Pakistan is a land blessed with unfathomably rich historical heritage, diverse culture.....
TRAVELOGUE
Pakistan is a land blessed with unfathomably rich historical heritage, diverse culture, high adventure and unmatched natural beauty. From the relics of famous civilizations of Gandhara and Indus to gigantic icy peaks, lush green valleys, meadows and lakes of crystal clear waters, our country offers a unique and contrasted destination to behold the caravan of mankind across ages and precious beauties of nature, to the tourists of the world. Biking the Old Silk Road and absorbing ancient cultures while enjoying some of the best biking in the world is any touring biker’s ultimate fantasy. Riding on dirt and paved roads through the Karakoram Range, the backbone of vast colliding mountains of 7,000-8,000 m peaks, take the riders to the base of some of the longest non-polar glaciers and along the banks of Pakistan’s longest river, the Indus.
With that in hindsight, we had the pleasure of talking to one of the most experienced proponent of cross country touring biking in Pakistan, Mr. Sajid Mirza. Talking about biking Sajid says, “Touring Biking has been introduced in recent years in Pakistan and this segment of tourism can be further milked by developing and offering viable adventure tours to local clientele as well as adventure seekers from the broader Asian, middle eastern and far eastern regions. My friends and I have taken motor biking tours from Islamabad on Karakorum Highway (the old Silk route) up to Chinese border - the Khunjerab Pass, returning to Islamabad via the popular Kaghan Valley. Other expedition starts from Islamabad to Leepa Valley (beyond Sher Gali = Lion Valley) in Azad Jammu & Kashmir, being one of the toughest terrains for bikers, all offering a unique route for touring bikers like us.” Sajid and his fellow riders use a dual-sport motorcycle for their adventurous trips.
Lately, Sajid and his fellow riders had the opportunity of viewing the natural beauty of Balochistan. Balochistan being the largest province of Pakistan covering 45 percent of the country’s territory, and provides adequate opportunities for touring bikers. Sajid’s team comprises renowned and devoted adventure lovers namely Asif Hussain, Ahmed Taseer, Aihtasham Sabir, Abdul Karim and Ali Aziz.
The Islamabad - Balochistan bound trip commenced from Islamabad to D.I Khan, Zhob, Quetta, Khuzdar, Moola Chotak, Panjgur, Turbat, Gwadar, Jawani, Pak/Iran Border, Pasni, Ormara, Kund Malir, ending at Karachi. Marvelling at the beauty of the great province Sajid exclaims, “The beauty of Balochistan is unmatched and untamed.
“Despite challenges, we kept moving. While we were on our way from Zhob to Quetta, heavy rain accompanied by lightning and thunder lashed upon us resulting in gritting teeth for the longest period of time. Following morning, en-route to Khuzdar we again experienced a terrible rain encounter resulting in heavy snow fall. Not anticipating the dynamic weather conditions we were clearly susceptible to frostbite. However, by the grace of Allah (SWT) we managed to overcome this challenge later terming it as ‘Motorcycling does not tolerate rookie skills.’
“Talking about the overall budget required for this adventure, I would say it’s about the level of comfort each member prefers. Since we were on bikes all day long, a peaceful good night’s sleep was all that came to mind at the day’s end. We chose relatively comfortable accommodations incurring around PKR 4000 per day per biker inclusive of meals, lodging, fuel expense, availability of spare parts and overall maintenance of the bikes.”
Interestingly, on being asked about possible stumbling blocks when planning these trips, Sajid rather than pointing to the usual culprit i.e. security, highlighted another uncanny foe: weather. Pakistan being one of the rare countries with topography changing from icy peaks and mountainous terrains in the north to the humid yet fertile plains of Punjab, ultimately transforming into deserts of Sindh makes it a staggering task of planning these cross country tours with the right gear, clothing and associated paraphernalia. However, increased CPEC related economic activity coupled with youth demographics means that there is a growing interest in these tours. As a result, outlets which offer all weather equipment to undertake these adventurous tours are popping up across the country, making it easier for the new generation of bikers to plan such trips in a safe manner.
Talking about tourism in Pakistan, Sajid comments that Pakistan can be called the difficult child of South Asia – blessed with abundant natural and historical riches, but plagued by political instability, which has kept the country off the radar for all but the most hardened explorers. Back in the early 90s, there were no photos of these breathtaking sites available on the internet or tourism websites. The roads were not developed and the access is much easier now than before. Social media has also made the world more aware of Pakistan’s eluding natural beauty and people are amazed the world over as to how breathtaking and scenically beautiful Pakistan really is. This is a land of towering peaks and uncharted rivers, gorgeous glaciers, ancient traditions and some of the world’s most hospitable people, waiting to be explored.
We wish Sajid and his fellow riders’ best of luck in their future endeavours especially with their upcoming tour to Astor and Deosai and back to Islamabad. Safe travels!
