Northern Pakistan

Anyone planning or have recently been to Karimabad, Skardu areas?
Would appreciate any thoughts or opinions from the traveler(s) involved.

And which international airline? and from which country/city.
Thanks.

George

I was in Karimabad, Gilgit and Swat valley in August 2001. Is that recent
enough for you?
what do you want to know?


"George Fahrenkopf" a écrit dans le message de
...
Anyone planning or have recently been to Karimabad, Skardu areas?
Would appreciate any thoughts or opinions from the traveler(s) involved.

And which international airline? and from which country/city.
Thanks.

George

Thanks for your prompt reply.

I was scheduled to return to the Northern area for a 19-day jeep safari on
September 22, 2001 but canceled because of 9-11. I imagine that conditions
have changed since and wanted to get a sense of what to expect in regards to
safe and friendly travel. Also British Airways does not fly into Islamabad
and I wondered what would be an alternate airline from USA. PIA seems to be
the obvious carrier but again I would like someone's opinion.

I contacted my original Pakistani outfitter who assured me I would be
welcomed by the locals with open arms. However I would like an outsider's
opinion hence my posting here.

George.

Dziadzia wrote:

I was in Karimabad, Gilgit and Swat valley in August 2001. Is that recent
enough for you?
what do you want to know?

"George Fahrenkopf" a écrit dans le message de
...
Anyone planning or have recently been to Karimabad, Skardu areas?
Would appreciate any thoughts or opinions from the traveler(s) involved.

And which international airline? and from which country/city.
Thanks.

George

In article , says...
Thanks for your prompt reply.

I was scheduled to return to the Northern area for a 19-day jeep safari on
September 22, 2001 but canceled because of 9-11. I imagine that conditions
have changed since and wanted to get a sense of what to expect in regards to
safe and friendly travel. Also British Airways does not fly into Islamabad
and I wondered what would be an alternate airline from USA. PIA seems to be
the obvious carrier but again I would like someone's opinion.

I contacted my original Pakistani outfitter who assured me I would be
welcomed by the locals with open arms. However I would like an outsider's
opinion hence my posting here.

I would have thought that it is dangerous for a western tourist to
travel across Pakistan at the moment.
--

Alfred Molon

http://www.molon.de/Galleries.htm - Photos from Myanmar, Brunei,
Malaysia, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Nepal, Egypt, Austria, Budapest and
Portugal

"George Fahrenkopf" schrieb im Newsbeitrag
...
welcomed by the locals with open arms. However I would like an outsider's
opinion hence my posting here.

German authorities explicitly warn of Pakistan.
http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/www/d...der_ausgabe_ht
ml?type_id=4&land_id=129

Generally they warning counts for the whole country, but their special
announcements are all for the boarder regions, because of tourist kidnapping,
drug smuggling and other crimes. The Kashmir region is still the most
dangerous in Pakistan. So if you stay off the boarders, it may be possible.

But anyway, I wouldn't go there right now. There are other nice and safer
countries that you haven't traveled yet, I assume. So, as long as you don't
need that special thrill, let it.

Johannes!

I forgot: US state department travel warnings:
http://travel.state.gov/warnings_list.html

Thanks Alfred and Johannes,

I'm aware of the warnings but hoped to get a view from a recent traveler. I
agree with staying away from the borders especially the North West Frontier
Province that borders Afghanistan.

For the past few years I've trekked in Central Asia's Commomwealth of
Independent States, the Andes and western Mongolia earlier this year. My
alternative to Pakistan is a solo, guided trek in the Taklamakan Desert and I
already have an itinerary and costs for this adventure. Well, I've got some
thinking to do. Thanks again.

George in USA

Johannes Beck wrote:

But anyway, I wouldn't go there right now. There are other nice and safer
countries that you haven't traveled yet, I assume. So, as long as you don't
need that special thrill, let it.

Johannes!

as much as I love Pakistan, I have learned one thing in 33 years ofr travel
around S. Asia. There's always trouble somewhere, and there's always some
breathtakingly cool spot that's very safe that I have yet to visit. Need I
say more?
"George Fahrenkopf" wrote in message
...
Thanks Alfred and Johannes,

I'm aware of the warnings but hoped to get a view from a recent traveler.
I
agree with staying away from the borders especially the North West
Frontier
Province that borders Afghanistan.

For the past few years I've trekked in Central Asia's Commomwealth of
Independent States, the Andes and western Mongolia earlier this year. My
alternative to Pakistan is a solo, guided trek in the Taklamakan Desert
and I
already have an itinerary and costs for this adventure. Well, I've got
some
thinking to do. Thanks again.

George in USA

Johannes Beck wrote:

But anyway, I wouldn't go there right now. There are other nice and
safer
countries that you haven't traveled yet, I assume. So, as long as you
don't
need that special thrill, let it.

Johannes!

I'm aware of the warnings but hoped to get a view from a recent traveler.
I
agree with staying away from the borders especially the North West
Frontier
Province that borders Afghanistan.

Well, the area known as NWFP is vast, the Pashtu speaking parts are probably
unsafe, and extremely so, but Chitral, north of Dir might be completely OK.
Nice people, totally different from the Pathans.

Per
http://lowdin.nu

I agree. I have been up there with a tribal guide. Even the Brits could not

control them during their 100-plus years of "occupation."

George



Well, the area known as NWFP is vast, the Pashtu speaking parts are probably
unsafe, and extremely so, but Chitral, north of Dir might be completely OK.
Nice people, totally different from the Pathans.