Pakistan's north as the Alps a hundred years ago: Unspoiled mountain ranges, wild water and huge potential

Dear Followers, Greetings from rural Pakistan in the mountains of the north, where I took a short trip on Saturday between meetings in Islamabad. It could be compared to the "Alps before they became famous" - beautiful nature, high mountains, a wild river full of trout, a minimum of tourists.

It's more of a three-week expedition than a car trip from the big city, but like much else in Pakistan, tourism has potential here if peace and stability can be maintained in the region. Work is already underway on new roads, although so far only on the main routes. Outside of them, there are many off-road jeeps, beautifully painted - this is the custom here, every truck is painted with all kinds of ornaments, animals, flowers, flags, scenes from history. I even spotted something on one that looked strikingly like the Chinese J-10 fighter that scored in Pakistan's recent clash with India :)

But back to the landscape and tourism: accommodation capacity is growing here, albeit of very variable construction quality, from luxury resorts to houses that could hardly pass as a hostel. But everything has world-sounding names, so if you go here, really look at the photos and reviews. The river is full of great rapids, like when Lipno is released on the Vltava for competitors, only there are thirty kilometers in a row. In a few places, I saw raft rentals - good for someone who really knows how to do it and doesn't want to wait in line for hundreds of other rafts on one small slide, like recently on the Vltava. But then again, there aren't those beer stands... it's not here at all, because we're in a Muslim country where alcohol is practically forbidden. For Muslims, not at all, but not for Europeans, but it can only be found in expensive hotels. So here on the water except for water sports :)

As for other attractions, I spotted a couple of zip-lines, no slopes or bikers yet, although the slopes would directly encourage it. We are at 4000 meters and above, where even now in the summer you can encounter snow, so we could do without snowing. The river flows from the glacier, and when it's thawed, it's really high - that's why it's quite difficult to keep the roads intact. That too in the Austrian or Italian Alps, they manage it there, but there is still a bit of a lack of resources and experience (or interest - after all, a jeep or a horse can drive off asphalt...)

A lover of mountain bikes would find an infinity of natural trails here, moreover, they are allowed everywhere without any restrictions. But among the local nomadic guys racing on horses that they lend to tourists for a pittance, a carbon MTB rider would seem like an apparition - about as much as a hucul rider who would shuffle into the starting field of Bikes for Life.

So far it's a beautiful, untouched place. Not without civilization, but different from what we know from Europe. Suitable for an expedition with a backpack, a sleeping bag, enough time and, last but not least, the willingness and ability to adapt to local customs. If things go well for Pakistan, one day this could be the next Davos, Cortina or Bad Gastein, there is no denying the attractiveness of the mountains. But before that happens, the countless tourists from Europe who are up for it can enjoy untouched nature with exactly zero McDonalds.

VIDEO HERE