Karakorum highlights holiday, Pakistan

Planet

Water: Northern Pakistan thrives on the melt water from the huge glaciers running down steep valleys in the Hindu Kush, Karakorum and Himalayan ranges. We encourage travellers to filter tap water where possible to avoid buying plastic bottles. Our clients are sent detailed pre departure information before travelling which recommends taking a water bottle with a built in filtration system on the trip with them. When necessary on the trip, bottled water is supplied by us and, the bottles are disposed of in the correct manner.

Transport / people: We use locally hand built jeeps that are well maintained with engines adjusted to altitude. All this means less unburned diesel and less pollutants in to the atmosphere. By using 3 person jeeps we also make a low impact on the delicate road structure and small settlements we visit.

By running overland trips and including plenty of hiking and walking in this itinerary, we also hope to reduce carbon emissions as much as possible, also by not including domestic flights as part of the itinerary.

As responsible travelers, we recognize the need to reduce our plastic consumption and provide sustainable alternatives to our customers. That's why we've partnered with Water to Go to offer a fantastic solution.

Water to Go is a company on a mission to tackle the issue of plastic pollution by providing travelers with reusable filter bottles. These bottles are not your average water containers. They are designed with advanced filtration technology that allows you to safely refill your bottle from natural water sources, taps, and even in places where tap water is not typically considered safe to drink.

People

Throughout our long journey in tourism, with our first overland trips through Pakistan taking place in the last 1990s, we have succeeded in establishing strong links with the communities we are dealing with in our host destinations.

The first objective is to operate our trips in such a way that our travellers enjoy their holidays and learn more about their destinations and feel more immersed in them than they had expected. Our second objective, but not second in importance, is to ensure that our visits benefit the local communities they visit, don't impact negatively on the environment, and have a positive social impact on the inhabitants living in our host destinations. One of the ways of doing this is to inform and educate our travellers on the cultures of the destinations. At the start of all our Pakistan trips we take everyone for a fitting at a local tailor's shop to get a traditional Shalwaar Chemise to wear during the trip (included in the trip price). This helps travellers blend in with the local population more and we find also helps prompt more interactions with local people during their stay. By doing this we aim to nurture a form of respect between the travellers and the local citizens who they will face along their tour.

We believe that the Responsible Travel concept has to be a two-way strategy with both the travellers and the local community gaining benefits. This Pakistan trip visits many remote areas that rarely see Western tourists, and the money we spend there benefits these communities directly. All the hotels and camps we use are locally owned, and our drivers and guides are also recruited from the region so they have an in depth personal history and knowledge of the places visited.

We promise to support the local community of every destination we take our travellers to. We will do this by employing additional local site guides for visits during the trip, using local handicraft shops and markets and recommend shops to our travellers so that their holiday spending contributes to the people of that country. Furthermore, we provide each traveller with a tipping guide. By doing this we set a concept of tipping and gratuity for every person who will offer a form of service to the traveller.

We have also considered the social aspect of the local community and how to respect the customs and traditions of the inhabitants helping us operate our tours. We always provide our guests with all the information needed to understand the community they are visiting and we create valuable opportunities for the travellers and the locals to mingle and exchange ideas and thoughts.

We educate all our staff on the real life situations of each destination. Sales consultants will use this information to inform potential travellers of the correct information and issues that they may face.