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The Ultimate First-Timer's Guide to Pakistan Travel · Phil and H Travel - Is It Worth It? Top Travel Destinations Explored!

• 0:00
  Welcome back to the Deep Dive. So today we're tackling a
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  destination that it has a reputation.
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  Let's just say that we're going straight into Pakistan.
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  We really are. And I think for most people,
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  when you say Pakistan, one of two things probably jumps into
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  their head, right? Either it's the the geopolitical
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  headlines, or it's these images of just unbelievably epic,
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  monumental landscape. Exactly.
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  I mean, you're talking about a country at the literal collision
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  point of the world's greatest mountain ranges.
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  The Himalayas, the Karakoram, the Hindu Kush, they all just
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  smashed together. There, and you have ancient
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  civilizations, the Indus Valley, these glorious Mughal empires.
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  This is the crucial part. It's modern reputation often
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  gets there first and frankly, you know up and misrepresents
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  what the country is actually like for a traveler.
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  It really does. And that gap, you know, the
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  space between the headlines and what travelers actually
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  experience, That's what makes it so fascinating.
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  That's our mission for this deep dive, then, to get past that
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  surface level. Yeah, We want to really dig into
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  the stories that people who go there bring back, and they're
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  always the same stories. You know, they talk about these
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  otherworldly landscapes, sure, but also this incredible
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  cultural depth and a level of hospitality that just shatters
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  every single stereotype. OK, so that contrast is what
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  we're exploring. We're going to get into the
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  absolute nitty gritty. We're talking visas, costs, the
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  routes you have to take, the food you have to eat, and the
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  cultural rules you need to follow to be a good guest.
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  And we're going to tackle that safety question head on.
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  No dodging it. By the end of this, for anyone
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  who's even a little bit adventurous, we will have
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  everything you need to answer that one big question.
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  Is a trip to Pakistan worth all the complexity?
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  Let's do it. Let's unpack this.
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  Yeah. All right, Let's start at the
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  very beginning, the 1st and maybe the biggest hurdle, just
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  getting into the country. I think most people assume that
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  for a place like Pakistan, the visa process is going to be this
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  archaic bureaucratic nightmare. And that's a totally fair
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  assumption based on how things used to be.
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  But the good news for anyone listening is that assumption is
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  well, it's getting more and more outdated.
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  Oh really? So it's not the nightmare of
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  paperwork it once was. Well, let's be clear, it's not
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  no paperwork. You absolutely have to be
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  diligent and organized. We can't stress that enough.
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  But the key thing is that it's become so much more streamlined.
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  The biggest change is the mandatory online E visa
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  application for most nationalities.
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  OK, so that's a huge step up, moving from endless embassy
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  visits to just filling out a form online.
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  Exactly. It's a logistical game changer.
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  But I'm guessing online doesn't mean easy.
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  You can't just upload a passport photo and click submit, right?
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  No. Absolutely not.
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  The online part is just the platform, the application
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  itself. It demands a ton of preparation
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  before you even start typing. The government wants to see a
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  lot of supporting documents uploaded right there with the
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  application. Like what?
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  What are we talking about? You need a very detailed day by
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  day itinerary. And I mean detailed, not just
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  Day 5, Hansa, but how you're getting there, where you're
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  staying. Wow, that's a level of planning
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  way beyond what you'd need for, say, a trip to Europe.
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  Way beyond. You also need confirmed flight
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  bookings and proof of hotel or guest house bookings for the
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  entire trip. The whole thing locked in.
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  The whole thing, They want a crystal clear, verifiable
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  picture of your trip before they'll even consider approving
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  it. So spontaneity, You know that
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  happens after you get the visa, not before.
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  And this brings us to the big one, the document everyone talks
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  about the LOI, the. Letter of invitation.
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  Yep, this is this is really the gatekeeper for tourism.
