Traveling with dog in Pakistan

Pakistan is one of the countries we have been in the longest and that I know best. We visited it twice: the first time for a month (November 2019) and the second time for half a year (April – October 2021). And so? Why so much? Well, because we were stuck because of (or thanks to) the coronavirus. Although many stray dogs survive poorly and there is still much room for improvement in dog matters, especially in certain provinces, I saw other things that I did like, including more animal lovers than my stereotypical mind imagined*. On the other hand, and despite the difficulties – lack of veterinary infrastructure, lack of dog food, ticks everywhere – I consider Pakistan to be one of the best countries to travel with a dog. My dogs have not been happier in other mountains in the world.

*I have yet to discuss the issue of street dogs in Pakistan and other Asian countries in future posts.

JOURNEY

I am going to focus on the route of the second incursion into the country, since it was longer and also included almost all the places visited during the first trip (except Swat area). This is not the exact route, but adapted to guide future travelers. We actually did and undid this itinerary several times.

Amritsar (India) – Lahore – Islamabad – Peshawar – Charsadda – Chakdara – Timergara – Kumrat Valley – Dir – Ayun – Kalash Valleys (Birir, Bumburet and Rumbur) – Chitral – Chitral Gol NP – Buni – Sonoghor – Mastuj – Laspur Valley – Shandur Pass – Teru – Phander – Ghizer Road – Yasin Valley – Darkut – Ghakuch – Gilgit – Karakoram Highway (on the way north) – Rakaposhi Basecamp – Karimabad – Attabad Lake – Passu – Borith Lake – Sost – Karakoram Highway (on the way south) – Ganji and Mendi – Kachura – Skardu – Sarfaranga Desert – Deosai NP – Rama Lake – Astore – Nanga Parbat Basecamp – Chilas – Babusar Top – Naran – Siri Paye – Muzaffarabad – Murree – Islamabad (back) – Lahore (back) – Harappa – Multan – Bahawalpur – Derawar Fort (Cholistan Desert) – Sukkur – Larkana and Mohenjo Daro – Karachi – Quetta – Baluchistan Desert – Zahedan (Iran)

DURATION

6 months and half.

TRANSPORTATION

Hitchhiking

Most of the trip through Pakistan was hitchhiking. To my pleasant surprise, it was one of the easiest countries to hitchhike with a dog, with waiting times always (or almost always) short. Thanks to the hospitality and generosity of the Pakistani people we were able to explore the geography of this beautiful country. Special mention to pickups and trucks, with which we traveled hundreds of kilometers enjoying the amazing roads and landscapes that surround them. Furthermore, in various sections we made great friends that led us to get to know their towns, natural treasures and, ultimately, their great culture. That's why I like hitchhiking so much.

Note. Even the few trips we took otherwise should count as hitchhiking, since it was the police who directly or indirectly took us (either in their trucks or by forcing a bus driver to take us).

Military pickup trucks

In Pakistan there are areas where foreigners can only travel hand in hand with military trucks (in others we cannot even enter). The situation is changing, but this could happen to you in a large part of Balochistan, some territories of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) and many others in Sindh and South Punjab. The entry (or exit) through the border with Iran is particularly well-known (and epic). At the Taftan Border there are convoys waiting for the few international travelers who enter these inhospitable lands to take you on a 600 km “stretch” through the desert to the capital of Balochistan, Quetta. Here they put you on a train that will take you out of the province. We also spent a week or so escorted between the KPK districts of Dir and Lower Chitral because we became famous XD. To learn more, get the third book of El Pekín Express Canino (only in Spanish, sorry)!

Two notes regarding military pickups: 1) if you come with your own vehicle they will escort you themselves; 2) if you come with a dog there will be no problem. The three of us were able to ride in these trucks.

Bus and train

If I'm not wrong, there were a total of six buses and two trains. Except for a couple of buses that we took of our own free will, the police forced us to get on the rest of the public transportation. Although the drivers and passengers did not always find it funny, the good thing about Pakistan (and India, I would add), is that they are very tolerant, especially with those of us who come from abroad. That is to say, if you want to travel by bus with your dog through Pakistan, you will surely achieve it, with more or less struggle. You may have to pay a little more, but it's still very cheap.

La Garrapata (Spanish van)

On the first trip we met the trio @siguiendoal_sol, made up of two Andalusians and their dog Sasha, who welcomed us in their camper. With them we traveled from Islamabad to Swat Valley and Besham.

Other options:

Rental car. Many travelers rent a motorbike to explore Pakistan. It is not feasible with a dog (unless it is very small and fits in your backpack!), but I imagine there will be some car agencies too. Islamabad or Lahore should be the cities with the most options (Karachi perhaps too, but it is very far from the north).

