Come ride Pakistan with me in 2014 i had 2 Americans come in summer 2013 and below are some pictures from the tour.. BARFistan 2014 Hey ADAers, hope everyone’s doing great on here. Those of you who were following "Project Pakistan 2013" probably recognized that it was a great opportunity to eliminate some of the misconceptions most have about the east. The project was not solely focused on Pakistan though, or even motorcycles as a matter of fact. It was mostly about adventure, getting out of the safety cocoon of familiarity of a 9 to 5 lifestyle and braving a land that you’ve seen portrayed as a warzone. I have become such a travel junkie and wanted to create more occasions for you guys to cut yourself loose and come explore the hidden beauty of Pakistani’s many cultures and have a life-changing experience (without breaking the bank and me as the best tour-guide you’ll ever have). So, 2014 is just around the corner and since Project Pakistan 2013 was incredibly successful, I’d like to host PP again in Pakistan next year. I was lucky to have so many local companies generously sponsoring our last trip, and have been trying hard to secure more sponsors for 2 tours in 2014. After a lot of running around, I’ve been able to cut costs to the bare minimum for these two trips. Motorcycle rentals are the most expensive thing on this trip. I’ve sent out proposals to Honda Pakistan, Suzuki Pakistan, and Kawasaki Pakistan and crossing my fingers for a positive response. Unfortunately, my contacts at the companies are saying that the market has been struggling and chances of landing a sponsorship are pretty grim. There’s still a chance though, so lets hope for the best! I’ll be hosting two tours in 2014: - Tour 1: 23rd MAY to 7th JUNE (Fully booked with 10 confirmed riders) - Tour 2: 31st JULY to 14th AUGUST (4 spots remaining) Itineraries: Tour 1 Note: A big chunk of the roads are unpaved, however, prior off-road riding experience is not essential. You will be camping just for 1 night on the Shandur Polo Field, the rest of the nights will be spent in hotels or Rest Houses. I want to start this first tour at the end of May considering it’s the best time to explore the northwestern side of Pakistan. The tour starts from Islamabad, and then we’ll be en route towards Mardan, up to Chitral/Kalaash (the lost tribe), on towards Shandur (the highest polo field in the world), head to Gilgit, and finally arrive to my favorite area of Hunza-Karimabad. We'll be resting here, spending some time visiting their magnificent bazaar, and getting lost in this awe-inspiring peaceful hidden paradise. After Hunza Valley, we’ll go further north, cross the Atabaad lake on a ferry, and ride the highest international road in the world to The Khunjerab Pass. Tour 2 Note: A big chunk of the roads are unpaved, however, prior off-road riding experience is not essential. You will be camping just for 1 night at Deosai Plains National Park, the rest of the nights will be spent in hotels or Rest Houses. I want to start the second tour at the end of July considering it’s the best time to explore the northeast side of Pakistan. The tour starts from Islamabad, with us heading up the famous KaraKorum Highway to Chillas, from there, we’ll ride towards the Deosai Plains (second highest plains in the world), then to Skardu where we’ll explore the gorgeous Skardu desert, and finally we’ll ride to Gilgit and Hunza-Karimabad. We'll be resting here, spending some time visiting their magnificent bazaar, exploring the 800+ year-old forts, and getting lost in this awe-inspiring peaceful hidden paradise. After Hunza Valley, we’ll go further north, cross the Atabaad lake on a ferry, and ride the highest international road in the world to The Khunjerab Pass. Both the tours will last for 2 weeks. If you wanted to spend a few extra days here, we’ll definitely be able to work some things out. I’ve calculated the costs to be roughly $1000 per week This will include: - Motorcycle rental - Fuel for the entire journey - Motorcycle maintenance during the journey (oil changes/filters/fluids/plugs etc) - Support vehicle (you won't have to carry luggage on the bike with you) - Hotels - Camping equipment - All toll and ferry charges - 3 meals a day (breakfast-lunch-dinner) a lot of tea as well - 2 helpers who will help you with everything from riding your motorcycle when you're tired to giving you a massage on top of the Himalayas - Any transportation/extra fee in case of landslide Not included: - Your airfare - Visa fees - Insurance costs - Any other expenses you make (shopping, beer, wine, hookers, male strippers etc) - Burning down your motorcycle when you're cold and you can't find wood This is going to be a first-come, first-served basis. There are 10 spots open for each tour, and I’ll keep a waiting list, too, in case some drops out. I posted some pictures of Project Pakistan 2013 on a couple of other moto forums and received a slew of emails from the members asking about a 2014 tour. I’ve been getting good vibes here, so lets make it happen! i thought ill put some pictures for those who are not familiar with Project Pakistan 'Project Pakistan 2013' Deosai Plains the second highest plains in the world Last bridge before the second highest Mountain in the world K2 twists much? wait!! it gets better and better seems like the edge of the world! Lowari Pass Riding in Pakistan is not like your sunday ride to Starbucks you won't only be riding along the mountains, you'll be riding under them at times Wooaahh!! Shandur's entrance!!! into the wild sorta. gorgeous eh? imagine being there!! we spent a couple hours by the fire A night here is to be experienced at least once. This picture does not do justice to the amount of stars and beauty Shandur has at night.
theres a lot more on www.facebook.com/adaMoin you'll find 5 episodes of around 5 minutes each on the 2013 pakistan tour too :) or youtube ADifferentAgenda
Wow! Looks like an awesome trip! What is the approximate distance covered by each of the tours? Any complexity for US citizens getting visas for Pakistan? Dan
I have 8 Americans coming for tour 1 http://bayarearidersforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=444297 Visa is a breeze, I'm a US citizen myself but i was born and raised in Pakistan. check the link above for more info.. 2 americans came in summer 2013, they got visas in under a week. they spent 26 days in the himalayas with me.. you can find videos from the tour on www.facebook.com/adamoin or search ADifferentAgenda on youtube of Facebook.
Moin!! I will be leaving Brisbane in 2-3 weeks heading through SE Asia on a Suzuki DR650 on my way to Pakistan/Europe. I would love to ride on your special tour #2. I do follow your adventures on Facebook and really hope to hang out or tour with you somewhere in the next 2 years. We will have mucho FUN!! Moto being moto I have no idea when I will make it to Pakistan but I can try to arrive by the end of July if you will let me tag along on my own bike
Of course, I'm here for you travelers. save my email, ADifferentAgenda@gmail.com. Email me when you're close to Pakistan, we'll make it work :)
Thanks my friend Hope you have a great trip to Thar. Im sure the people will appreciate it. Its been very dry in Australia up until this week so maybe we can push some rain your way now we have some. Travel well
