OverlandSphere
Overland Travel, Expedition & Adventure Information for 4x4, motorcycle and truck overlanders
It is well known that Pakistan and India are not the best friends. But nowhere else this is more celebrated than during the daily ceremony when the border between the two countries is closed just before sunset. Stands have been erected on both sides of the border, which are filled with spectators, and the Indians and Pakistanis support their respective…
Five weeks in Pakistan – the memories that we take with us from this country are diverse, and not necessarily positive: many beautiful and unique landscapes – an amazing nature in the north of the country – many extremely uneducated people – many boastful and self-important people – the really precarious security situation – the complete lack of respect towards…
After a few days in the small town of Gilgit, where we relaxed a little bit and did some work on the bikes, we continued our journey in order to see more of Karakorum. First we went to Skardu, on a spectacular road high above the mighty, wild, and brow-coloured Indus River – an impressive sight. But a real adventure…
We have been travelling through the Karakorum mountain range in the north of Pakistan, between Hindukush and Himalaya now for about 1 week. The landscape here is absolutely stunning and beautiful, and we are experiencing a completely different side of Pakistan than in the plains further in the south, where it is only hot and always dusty. Some of the…
The train journey from Quetta to Lahore goes over a distance of approximately 1300 km – right across Pakistan. It took us 36 hours – 36 hours, which were quite an adventure, but, to be honest, which we don’t really want to repeat – especially not with the heat during this time of the year. And we even were lucky,…
Travelling overland from Iran to Pakistan you have to cross Baluchistan. This area in Pakistan stretches along the Afghan border from the Iranian border at Taftan until a few hundred kilometers north of Quetta. Baluchistan is well known for being dangerous and not very peaceful. Almost daily there are attacks somewhere in this area, and we were told that in…
When outlining the itinerary for this trip, Pakistan was supposed to be a means to an end. I’d spend 10 days, more or less, transiting a country that had me wetting my pants with fear in the lead-up to the border crossing. It’s a testament to the charm of Pakistan, and also to my half-baked preparation that I spent well…
Iran is long in the rear-view now, and the post-game roundup has been rattling around in the back of my head like the unknown object that fell through the parking brake casing into the chassis. It’s late enough after the party that memories are starting to blur together: Did we eat goat brain in Tehran or Shiraz? Is that photo…
We’ve experienced the interesting phenomenon as we’ve moved eastward of being fervently warned against the terrors and the dangers of the bogeymen we are bound to encounter further east. It began as far back as Bosnia, where we were cautioned about driving through Serbia, but has been more pronounced ever since Turkey. In Istanbul, we we were warned about traveling…
Riding across Pakistan, I couldn’t help wishing I was back in Gilgit. I was excited to be entering Iran and seeing new things but super scared to cross the most dangerous part of Pakistan and Iran, the most risky part of my whole trip to date. Leaving Pakistan wasn’t going to be as romantic as the past 6 months, it boiled down…
Gulping back the tears, my throat is thick, I know if I open my mouth as I will not be able to control the sobbing any longer. I sit silent in the back of the Red Crescent pickup truck, my bike is securely tied down on the back with our entire luggage surrounding it. My friends stand back and wave…
Dust clogged sweat drips down my face as I stare through my lens at the two teams upon their mounts pounding towards me. I feel space opening up behind me as the crowd scrambles backwards and over the white painted half height stone wall, hoping it might give some protection from the heaving beasts bearing down on us. I abandon…
By Leigh Meeting Johno and Craig in the hotel room was a huge relief; the Iran/Pakistan visa problems that had been dogging the whole expedition since we had left in February and were finally resolved. We wouldn’t have to worry about the paperwork for the next country until China and its bureaucratic nightmare. Within a few minutes a detective from…
Pakistan is a misunderstood country. It’s on the news daily about the latest car bombs, Taliban’s attacks and riots. However, since I’ve been in this country I haven’t felt at all unsafe or experienced anything like what the travel advisories keep on reminding me about. I’m not saying it doesn’t happen, it does! What I’m saying is that I’ve found Pakistan’s heaven, a large…
Islamabad to Waga 22nd November It is a 70 mile journey from Abbottobad. In 1961 the capital was moved from Karachi to Islamabad. We arrive in Islamabad and on our way into town we stop at Toyota to book the car in for a service and to diagnose the intermittent gear box problems we are having. At first the service…
PAKISTAN – Hunza to Islamabad 10th November We wake up early to leave the Eagles Nest and start our 110km journey to Gilgit, leaving the Hunza valley behind us. We pass lots of Chinese workers on some very uneven roads. As we drive down the road a man frantically jumps out to stop our car. It seems there is about…
7th November We cross the Khunjerab Pass at a height of 4700 metres, crossing from China to Pakistan. We feel relieved to have made it this far but are apprehensive about the next 84km before we reach the main Pakistani immigration post as we do not have a Pakistani visa. We have heard that it is possible to obtain the…