Through the eyes of our travellers
This May 2022, the Women’s Moto Exhibit will take off on a Co- Ed motorcycle journey to the vast lands of Pakistan, one of the most misunderstood countries in the world. Having traveled around various parts of the globe, I can say the most enriching experiences are the ones that you can immerse yourself in the culture and support the improvement of systems in some capacity. This motorcycle journey will be heavily influenced by Pakistani native Kiki/Anjuli, a long time friend, road warrior and world traveler whose dream and mission has been to promote a positive experience of her homeland, all whilst coupling together what she loves most…motorcycle adventures and helping those in need.
After your long haul flight we will be picked up at LHR airport (not by that amazing scooter unfortunately) and taken to your hotel/guesthouse where you can adjust to the 12 hour jet-lag (for those coming in from USA/CANADA) and recuperate after traveling across the world. Optional dinner may be on the schedule between us riders, depending on levels of fatigue etc.
We shall set off on an exploration of the mystic Walled City of Lahore including a visit to Lahore Fort, Wazir Khan mosque, followed by a stroll in Anarkali Bazaar ONLY if we’re ready for some high sensory sights and sounds. We will still be adjusting and have an action packed trip ahead of us, so for those who want to skip it, just skip it. At night, we will have dinner in an old Haveli turned restaurant – a heavenly experience for culture and food lovers.
Our private van with our loyal ADA team will set off bright and early after breakfast towards Islamabad, about 235 miles North of Lahore, taking us approximately 4.5 hours. Once in Islamabad we help set up a charity/fundraiser at AKHO foundation, a non-profit which WME will adopt for 3-5 years, ensuring a partnership to help provide whatever aid needed to keep the women and children of the city/community safe, educated and nourished. “When the belly is full, dreams grow”. After a first contact with this humanitarian mission, we better get our beauty sleep because day 3 onwards is smiles on miles on miles…..
It’ll be your first day on the motorcycle in Pakistan so we leave early in the morning to beat the traffic and get into the mountains. Breakfast is going to be one of those hidden gems on the side of the road and you’ll get to ride along the famous Kunhar River. The trip takes about 7-8 hours to cover 200 miles of scenic roads to Naran, through beautiful mountainous villages like Murree, Nathiagali and Abbottabad, with plenty of stops to take a photos, to rest and to mingle with people. We also try our best to stay at a family-run guest houses/hotels for a more personalized and memorable experience.
Naran is known to be the entry point to the Northern mountains, you get to cross Babusar Pass which is 13,700ft above seal-level and one of the most spectacular high passes in the country. You finally get a chance to ride the world-famous Karakoram Highway on this day! The “KKH” is considered the highest paved international road in the world.. Tracing one of the many pathways of the ancient Silk Road, the KKH is also often called the ‘Eighth Wonder of the World’ due to its high elevation and the difficult conditions in which it was constructed. We ride 145 miles to get to Gilgit, which approximately takes 5.5 hours without stops…but we are going to want to stop a LOT for sure.
Gilgit is home to a few ancient buddha sites and we will pay a visit to Karga Buddha before riding up to the jewel of the country, Hunza. A gorgeous 2 hour ride with lots of fruit sellers on the way, don’t shy away from stopping over and picking up some fresh apples or cherries for us! Hunza has a lot to offer, one of the most vibrant bazaars has to be the Karimabad Bazaar. From old ancient jewels, to hand made handicrafts, silk carpets, and clothes. With an abundance of history, you’ll be visiting some 1000-year-old forts too and perhaps even CIQAM, an empowering foundation which trains women in the art of carpentry and stone masonry.
We cannot leave Hunza without visiting one of the most spectacular lakes in the region. Attabad Lake is only a few miles from Karimabad and will leave you mind blown. This dazzlingly turquoise mountain lake was created in the wake of a natural disaster on January 4, 2010. The lake has become one of the biggest tourist attractions in Gilgit−Baltistan, offering activities like boating, jet-skiing, fishing and other recreational activities. We then begin our ride back down to Gilgit for the night.
Tracing the ride back to Islamabad, we get to cross the spectacular 13,700ft high Babusar Pass from the Chilas side this time around. Your bikes will want to give up, you will have to have superb throttle control with a perfect fuel and oxygen mix to push you up the steep road from this side of Babusar. It’s a fun and safe challenge for all the riders, it’ll also help you appreciate your EFI bike back home more than ever before!
Last day on this familiar road is fun, we’ll stop a few times for snacks and chai. Get ready, one really feels the fatigue from the precedent days, so on Day 8 you’ll have to be even more vigilant than usual, better gas up on extra caffeine and chai! Dinner in the capital before we fall asleep like a ton of bricks at a comfortable Guesthouse/Hotel.
On your last day we have a rave party at Saidpur village with a bunch of goats and monkeys. Then we make our way downtown, walking fast, faces past and we homebound lalalalalalalla allalallla and I need you.. tanna taanana …. Go to AKHO on our bikes, get the kids and ladies all excited about two wheels and (in a perfect world, donate all the bikes to them) get covid tests and get Uncle Jeff Bezos to fly us back to our respective cities on his private jet. Jk Jk about the private jet, but very serious about the rave with the goats and monkeys 😉
If you have any other questions then please Contact Us
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