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  For most people traveling for leisure, you have to have one of
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  these and it has to come from a registered license tour operator
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  in Pakistan. OK, let me just push back on
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  that for a second. We're going to be talking a lot
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  about this amazing spontaneous hospitality, this Memon Nawazi,
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  but if the government is forcing me to get an LOI, which
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  basically forces me to hire a guide and a driver from a
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  company, isn't that putting me in a tourist bubble from the
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  start? Doesn't that kind of kill the
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  spontaneity? That is an excellent question.
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  It really is, and it gets right to the heart of the tension of
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  traveling there. You're right, on one level, the
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  LOI is a security thing. The authorities want to know
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  that someone is accountable for you, that your movements are
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  sort of tracked. But the deeper thing is it's
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  also structural. It means you, the traveler, have
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  to financially invest in the local tourism infrastructure
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  from day one. So you can't, just, as the
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  sources say, rock up with a backpack in a dream.
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  Exactly that. That phrase is perfect.
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  Even if you're the most experienced independent solo
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  traveler out there for Pakistan, you have to have that local
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  connection. You have to hire a company just
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  to get the LOI, which usually means you're also booking a
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  driver or a guide package with them.
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  It's not a luxury, it's it's just a part of the price of
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  admission. OK.
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  So that hurdles cleared, you've done the paperwork, you have the
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  visa, where do you fly into? For someone focused on those
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  epic mountains, what's the strategic move?
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  Your main gateways are Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi,
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  but for any trip that's focused on the north, on the Karakoram
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  Highway and Hunza, Islamabad is without a doubt your primary
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  gateway. It's the most strategic starting
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  point. And what's that like landing in
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  Islamabad? If you're braced for the chaos
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  of a Big South Asian city, what do you get?
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  You get the exact opposite. Travelers universally describe
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  it as a really gentle introduction to the country.
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  Gentle. Yeah, because it's a planned
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  capital. It's modern, it's very
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  organized, it's surprisingly green and it's calm.
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  It doesn't have that immediate, overwhelming sensory assault you
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  might get in, say, Delhi or Dhaka.
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  It's the perfect place to land, catch your breath, and get
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  organized before that long, long drive north.
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  So one last tip for arrival at the airport, get the E visa.
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  What's the one thing you shouldn't forget?
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  Print everything out. Everything.
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  Your E visa confirmation, the LOI, your flight details, all
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  those hotel bookings. Have it all in a neat little
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  file. The immigration process can be
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  really thorough, and if you just hand them a perfectly organized
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  stack of papers, it's going to make your life so much easier.
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  OK, so you're in the country, the next big question is where
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  you're going to sleep. And accommodation in Pakistan is
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  fascinating because it's really a tale of two completely
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  different experiences. Right.
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  The sources call it the tale of two lodgings.
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  You've got the high end city hotels and then the more
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  authentic mountain guest houses. Precisely.
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  Let's start with the cities, so Islamabad and Lahore.
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  In those places you can find proper international standard
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  luxury hotels. You know, names like the Serena
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  or the Pearl Continental Hotel. And they offer what security
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  comfort. Security is a big one.
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  They have secure perimeters, all the amenities.
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  The comfort is familiar there. Some people call the air
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  conditioned bubble the bubble. Why is that bubble necessary?
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  Well, in the big cities, there's just a higher need for security
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  for international visitors, especially business travelers or
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  diplomats. These hotels meet that standard.
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  They're great for your first night or your last night, a
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  great way to ease in or out of the trip.
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  But you have to know that you are fundamentally a bit detached
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  from the real rhythm of the city outside those gates.
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  So if you only start in those places, you'd be missing a huge
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  part of the experience. What's the alternative for
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  someone who wants to get a little closer to the culture?
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  You have to seek out the smaller family run guest houses.
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  They're often tucked away, but they give you a much more
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  immediate, unfiltered feel for local life.
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  And the food, oh, the food is often incredible.
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  You get these amazing home cooked meals, you know, recipes
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  passed down through generations. You just won't find that in a
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  hotel buffet. OK, that makes sense.
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  Start in the bubble, maybe, then get out.
