Pakistan 2006

Pakistan

Hindu Kush Adventure       September 28th to October 13th 2006   This was a trip with Wild Frontiers

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Day 1    Left London in the evening for the overnight flight to Islamabad

Day 2    Arrived early in the morning and drove along the Grand Trunk Road to Peshawar. We stopped at Attock Bridge to see Akbar's Fort before arriving at the Khan Klub in Peshawar. After lunch we visited the bazaar and the Mahabat Khan Mosque for Friday Prayers.

Women washing beside

the river indus

Mary chatting

to shopkeepers

Selling snacks

Inside the Mahabat Khan

Mosque, Peshawar

Decoration inside the

Mahabat Khan Mosque,

Peshawar

Fiday prayers at the

Mahabat Khan Mosque

Day 3    During the morning we visited the Museum, Carpet shop and Book shop while after lunch we visited a Truck Painting Yard. Our evening meal was in an Afghan Restaurant, after which we watched cricket being played in one of Peshawar's main highways.

In the bazaar, Peshawar

Dried fruit seller,

Peshawar

Selling cheese in

the street, Peshawar

Truck Painting, Peshawar

Our Kebabs

Painting in the wheel arch

of a truck

Alison and Rob at the

Afgan Restaurant,

Peshawar

Playng cricket in the road

outside the Khan Klub,

Peshawar

Amanda, Anne and Mary

at the Afgan Restaurant,

Peshawar

Day 4    Leaving early we made our way to the railway station to board the Khyber Steam Safari. The journey past through outlying villages of Peshawar and across the International Airport Runway. After 34 tunnels and over 92 bridges we arrived at Landi Kotal having traveled for four hours. At the Michni Post we were only a few miles from the Durand line forming the Afgan border. After lunch in the Khyber Rifles Officers' Mess we returned to Peshawar.

Khyber Steam Train

preparing to leave

Peshawar station

Train passing through the

outskirts of Peshawar

Khyber Steam Train

preparing to leave

Peshawar station

Rob on the train

Train passing through the

outskirts of Peshawar

Some of the party

waiting for departure

Train crossing the

International Airport

main runway

Hangers on!

Pipe Band on

Jamrud Platform

Ticket office.

Village in the

Kabul Valley

The road up the pass

and one of many forts

Some of our police guard

At one of the switchbacks,

gaining height on a steep

part of the track

Another of the 34 tunnels

Khyber Rifle Officers

Looking towards the Afgan

Border from Michni Post

with the border town of

Torkham in the valley

Rob at the Michni Post

Tree placed under arrest

for moving by officers

after a night out!

A group photograph at

Michni Post looking

towards the Afgan border

Day 5    To-day we left for Dir. Traveling northwards we passed through agricultural land before climbing up into the foot hills of the Hindu Kush. Before crossing the Malakand Pass we stopped to view the Gandharean Buddist Monastery at Takht-i-Bhai. After lunch beside the Swat River we crossed the river at Chakdara where we could see Churchill's Picket, where Winston spent a few months in 1896. We arrived in Dir in the late afternoon.

Buddist Monastry at

Takht-e-Bhai

Walking up to the

Gandharen Monastry

at Takht-e-Bhai

Buddist nitch at

Takht-e-Bhai

Buddist Monastry at

Takht-e-Bhai

Zafir choosing fruit

for our lunch

Buddist Monastry at

Takht-e-Bhai

Cattle grazing at

lunch stop

Lunch stop by River Swat

Transporter across the

River Swat

Transporter across

the River Swat

The Swat River

Churchill's Picket,

Damkot Hill, Chakdora

Day 6    In Dir we met the Jeeps which were to take us over the Lowari Pass(3118m). After negotiating the many hair pin bends we reached Naghar for lunch in the gardens of the fort. Continuing up the Chitral River we reached Ayun for the night. The guest house has wonderful views of Tirich Mir(7690m)

Village above Dir

The new rail tunnel being

built below the Lowari Pass

The road up to the

Lowari Pass

The road up to the

Lowari Pass

Jeeps at the

Lowari Pass

The road up to the

Lowari Pass

Not the only one

needing refreshment

Drinking Green Tea

Washing up

The road up to the

Lowari Pass

The road down from the

Lowari Pass

Approaching the Chaikana at

the top of the Lowari Pass

Alison and Amanda getting

a better view

The Chitral River

Near the top of the

Lowari Pass

Crossing the river at

Naga Fort

The Chitral river

Crossing the river at

Naga Fort

The Chitral River

Typical Road Surface

Bridge over the

Chitral River

The Chitral River

Cultivation besides the

Chitral River

Arriving in Ayun

Sun setting on Tirich Mir

Khushamdul-Muick or

Kushi. Son of the final

Mehtar of Chitral.

Evening sun on the

mountain range bordering

the Chitral River

Day 7    In the morning we had an interesting walk around Ayun before making our way up to the Kalash valley of Rumbur and the village of Balanguru. A short walk in the afternoon gave us an insight into the interesting sights of the next few days.

Tirich Mir

Tirich Mir

Hillside - Ayun

Tirich Mir

Old building in Ayun

Baboo

The Ayun River

Bringing in the Harvest

Ayun Castle Guesthouse

Ayun women

Driving up the

Rumbar Valley

Entering the

Rumbar Valley

The Rumbar Valley

Kalasha Children

The new Hydro-electric

Plant

Kalasha girl

Flour Mill driven by water

Kalasha Young lady

Kalasha lady weaving

Corner of the sacred altar

Drying the fruit

Kitchen

The sacred altar

Wooden carvings at the

altar site

Young Kalasha lady

Typical way to cook

Boy carying basket

Day 8    We walked up the valley the next morning to the Nuristani village of Shakanande was delightful. The weather was glorious and the local people friendly. We spent some time with a Kalasha family high up on the hillside before retuning to Balanguru.

