Geography
Some five million years ago, after an even greater time span of northward drift, the continental plate of sub continental India collided with the Asian plate and thus the great mountain ranges of Asia were born. Rivers such as the Indus which existed before the collision, cut deep gorges or found new courses through the uplifting landscape. The slow impact formed a major mountain chain stretching in a northward turning curve from Myanmar in the east to Pakistan in the west. Before the Himalaya comes to its abrupt end at Nanga Parbat in Pakistan, a second range rises to the north in a more accentuated northward curve. This is the Great Karakoram Range which stretches north to China and west to Afghanistan. Though born from the same momentous event, the Karakoram is not a continuation of the Himalaya but a parallel mountain chain. It is separated from the main Himalayan range by the Indus which flows westward from Tibet to Nanga Parbat where it finds, at last, a southern course toward the Arabian Sea. The Great Karakoram is further divided by the Hunza River with the mountains to the west of that river being known as the Hindu Kush.

However, despite their proximity and a common beginning, the mountains of the Karakoram are very different from those of the main Himalaya. The Monsoon which brings life to the foothills of the Indian, Nepal, and Bhutan Himalaya does not reach the Karakoram. Here is a high altitude desert of rock and sand punctuated by small, man made, oases of hard won greenery. Thus the landscape is much more prone to erosion and gives rise to fantastic towers and spires. Though the monsoon does not affect the Karakoram, the range is not devoid of all precipitation and there is a permanent snow line above 6000 metres (20,000ft.). Because of its more northerly latitude, the glaciers in the region are longer and bigger than anything in the main Himalaya - in fact they are the biggest outside of the polar regions. All this gives the approaches to the mountains of the Karakoram a very different, and much wilder aspect compared to those which lie to the south and east. Finally, though it is easier to imagine the formation of these mountains as a single cataclysmic event, the collision of continents is an ongoing process and today the land is still rising and all is in a state of flux.

History
Pakistan was born in chaos and haste as the British Raj passed away at midnight on August 14, 1947. From a conviction that Muslims would be disenfranchised in an India of 80 million Hindus, Mohammed Ali Jinnah of the Muslim League pushed the Indian Congress and the British rulers for an independent Muslim state to be carved out of British India when the country was handed over. Pakistan, 'the land of the pure,' the brain child of the poet Mohammed Iqbal, would be formed from a collection of regions which contained majority Muslim populations. Thus was created a strange two winged state composed of a mish mash of peoples, culture and languages, and with each wing separated by over a thousand miles of a foreign and often hostile power. Possibly in exchange for a long and bloody civil war, the hand over of power from the British Raj to the two states of India and Pakistan on that August midnight led to massacre and slaughter on a scarcely imaginable scale, as well as the migration of millions of people and animals across the new borders. More than half a century later, 'Partition' is still a scar on the political psyche of both countries. In those tumultuous times, perhaps the biggest cause of conflict between the two fledgling states was the fate of 'Kashmir' by which is meant the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. Desiring neither to be part of India nor Pakistan, but ruler of an independent state, the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir had consistently stonewalled all attempts to get him to take the plunge into one or the other emerging countries during the days leading to independence. An independent Kashmir was an option that neither India nor Pakistan would countenance, yet at midnight of that August 14 th if not independent, Kashmir was still in political limbo. Almost before the celebrations of freedom were over, the brand new Pakistan Army took the westernmost part of the state. After a brief battle with Indian forces, Skardu and all of Baltistan became the first of the disputed territories to come under Pakistan's administration. Less than six months later, patriotic Pathans, possibly aided by the army, crossed the Jhelum River into Jammu and Kashmir. The Maharaja beseeched India and the ex viceroy Mountbatton to come to his assistance. In a piece of poker politics, they refused unless he signed an instrument of accession to India. This he did and just in time for Indian troops to form a bridge head at Shrinigar Airport. This was the first of the Indo-Pak wars and though Pakistan won the lands west of the Jhelum to create 'Azad Kashmir', it ended in a stalemate with a UN brokered cease-fire. However, as a result, the Maharaja who refused for so long to jump, had finally been pushed. He became a titular figurehead and control of the state passed into the hands of Delhi. Part of the UN brokerage was the agreement of both parties in the dispute to a plebiscite to decide the future of the state. However neither side was prepared to accept a ballot while the armed forces of the other were present, and the stalemate continues to the present day.

