The British Backpacker Society is an adventure travel project with a following of thousands of people online. It has declared Pakistan to be the world’s leading adventure travel destination. The British Backpacker Society announced the result on their Facebook page on December 27, 2017. They announced it after counting the top 20 adventure travel countries throughout the course of the year and imploring travelers to visit them. The team behind the British Backpacker Society has traveled to over 100 countries worldwide, and described Pakistan as “our clear winner.”

The article described Pakistan as “one of the friendliest countries on earth, with mountain scenery that is beyond anyone’s wildest imagination.” The article particularly recommended travel on the Karakoram Highway. It contended that taking the road from Islamabad to the Pakistan-China border on the Khunjerab Pass is “the world’s greatest road-trip.”

Hon Pass, July 2016 (Owned by The British Backpacker Society, All Rights Reserved)

Two members of the team behind the British Backpacker Society, Samuel Joynson (26) and Adam Sloper (25), both from southern England, visited Pakistan in the summer of 2016.

They crossed the India-Pakistan border at Wagah, before spending a few days in Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Islamabad. From Islamabad, they travelled overland through the Kaghan valley to Naran, before heading over Babusar Top to Gilgit. They finished their journey by heading to the idyllic Hunza Valley. There they climbed to the top of the Hon Pass (4257m) from Karimabad. Although they organized the trip independently, the local travel company “Hunza Guides Pakistan”,  assisted them on the trek to Hons Pass.

Karakoram Highway, July 2016 (Owned by The British Backpacker Society, All Rights Reserved)

Samuel commented that:

Adventure travel is at its best when it changes your perceptions. And, I have never experienced this more than during my two weeks in Pakistan. Prior to arrival, we were bombarded with warnings of insecurity by concerned friends and family (none of whom, it should be noted, had ever traveled to Pakistan), and, after spending a few days in the country, we realized that such preconceptions couldn’t be further from the truth. Of course, Pakistan faced security issues in recent years, but then so have London, Paris, and Berlin, and my friends and family wouldn’t think twice about visiting these destinations.

Adam added that:

The only real concern for tourists in Pakistan is the number of selfies that they will be asked to be in. I would advise all prospective visitors to prepare to smile for the camera, and get ready to enjoy some of the best hospitality on earth.”

 

Lahore, July 2016 (Owned by The British Backpacker Society, All Rights Reserved)

The British Backpacker Society hopes to return to Pakistan in 2018. They would like to travel to Skardu and the base camp of K2. However, the society noted the occasionally complex process to obtain a tourist visa for the country. The team hopes that Pakistani authorities continue to cut-back any red-tape in issuing Pakistani tourist visas and permitting travel to Gilgit-Baltistan.

To follow The British Backpacker Society click here.