Hindu Kush Adventure
Pakistan
Pakistan is a country close to our hearts…and for good reason. Home to some of the most
spectacular mountain scenery in the world, thriving cities, colourful markets and warm
hospitality, a trip to this part of the world is bound to excite even the worldliest travellers.
Having run trips here for more than a decade, we understand the political complexities of
travelling to this fascinating country and our paramount consideration has always been the
safety of our clients. Despite the negative images painted by the press, we believe that most
areas in Pakistan - particularly around Chitral and the mountains of the north - pose little or
no danger within the current climate. On this amazing journey along the Northwest Frontier
you will drive up from the capital Islamabad, through stunningly spectacular scenery, to the
ancient kingdom of Chitral. Here we will spend two days with the Kalash before heading on
over the Shandur Pass to one of the most beautiful places on earth, Hunza. We will complete
our circuit by returning to the Islamabad via the Buddhist University town of Taxila.
‘The Hindu Kush tour exceeded my expectations in every way. The scenery, the
Pakistani people, the food.....were beyond incredible. Everything went like clockwork
from beginning to end. Also, we had wonderful drivers and a wonderful guide.
Excellent experience in every way!!’ John Rice
Duration: 16 Days
Average group size: 5 – 12
Start: Sat 06 Oct 18
Finish: Sun 21 Oct 18
Looking for alternative dates? Check the website or give us a call
WILD FRONTIERS Adventure Travel Ltd Tel: +44 (0) 20 7736 3968 Fax: +44 (0) 20 7751 0710
Email: [email protected] Website: www.wildfrontierstravel.com
TOUR DETAILS
TOUR CODE: PAK/A
HIGHLIGHTS
•
•
•
•
•
Spend two days with the Kalash
Watch a game of frontier polo in Chitral
Relaxing with views of 7000m peaks
Travel over the Shandur Pass
Visiting the wonderfully relaxed areas of Hunza
Accommodation: As an overall ethos, wherever possible we aim to use characterful
accommodation that enhances the overall travel experience, not just offers a bed for the
night. This can obviously vary dramatically from country to country and from trip to trip. On
this trip it varies hugely from nice 3/4* hotels to small local guesthouses. It is important to
stress that in certain places such as the Kalash Valley accommodation is basic, although you
will almost certainly get en-suite facilities.
Please note that the accommodation mentioned in the itinerary is intended as a guide only
and is always subject to availability.
For security reasons we do not provide details of the hotels used on this trip but if you would
like more information please contact the office.
Transport: On this tour we will use jeeps between Chitral and Hunza opening the roof when
the weather allows, and minibus coasters everywhere else.
Climate: The weather conditions can be extremely varied. In the mountains of the Hindu
Kush, where you will be travelling at heights in access of 3,000 metres even in the middle of
summer it can turn bitter with the occasional snow flurries falling. At the same time mercury
in the thermometers of Islamabad can be nudging 45 degrees. Generally, at this time of year,
the weather is settled and pleasant with warm days and nights getting cooler the higher you
sleep. It may well get quite chilly at night!
Is this trip for me? It may sound obvious but Wild Frontiers tours are not always for everyone
and it is important to us that the tour you choose is the most suitable. Please therefore take
time to read the dossier carefully. All our tours are graded to give an overall picture of the
trip but these are only guidelines and you should check the daily itinerary. Should you have
any concerns about your ability to partake in any aspect of the tour then please contact the
office.
Key Aspects to Consider: Anyone in a reasonable state of health, with an open mind and a
sense of adventure should be perfectly able to cope with this tour, as many of the activities
are optional. Please note that some of the walks in the Kalash Valley are quite steep!
Please note that in Pakistan administrative and security requirements can change overnight.
Visitors to Pakistan must adopt a flexible approach and awareness that the itinerary is fluid
and overnight stops can change. Some of the journeys can be long and due to road conditions
and as a result of the security accompaniment during the drives
Adventure Rating 
Comfort Grade 
Fitness Level

Cultural Interest 

WILD FRONTIERS Adventure Travel Ltd Tel: +44 (0) 20 7736 3968 Fax: +44 (0) 20 7751 0710
Email: [email protected] Website: www.wildfrontierstravel.com
wonderful home of Maqsood Ul Mulk, one
of the princes of Chitral.
