Essential Information - Pakistan - The Old Silk Route

Holiday Status 

Before booking your holiday with us, please check the status of your chosen tour. We strongly advise against booking any flights or making other travel arrangements until the tour is marked as Guaranteed. 

To confirm your place, simply pay the deposit. This deposit can be refunded at any time until the tour status changes to "Guaranteed". Your final balance will be due 56 days before the tour start date. 

When you book, you are agreeing to our booking conditions – please take a moment to read them in full. 

Each tour requires a minimum number of participants to go ahead. As bookings come in, the status will update from Available, to 2 More to Guarantee, and finally to Guaranteed once the minimum is met. You can always check the current status on the ‘Dates and Prices’ section of the tour page. 

Tour status definitions: 

• ✅ Guaranteed – The tour is confirmed and open for booking. 

• ✅ Guaranteed – Limited – Confirmed to run, but only a few spaces left. 

• ⏳ Available – 2 More to Guarantee – Tour is open but needs just 2 more bookings to confirm. 

• 🟢 Available – Open for booking but not yet confirmed to run. 

• 📩 Contact – Please get in touch if you're interested in this tour. 

• ❌ Fully Booked – This tour is no longer available. 

Once a tour is marked Guaranteed, you can confidently go ahead with booking your flights and making travel plans. We don’t cancel trips once they reach guaranteed status, except in very rare and exceptional circumstances. 

✅ What’s Included

🚐 Support Vehicle – Full vehicle support throughout the tour

🏨 Accommodation – Comfortable local stays each night

🍽️ Meals – Most meals included (see Trip Notes for details)

🚰 Snacks & Water – Refreshments provided during cycling days

✈️ Airport Transfers – Provided on the first and last day of the tour

🧑‍🏫 Local Guides – Experienced, English-speaking professional guides

• International flights
• Domestic flights ($145, each way -  contact us for details)
• Alcoholic drinks
• Meals not stated on the itinerary
• Visa fees
• Travel insurance
• Tips for guide (s) and support staff
• Sleeping bag (3-4 season)

Travel Information for your redspokes Tour

Your adventure begins in Islamabad, and you will need to arrive on Day 1 of the itinerary. Regardless of your arrival time on that day, you and your luggage will be transferred to the joining hotel. Please note that if you arrive before 2pm, you may need to wait until your room is ready.

If you wish to arrive early or extend your stay after the tour, redspokes will be happy to assist with arranging additional accommodation at an extra cost.

Your return flight should be scheduled for no earlier than 12:00pm on the final day of the itinerary. This is important due to potential changes in logistics, as well as the possibility of delays or cancellations on your return flight from Gilgit.

Due to the limited luggage allowance on the Gilgit flights, all bikes will be transported separately by road to and from Gilgit. Additionally, in the rare event that your return flight from Gilgit is cancelled, redspokes will arrange an alternative transfer back to Islamabad by road.

Please note that international and domestic flights are not included in the tour price.

For those travelling from the UK, British Airways, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and Turkish Airways are popular choices among our customers. BA currently operates a direct flight to Islamabad on Fridays, with a return flight departing at 00:20 on Saturday. For current flight schedules and fares, we recommend checking www.kayak.com.

Your domestic return flights between Islamabad and Gilgit should be arranged as follows:

• Outbound: At 07:00am from Islamabad to Gilgit

• Return: At 09:05 from Gilgit to Islamabad

The cost of these flights is approximately £130. If you have any questions or require help booking your flights, please do not hesitate to contact us.

💱 Currency Exchange

Pakistani Currency
The official currency in Pakistan is the Pakistani Rupee (PKR). All purchases—hotels, restaurants, and local shops—must be made in rupees. Foreign currencies are not accepted for transactions.

What to Bring

• Bring a Visa or Mastercard debit/credit card for ATM access (cash preferred in rural areas)

• Travellers from the UK, Europe, US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand should bring USD, EUR, or GBP

• Ensure notes are clean and undamaged—older, worn bills may be rejected

• Bring plenty of small denominations for tips and purchases in villages

Where to Exchange

• At Islamabad International Airport (ISB):

  • Currency exchange counters and ATMs are located in the Arrivals hall

  • ✅ Exchange a small amount (e.g. PKR 10,000–20,000 / £30–£60) to cover initial expenses

  • ❌ Airport rates are typically lower—better rates can be found at licensed exchange offices in the city

• ✔ Your redspokes guide will assist with finding trusted ATMs and currency exchange services during the tour

💸 Spending Money

We recommend budgeting around £250 / $340 for the tour, depending on how much you spend on drinks, snacks, and souvenirs.