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  But let's talk about the main event, the reason most people
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  are making this journey. The mountains.
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  Right, so now we're in the Hunza Valley, and this is what I call
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  adventure lodging here. The place you stay is a huge
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  part of the adventure itself. What do you mean?
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  I mean, you're staying in guest houses that are literally
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  perched on cliffsides or nestled on these high terraces, all
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  built to give you the most spectacular view possible.
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  So what's the trade off? Because there has to be a trade
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  off for that $1,000,000 view. The trade off is infrastructure.
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  You have to adjust your expectations.
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  The rooms might be simpler. The hot water might be, let's
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  say, temperamental and the big one is electricity.
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  It might not be on 24/7. You should be prepared for power
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  cuts. So the luxury isn't the thread
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  count on the sheets. The luxury is 100% the view.
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  But what a view. I mean, the sources talk about
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  lying in your bed and looking out your window at a 7000 meter
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  peak like Rakaposhi. It's a genuine life event.
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  It's a scale of nature that just puts everything into
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  perspective, and you're often staying with families who have
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  lived on that land for generations.
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  I imagine the best spots, the ones with those views, get
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  booked up pretty fast. Extremely fast.
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  This is crucial planning advice. You need to book these mountain
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  guest houses way way in advance. Like 6 to 9 months out.
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  Especially if you're going in the peak seasons, which are
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  summer and then autumn for the colors.
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  It's not just international tourists.
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  Right, not at all. Domestic tourism in the north is
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  huge, so the best spots with the best views and the best
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  hospitality, they are gone in a flash.
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  You cannot just show up and hope for the best.
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  So the theme here again is planning.
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  Meticulous planning is what gets you either the secure city base
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  or that unbelievable Mountain View.
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  That's the take away. Plan everything.
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  But when you get to the mountains, go for the local
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  guest houses. That's where the magic is.
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  OK, so if the mountains are the visual soul of Pakistan, the
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  cuisine has to be it's beating heart.
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  Let's shift to the thing that honestly might convince someone
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  to go through all that visa paperwork.
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  I could not agree more. Pakistani food is just it's this
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  incredible deep dive into history and flavor, and if there
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  is one undisputed food capital, every single source agrees it's
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  Lahore. I've heard about Food St. in
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  Lahore's Walled City. It sounds intense.
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  Intense is the right word. It's a total sensory explosion,
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  especially after dark. You're walking through these
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  ancient streets and the air is just thick with smoke from
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  charcoal grills. You see these gigantic wokes of
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  Curry bubbling over open flames. The noise, the smells, the heat.
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  It's intoxicating. So these are St. vendors who
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  have just perfected one or two dishes.
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  Exactly perfected over generations and the food is
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  incredibly flavorful and incredibly cheap.
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  All right, let's get specific. What are the absolute must try
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  iconic dishes? You have to start with Nihari.
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  It's the quintessential dish. It's the slow cooked beef or
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  lamb Stew, just incredibly rich and tender.
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  The meat, when it's done right, literally just melts in your
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  mouth. And what's the story behind it?
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  Where does it come from? It has roots in the mogul
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  courts. It was a dish that was cooked
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  overnight for the royalty, the nawabs.
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  Traditionally, it's actually a breakfast dish.
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  Breakfast. That sounds heavy for breakfast.
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  It is, but it was meant to be this rich, powerful start to the
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  day, the slow cooking, the bone marrow, it gives it this
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  unbelievable depth of flavor. Okay, Mihari is #1 what's next
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  on our list? Next you have to try Peshawari
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  tarsitika. This is totally different.
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  It comes from the Pashtun tradition.
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  So it's all about simplicity and the quality of meat.
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  So what is it? It's sublime pieces of lamb or
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  goat cooked only in their own fat, with a little salt and some
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  tomatoes. Wait, that's it.
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  Fat, salt and tomatoes. That's it.
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  And that's the genius of it. It's all about concentrating the
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  pure flavor of the high quality meat.
