Q: What kind of experience will Aussies get on your tours in Pakistan?
A: Travelling with Intrepid in Pakistan is about experiencing the country in a way that goes beyond sightseeing.
It’s about meeting the people who bring this country to life – sharing stories over home-cooked meals, learning traditional crafts from local artisans and exploring landscapes that few outsiders get to see.
Together, our tours take you off the beaten path, where village elders welcome you with tea, musicians play folk tunes by the fire and shepherds share their knowledge of the land.
You might stay in a family-run guesthouse, hike through valleys with guides who know the mountains like the back of their hand, or step into a bustling bazaar where history and tradition are woven into daily life.
Every trip is built around real connections, making you feel like a guest rather than a tourist.
Aneeqa Ali
Q: Are your tours suitable for everybody to enjoy?
A: We understand the unique challenges of travelling in a male-dominated society and create an environment where female travellers feel comfortable and included.
Whether you’re travelling solo or with friends, you’ll be part of a group that values curiosity, respect and adventure.
At the end of the journey, it won’t just be the landscapes or the landmarks that stay with you – it’ll be the people you met, the conversations you had and the feeling of being welcomed into a world that’s both different and familiar at the same time.
Q: How has working with Intrepid Travel helped you break down barriers and drive change for both visiting travellers and local women?
A: Partnering with Intrepid Travel has given us the platform and support to scale our efforts in a way that wouldn’t have been possible on our own.
As a globally recognised leader in responsible tourism, Intrepid brings with it not just reach, but a commitment to ethical travel practices that align with our own values.
Their policies emphasise community-based tourism, gender inclusivity and sustainability, which has helped us integrate these principles more effectively into our operations.
Through Intrepid’s established networks and large-scale operations, we’ve been able to connect with a wider audience of conscious travellers who are eager for immersive, responsible travel experiences.
Their commitment to supporting women in tourism has also helped us push for more female participation in an industry that has traditionally been male-dominated.
With their backing, we’ve been able to prioritise stays in family-run guesthouses, promote women-led enterprises and create more job opportunities for local women as guides.
This partnership has not only brought more travellers to Pakistan but has also ensured that tourism directly benefits the communities we work with.
It has allowed us to challenge norms, give women a stronger presence in the industry and offer travellers a deeper, more meaningful connection to the people and culture of Pakistan.
Q: You ensure that the money spent by tourists goes to the people who need It most. Why is this important to you?
A: Because it’s only fair. The people who call these places home should be the ones who benefit from the tourism their land and culture attract. Too often, they don’t.
For many of these communities, especially in remote areas, tourism is one of the few ways to earn a living.
There aren’t factories or big companies offering jobs – just the land they live on and the traditions they’ve kept alive for generations.
By making sure travellers’ money goes directly to local guesthouses, family-run restaurants and women-led businesses, we’re not just supporting livelihoods – we’re making tourism more personal and meaningful.
It’s about more than just economics. When travellers stay with a local family, share a meal, or hear stories from someone who’s lived their whole life in a place, it creates a connection that goes beyond just sightseeing.
It makes travel feel real, both for the visitors and the people welcoming them. That’s the kind of tourism we believe in.
Q: Finally, what are some of your favourite parts of Pakistan to visit?
A: Every part of Pakistan has something different to offer, which makes it hard to pick a favourite.
The northern areas, like Hunza and Skardu, are breathtaking with their towering peaks, glaciers and turquoise lakes, but what really makes them special is the warmth of the people.
There’s a strong sense of community and you feel it in the way locals welcome you into their homes.
Further south, Swat and Chitral have a completely different charm – lush valleys, rivers and traces of ancient Buddhist history.
The Kalash Valleys are unlike anywhere else, home to one of the oldest indigenous cultures, with festivals, music and traditions that have been passed down for generations.
Lahore is all about energy. The mix of grand Mughal architecture, centuries-old bazaars and the constant buzz of food streets makes it a city that never slows down.
Islamabad, on the other hand, is quieter, with green spaces and hiking trails that make it easy to escape into nature without leaving the city.
Sindh has a way of surprising you. Walking through the ruins of Mohenjo-Daro, you realise just how far back this land’s history goes.
Makli’s ancient cemetery and the shrines of Sehwan Sharif are deeply spiritual places, where the sounds of qawwalis and the devotion of pilgrims create an atmosphere that stays with you.
Then there’s Karachi – a city of contrasts, where old colonial buildings stand next to modern skyscrapers and the beaches offer a rare moment of calm in an otherwise fast-paced city.
The deserts of Pakistan have a quiet beauty of their own. The Cholistan Desert, with its rolling dunes and the imposing Derawar Fort, feels like a glimpse into another time.
The Thar Desert, with its vibrant culture, folk music and colourfully dressed communities, is a reminder of how life thrives even in the harshest conditions.
Even Balochistan, often overlooked, has some of the most surreal landscapes – rugged cliffs along the coast, hidden oasis-like valleys and places like Hingol National Park, where the rock formations look like something from another planet.
Pakistan is one of those places that constantly shifts as you travel through it. One day, you’re in a remote valley where time moves slowly and the next, you’re in a buzzing metropolis.
Every region has a story to tell and that’s what makes travelling here unforgettable.