The New Nation: For the first nine years of its life Pakistan was governed by a Constituent Assembly which answered to a Governor General. A constitution for the country was accepted in 1956 and a National Assembly (parliament) established. However this lasted only two years and in 1958 Marshal Law was declared and General Mohammad Ayub Khan seized power. This state of affairs ended in 1971 when, in the wake of a disastrous war, in which East Pakistan became the independent country of Bangladesh, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto came to power. Bhutto lifted Marshall Law within months of becoming president and democracy took its first faltering steps. It was not to last, however, and in 1977 General Zia ul-Haq, chief of the army staff staged a coup and subsequently took over the presidency of the country. Zia's sudden death in a plane crash in August 1988 left the country without leadership. Elections were organized and Bhutto's daughter Benazir, previously an exile, became the first woman Prime Minister. She was ousted by Nawaz Sharif in the 1990 elections but returned to power in 1993 before losing once again to Nawaz Sharif in 1997. Both Benazir and Sharif were global in their outlook and modernizers of Pakistan's legal and economic infrastructure. Corruption dogged both governments and concern over this issue grew to such an extent that in 1999 General Pervez Musharraf was able to stage a popular coup and Pakistan once again fell under military rule. Musharraf has promised to restore democracy once he has carried out political and economic reforms but has not yet committed to elections. In 2002 a national referendum gave him a popular vote to continue in the presidency for a further five years.

Islam
Pakistan is an Islamic state and the vast majority of the population are Muslims. Muslims are the followers of the Prophet Mohammed. Though Christians and Muslims fought a protracted war for supremacy of their ideology, the two religions have much in common. Many of the stories of the Christian Old Testament are found in the Koran and Muslims revere all the Christian prophets. They do not accept the deification of Christ but they do regard him as the penultimate prophet. An important difference between the two religions is in their organisation. Unlike Christian churches, Islam has no formal hierarchy and mullahs are not appointed or elected. Islam is founded on five major tenets known popularly as the "Pillars of Islam."

The Five Pillars of Islam
1. Shahada...the profession of the faith. The statement "There is no God but Allah and Mohammed is his prophet".
2. Salat... Prayers or Namaz, carried out five times a day as follows:
Fajr .... Before Sunrise
Zohr .... After Zenith
Asr ..... After Halfway to Horizon
Maghrib ... After Sunset
Isha .......... Before Bed
3. Zakat... the obligation to give alms to the poor.
4. Sawm... the duty to fast. During Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calender, Muslims must take nil by mouth between sunrise and sunset.
Fasting ends on the first of Shawwal with a three day party, Eid ul-Fitr ("the little feast").
5: Hajj... the pilgrimage to Mecca which every Muslim must take at least once in his lifetime if possible.

Jihad is often called the sixth pillar of Islam. Its meaning is "to strive" but over the centuries since Mohammed's first battles with the Meccans it has come to mean "Holy War." Those who follow the path of Jihad are known as Mujahideen.

The Schism: Mohammed had no sons and upon his death there was a series of disputes over who should succeed him as Caliph. The two main contenders were Abu Bakr, the father of Mohammed's wife, and Ali, his cousin and the husband of his only child, Fatimah. Abu Bakr succeeded to the title and after his death the Caliphate passed to the influential Umayyad clan. First Ali and then his son Hussein seized power but both were killed and the wrangle continued.

Sunnis accept the legitimacy of Abu Bakr and the succession of Umayyads as Caliph, and are usually considered 'orthodox'. Around 80% of Pakistan's Muslims are Sunnis.

Shias accept only Ali and his descendants. Whereas Sunnis practice taqlid (the following of ancient texts), the Shias' methodology is ijtihad (interpretation of holy texts by an Imam or spiritual leader)

There are several other divisions and splits within Islam as there are in Christianity; some are considered heretical and are therefore illegal in Pakistan.

Dress & observances
Visitors to Pakistan should behave and dress respectfully according to local custom which does vary from place to place. In general, women should wear loose fitting clothing, covering arms and legs, and should also wear a simple headscarf whilst in towns and villages. Men should also be discreet in their dress, avoiding shorts and any tight fitting or body-revealing clothing. In the capital Islamabad, things are more relaxed and here many Pakistani men and women wear western clothes such as jeans. The consumption of alcohol is illegal for Muslims in Pakistan. Non-Muslims may consume alcohol in private.

Time Zone
The time in Pakistan is GMT +5hours.

Climate
The mountains of Northern Pakistan lie within the rain shadow of the main Himalayan chain. They are thus largely unaffected by the monsoon. From late September to April or May they are covered in a heavy blanket of snow and many of the passes which give road access to the mountains are closed. The best time for trekking here then is during the northern hemisphere summer i.e June to September.