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  It's the total opposite of a complex multi spiced Curry.
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  It's pure. I love that contrast.
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  And of course, you can't go to South Asia without trying the
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  biryani. Of course, and Pakistan has its
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  own amazing regional versions. You should look for the Cindy
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  style biryani, which is a bit spicier and often has potatoes
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  in it, or the Karachi style. A perfect biryani is a work of
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  art. The rice greens are fragrant and
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  separate, the meat is tender. It's fantastic.
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  And you can't eat any of this without the right bread.
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  Absolutely not. You need hot, fluffy naan pulled
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  straight from a clay tandoor oven.
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  It's the essential tool for scooping up all that delicious
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  sauce. OK, so that's the food.
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  What about the drink? What's the national fuel?
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  Dude, potty Chai. And we have to be very clear,
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  this is not the Chai latte you get at Starbucks.
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  Dudepati means milk leaf. They boil whole milk and tea
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  leaves together for a long, long time with plenty of sugar until
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  it's super strong, super sweet, and really creamy.
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  It's what keeps the country. Running.
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  And it's more than just a drink, isn't it?
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  It's a ritual. It's a huge social ritual.
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  Being offered a cup of Chai is the first sign of Pakistani
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  hospitality, of Memo Nawazi. It's the icebreaker, it's how
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  you're welcomed into a shop, into a home.
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  It's a vital part of the culture.
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  One last question on food for someone to be worried about, you
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  know, deli belly. What's the advice?
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  How do you enjoy the street food without getting sick?
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  It's a balance. You don't want to be so cautious
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  that you miss out on everything. The best advice is to start
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  slow. Let your stomach adjust.
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  But the number one practical tip is this.
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  Go where the crowds are. Follow the locals.
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  Always a busy street food stall means high turnover.
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  High turnover means the food is fresh.
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  If you see a long line and lots of steam, you're probably in a
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  good place. So we've covered getting in,
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  where to stay, what to eat. Now let's talk about what you
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  actually do and the attractions in Pakistan.
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  They fall into two very distinct categories.
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  You have the monumental landscapes and you have the deep
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  history of the cities. Let's start with the big one,
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  the North. People talk about the Karakoram
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  Hwy. the KKH, like it's a legend.
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  Why is it called the Eighth Wonder of the world?
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  It's just this unbelievable feat of engineering, for one.
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  But for the traveler, the wonder comes from the landscape it
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  passes through. It's just relentless,
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  overwhelming beauty. What makes it so unique,
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  geographically speaking? It's the only place in the world
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  where three of the planet's greatest mountain ranges
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  collide. You're driving through the
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  intersection of the Himalayas, the Karakoram and the Hindu
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  Kush. All at once.
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  All at once, the drive drive itself is just a constant
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  assault of incredible scenery. You've got these terrifying
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  sheer drops to a turquoise river on one side and a 25,000 foot
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  mountain on the other. It almost doesn't look real.
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  It's like a CGI landscape. The drive itself is the
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  destination. In many ways, yes, and along the
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  way you see giants like Nanga Parbat, the killer mountain
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  right from the road. And then, at the end of this
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  epic drive, you arrive at the crown jewel.
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  The Hanza Valley. The Hanza Valley.
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  It's often called Pakistan Shangri-La, It's this beautiful
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  fertile valley surrounded by these colossal snow capped
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  peaks, Rockaposhi, Duron Peak. These are names that are
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  legendary and mountaineering and they are just the backdrop to
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  daily life there. And what do you do in Hunsa
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  apart from just staring at the mountains in awe?
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  Well, there's deep history there, too.
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  You have these ancient forts, Baltit and Altit, which are
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  perched on these cliffs and date back hundreds of years.
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  And then you have the apricot orchards, which turn this
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  incredible golden color in the autumn.
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  Is there one viewpoint that sums it all up?
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  Eagle's Nest. You go up there for sunset and
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  you get this 360° panorama of multiple massive peaks.
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  It's it's one of those moments that really makes you feel very,
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  very small in the best possible way.
