shitty, cheap accommodation.

>>1215743
Thanks for the response. Do you know of any archived threads I could access to find out more information?

Obviously couldn't learn Urdu to that extent by mid 2018 (when I want to travel). I got guides easy Rajasthan and Punjab (India) who assisted me across state/city. I'm unsure on how hard that would be in Pakistan.

>>1215803
*spewing my guts out.

>>1215705
you gonna get killed multiple times

>>1215705
I have done part of this route, from iran to india, instead of to china.

The border region of iran and pakistan was not as bad as i expected, as in i did not die. We got a police escort coming from iran, so i am guessing this is also the case if you cross the border from pakistan.

I would go for, altough you should look into the china to pakistan part, as i remember the border being closed to foreigners, not to mention you having to cross the himalayas!

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>>1215705

I can think of one reason...

Drone strike inbound to OP's location.

I'm not OP, but I'm planning on similar route, so bumping for more info.

I wish to hitchhike from EU, all the way to Australia, and since I already did the trip through Russia, I wish to do the other route now

Other than those famous kidnappers and alike - did you found the locals friendly? How religious are they?

Any fact may help.

>>1215815
can you say more about that escort? Was it on your request? Did you pay for it? Where are you from?

Also, what is it like to cross himalayas? Why would you consider it a problem?

>>1216851
Guy here who took an escort acros the border

The local army commander, who doubeld as the police chief, pretty much forced us to go with an escort. There were about 3 jeeps, and the guys were armed to the teeth. Honestly i felt more in danger than i woulf have felt without them. I would assume these convoys are even more likely targets for attack than me on my own.

Recently, i heard there has been a ferry opend from iran to pakistan. This ferry serves the pakistani pilgrims who need to go overland to saudia-arabia, and don't dare enter the tribal areas.

The road from iran to karachi was very scary, dry, hostile and uneventful. I would do a google search on the ferry, i think it was completed in 2016.

>>1216872
Thanks for the info. I would never have guessed of such possibility

How did you meet the officer? How much did you pay for the escort? Did they simply leave you right at the border? And what passport do you have? And, most importantly - was their presence in any way crucial for you to cross that border?

(sorry for the question flood, but I really need the info)

Also, have you had any actual unpleasant situations with locals there?

I may consider the ferry, but honestly I am the type of person who would rather save some cash and risk their life. Call it an extreme sport.

>>1216879
>>1216872
>>1216851

Thanks for keeping the conversation going. OP here.

I've been busy and thought the thread would die and started doing my own research.

Question for border guy, how much did you pay for an escort? Also, did you find the locals in Pakistan nice and helpful? Do you have any photos/more info about you trip we could suss out?

>>1216904
Polish guy here, no problem. Did you learn anything from that research? I'd be grateful if you posted some more info.
Myself I can't contribute much, besides telling that I chatted with some other hitchhiker who were to Pakistan. He experienced a total 0 of problems beside that he once slept on some roof , next to many other (i assume) homeless people. They were on some construction site, but he choose adjaccent, private roof. In the morning he was arrested and treated shittily by some soldier. Once he got to the police station, he told his story to some chef, who turned out to be a total bro and helped him in every way he could.

>>1215803
>>1215705

I did a lot of research into this route.
So to save you time:
Most of Pakistan is arduous and boring.
Balochistan and Kohistan are trouble.

If you want to do Karakorum Highway aka KKH, do the upper half. Fly to Gilgit or Skardu. This is require a connection in Islamabad (Benazir Bhutto International Airport Islamabad). On the KKH, everything south of Raikot bridge is trouble. Upper KKH is actually improved by China, the road is built to modern Chinese standards, it is amazingly good.

>>1217170
>Most of Pakistan is arduous and boring.
somehow it's hard to me to believe in this bit.

Thank you for the info, I hope you enjoy your stay there

If you just need to get from China to Iran via land, why cross Pakistan when you could easily go through the more relaxed 'stans? Kyrgystan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan.
Also, if the part of China that borders Pakistan is Tibet, then you'll travelling in there is probably impossible, or extremely expensive and guided all the way.

The route from China- Kyrgystan-Uzbekistan- Turkmenistan-Iran is fairly "common" and safe.

>>1217190
>Also, if the part of China that borders Pakistan is Tibet,
It isn't. unless you define Pakistan to include all of Kashmir. Certainly the section of the KKH in China stays in Xinjiang, and does not approach Tibet.

>>1215705
OP why not go through Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan instead? Especially Tajikistan is insanely beautiful. Then cross into China and go into Pakistan and finish there.
Its very much safer.

>>1217771
how do you manage Turmen visa again?

>>1217782
You get a 5 day transit visa in Teheran, near impossible to get a longer one.

>>1215729
Pakistan isn't actually that bad my dude