Trip to India via Pakistan
 

Hello Everyone

Just joined the HUB, I’m planning a trip overland to India, via Iran and Pakistan.

I would appreciate any relevant information on Pakistan and Iran.

Pakistan in view of the troubles there at present, I am reading Mike S blog, any suggested routes that avoid problem areas, would be appreciated.

Does anyone out there know if it is possible to cross from Pakistan into India via any other boarder crossings except for Wagha ( Lahore ).

I will be coming from Iran and wonder if I can get into India anywhere in Rajasthan.

I believe that the only road crossing point into India from Pakistan is Wagha, is this correct, Anyone know.

I am reading the thread on Best way to cross Pakistan on the forum.

Thanks Roger

Hi Roger

Lucky you, doing this route.

There has been quite a lot of discussion on the HUBB recently regarding Iran/Pakistan. Unless you plan to drive around North Waziristan in a Hummer brandishing a bottle of vodka and playing the Israeli National Anthem through loudspeakers and wearing a t-shirt printed with a message saying 'F&*k Osama Bin Laden', I really wouldn't allow yourself to be put off going to Pakistan. Follow the relevant FCO advisories as far as possible, but at all times you will statistically be more at risk of a road accident than anything else.

Unless you are a Kashmiri militant, there are just 3 border crossings between India and Pakistan. One of these (for the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service) is not open to foreigners at all, while the one between Sind and Rajasthan can be used by foreigners , but ONLY if they are travelling by train. Otherwise it's just Wagah. Make sure you get there at the right time to see the border-closing ceremony!

Mark

overlandcruiser.net

Thanks for that Mark.

I have actually been to Lahore only once and I did not drive there, about 1996 I think it was.

Watching the news channels, it seems that wrong place wrong time is in order at the moment.

If you go somewhere in Pakistan you could get caught up in something, that is to some extent of course true of everywhere in the World.

Does seem however that Pakistan is going through it at the moment, lets hope they come out the other side in once piece.

There is a risk in everything I will keep watching the forums and see how things develop.

Probably will not be until early next year so will have to see how things develop in Pakistan.

I did think that it was only Wagha for road crossings, and it certainly is far to cold to be a Kashmiri militant.

Certainly will want to see the closing of the gate.

Roger

Hello Roger,

We did travel end 2008 from Holland (crossing Bulgarije) to Nepal and did make a website wih movies, a diary and storys.
Perhaps fun to see and read: Going East - Home

Enjoy!

Hi Bertrand

Thanks for your reply. Tried to PM you but i don't have enough posts for that yet.

Sometime i do talk and say nothing.

I should have asked what GPS is best to buy.

Ill take a look at the 60CSX.

Roger

Latest news..

DAWN.COM | Pakistan | Iran shuts its border with Pakistan

Iran closes border point with Pakistan


My trip gonna start late September. And route is iran-pakistan-india..

And i am not gonna change this route unless there is a real war in Pakistan..But who knows..

And about the GPS device, i ordered 60 CSX..it seems that it is the best one you can get nowadays..

Hello!

I'm in exactly the same boat. Planning a trip from UK through Greece, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan and India - starting this September.

Watching the news every day and talking to people who know people in Iran & Pakistan to try to gauge the situation - as it stands I feel it is safe enough to travel without feeling threatened all the time, but I don't know if the authorities that be will issue the visas we need...

I also just got the Garmin GPSmap 60CSx and am quite pleased with it, let me know if you want to exchange notes.

Alex

Hi Alex
 

Are you on the road now?

Sorry i did not read this before, Mick S blog was a link i found on Horizons website, but i don't know know where it was, but it was as i was reading about going Turkey or Pakistan.

Let me know how you are doing.

Happy New Year to you all.

Roger

currently in Islamabad PAK
 

We are currently in Islamabad waiting for our Indian visas.
We crossed from Turkmenistan into Iran with no problems. From Bam in Iran we had a military escort all the way to the border. Crossed into Pakistan at Taftan (the only border crossing open for foreigners on Dec 15th) from the border we had to take the route that they Pakistani military and customs officers told us we would be taking and the only route currently open to us. This was Taftan - Quetta - Sukkur - Multan - Lahore. This was done with a military/police escort 24/7. Nice guys though.
Some hotels would not take us. We have a list and GPS refs of those that did this will be available on our website.2ridetheworld.com
After Lahore we were left on our own for the first time and then travelled to Islamabad once again on our own :-)
We were advised that if we wanted to go further north or west then once again we would be escorted and currently no travel is allowed to Peshwar...not that we want to go there at the moment! In the last few days there have been many attacks and suicide bombers.
However, despite all of this we are so keen to one day come back and travel Pakistan when the situation within the country has improved.
Currently our FCO advise is against travel to PAK but we were able to obtain a letter of recommendation from the British embassy in Tehran without any problems at all and the visa process at the Pak embassy in Tehran took all of 2 working days! Maybe we were just lucky.
Unless the situation gets a lot worse I would say try to travel Pakistan but just be prepared to be told exactly where you can and cannot go..expect to have your travel times and speeds dictated to you by whomever is escorting you at the time. Just relax and accept it - they are doing you a big favour and just trying to keep you alive and out of trouble....I am sure they all have better things to do than to babysit us travelllers!
whatever you do do - enjoy the people of PAK - they are great.
if you need something to read our journal of this part of our journey including GPS refs, photos etc will be up and online in the next couple of weeks.