Local Guest house (B,L,D)
Day 5: Ayun – Kalash: Today we have all
morning to relax and enjoy the Prince’s
beautiful garden and take one of the many
wonderful village walks nearby. After
lunch we will continue our journey into the
Kalash Valley of Rumbor and the village of
Balanguru where we stay with our good
friend
Saifullah
Jan,
the
chief
spokesperson for the colourful Kalash
people. Most people prefer to walk the last
few miles through this gorgeous valley
Local Guesthouse (B,L,D)
Day 1: Tour starts in Islamabad:
Accommodation from tonight (Saturday) is
included.
Hotel (no meals)
NB, those on the suggested group flight
will arrive in the early hours of Day 2.
Day 2: In Islamabad: : We will have a
relaxed start this morning. In the
afternoon will head out into Islamabad to
see some of the Pakistani capital and take
a visit to the Heritage Museum and the
Faisal Mosque. We will have dinner in the
Saidpur, a traditional local village area
just outside the centre of Islamabad.
Hotel (B,L,D)
Day 3: Islamabad - Chitral: Today we will
have an early start for our long day’s drive
through spectacular scenery through the
North West Frontier Province. We will take
the route via Dir and through the Lowari
Tunnel and aim to arrive in the sleepy
mountain town of Chitral in the evening
where we check into the Mountain Inn
(AKA Faulty Towers in the Hindu Kush).
Here we will experience some wonderful
local hospitality.
Hotel (B,L,D)
Day 4: Chitral – Ayun: After breakfast we
will have good look around the town,
taking in the famous fort, the bazaar and
hopefully a game of polo. This will be our
introduction to the slower pace of life
away from the busy city and be the start
of our amazing journey across Northern
Pakistan. After lunch we will take the
short drive to Ayun and check into the
*Please note that at times security
restrictions don’t allow foreign visitors to
stay in the Kalash valley but we will
maximize our time spent in the region and
then head back to Chitral for the night if
these restrictions are imposed.
Day 6: In the Kalash Valley: For those that
want to, this morning we should be able to
take a special walk up in the direction of
the Afghan frontier towards the Nuristani
community in Shakanande, the last village
in the valley. In 1893, so as to avoid
enforced conversion to Islam in their
homeland across the border, the ancestors
of this tribe fled into British India where
they set up home. Although they
eventually converted they still live in the
original style, which differs quite
considerably from the Kalash. After lunch
we will then head to the sleepy mountain
town of Chitral where we check into our
lovely local hotel and have dinner.
Local Guesthouse (B,L,D)
Day 7: Kalash – Chitral: This morning we
have more time to explore the valley and
meet with the local Kalash people before
driving back to Chitral where we check
into our hotel. Depending on what we
haven’t already done we’ll either try and
take in a game of polo or if there’s time
head out to Tushi to see the Makhor – wild
goats – in Chitral Gul.
Hotel (B,L,D)
Day 8: Chitral – Mastuj: After breakfast
we will drive to Mastuj. This is one of the
most beautiful and dramatic drives you are
ever likely to take as we wind our way up
the Mastuj Valley, passing Tirich Mir and
Boni Zong, before finally entering the
WILD FRONTIERS Adventure Travel Ltd Tel: +44 (0) 20 8741 7390 Fax: +44 (0) 20 8741 3610
Email: [email protected] Website: www.wildfrontierstravel.com
Yarkund Valley at the top of which lies
Afghanistan’s Wakhan Corridor. Here we
will stay at a hotel next to the fort. If Col.
Khushwalqlt Ul Mulk, son of the last great
Mehtar, is around we will pay him a visit.
Hotel (B,L,D)
Day 9: Mastuj – Kalti: After breakfast we
will drive to the Shandur Pass, stopping for
tea en route at Sol Laspur, and taking a
picnic lunch on top of pass at 3,800 metres
before walking down into Langer from
where we will pick up the jeeps again and
drive on to Kalti. Here we will stay at the
our hotel situated on a magnificent site
overlooking the river valley and Gulpis
Lake.
Hotel (B,L,D)
Day 10: Kalti – Gilgit – Hunza: After
breakfast we travel on to Gilgit where we
can stop and visit the Christian cemetery
before heading to Hunza. We realise we’ve
used quite a few superlatives while
describing this particular trip, and all for
good reason, but you have to believe us
now when we tell you that on this drive –
as you round the corner and see the titanic
form of Mount Rakaposhi basking in the
sun, right beside the road – the sight will
leave you speechless.
In Karimabad
(Hunza) we will stay at a spectacularly
located hotel, situated 3,000m above sea
level and 500m above the valley floor,
with panoramic views of seven 7,000m
peaks!