The School in Balanguru

The Rumbar Valley

The Sacred Wood

The Nuristani village of

Shaikhanandeh

Looking up the Rumbur

valley towards the

Afganistan border

Corn growing near

Shaikhanandeh

The Kalash valley

Mountains above

Shaikhanandeh

The Mosque in the

Nuristani village of

Shaikhanandeh

Rob

Mary

Mary

Grandmother and twin

View from the house

Grandmother and twin

Kalasha mother

Walnuts drying

Kalash family in Revalik

Kalash hillside

Side valley of the Rumbur

Kalash valley

Rob, Kalash Valley

Kalasha girls

Kalasha girl

Day 9    A stiff walk was ahead of us to-day as we made our way up the mountain side to the Wild Frontiers Hideaway. This hut with two rooms and a verandah was to be our home for the night. A family near by cooked us our meal and we talked and danced before climbing into sleeping bags and sleeping on charpoys on the verandah.

Looking back

The group

Walking up to the hut

Saifuller

Kalasha girl

Kalasha girl carrying grapes

Walking up to the hut

Aqueduct

Aqueduct

Looking out from the

Guest Hut

Upper Rumbur valley views

Upper Rumbur valley views

Upper Rumbur valley views

Two Kalasha girls taking

an evening walk

Upper Rumbur valley views

Evening view from the hut

View late at night

Saifuller and friends

Day 10    Back down the mountainside in the morning was easy and we then made our way to Chitral. We visited the historical Fort and spent time in the shops hunting for bargains.

Looking out from my

charpoi on the veranda

of the guest hut

Mountain range between

Ayun and Chitral

Wild Frontiers Guest Hut

in the Upper Rumbur valley

Kalasha girl spinning

Driving to Chitral

Tirich Mir

The Chitral River

Tirich Mir from Chitral

Shahi Masjid Mosque

Chitral

Water tower - Chitral Fort

Chitral Fort - canon

Chitral Fort

Day 11    An easy day to-day before going to Chitral Gol to see the Markhor wild goats as they came down to the river to drink. The night was spent at the Hindu Kush Heights Hotel.

Markhor in Chitral Gol

Markhor in Chitral Gol

Markhor in Chitral Gol

Day 12    After a late start we made our way up the Chitral Valley and across to Mastuj. In the evening we had an enjoyable meal with Col. Khushwalqlt Ul Mulk, son of the last great Mehtar.

Early morning view of

Chitral Valley from

Hindu Kush Heights Hotel

The road to Mastuj

Roof of Hindu Kush heights

Hotel and the Chitral Valley

The road to Mastuj

The road to Mastuj

The road to Mastuj

The road to Mastuj

Mastuj in the far distance

The road to Mastuj

Mufti with the Colonel,

Mastuj

Mastuj Fort

Mastuj Fort

Day 13    To day we set off for the Shandur Pass and Phandur. The scenery is very dramatic as you approach the Pass at 3735m. The Polo Ground at the Pass is world famous for the festival once a year. We had lunch at the pass before continuing to Phandur. We went fishing and had a log fire in the evening.

Trafic holdup

On the way to the

Shandur Pass

Autumn colours on the way

to the Shandur Pass

On the way to the

Shandur Pass

Lake at the Shandur Pass

On the way to the

Shandur Pass

Reflections - Shandur Pass

Polo Ground at the

Shandur Pass

Reflections - Shandur Pass

Shandur Pass

Picnic Spot

Driving away from the Pass

Mufti unloading the jeep

Driving to Phandur

Driving to Phandur

Rob's Catch

Round the Lake at Phandur

Phandur Lake

Day 14    Early next morning we set off with our new jeeps for Gilgit and Karimabad. We stopped in Gilgit to visit the British Cemetery where a number of the key figures in the "Great Game" are remembered. We lunched looking up at Rakaposhi Mountain. Eagle's Nest Hotel was delightful.

Petroglyphs beside the road

on the way to Gilgit

Petroglyphs beside the road

on the way to Gilgit

Petroglyphs beside the road

on the way to Gilgit

Road to Gilgit

Road to Gilgit

Road to Gilgit

Memorial to George

Hayward in the British

Cemetry in Gilgit

The bridge over the Hunza

River goes straight into a

short, dark and

twisting tunnel.

The Hunza River

Driving up the KKH

(Karakoram Highway)

Sunset from Eagle's Nest,

Duikar above Karimabad

A first sighting of

Rakaposhi

Day 15 Up early to see the sun rise and then a walk down into Karimabad, back for lunch and then another walk in the afternoon.

Rob

Balti Fort, Karimabad

Rakaposhi at Sunrise

from Eagle's Nest

Karimabad main street

with one of the Jeeps

Stan lighting an

incense stick

Walking down to

Karimabad from

Eagle's Nest

An Hazrat Abbas shrine

with prayer flags in the

mountains above Duikar

Above Duikar, Karimabad

Looking back down the

Hunza valley from

high above Duikar

Rob after a great walk,

Eagles Nest view point

Rakaposhi at sunset

Spantik and the

Karakoram Range

Day 16 Again early morning sun rise photos before making our way to visit Balti Fort. We then drove back to Gilgit stopping on the way to search for Garnets. I left the group at Gilgit as they made their way on to Chilas for the night as their flight to Islamabad was cancelled.