Pakistan Profile
ADVENTURE CENTER PAKISTAN (ACP)
Pakistan gained independence on 14th August 1947. It covers an area of 803944 square kilometers with 220.9 million people. It comprises five provinces: Sindh, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Baluchistan, and Gilgit-Baltistan. On the east and south-east lies India, on the north and north-west Afghanistan, on the west is Iran, and the Arabian Sea to the south. Pakistan shares its northeastern border with China.
The northern mountains consist of the Himalayan and trans-Himalayan ranges, which boast the world’s second-highest peak, the 8611 meters K2. To the northwest lies the Hindukush range. The northern mountains take the impact of winds from the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal and are thus the guardians of rainfall and a barrier against the cold winds from Central Asia. South of the Himalayas, the vast plains which stretch to the Arabian Sea are fed by the mighty Indus River and its tributaries.
Diverse and splendid, the 2000 miles long Indus tumbles and roars from its mountain source through valleys and gorges, then majestically through the plains, clammy and unhurriedly merging with the Arabian sea. The water around Karachi provides excellent fishing opportunities. Lobsters, prawns, cod, and mackerel are found in abundance.
PAKISTAN
CLIMATE & CLOTHING
Pakistan’s climate and terrain vary from region to region. Some of the world’s hottest areas are here. Jacobabad in Sind and Sibi in Baluchistan, where the maximum temperature has been recorded, 126F. Elsewhere, it drops well below freezing at certain times of the year. In Karachi, light summer clothing is suitable from March to November. From December to February, soft sweaters and suits are suggested. The warmest seasons are from May to September in the northern plains (Lahore and Rawalpindi). The more astonishing season sets in from October. December and January are slightly cold.
VISA REQUIREMENTS
Most visitors must obtain a visa to enter Pakistan. All tourists who plan to visit must check with the embassy of Pakistan in their respective countries for current visa regulations.
VACCINATIONS
Vaccination requirements for Pakistan are similar to those for other Asian countries. Covid test reports are required within 72 hours of your arrival in Pakistan.
CUSTOMS
Custom procedures at Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad international airports are usually swift and informal. In most cases, tourists can pass through a “green channel” if they have nothing to declare. There is no restriction on items brought in for personal use as long as they are not contraband (drugs, firearms, or phonographic materials). However, there are limits on duty-free cigarettes (200) and cigars (50).
CURRENCY AND EXCHANGE RATE
The unit in Pakistan is the Pakistani rupee, which is divided into 100 paisa. Depending on the rate of currency exchange, the rupee fluctuates between Rs. 200.00 to the U.S. dollar. The rupee currency notes are available in 50, 100, 500, 1000, and 5000.
Levels
ADVENTURE LEVELS
LEVEL A: Day hikes, riding on a camel/yak/pony or in a jeep/bus/boat, 6-7 hours a day; ability to tolerate extreme temperature (from 45 degrees in the desert and main cities to minus 5 degrees centigrade in the mountains); and high altitudes (up to 5000 meters).
LEVEL B: 6-7 hours moderate hiking per day, gradual altitude gains, to a maximum altitude of 4000 meters, some passes, or side trip or day excursions may reach 4500 meters.
LEVEL C: 6-7 hours of strenuous hiking per day, significant altitude gains, to a maximum altitude of 4750 meters; some passes, side trips, or day excursions may reach 5000 meters.
LEVEL D: 6-7 hours of strenuous hiking per day, substantial altitude gains to a maximum altitude of 5200 meters; Some passes side trips, day excursions, or summits reach up to 6000 meters. Elementary basic knowledge of the use of ice axes and crampons is necessary.
Note: The above hours per day are averages; some days may be as short as three hours, other days may be as long as 10 hours when crossing passes two people are not the same, and some may not be able to negotiate trails as swiftly and surely as others, resulting in differences in the hours walked.