Hotel (B,L,D)
Day 11: Hunza: This morning we visit the
famous Baltit fort, recently restored by
the Aga Khan Trust for Culture to a
fantastic standard. It is now a UNESCO
World Heritage Centre. We will take lunch
on
a
rooftop
terrace
restaurant
overlooking the valley. In the afternoon
those that wish can have a water channel
walk down around Karimabad before
having a wander around the local shops
where there will be plenty to buy.
Hotel (B,L,D)
Day 12: Hunza – Attabad Lake - Hunza:
Wake at around 5:30 to watch the rising
sun turn the peak of Rakaposhi flamingo
pink…not compulsory! After breakfast we
will first drive to the other side of the
valley to take a walk on Hoper Glacier.
After this we’ll have lunch in a pretty
garden café before driving an hour further
up the KKH to visit the newly formed lake
at Attabad. In January 2010 a massive
landslide blocked the Hunza River, which
submerged 28kms of the KKH by forming a
beautiful azure lake. Here we will take
boat ride towards the northern shore
giving a great opportunity to photograph
the famous cathedral peaks. In the
afternoon we return to Karimabad.
Hotel (B,L,D)
Day 13: Hunza – Gilgit: This morning we
return to the Karakoram Highway for our
drive to Gilgit stopping en route for lunch
at the Rakaposhi View to take in the
stunning backdrop. This afternoon we will
drive back to Gilgit where we will check
into our hotel.
Hotel (B,L,D)
Day 14: Gilgit – Besham: Today we have a
spectacular drive back towards Islamabad
as we drive along the Karakoram Highway
enjoying the mountain scenery and
stunning countryside. Flights at this time
of year are unreliable and can be
cancelled on a regular basis due to adverse
weather conditions so we plan to drive this
very memorable route, and break our
journey in Besham. The majority of the
people here are Pashtun and we may have
the opportunity to have a stroll around the
bazaar this evening or sit and watch the
world go by in one of the rooftop cafes.
Hotel (B,L,D)
Day 15: Besham – Taxila – Islamabad:
Today we continue our journey stopping
en route in Taxila, a fascinating Buddhist
university town, dating back to the
Gandaharan era of Alexander the Great.
We then continue the short distance to
Islamabad where we have our final dinner.
Hotel (B,L,D)
Day 16: Islamabad: Tour ends after
breakfast at hotel.
(B)
Extensions: If you have more time
available, why not arrive early to adjust to
a new time zone or just to get a feel for
the country before your tour starts? Or
alternatively you might choose to allow a
few extra days after the tour to relax or to
undertake some further exploration.
The choice is completely yours and we can
usually arrange anything from simply
WILD FRONTIERS Adventure Travel Ltd Tel: +44 (0) 20 8741 7390 Fax: +44 (0) 20 8741 3610
Email: [email protected] Website: www.wildfrontierstravel.com
additional accommodation and transfers
to full tailor-made itineraries.
Here is just a small sample of what you
could do:• From Gilgit you could drive over to
Skardu and then on to Fairy Meadows and
enjoy two days walking around Nanga
Parbat
• Another option is to visit Lahore, to see
this famous old Moghul city and the
‘Closing of the Gate’ ceremony.
Please contact the office for more
details and to discuss your individual
requirements.
Warning!
The British Foreign & Commonwealth
Office (FCO) sometimes advises against
certain parts of this itinerary. Before
deciding to book this trip you should first
read the advice on their website www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice. You
will need to sign a disclaimer to confirm
you have read the advice and if you are a
UK citizen, you will also need insurance
that will remain valid throughout the
entire trip. One such insurance policy is
Travel & General’s Wild Frontiers Elite
policy. For more information, please see
the Insurance section below or contact us.
Non-UK clients should check the travel
advice of their own governments as well as
the small print of their insurance policy.
The Nature Of Adventure Travel: We feel
that it’s worth pointing out that while we
will always strive to stick as close to the
stated itinerary as possible, it may be
necessary from time to time to make
changes to our itineraries or services (due
to weather, political and religious
influences etc.) and this can happen with
little or no notice. This unpredictability
can be one of the most exciting aspects of
adventure travel and for many of our
clients often leads to unexpected
highlights as the tour-leader necessarily
adapts the tour to the changing
conditions. However we are aware that
this lack of assuredness may not suit
everyone. As such, with the greatest
respect, if you are someone who needs to
know that everything will happen exactly
as planned, we would kindly suggest that
perhaps our tours are not for you.
Adventure travel can be infectious and
once you’ve caught the bug, it is likely to
never leave you, but especially if this is
your first such tour we would strongly urge
you to give us a call if you have any
concerns whatsoever about your suitability
for this trip.