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  OK, let's pull a complete 180 from that raw natural beauty to
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  the deep history of the cities. Let's start with Lahore.
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  Lahore is the cultural heart of the country.
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  It's just steeped in mogul history.
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  The best place to experience it is the Walled City.
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  It's this incredible maze of narrow alleys and hidden
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  courtyards that feels like you're stepping back in time.
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  And what are the big ticket item sites in Lahore?
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  Number one has to be the Bad Shahi Mosque.
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  It's this colossal, beautiful red sandstone masterpiece from
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  the Moghul era. It's just so serene and grand,
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  especially at sunset. And right next to it is the
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  Lahore Fort. Yep, A massive complex full of
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  palaces and halls and gardens, it tells the story of the rulers
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  who built this incredible city. And before we leave Lahore, we
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  have to talk about something a little more bizarre, the Wagah
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  border ceremony. Bizarre is a good word for it.
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  It is this incredibly theatrical, over the top
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  patriotic ceremony that happens every single day at the border
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  closing with India. I've seen videos, there's a lot
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  of high kicking. A lot of high kicking, a lot of
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  stomping, a lot of stare downs. It's part military drill, part
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  pure performance art. It's loud, it's intense, it's a
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  little bit ridiculous, and it is an absolute must see.
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  It tells you so much about the relationship between the two
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  countries. A completely unique experience.
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  And finally, just a quick word on Islamabad.
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  Islamabad is the calm, organized capital.
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  It's the perfect place to start or end a trip, and its main
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  landmark is the Faisal Mosque, this huge, stunning white marble
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  structure. It's very modern, a complete
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  contrast, the Mogul architecture of Lahore, and it's set
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  beautifully against the Margala Hills.
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  OK, so we've got the epic North and the historic S but now we
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  need to get into the hard logistics because this is where
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  a first timers trip can go wrong.
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  This is all about being realistic and for a first time
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  traveler, especially if you only have about two weeks, there is
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  IS1 non negotiable rule. Focus.
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  Don't chase distance. What does that mean in practice?
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  It means you have to choose. You either commit to going deep
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  into the north, the KKH Hanza, that whole region, or you focus
• 17:19
  your trip on the historical sites of the South like Multan.
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  You cannot do both on a first trip.
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  Why not? Why is trying to combine them a
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  recipe for disaster? Because the distances are huge
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  and the infrastructure just isn't built for fast, easy
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  travel. Let's say you try to fly from
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  Scardu in the north down to the South.
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  All those northern flights are notoriously unreliable because
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  of the weather. So they get cancelled all the
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  time. All the time.
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  So you could easily waste two or three days of your precious two
• 17:49
  week holiday just sitting in an airport waiting.
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  It's a logistical nightmare and the.
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  Roads aren't much faster. The roads are beautiful, but
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  they are slow. You have to factor in time for
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  potential landslides on the KKH which can stop traffic for
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  hours, and there are numerous military checkpoints.
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  You just you have to embrace the slow pace of the journey.
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  Trying to rush it will only lead to frustration.
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  So the advice is clear, pick the north for your first trip and
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  really immerse yourself in it. Exactly.
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  Embrace the Caracorum. Yeah, let's talk about the cost.
• 18:20
  This is something people often get wrong.
• 18:22
  Yeah, this is a great point. On the one hand, Pakistan is a
• 18:26
  very cheap country to travel in the day-to-day costs, you know,
• 18:30
  food, a room and a guest house. It's very affordable by Western
• 18:34
  standards, but but the barrier to entry is high because of that
• 18:40
  LOI we talked about. You're pretty much required to
• 18:42
  hire a driver and a guide and. That's where the real cost is.
• 18:45
  That is your single biggest expense by far.
• 18:48
  A good reliable vehicle, a safe driver fuel, the guides fee for
• 18:53
  a two week trip that can easily run into the thousands of
• 18:56
  dollars. So while the food is cheap, the
• 18:59
  overall budget for the trip is much higher than you might
• 19:01
  expect for South Asia because of that mandatory logistical cost.