ACCOMMODATION

Free camping

We used the tent a lot for two reasons. One, when hitchhiking with dog(s) you make sure you have a sheltered place to spend the night, in case you don't find anything or get stranded on some remote road. Two, we love camping in the mountains and Pakistan has three great settings: the Himalayas, the Karakoram and the Hindu Kush. Spending the night under the stars in such rivers, lakes and forests is unbeatable. In addition, we did many hikes, some of them legendary multi-day routes, such as in Chitral Gol, the Rakaposhi base camp and the Nanga Parbat base camp, something that without the tent we would not have been able to do. Free camping is allowed and I found it very safe, even in cities and towns. However, in the latter it will not be easy at all: the population will insist on taking you to their homes so that you can be their “special guest” (see below). In the unlikely event that you achieve your goal of sleeping in your tent and chasing them away, don't be surprised if some other neighbor (not to say a whole pack) visits you at night or the next morning to bring you dinner or breakfast. We also camped at the same border checkpoint between Iran and Pakistan and there were tons of people doing the same thing.

Campsite

There are not many campsites in the country. In fact, we didn't see any as such, but we did camp on the grounds of some guest houses. Our experiences: The White Rock Guest House (Buni), Al Salah Hotel (Mastuj), Rajbeer Guest House (Phander), Fort Hotel (Yasin). We also camped in the gardens of a guest house in Kachura and another in the Kalashi valley of Bumburet, but I don't remember the names. It's a good option to connect with other travelers (locals, most of them) and they also usually let you use the common facilities, including the kitchen.

Note. In Pakistan many travelers get sick from local food and water. Having a kitchen beyond a camping stove with which you can cook very basic things is something to celebrate.

Spontaneous Couchsurfing

Pakistan, along with Iran, is the most hospitable country we have been to, which is reflected in the number of homes we entered. Despite going with Cocaí and Chai, countless people and families opened the doors of their homes to us. But the most incredible thing is that they wouldn't let us leave! There was even a family that hid my backpack! We stayed in several homes for more than a week, and in one in particular we spent more than a month. This is the list of cities where they hosted us without knowing us: Charsadda (Shiraz), Chakdara (Rasheed), Timergara (Osama), Ayun (Hilal), Chitral (Adnan), Buni (Anwar), Sonoghor (Mehtab), Phander (Sartaj), Gilgit x 2 (Imtiaz; Shahzad), Islamabad (Kashif), Muzaffarabad (Fahim), Bahawalpur (Iqbal), Lahore (Basit), Karachi (Alina) and Quetta (Atau Rehman).

Couchsurfing

We did it a couple of times, on the first trip: in Islamabad for three nights and in Lahore for two, with our dear Adeel. Our “hosts” had no problem with dogs entering their homes. Although I barely used it, I have no doubt that Cochsurfing works well because Pakistan is, along with Iran, the country that loves foreigners the most. Without a dog it will obviously be easier, but with a dog it is also possible.

Dog shelter and dog hotel

On our trips I like to visit dog associations and shelters. Lucky Animal Protection Shelter, in Peshawar city, is the only shelter in the entire province of KPK. We stayed for a week, camping among the most beautiful dogs. Furthermore, on our last visit to Lahore we had nowhere to stay, as my friends who had hosted us were not in the city, and a dog hotel about to open called Benny's Pet Lounge opened the doors of its facilities to us to spend several nights. There is no more altruistic people than Pakistanis.

Police stations

It is common for the Pakistani police, ensuring our safety (and possible damage to the country's image), to politely ask foreigners to follow them to their barracks to spend the night. We slept in police stations in various phases of the trip. Several nights on the aforementioned trip crossing the Balochistan desert between the border with Iran and Quetta; in the city of Gahkuch (we were camping by the river and they forced us to go with them); outside the city of Gilgit, also obliged; in Chilas and Sost (also by force) and in the Raikot Bridge barracks, at the detour to the Nanga Parbat trekking (only time by free will). Furthermore, at other points on the itinerary, although we did not sleep in the police headquarters, we did have the “privilege” of being guarded by some agents. Camping in a natural enclave, like on a trek we did through Kumrat Valley; in a room, like in Larkana and Sukkur, cities in Sindh where the police forced us to stay in a hotel; in the house of locals, like that of a boy in Bahawalpur and that of a family in Timergara; at an archaeological site, like when we went to visit Harappa and they didn't let us camp nearby.

Note. While somewhat frustrating, it is not as hard as it sounds. Of all the police and military forces I have known, those in Pakistan are the best. They are super friendly (quite the opposite of those in neighboring Iran and India), at least with foreigners. I made good friends, with some of whom I keep in touch years later on WhatsApp or Facebook.

Rooms

Aside from the large and more traditional cities, where finding a room that allows dogs seems like an impossible mission, in rural areas and even medium-sized towns it will be relatively easy for them to accept you. We slept in a room in the following places: Islamabad (five nights), Astore (six), Passu (two), Ghakuch (one), Teru (one), Karimabad (three) and Sukkur (forced by the police). In Larkana we also slept one night in a hotel, but the police paid for it because they played a trick on us that I don't want to go into detail about (described in the book!). Also in Naran and Siri Paye we were invited by some Punjabi guys who were on a road trip and took us for several days in their car. Of all these accommodations I am only going to recommend the ones that willingly accepted dogs, the lucky ones that did not have to close after covid... and those that did not have bed bug colonies. Sorry I can not help more:

Rbhram Restaurant, Passu

Karim Guest House, Ghakuch

Green Place Hotel, Sukkur

RESTAURANTS, FOOD STALLS AND OTHER ESTABLISHMENTS

In Pakistan it is easier to go out to eat with your dog than in Spain. Not because there are many dog-friendly restaurants, but because there are many family businesses and street stalls… and they are very tolerant. Obviously it will depend on the owner and the type of establishment, but if they don't let you in one you will probably have better luck in the next. As is often the case, it is more complicated in cities than in rural areas. In the worst case, they will fix something because, as I say, they treat us outsiders wonderfully. For example, they may take a table out to the street or, if it is a patio, they may tell you to tie your dog to a tree away from the tables. Food in Pakistan is very cheap.