PRICING
Tour price: All our tours are priced on a
land-only basis, giving you maximum
flexibility when deciding how to get to and
from your tour. For the latest prices,
please refer to our website or contact the
office.
Travelling Solo & Single Supplements: As
a company approximately 70% of our
clients are solo travellers, so it’s very
unlikely you’ll be alone!
Our prices are typically based on twinshare
accommodation
but
single
supplements are not compulsory for any
Wild Frontiers tour. If you prefer not to
pay a single supplement we’ll pair you
with someone else of the same sex for you
to share with throughout the trip.
On this trip, if you do opt to pay for a
single supplement then please note that
due to the nature of tourism in Pakistan,
it can be difficult to guarantee single
rooms in some locations. Single rooms
should be available for all nights of the
tour (apart from the local guest houses in
Ayun and the Kalash valley.
If for any reason this is not the case, we
will reimburse you for any nights when you
are required to share.
Flights: If you would like us to send you a
quote for the suggested tour flight (see
GETTING THERE) or on any alternative
flight that may suit you better, please let
us know although it should be noted that
in most cases we are only able to quote on
flights originating in the UK.
Please remember that all Wild Frontiers
tour prices mean NO hidden extras, NO
local payments and NO compulsory single
supplements.
WILD FRONTIERS Adventure Travel Ltd Tel: +44 (0) 20 8741 7390 Fax: +44 (0) 20 8741 3610
Email: [email protected] Website: www.wildfrontierstravel.com
WHAT IS INCLUDED?






Full services of a Wild Frontiers Tour
Leader with local guides and drivers
Meal plan as detailed in the itinerary
(B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner)
with drinking water as required with
the majority of meals being taken in
local restaurants where viable
All transport as outlined in the
itinerary.
All accommodation
All entrance fees, as per itinerary
A carbon-offsetting contribution to
Carbon Clear (if booking international
flights through WF office)
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED






Visas (if applicable)
Local airport taxes
Tips (always optional, but some
guidance will be given in the predeparture information pack you’ll
receive after booking)
Beverages other than drinking water
& any costs of a personal nature
International flights to/from the
start/finish of the trip
Airport transfers (unless booking
suggested flights through WF office)
GETTING THERE
For this trip our suggested flights from
the UK (subject to change) are:
06OCT
06OCT
21OCT
21OCT
EK008
EK614
EK615
EK029
LHR-DXB 09:05/19:05
DXB-ISB 21:20/01:25+1
ISB-DXB 03:10/05:40
DXB-LHR 09:40/14:25
Key
LHR – London Heathrow
DXB – Dubai
ISB – Islamabad
EK – Emirates
NB If you wish to arrange your own flights
you are completely free to do so and in this
case we can arrange any transfers or
supplementary accommodation that you
may require.
Please note that if you are planning on
making your own flight arrangements, we
recommend that you first check with us to
see if the trip is guaranteed.
We then suggest that you purchase flights
that are flexible and ideally refundable as
due to the nature of adventure travel,
itineraries and destination accessibility
can change at any time. For more
information, please refer to our booking
conditions.
Insurance: Insurance that provides cover
for emergency repatriation in case of a
medical emergency is compulsory for all
tours. You should be aware that due to
some of the geographical areas visited and
some of the activities included on certain
of our trips some standard insurance
policies may not always provide adequate
cover. As such we strongly recommend
that you purchase a policy that adequately
covers your trip.
Travel & General offer a tailor-made
policy that provides cover for all Wild
Frontiers trips. Under this policy there are
two different levels of cover available Standard and Elite.
Cover explained:
Standard policy: a comprehensive travel
insurance policy that provides cover for all
Wild Frontiers activities, including
trekking up to 6,000m. This policy does not
provide cover for travel to areas where the
FCO is advising against all or all but
essential travel except where it has been
previously agreed.
Elite
policy:
provides
the
same
comprehensive level of cover as the
standard policy. In addition the Elite
policy also provides cover for travel to
areas where the FCO is advising against all
or all but essential travel. Except in the
case of terrorism, the policy will not
provide cover for any claims arising from
or relating to the reasons why the FCO is
advising against travel.
For this trip the minimum requirement
would be the Elite policy.
