What to pack on a trip to northern Pakistan?

Having written a travel guide to Pakistan, and having travelled quite extensively in Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber-Pukhtoonkhwa (including an insane motorbike trip to the Khunjerab Pass last year), I tend to get asked a lot what to pack.

Needless to say, you should pack light – travel in northern Pakistan is usually by local transport, and there tends to be a lot of moving around on foot, bus and in the backs of Suzuki vans.

I recently travelled to the gorgeous Kumrat Valley near Swat in Khyber-Pukhtoonkhwa for a four day guided trek and tour of the region courtesy of Aventru Treks and Travels – the whole trip was wonderfully organised and the Kumrat Valley is simply stunning. I’ll be sharing much more about that in future posts here!

Today, however, I’ll be sharing with you my packing list for a short trip to the north! Aside from the usual thing like clothes and shoes (!), my tried and tested packing list is;

• Power bank. There are lots of places where you’ll be without electricity for a whle
• Earphones for the long bus rides. Noise-cancelling headphones are even better, unless you’re into tinny Bollywood soundtracks
• Sunglasses. The mountains are covered in snow and glare is harsh.
• Electricity adaptor to charge the camera
• Chapstick – the alpine sun and wind is abrasive
• Water bottle to fill up at mountain springs – no need to waste plastic bottles
• Deodorant – treks get sweaty, even in the mountains
• Passport and drivers licence – don’t even think about heading north without your passport
• Passport sized photos and copies of my passport and visa pages – security checkpoints often require them
• Motion sickness medication – long winding bus rides and a tummy full of chai don’t make good friends.
• Shalwar kameez – helps to blend in if I end up in a more conservative part of the north
• Hoodie – it’s an extra layer the hood can be especially useful in the evenings when there is a chilly breeze
• Beanie – it’s surprising how much body heat escapes via your head
• Down jacket – it packs away compact, it’s light to carry and ultra warm.
• Shawl – pleasant to drape over yourself if it’s a bit chilly (but not cold enough to rug up), plus it makes a great makeshift blanket/pillow for long bus rides or under-appointed hotel rooms.

Disclaimer: I travelled to the Kumrat Valley courtesy of Aventru Treks and Travels, who sponsored my journey there. I had such a wonderful time, and would definitely recommend this Lahore-based tour company – they’re not just professional but also on the same wavelength as us travellers who want to really get under the skin of a place!

What do you pack on a trip to the mountains? Comment below!