• 19:04
  Which brings us back to the question of driving yourself.
• 19:07
  Let's just state it clearly. Do not do it.
• 19:09
  Hire a local professional driver.
• 19:11
  Does not negotiable. It's not about your driving
• 19:13
  skill, it's about safety and sanity.
• 19:15
  What are the main dangers? Well, the road conditions for
• 19:18
  one, landslides are a real and constant threat on the KKH.
• 19:23
  Secondly, the local driving style is, let's call it
• 19:27
  aggressive and requires 1/6 sense that you just don't have.
• 19:31
  And 3rd, your driver is also your navigator, your translator
• 19:35
  and your guide through all those checkpoints.
• 19:37
  So that money you spend on a driver isn't a luxury.
• 19:39
  It is the single best investment you will make on the entire
• 19:42
  trip. It lets you sit back and
• 19:44
  actually look at the 25,000 foot mountain instead of worrying
• 19:47
  about the 2000 foot drop right next to your tire.
• 19:50
  All right, we have to talk about the people because ultimately
• 19:53
  this is what makes a trip to Pakistan so different and so
• 19:56
  memorable. But before we get to the good
• 19:58
  stuff, we have to address the elephant in the room safety.
• 20:02
  It's the first question everyone asks, but is it safe?
• 20:05
  What's the reality on the ground today versus the headlines from
• 20:08
  10 years ago? The most important thing to know
• 20:10
  is that the security situation has improved dramatically,
• 20:12
  especially in the main tourist areas that we've been talking
• 20:14
  about, Islamabad, Lahore, the whole route of the KKH to Hunza.
• 20:19
  These are generally considered safe for travellers.
• 20:21
  And is there a visible effort to keep it that way?
• 20:25
  Oh absolutely. The government knows how
• 20:27
  valuable tourism is, so you'll often see a significant security
• 20:31
  presence in those key areas. It can actually be quite
• 20:34
  reassuring. You know you always have to be
• 20:36
  smart no matter where you travel, but the old narratives
• 20:39
  of fear just don't really match the experience most travellers
• 20:42
  have today. OK.
• 20:43
  So with that addressed, we can talk about the defining feature
• 20:46
  of a trip there, the hospitality.
• 20:49
  This is the thing that turns travelers into evangelists for
• 20:52
  Pakistan. It's a concept called Memo
• 20:54
  Nawazi. And it's this level of
• 20:56
  generosity and welcome that is just it's on another level.
• 21:00
  It completely shatters every expectation you might have.
• 21:03
  So what does that look like in practice?
• 21:05
  What happens to a foreign traveler on a normal day?
• 21:08
  You will get stopped on the street constantly, but not to be
• 21:11
  sold something. People are just genuinely
• 21:13
  curious and proud and happy to see you.
• 21:16
  You'll be invited for Chai within minutes of making eye
• 21:18
  contact with someone all the time.
• 21:20
  Shop sleepers might refuse to take your money for a bottle of
• 21:23
  water because you're a guest. Students will want to practice
• 21:26
  their English with you and take 1000 selfies.
• 21:28
  It's this constant warm, welcoming curiosity.
• 21:32
  That sounds amazing, but also maybe a little overwhelming.
• 21:36
  Does that intense kindness ever feel like pressure, or is the
• 21:40
  intention always good? That's a really fair question,
• 21:44
  and for someone who's very introverted, yes, the sheer
• 21:46
  amount of attention could be a bit draining at times.
• 21:49
  But the sources are unanimous on this.
• 21:52
  The intent is always, always pure.
• 21:56
  It comes from this deep, genuine national pride and a real desire
• 21:59
  to show you the real Pakistan, the one that isn't in the
• 22:02
  headlines. They want you to go home and
• 22:04
  tell a different story. That's a powerful motivation.
• 22:06
  So how do we as travellers show respect in return?