These policies are only available to those
travelling on a Wild Frontiers holiday and
can be purchased on a trip-specific basis
or annual cover. For more information
please refer to the details on our website
www.wildfrontierstravel.com/insurance
or by calling Travel & General direct on +
44 (0) 20 3794 2954. This insurance is
WILD FRONTIERS Adventure Travel Ltd Tel: +44 (0) 20 8741 7390 Fax: +44 (0) 20 8741 3610
Email: [email protected] Website: www.wildfrontierstravel.com
available to EEA residents (i.e. EU
countries as well as Iceland, Lichtenstein
and Norway) up to the age of 78. It covers
horse riding, mountain walking, trekking,
white-water rafting and all other activities
we offer as part of our tours.
If you are over 78 then you may still be
able to get your insurance arranged by
Travel & General Insurance Services
Limited. Please contact us for assistance
with this.
If you do decide to purchase alternative
insurance, then you must ensure that it
covers you for every aspect of this trip.
Please pay particular attention to ensuring
that you are covered for travel to areas
advised against by the FCO, and altitudes
of up to 4000m.
Wild Frontiers Limited is an Introducer
Appointed Representative of Travel &
General Insurance Service Ltd, details of
which can be found at the website of the
Financial
Conduct
Authority
(FCA)
www.fca.org.uk
Further details will be sent out to you on
booking, however ensuring that correct
and valid visas are obtained remains the
sole responsibility of the client.
Responsible Travel: Responsible travel
and sustainable tourism are fundamental
ideas that Wild Frontiers has been
committed to since our birth. It is our
strong belief that these words should not
be simply ‘tagged on’ to dossiers and
websites but should be at the very core of
each trip, and our adventures are
therefore designed with the local people,
culture and eco-system in mind. We
believe that a successful trip not only
delivers a unique and unsurpassable
journey for our clients, but that it also
benefits the peoples whose lands we are
privileged to visit.
In 2012 we were delighted to be awarded
the Guardian Observer Best Ethical Travel
Award.
Please note that no insurance policy will
cover every eventuality and terms and
conditions will apply in the event of any
claim. Both the Standard & Elite policies
provide cancellation cover up to a
maximum of £5000pp. Should you require
additional cover it is available on request.
Visas: Visas are necessary for many of the
destinations we travel to and while we aim
to provide you with the most up-to-date
information, requirements frequently
change and as such for the latest advice
we advise that you check with the relevant
embassies or contact our recommended
visa agency for this trip, details of which
are below:Visa Machine
+44 (0) 207 148 6402
http://wildfrontiers.thevisamachine.com
For this tour, UK passport holders
currently require a visa for Pakistan.
Non-UK passport holders or non-UK
residents should contact the relevant
embassies for individual requirements.
For more information, please refer to
www.wildfrontierstravel.com/rt
The
Wild
Frontiers
Foundation:
Supporting communities has always played
a huge part of the Wild Frontiers’ ethos
and from the outset we have contributed
to projects in many of the places we visit.
However in 2009 we decided to take things
a step further by setting up our own
charitable foundation. Through the Wild
Frontiers Foundation, we have not only
developed our own community projects
but also - by working closely with certain
carefully selected charity partners helped fund the invaluable work they do
throughout the developing world. With
our mandate firmly based on education
and sustainability we established our first
project in 2010 in the remote Northern
Pakistan village of Baleygon, where around
100 children are now being educated in a
WILD FRONTIERS Adventure Travel Ltd Tel: +44 (0) 20 8741 7390 Fax: +44 (0) 20 8741 3610
Email: [email protected] Website: www.wildfrontierstravel.com
school built and maintained by the
Foundation.
Working with charity partners we have also
established a number of e-learning centres
in schools across Ethiopia, sponsored an
English class in rural Northern Laos and
funded hospitality traineeships for a
number of young people from the Kolkata
slums in India. Where practicable, Wild
Frontiers clients will have the opportunity
to visit our projects whilst on tour.
Visit www.wildfrontiersfoundation.org to
see details of all our projects, along with
ways you can get involved by taking on the
challenge of a charity trek, attending our
fundraising events or simply giving what
you can. Other ongoing fundraising
schemes include:Go Paperless: For UK-based clients who
are happy for all their final travel
documents to be sent by email rather than
through the post, Wild Frontiers will
donate £5 from each booking to the
Foundation.
Kit Out for Kids: Nomad Travel Stores
generously donates 5% of purchases by
Wild Frontiers’ clients to the Foundation.
