Pakistan safety

>>1237117
Pakistan is cool as fuck and full of bro-tier people.

However, you will probably get killed. You can really only enjoy that place if you fly in and go to the right places and keep your wits about you. Forget about traversing the place on a bicycle without armed guard.

>>1237117
>Planning a bicycle tour through Pakistan

Just why?

>>1237121
Is it really so bad?

>>1237122
Well its just one destination on a longer trip.

I am not exactly happy about this either.

>>1237128
Can't you take a train through instead or something?
We talking push bike or motor bike?

>>1237136
push bike.

If you know any possible solutions to avoid Pakistan I would love to hear them.

Is there a train that takes me from Iran to India through Pakistan?

I also thought about getting a ferry but couldn't find any information on regular ferries that take people from Iran/UAE/Oman to India.

>>1237145
I don't know mate I'm just throwing ideas around, just don't want you getting blown up or kidnapped

>>1237146
Much appreciated.

That's why I would like to get some input from locals.

I know of people who has done this in the past, but the whole area has gone to pot recently. At the moment I just don't think that part of your trip is viable on a bicycle, safety wise. Can't offer much advice other than that unfortunately, but what I'm trying to say is that any advice regarding traveling in the region that you find, which is older than one year has to be dismissed. Things have just changed too much.

>>1237145
>train that takes me from Iran to India through Pakistan
There used to be a Zahedan-Quetta train, but that line was shut down when the Balochis got uppity. AFAIK, there aren't any ferries circumventing Pakistan either.

>>1237145
>Is there a train that takes me from Iran to India through Pakistan?

http://www.seat61.com/India-overland.htm
don't know if the information applies to the present, the pakistan-iran border is a tribal area that resembles afgahnistan
If you're doing some big bike trip you should just fly from tehran to delhi

>>1237186
Pretty much this

The border area between Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan are known for their high risk of kidnapping. I'd recommend you to at least take a plane to Hyderabad and do the trip to Lahore by Bus/Car whatever.

Also good luck on crossing the border to India

>>1237117
Irani and Pakistani Baluchistan provinces indeed have a dodgy drug smuggling reputation, and tribal areas near Afghanistan and Kashmir aren't exactly safe either. Rest of the country should be better.

Consider Iran-Turkmenistan-Uzbekistan-Tajikistan/Kyrgyzstan-China-India route maybe? Some of the visa are a serious hassle though.

>>1237250
I'm no expert, but I don't think he'll be able to go from China to India overland. First of all I'm pretty sure there's no open border crossings between the two countries.

Secondly, even if you could cross the Indian-Chinese border overland, you'd have to go through Tibet from Kyrgyzstan , which obviously complicates things.

>>1237117
Don't bike through Pakistan, lol. I think India and Iran will be adventurous enough

this guy
http://www.c90adventures.co.uk/news
went overland malaysia to the uk on a honda 110

he ended up shipping his bike from india to dubai and then riding a ferry from dubai to iran

>>1237117
Southern Pakistan is unstable at the moment. The Karakoram Highway in the north is reasonably safe. However it would mean taking a big detour through China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. The scenery is amazing though.

>>1237262
He couldn't get a visa for Pakistan. You have to apply for it in your home country.

I think Iran - 'stan countries' - China (multiple visa runs) is the way to go. The last time I looked into it, China don't let you travel by yourself if you're riding a vehicle, you're supposed to get a 'guide'...But ive heard it is possible to get around this, assumedly by spending money and dealing with bureocracy.

That been said, you might be able to fly under the radar on a bicycle. Just started away from tourist restricted cities.

>>1237117
It's not about 'being muslim', it's about Balochistan criminal kidnappers seeing hapless foreigner and kidnapping them for ransom because the majority of the Balochistan GDP is based on kidnapping payments these days. You absolutely need armed guards where you are going, in a vehicle convoy and an official NOC permit from the FTA otherwise you will just end up on livestream getting your head cut off because your parents couldn't afford the ransom, with your skull painted and sold as an ashtrey in a local shop. You should just fly into Iran with your bike as cargo it'd be cheaper than hiring a convoy of armed guards and switching escorts 13+ times to cross the ultra dangerous Balochistan area. http://caravanistan.com/border-crossings/pakistan/zahedan-quetta/

OP here.

Thx for the input guys. I knew it was bad, but I didn't expect it to be THAT bad.

Looks like whole Pakistan needs to be informed that some random traveler is passing through.