Note. A food service app I found out about at the end of the trip: Food Panda.

TOURISM WITH DOG

Pakistan is a wonderful country to travel with a dog. As I mentioned at the beginning of the post, you can do many things with them, which are also their favorites. That is, (practically) all the nature you want. But you can also visit a handful of historical places with your dog. Being reasonable, of course: do not expect to enter mosques or palaces in cities like Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar or Multan.

AREAS OF NATURAL AND/OR GEOLOGICAL VALUE

I will start with what you can't visit in nature because we will finish before. We only faced problems in three national parks: Chitral Gol NP, Deosai NP and Khunjerab NP (border with China). Even so, regulations in hand, in Pakistan things can be discussed and you may end up being allowed the entrance. In the first two I used my experience to be able to access them (in Chitral Gol I said that I am a biologist and I was doing a study of the flora and fauna). However, in the third, which I did not actually intend to visit, just went through to reach the border with China, there was no way. We enjoyed the rest of the places together, including trekking to Rakaposhi basecamp, trekking to Nanga Parbat basecamp, Kumrat Valley and Yasin Valley, Sarfaranga Cold Desert in Skardu, lakes like Borith Lake, Rama Lake and Phander… Just a warning: there are dangerous predators in the mountains, so always be careful, especially at night.

Note. The Margalla Hills, mountains behind Islamabad, in theory cannot be visited with a dog, but there are many paths.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES

We were able to visit two wonderful archaeological sites of the Indus Valley Civilization: Harappa and Mohenjo Daro. I'm not sure if it's really possible, but they let us. Cocaí and Chai also entered Derawar Fort, a ruined 9th century fortress in the Cholistan desert.

DOG DOCUMENTATION

They did not ask us for dog papers entering from Iran, but they did when entering from India. I had all the documents in order on both occasions and we were able to cross without any problem.

What you actually need?

Crossing by land:

• Animal Passport with a valid rabies vaccine

• Health certificate from a veterinarian

Additionally, it is recommended:

• The microchip, even if they don't ask for it in Pakistan (I'm not sure), to return to Europe it is mandatory.

• Other vaccines (pentavalent, to combat lethal viruses such as parvovirus).

• The Rabies Titer Test. Supposedly you will be asked for this paper when entering Europe.

By plane:

They are quite strict and I would contact the Pakistani agriculture service and/or the Pakistani Embassy in your home country. It is probably enough to have all of the above, but there are countries that may have additional requirements.

In any case, every time I reach this point of "MY DOG EXPERIENCE" in a specific country, I always remind people that this is not a blog specialized in canine documentation and that the corresponding agricultural service should be consulted, in addition to other websites that are more up to date (these requirements may change from one year to the next). A very complete one is this: Pakistan Pet Passport - Current Dog and Cat Import Requirements (pettravel.com) 

ASSESSMENT

We were traveling for more than half a year in Pakistan, mainly hitchhiking and sleeping in our tent and in local people's houses. The main (and most beautiful) conclusion is that the Pakistani people are devoted to the traveler and, in this case (and I am very happy to say this), also to their dogs. In no country have we been treated better, with the permission of Iran and Türkiye. Without being a country with dog-friendly infrastructure, thanks to the kindness and tolerance of its people, Pakistan turned out to be one of the countries where it was easiest for me to travel with Cocaí and Chai and, furthermore, one of the ones that the three of us enjoyed the most, thanks to its beautiful mountains. Therefore, I can only recommend it to future dog travelers.

The two great obstacles of any great trip with a dog: transportation and accommodation. I always recommend hitchhiking because it takes you on adventures and meet wonderful people (even more so if possible in such a country), but I understand that it is not for everyone. For those who do not want a hitchhiking adventure there is the option of buses, minibuses and trains. As is the norm, in Pakistan it is difficult to travel on public transport with dogs, but it is easier than in other countries thanks, on the one hand, to that characteristic hospitality and tolerance and, on the other, to that spirit shared with the Indians in which there is room for everything.

As for accommodation, you can use different means: camping (if you have a tent), rooms, Couchsurfing... as well as the occasional local house to which you will surely be invited. In Pakistan, free camping is authorized practically anywhere: in the mountains, in the desert, at gas stations, in a town park, in front of a police station... As always, a store is the best advice I can give for any dog destination: it will be there to get you out of trouble in a difficult situation (for example if you can't find anything in the city) and will give you the freedom to go on a few days excursion to the mountain or wherever. I never felt in danger camping in Pakistani territory. In any case I felt supported by its inhabitants.