Quote WF1000 either online or in store
when purchasing clothing and kit and
Nomad will give you 20% off full priced
clothing and kit, plus the charitable
donation. Visit www.nomadtravel.co.uk
The Environment: Trying to do our bit for
the environment, in 2005 we were among
the first UK-based travel companies to
automatically offset every client’s
international flight (if booked with us)
with a payment to Carbon Clear to help
promote sustainable energy. To read more
about the work of Carbon Clear, please
follow this link:- www.carbon-clear.com
AITO Membership: Wild Frontiers is a
member of AITO, the Association of
Independent Tour Operators. AITO’s
charter states that its exclusive members
strive to create overseas holidays with
high levels of professionalism and a shared
concern for quality and personal service.
The Association encourages the highest
standards in all aspects of tour operating.
AITO sets criteria regarding ownership,
finance and quality which must be
satisfied before new companies are
admitted to membership. All members are
required to adhere to a Code of Business
Practice
which
encourages
high
operational standards and conduct.
British Foreign & Commonwealth Office:
The travel advice of the British Foreign &
Commonwealth Office (FCO) highlights
potential hazards people might experience
when travelling abroad and as an advocate
of their “Know Before You Go” campaign
we strongly suggest that you refer to it
before booking and contact us if you have
any queries or concerns. Details can be
found on the website below.
Non-UK citizens should consult the travel
advice of their respective governments.
WILD FRONTIERS Adventure Travel Ltd Tel: +44 (0) 20 8741 7390 Fax: +44 (0) 20 8741 3610
Email: [email protected] Website: www.wildfrontierstravel.com
Wild Frontiers Community
If you’re still not sure if this trip is right or
just want to see get some different
perspectives, then why not have a look at
the wide variety of resources we have on
our website?
PAKISTAN – THE
FACTS
Clients’ Views: See what other travellers
have said about our trips –
www.wildfrontierstravel.com/views
Blogs: See what our tour-leaders, staff and
clients have posted from the road www.wildfrontierstravel.com/blog
Videos: They may not find their way on
the list for Oscars nominations but we have
an extensive (and growing) collection of
short videos giving you an insight in many
of our destinations –
www.wildfrontierstravel.com/video
Photos: Our popular “Photo of the month”
competition has added to the vast gallery
of photos we already have from around the
world. See them here www.wildfrontierstravel.com/photos
Events: From time to time we hold
informal presentations, photo exhibitions
and dinner evenings mainly in the London
area. To find out more see here –
www.wildfrontierstravel.com/events
Chitral: Lying in a fertile valley beneath
the mighty Tirich Mir – at 7,700m the
highest mountain in the Hindu Kush –
Chitral Town is a cosy place, inhabited by
warm and welcoming people. A lively
bazaar, many of the stalls and restaurants
run by Afghan refugees, leads through its
centre to the small airstrip at one end and
the polo field at the other. The old mud
fort, scene of the famous British siege, still
rests on the banks of the River next to the
imposing Shahi Mosque. From here the hot
springs of Garam Chashma, the Kalash
Valleys, Mastuj and the Shandor Pass are
all accessible. Cut off as it is from the rest
of the country by high mountains, Chitral
has developed its own particular feel and
charm.
Wild Miles Club: Everyone that has booked
a trip directly with us will become an
automatic member of the Wild Miles Club
gaining instant access to a range of
exclusive discounts from a variety of travel
partners from bookshops to outdoor
clothing shops. In addition, regular direct
bookers will earn “Wild Miles” which can
earn you up to 10% in discounts off of all
tours. For more information visit this page
- www.wildfrontierstravel.com/wild-miles
Facebook: Keep up to date with the latest
news and special offers by liking our
Facebook page –
www.facebook.com/wildfrontiers
The Kalash: Obscured by time, the routes
of the Kalash are steeped in myth and
legend. Descended, they maintain, from
the armies of Alexander the Great, at one
time their ancestors ruled all the way from
the Panjshir Valley, north of Kabul, to
Swat and Chitral in a land known as
Kafiristan – literally, Land of the
Unbelievers – and it was here that Rudyard
WILD FRONTIERS Adventure Travel Ltd Tel: +44 (0) 20 8741 7390 Fax: +44 (0) 20 8741 3610
Email: [email protected] Website: www.wildfrontierstravel.com
Kipling set his famous short story, The Man
Who Would Be King. But when
Afghanistan’s eastern border was finally
agreed upon in 1893 – cutting right through
Kafiristan – the ruthless Amir of Kabul
seized the opportunity to invade the land
on his side of the border, convert the
infidels and change its name to Nuristan –
Land of Light. In what was probably the
last forced mass conversion in history,
Kafiristan was reduced to the lands of the
Kalash.