Well, I guess I will roll with the Iran-Turkmenistan-Uzbekistan-Tajikistan/Kyrgyzstan-China route.

I think I will try to get a visa for Tibet when I am right next to it anyway.

>>1237414
>Turkmen visa
Good luck.

>>1237416
I just looked through the Turkmenistan visa requirements and can't find anything too exciting.

The only thing I need to do is get an invitation and get the visa before I arrive.

>>1237420
Getting a legit visa is an expensive hassle, getting a transit visa is a lottery.

>>1237420
i've been to central asia mate, for turkmenistan visa you have two options, either a tourist visa which means a guided expensive tour, or a transit visa for 3-5 days where you transit through the country on a pre-planned route, and they like to reject visas randomly, for the transit visa websites cite 50-70% of getting the visa while actually it's closer to 20%

>>1237422
Okay, thanks for pointing that out.

Will check that out with the local consulate.

>>1237422
>>1237423

I will consider taking a ferry from Baku to Aqtau to avoid Turkmenistan.

>>1237425
But its a shame not being able to see Iran because of that.

Maybe I will do something like Turkey - Georgia - Armenia - Iran - Azerbaijan

>>1237430
What you could is head to the Turkmenistan embassy as soon as you arrive in Tehran. Apply for a transit visa and explore Iran while it's being processed.

After around two weeks you'll know whether you've been accepted or denied. If accepted, awesome. If not, head to Azerbaijan.

>>1237414
The problem with Tibet is that you're not allowed to travel through it unless you take a tour. Gilgit-Baltistan is a pretty safe part of Pakistan. You could travel from there down to Lahore and into India.

File: Islamabad, Gilgit, Hunza Valley 347.jpg (2MB, 3456x2304px) Image search: [Google]

2MB, 3456x2304px

I spent 5 weeks in Pakistan in 2013.
Other people have pointed out some right things you should consider when going there. I highly recommend going there, friendliest people I've ever met and some of the most beautiful places I've seen in the world have been in Pakistan.
You shouldn't cross Balochistan by bike, it is dangerous. Also some tribal areas in the north, Afghan border and Swat are places that are more dangerous. Generally the country isn't much more unsafer than India. There is no reason pretending to be muslim. They never looked at me with a bad eye after telling people I have no religion.
If you end up going there, don't skip the north. You cant ride a bicycle or any vehicle from Islamabad to Gilgit due to some parts of the road being dangerous. I took a bus and we had a big convoy with armed guards escorting us during the dangerous parts of the journey. Once you get to Gilgit-Baltistan it gets more safer. Like in most places, the chances that you get ran over by a vehicle are many times higher than getting blown to pieces by terrorist.
Visa can be a little bit hassle to get, and if I recall correctly you have to apply for it at your own country. Feel free to ask if you have any questions, I'll try to answer the best I can.

Pic related: I took this photo in Karimabad, Hunza.

>>1237445

sounds like a good idea, thank you

>>1237447

awesome, thank you

>>1237448

So you say it is basically impossible to do what >>1237447 suggested because of the dangerous roads? That sucks. I would prefer it over crossing China along the tibetian border.

And you say I would also need an escort from Gilgit-Baltistan to Lahore?

So it seems there is no way to get into Pakistan without having to get an armed escort. That kind of sucks.

Wow, Karimabad looks beautiful.

The way I see it OP, you have two options. One is doing this whole thing properly, going by bike on a road the entire way, which means you most likely have to skip Pakistan. This means you have to take a very long and expensive (maybe impossible) detour with visa hassles and all, that will change your route entirely. You'll have to skip India for example, because of no open borders. OR, you can say "fuck it", take a plane from Iran to India, or even to some safe place in Pakistan, and continue on your original route. I understand that will feel like a defeat, but it really is the cheapest and most viable option you have. Just my two cents.

>>1237452
Its impossible to ride your own bicycle through some parts of the road between Abottabad and Chilas, because the government doesn't allow you to do that, since there have been bandits along the road. You don't have to get and armed guard yourself, just buy a couple dollar bus ticket, put your bicycle in the trunk and take the bus through this part of journey. It doesn't cost you any extra money or hassle: all the buses and cars that go through this part travel together in a convoy with guards. We had more than 20 vehicles on the convoy on my way to Gilgit.

>>1237460
Incorrect: the Wagah-Attari border are open daily from Pakistan to India, and other way around. I crossed this border and the security between them was a joke.
I went from Pakistan to India, the security asked me If I had drugs in my backpack and they didn't even bother to check it. The pompous border closing ceremony is just for a show.