Typical Costs in Northern Pakistan

Note: Alcohol is heavily restricted in Pakistan. It is not widely available, especially in rural or conservative areas. Some hotels may serve it discreetly to foreigners, but expect high prices and limited choice.

🧭 Helpful Tips

• Cash is essential in rural areas and for small vendors

• Notify your bank before travel to avoid ATM blocks

• Bring small notes—useful in bazaars and for tipping

• ATMs can be unreliable in remote regions—withdraw enough in major towns

• Exchange rates are better in major cities than rural areas

💁‍♂️ Staff Tipping

Tipping is appreciated and customary to thank your guides and support crew for their work.

💷 Recommended: £60–£80 per person
💵 Or $80–$100 equivalent

Tips are usually collected at the end of the tour and distributed fairly by the lead guide.
redspokes ensures all local teams are paid well—tips are a gesture of personal thanks for great service.

You will at all times have the security of a back-up vehicle; either a jeep or a bus. The vehicle will carry your luggage (we transport your main baggage by support vehicle from each overnight stop to the next) and yourself if you want. The backup van will be with us throughout the day stopping around every 12 miles (20 km).

Our leaders carry a good tool kit and will help to fix any bike problems so all you normally need to carry is a daypack, for your camera etc. However, we cannot guarantee that we will be equipped for all repairs, so if you are bringing your own bike on the tour you must ensure that it is in good working order. If in doubt, have it fully serviced by a bike shop before you travel.

🚴‍♀️ Solo Travellers Welcome

🌍 Join a Diverse Group
Our tours attract a great mix of solo travellers, friends, and couples — everyone is welcome!

🛏️ Shared Accommodation
Prices are based on twin-shared rooms. If you're joining solo, we'll pair you with another same-gender guest from your group.

🚪 Want Your Own Room?
Prefer privacy? Single room upgrades are available on most tours for an additional charge.

Breakfasts, lunches, and many dinners are included in your trip price. On rest days, breakfast is provided, while other meals are at your own leisure.

Please check the itinerary for full details on which meals are included each day.

If you have any special dietary requirements, please let us know at the time of booking. Most diets can be accommodated, but advance notice is essential.

It is mandatory that you are well-insured for the full duration of the tour. This must include personal injury, medical expenses, death, repatriation, helicopter or aircraft rescue, loss of luggage or equipment, cancellation or curtailments.

You should also ensure that there are no exclusion clauses limiting protection for the type of activities included in your tour. Any claims concerning matters for which you are insured must be directed to your insurers. We strongly recommend that you take out insurance at the time of booking your trip to ensure that you are covered in the event of cancellation.

We choose accommodation on the basis of comfort rather than luxury. Our prices are based on sharing a twin room. Should you wish to have a room all to yourself there is a single supplement option on the majority of our tours. For more information on the additional costs please see dates and prices.

The majority of the accommodation for this trip is in either Guest House or Hotel with one night of camping

Some Hotels will have En suite facilities and Air Conditioning.

We are unable to offer bike hire for this trip. Please see the section below for details on the most suitable bike to take on this tour.

You are required to bring your own cycle helmet and it is mandatory for this to be worn at all times when cycling.  Failure to wear a cycle helmet is at your own risk and might also affect the validity of your travel insurance.

For this tour we recommend a good tough mountain bike as the roads can be very rough. Front suspension will help with the washboard tracks and potholes, but it is not essential. Full-suspension is OK, but may be hard work on the tarmac stretches. If you have flat bars, fitting bar ends will give you a different hand position and help with the climbs. The trip can be done on a traditional touring bike, but it is important to ensure it has strong enough wheels, sufficiently wide tyres (37mm is about the minimum) and low enough gearing. It's worth investing in a pair of 36 spoke, hand-built wheels, using a good quality rim (e.g. Sun Rhyno, Mavic or RigidaLow geared such as a 22-tooth granny cog on the front crank driving an 11-32/34 block on the back should do the trick. Comfort is a key factor as there are some long days so it is essential your saddle and riding position are comfortable.

The route is a mixture of poorly maintained tarmac and very rough gravel tracks. The best tyre for the job is probably the Schwalbe Marathon XR. It's very tough and hardwearing, and has a decent tread for the gravel without being too knobbly for tarmac.