Rough guide to climate

Currency
Pakistan's unit of currency is the Pakistani Rupee. As of February 2006, the exchange rates are:

£1 = 105 rupees
$1 = 60 rupees
€1 = 71 rupees

It is not necessary to purchase Pakistani currency before you go. Money can be changed at a reasonable rate at your hotel or nearby authorized money changer. Since you will be changing the majority of your spending money into local currency on the first day of arrival we recommend taking this in cash. Both US dollars and Sterling are readily exchanged in Pakistan. Credit cards can be used to purchase many goods in Rawalpindi and Islamabad and are particularly useful for more expensive items such as carpets. It is possible to withdraw cash (rupees only) from cash machines in certain banks in Rawalpindi and Islamabad using credit and debit cards.

Visas
All nationalities need to obtain a visa for entry into Pakistan. Rates vary depending on your nationality. Full details of current rates and the visa application process will be sent on when we confirm your booking on a KE trip. Plenty of time should be allowed to obtain your visa if you are intending to apply for it by post. Applications usually take two to three weeks to process. Another option is to hand in your passport at a Pakistan High Commission in person, which will often then be processed for you to collect later the same day.

Vaccinations
You should visit your own doctor and dentist for a check-up prior to taking your trip to Pakistan.

The following is a ROUGH GUIDE for immunisation : (We must stress that this is only a basic guide - and you must abide by the advice of your local doctor/medical professional).

(a) Polio (normally you will just need a booster.)
(b) Tetanus.
(c) Typhoid. A full course requires 2 injections separated by an interval of 4-6 weeks.
(d) Hepatitis (A) and (B).
(e) Anti-malarial prophylaxis: Please refer to your doctor for the most up to date information about anti-malarial medication for the areas that you will be visiting.
(f) Rabies pre-exposure vaccination. Please refer to your doctor for advice on whether you need rabies pre-exposure vaccination. In the unlikely case of your being bitten, this vaccination does not eliminate the need for urgent evacuation to a suitable medical facility for additional treatment,. However, it does simplify that additional treatment and also prolongs the period that you can safely delay before receiving post-exposure treatment.

Given enough notice, your doctor will be able to administer all the above vaccinations.

Drinking water
Do not drink the tap water anywhere in Pakistan. Filtered or bottled mineral water is available in all major hotels, restaurants in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Skardu and Gilgit. In general water other than bottled water in restaurants should be avoided. If in doubt ask your trip leader who will know where it is safe.

Additional Sources of Information

Books
Pakistan Handbook. Isobel Shaw
Pakistan Trekking Guide. Isobel Shaw
Trekking in the Karakoram & Hindu Kush. John Mock. Lonely Planet
Pakistan A Travel Survival Kit. 1993 Edition John King. Lonely Planet
Karakoram Highway. 1993 Edition. John King.
Trekking in Pakistan and India. Hugh Swift.
Elusive Summits. Victor Saunders.
Where Men and Mountains Meet. John Keay.
The Gilgit Game. John Keay.
In the Throne Room of the Mountain Gods. Galen Rowell.
Summit Fever. Andrew Greig.
Blank on the Map. Diadem Omnibus edn. Eric Shipton.
Savage Arena. Joe Tasker.
K2. Rienhold Messner.
Abode of Snow. Kenneth Mason.
K2. John Barry.
K2, Triumph and Tragedy. Jim Curran.
K2 Savage Mountain. Houston.
The Karakoram. Shirahata.
The Great Game. Peter Hopkirk.
The Trekkers Handbook. Tom Gilchrist.

Maps
RGS 1:750,000. Karakoram diagramatic map.
Swiss 1990 1:250,000. Karakoram Sheets 1 and 2. (A good general map of the Karakoram).
AMS ''U-502'' series 1:250,000.

Sheet No:
NJ-43-14 Baltit: Hunza Valley, KKH,Rakaposhi, Hindu Kush.
NI-43-2 Gilgit: Indus River, NangaParbat.
NI-43-3 Mundik: Masherbrum, Biafo/Baltoro glaciers, Skardu, Indus.
NI-43-4 Chulung: K2, Gasherbrum,Siachen Glacier, Shaksgam.
Italian expedition 1950's Baltoro Glacier & K2 1:100,000.
Yama Kei Publishers. The Baltoro Glacier. 1:100,000.
(better and clearer than the Italian map).

Our trip dossiers/itineraries give details of books and maps that are specific to a particular trip. Click here for details of book and map retailers.

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