>>1237448
>They never looked at me with a bad eye after telling people I have no religion.
I'm sorry, but I find this very hard to believe. Pakistan comes to mind as being the most intolerant country on earth. I'm not saying anyone from /trv/ should avoid Pakistan, but the slightest misstep can have a non Sunni Paki killed. They don't even allow non Sunnis into their ambulances. Just this week someone was lynched for saying wrong things on facebook.

>>1237463
Read my post again numbnuts. IF he skips Pakistan, he has to skip India. There are currently no border crossings between China and India, Nepal or Bhutan.

>>1237464
Apostates are treated more harsly than Western non-belivers.

>>1237477
I didn't say western non-believers should fear for their safety, but Pakistan is not a good place to say you don't believe in God. Just say you're a christian.

>>1237474
>fly from Iran to New Delhi

Wouldent be hard/expensive to check his bike

>>1237484
Not that hard, people fly with their bikes all the time. It would probably be a little more expensive, but it sure as hell beats an armed escort through Balochistan, or a guided tour through Tibet.

>>1237487
It doesn't beat the option of travelling through Gilgit-Baltistan and taking a bus for a few sections. That would have to be the best scenery of the entire trip.

>>1237117
This guy recently backpacked through Pakistan
https://www.thebrokebackpacker.com/pakistan-travel-ultimate-backpacker-guide/ note he avoided the ultra dangerous Baloch area though simply because it's expensive to hire armed guards everywhere

>>1237281
FUCK I'm already tired of all those Chinese regulations and I haven't even been there yet. I didn't realize that it's fucking North Korea light with regard to tourists

>>1237423
I had no idea about this, and I'm planning on going to Central Asia in a year or two. Is it only Turkmenistan that's so hard to get access to? I had absolutely no idea about the guide rule, it doesn't really fit well together with the countless experiences I've read from people having travelled the country.

>>1237117
Spent several months in Pak and about 2 months in India, I am a late twenties white guy.
OP, I strongly suggest you reconsider your decision. It's not a joke and a "Japan is dangerous" meme post. Pakistan is fucking dangerous. You can get killed or kidnapped. You'll need an armed guard in some areas. White person riding a bike would literally scream easy money to everyone around. Of course you can find successful examples of such trips and of course paki people are generally friendly...It's all about the chances, and chances are you'll die. During my time there I had two accidents I wouldn't want to happen again.
Decide for yourself but you've been warned

File: paki.jpg (55KB, 700x389px) Image search: [Google]

55KB, 700x389px

>>1237462
>there have been bandits along the road

np, I have much experience in defeating bandits along the road, did it all the time while playing Skyrim ;)

but seriously though. That sounds like a possible solution. Are there regular buses from Chilas to Abottabad? I would prefer that over flying from Iran to India. (assuming it is relatively safe)

So as I see it I have to cross the chinese border in Kirgistan, cycle south to Gilgit-Baltistan, take a bus from Chilas to Abottabad/Islamabad and cycle from there to Lahore and cross the indian border.

Or is it smarter to just take buses/trains all the time? It would be not very good for me to get kidnapped.

>>1237934
I looked through his site and Pakistan looks awesome. He surely gives much very helpful advice. Thanks for that.

>>1237948
yea
on a scale of how easy to how hard it is to get visa in those countries it's like this:

Kyrgyzstan (easiest) > kazakhstan > tajikstan > uzbekistan > turkmenistan (hardest)

what a ridiculous thread.
one one hand, you have OP, who wants to ride a push bike through some of the most difficult train containing the worst assholes in the world... and on the other hand, there's the rest of you, who are actually taking this guy seriously and trying to help him plan his "trip"

to all of you, here's your (you)

This is Pakistan OP:

https://m.liveleak.com/view?i=8cf_1492149256

Just don't.

>>1237949
What happened? I'm curious in learning more.

>>1237448
I'm an arab-israeli whom have both israeli and jordanian passports, now i live in israel and obviously i can't go to pakistan with an israeli passport, you think i can play my luck and apply to the embassy in amman,jordan as a jordanian and set my address in jordan (workplace etc) and it will be alright? i mean do they verify that shit?i tried emailing the embassy but they never replied back

>>1237487
you faggot the trip through balochistan would probably be the highlight of his journey, how many times can you say in your life you have been escorted by the police as your own bodyguard?

go to Gilgit-Baltistan