Worshipping a plethora of ancestral gods,
the Kalash hold colourful religious festivals
of music and dance, drink wine, sacrifice
animals and – though these practices have
largely been forgotten – are still known to
place effigies over the graves of their dead
and judge a man by the size of the parties
he gives. Though the men now wear the
standard Pakistani shalwar kameez, the
women still dress in traditional garb;
voluminous black dresses held tight round
the waist with thick red belts, flamboyant
head-dresses made of wool, decorated
with cowry shells, old buttons, beads and
bells and, perhaps most striking of all,
around their necks great strands of
coloured beads. Practising the ancient
agricultural system of transhumance, the
Kalash divide the summer months between
herding their goats in the high pastures
and tending their crops of wheat and
maize in the valleys. Apricots, mulberries
and walnuts are collected and dried for
winter while the grapes are made into
wine.
During the seventies, when local Muslims
forced a number of conversions upon the
Kalash, their numbers shank to just two
thousand. However, with protection from
the government, a decrease in voluntary
conversion and a great reduction in the
child mortality rate, the last two decades
have seen their numbers double.
The Shandur Pass: Situated between
Chitral and Gilgit, in the heart of the Hindu
Kush, the Shandur Pass is a spectacular
mountain plateau rising to a height of
almost 4,000 metres. Surrounded by snowcapped peaks, dissected by tumbling rivers
teeming with trout and inhabited by
grazing yaks, eagles, fox and the rare snow
leopard, this is where the subcontinent
dramatically transforms into Central Asia.
It is also home to the highest polo ground
in the world. In our opinion, for the
purposes of camping, there is simply
nowhere better. The three or four-day
journey from Chitral to Gilgit is when Wild
Frontiers truly lives up to its name.
Hunza and Gilgit: There is a saying in
Hunza: A house without a view is like a
house without a roof. All homes, and
hotels, have sensational panoramas of this
most majestic valley. Three hours north of
Gilgit, on the famous Karakoram Highway,
Hunza is quite simply one of the most
impressive places you’re ever likely to see.
In spring when cherry and apple blossom
soak the trees and autumn, when the
colours turn from green to rich amber,
ochre and gold, the scene is simply breath
taking. With the local inhabitants often
WILD FRONTIERS Adventure Travel Ltd Tel: +44 (0) 20 8741 7390 Fax: +44 (0) 20 8741 3610
Email: [email protected] Website: www.wildfrontierstravel.com
living to over a hundred years old, there’s
little wonder Victorians regarded this
spectacular valley as an earthly Shangri
La.
By contrast Gilgit is certainly no postcard
town. Encircled by stark black mountains
Gilgit carries the oppressive feeling of a
place cut off from the rest of the world.
However, since the opening of the
Karakoram Highway and the Khunjarab
Pass the old trade route between China
and the subcontinent has flourished giving
rise to a teeming bazaar packed with
strange goods, animals and people. It is
also a superb place to watch frontier polo
– a wild version of the spectacular sport
where few, if any, rules apply.
WILD FRONTIERS Adventure Travel Ltd Tel: +44 (0) 20 8741 7390 Fax: +44 (0) 20 8741 3610
Email: [email protected] Website: www.wildfrontierstravel.com
How to book:
In order to confirm your booking we need to have a completed signed booking form for each client
together with a £400 deposit per person. You can either return your booking form to us by post or
by booking online at www.wildfrontierstravel.com
You can contact the office by email to [email protected] or we are very happy to take
your call on + 44 (0) 20 8741 7390.
Protection for you money:
The Association of Bonded Travel Organisers Trust Limited (ABTOT) provides
financial protection under the Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package
Tours Regulations 1992 for Wild Frontiers, and in the event of their insolvency,
protection is provided for the following:
1.
non-flight packages commencing in and returning to the UK;
2.
non-flight packages commencing and returning to a country other than
the UK; and
3.
flight inclusive packages that commence outside of the UK, which are
sold to customers outside of the UK.
1, 2 and 3 provides for a refund in the event you have not yet travelled. 1 and
3 provides for repatriation. Please note that bookings made outside the UK
are only protected by ABTOT when purchased directly with Wild Frontiers.
If you choose to book your international flights with us then you will also be ATOL
protected as we hold an Air Travel Organiser’s Licence granted by the Civil Aviation
Authority (CAA). Our ATOL number is 5975. In the unlikely event of our insolvency,
the CAA will arrange to refund any monies to you that you have paid for an advance
booking and ensure that you are not stranded abroad. For further information visit
www.atol.org.uk
We recommend that you take out adequate travel insurance at the time of booking in the event
that you are no longer able to travel as all deposits are non-refundable – full booking conditions
can be found on the booking form and online at our website.