We strongly recommend that you have your bike fully serviced before going on the tour. Ensure that wheel spokes are adjusted, all bearings are greased, gear and brake cables checked, all nuts and bolts tightened.  Also check the chain, quick release clamp and tyres. Put in new inner tubes and check wheel rims are not worn.

Our local team will have general bike tools, including a track pump.  However, we recommend that you bring the following items with you.

• Multi tool
• Tyre levers
• Small tyre pump
• Spare inner tubes
• Spare spokes
• Check with your bike shop for disc/ brake pads
• A few links for your chain
• Spares for any unique things for your bikes i.e fluid or bleed kit.

Your bike must be carried as part of your luggage allowance. The weight of a bike in a cardboard box is about 15-20kg, so please bear this in mind when packing for the trip and also that you may have to pay for excess luggage.

You must hold a valid passport in order to travel.  Your passport should be valid for at least 6 months from the date of your return from any overseas destination. 

Visa and entry requirements for most countries can and do change from time to time and so we strongly recommend that you consult the government travel website for where your passport was issued.

For UK nationals, please visit the gov.uk website for up to date information about entry requirements for Pakistan.  The website also provides vaccination advice as well as the option to sign up for Alerts so that you are aware if requirements have changed. 

Pakistan E-Visa Information.

All travellers from the UK, EU, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the USA require a visa to enter Pakistan. For most of our international customers, Pakistan offers a convenient e-visa system, making the visa application process straightforward and accessible.

✅ Who needs a visa?
You can check whether you need, and obtain, an e- visa on the Pakistan Online Visa System - Government of Pakistan.

📌 Important notes
Please travel with the same passport that you used for your e-visa application and also carry a printed copy of your e-visa with you.

We strongly recommend that you contact your doctor or local Travel Health Clinic at least 8 weeks before going on your trip for advice on the correct vaccinations for this destination.  You can also refer to the current guidance given by National Travel Health Network and Centre . 

Pakistan has a continental climate with significant temperature variations between regions, seasons, and even between day and night. Much of this tour takes place at high altitude, where the climate is generally cold and the northern mountains remain snow-covered for long periods.

The best time to travel this route is April to May and September to early October, when conditions are most stable and temperatures are more comfortable for cycling.

In terms of clothing we have provided a rough guide as to what to bring. This guide is entirely flexible and should be tailored to your specific needs and preferences. 

Please note that there is a dress code for this trip. Women will need to carry with them a shawl or wrap large enough to cover their head and shoulders, to use when not cycling. Also, baggy shorts will need to be worn by everyone when not cycling, rather than Lycra shorts.

• Cycle helmet (manadatory and to be worn at all times when cycling)
• Cycle lights
• Sunglasses
• Water bottles or camelbak
• Base layer tops
• Fleece jacket/ pullover
• Waterproof cycling jacket (breathable fabric)
• Baggy padded cycling shorts
• Cycling shoes/ trekking shoes
• Lightweight socks & heavyweight socks
• Trekking Shorts 
• Trousers 
• T-shirts– lightweight 
• Long-sleeved thermal shirt 
• Fingerless cycling gloves
• Warm gloves
• Warm fleece hat
• Buff
• Towel
• Lipbalm/ sunscreen
• Thermal Long Johns
• Headlamp
• Sleeping bag (3-4 season)

Our guides carry first aid supplies, however we recommend you bring your own first aid kit which should contain the following item; 

• Paracetamol/ Ibuprofen (or whatever you prefer for headache)
• Lomotil or Diacalm
• Rehydration salts (Dioralite)
• Antiseptic cream
• Throat lozenges
• Plasters (band aids)
• Nasal spray
• Eye drops
• Ear plugs
• Anti bacterial hand wash
• Antiseptic wet wipes
• Insect Repellent

Miscellaneous

• Energy Bars (gels, power bars)
• Energy/recovery drinks
• Camera
• Travel adapter plug (universal)
• Portable power bank

Tipping is an accepted part of everyday life, and although it is always at your discretion, you will be expected to tip to reward service. 60-80 USD for the guide and team at the end of the tour is recommended.

It is customary for this to be collected up and given to your guide who will distribute it amongst the team. Unfortunately there is usually a hierarchy for the division between guides, helpers and drivers.

Spending money depends on your tastefor souvenirs, drinks etc.  We estimate that £250 will be
more than enough to cover the tour.

• Population 197 million

• Area 796,095 sq km (307,374 sq miles), excluding Kashmir

• Major languages English, Urdu, Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashto, Balochi

• Major religion Islam

• Life expectancy 66 years (men), 68 years (women)

• Currency Pakistani Rupee