As we’re sure you can appreciate, Wild Frontiers trips can be quite
complex affairs to arrange and certain elements (such as permits, visa
authorisations, trains and flights) may need to be requested several
months in advance. As such, wherever possible, we would encourage you
to plan ahead and book early to avoid disappointment. Moreover, by
booking early you are much more likely to get the best price for your
whole
tour.
For
further
details,
please
refer
to
www.wildfrontierstravel.com/book-early
Further information:
When you make a confirmed booking with Wild Frontiers we will send you a pre-departure
information pack giving you details on visas, health and vaccinations, packing lists, suggested
reading on the region, photography and other useful tips to make your trip more enjoyable.
WILD FRONTIERS Adventure Travel Ltd Tel: +44 (0) 20 8741 7390 Fax: +44 (0) 20 8741 3610
Email: [email protected] Website: www.wildfrontierstravel.com
Why Wild Frontiers?
Wild Frontiers is proud to have been regularly voted one of the top ten tour operators by readers of
Wanderlust Travel Magazine over the last ten years. A number of our innovative itineraries have been
included in National Geographic Traveller Magazine’s “Trips of a Lifetime”, and our acclaimed Tour
Leaders regularly feature in the Wanderlust World Guide Awards, with Mark Steadman winning gold in
2015. Responsible travel has always been incredibly important to us, so we were delighted to be awarded
Best Ethical Tour Operator by The Guardian/Observer in 2012.
We are frequently asked what makes Wild Frontiers different from other tour operators. Below are a
few of the factors that we believe set us apart from our competitors and form the reasons as to why our
clients travel with us again and again…
Personal Service & Expertise: Our London office is manned by experienced expedition leaders and most
trips we run stem from our first-hand knowledge - in short, we run the kind of holidays that as passionate
travellers, we like to do ourselves. When you ring our office, you can be guaranteed to chat to someone
who knows the region and the terrain and is able to offer sound and practical advice.
Authentic, Cutting-Edge Experiences: Our unique, original itineraries allow you to take journeys that
venture beneath the surface of the region. We rarely run any group tour more than a couple of times a
year and they are typically on routes we have discovered for ourselves, meaning we are able to give a
truly authentic, off-the-beaten-track experience.
Be the First: Our style of travel is all about exploration, and nothing excites us more than opening up
new routes to genuine travellers, even if that makes our job harder at times! We keep abreast of new
destinations and are often the first to return to places that have vanished from the tourist map. We were
the first back into Pakistan after 9/11, the first to return to Kashmir after a decade of tourist isolation,
and amongst the first to run a commercial travel trip to Afghanistan for almost 30 years. Since then we
have helped bring Colombia, Iran, Georgia and Bangladesh back into the tourist fold, specialising in
ground-breaking reconnaissance trips and imaginative expeditions.
Small Group Size: On our escorted tours, we believe it is imperative to keep the group sizes small. Most
trips are limited to an average maximum of 12 travellers, thus giving you more access to fragile cultures,
better opportunities to interact with local people, and the knowledge you are making less of an impact
while there. “Having been a bit apprehensive about joining a group as a single traveller, I found myself
surrounded by interesting, friendly, helpful people who I hope to catch up with again on future trips.”
Angela Chick, Kashmir Group Tour
Cost of Group Tours: We believe in an honest, upfront pricing structure so you know exactly what the
tour will cost before you book. On our group tours we avoid local payments, ‘optional extras’ or forcing
our clients to go through the annoying procedure of splitting every meal bill. Our tours are provided on
a predominantly full board basis, with drinking water, government permits, entrance fees and transport
all included.
Our clients: Your companions can make or break a trip, and it’s lucky therefore that our clients are often
our greatest asset. Travelling to remote regions is not for everyone, and as such we tend to attract openminded travellers looking for genuine experiences, and a desire to reach those hard to get to places.
Responsible Travel: Awarded 5 star status by AITO (Association of Independent Tour
operators), responsible tourism (RT) has always been an integral part of our company
ethos and our adventures are designed with the local people, culture and eco-system
in mind. In 2012 we were awarded the Guardian Observer Best Ethical Travel Award.
For further details please refer to the RT section of our website www.wildfrontierstravel.com/rt
WILD FRONTIERS Adventure Travel Ltd Tel: +44 (0) 20 8741 7390 Fax: +44 (0) 20 8741 3610
Email: [email protected] Website: www.wildfrontierstravel.com