• 22:10
  That's the key. You have to reciprocate that
• 22:12
  welcome with respect for their culture.
• 22:14
  And since Pakistan is a conservative Muslim country, the
• 22:16
  most important thing is modesty in dress.
• 22:18
  So. For men and women.
• 22:19
  For everyone, but especially for women, Shoulders, chest and legs
• 22:23
  should be covered. It's just a sign of respect.
• 22:25
  And what about a headscarf? A Dopata.
• 22:27
  A headscarf is essential for women to enter any mosque.
• 22:31
  Outside of mosques it's not always required, but carrying
• 22:34
  one and using it, especially in more rural or conservative
• 22:37
  areas, is a huge sign of respect.
• 22:40
  It shows you've made an effort. So we shouldn't see it as a
• 22:42
  restriction, but more is a key that unlocks A deeper level of
• 22:46
  welcome. That is the perfect way to frame
• 22:47
  it. When you make that effort,
• 22:49
  you're no longer just a tourist. You become a guest.
• 22:53
  And in Pakistan, a guest is treated like royalty.
• 22:56
  That's when you get those really incredible, memorable
• 22:59
  interactions. OK.
• 23:00
  We have covered a lot of ground, the visas, the LOI, the city
• 23:05
  bubbles versus the mountain guest houses, the absolute need
• 23:08
  to focus on one region, the real cost of the trip.
• 23:12
  Not to mention the epic KKH, the mind blowing food and of course
• 23:16
  that overwhelming hospitality. The Memo Nawazi.
• 23:19
  Which brings us to the final verdict.
• 23:21
  We have to pull all of this together and answer the big
• 23:23
  question for our listener, the adventurous explorer.
• 23:26
  Is a trip to Pakistan actually worth the complexity?
• 23:28
  Let's start with who it's not for.
• 23:31
  If you're a traveller who values seamless comfort,
• 23:34
  predictability, if you want a resort style holiday where
• 23:37
  everything just works, then no, Pakistan is absolutely not for
• 23:41
  you. You will be frustrated.
• 23:43
  You will be endlessly frustrated.
• 23:44
  The journeys are long, things breakdown.
• 23:46
  Patience is not optional, it's a requirement.
• 23:49
  OK, but for the other kind of traveller, the one who's up for
• 23:52
  the challenge? For that person, the verdict is
• 23:55
  a resounding yes. If you are someone who craves
• 23:59
  raw, monumental landscapes that make you feel insignificant in
• 24:02
  the best way possible, if you value human connection as much
• 24:05
  as you value seeing sights, and if you love food, that tells
• 24:09
  1000 year old story. Then what's the conclusion?
• 24:11
  Then Pakistan isn't just worth it, the sources suggest it's one
• 24:15
  of the most rewarding, memorable and potentially life altering
• 24:17
  trips you can take. All the effort you put in up
• 24:20
  front is paid back 100 times over by the beauty of the
• 24:23
  Karakoram and the kindness of the people.
• 24:25
  It's like the logistical challenges are a filter.
• 24:28
  They make sure that the people who get there are the ones who
• 24:30
  will truly appreciate it. For me, it's a 10 out of 10 for
• 24:33
  the right kind of traveler. I completely agree.
• 24:35
  It's a journey that will challenge every single
• 24:38
  preconceived notion you have. It will push you out of your
• 24:41
  comfort zone and it will change how you see the world.
• 24:44
  It is absolutely worth the effort.
• 24:46
  A powerful verdict. And before we go, we always like
• 24:49
  to leave our listener with one final provocative thought to
• 24:53
  Mull over. We talked a lot about that
• 24:54
  incredible hospitality, the memo Nawazi, and how it's so tied to
• 24:59
  this national desire to change the country story on the world
• 25:02
  stage. So here's the thought to take
• 25:04
  with you go. On.
• 25:05
  When you're in a small village and someone invites you into
• 25:08
  their home for a cup of that sweet Milky Chai, you aren't
• 25:12
  just a tourist having a nice experience.
• 25:14
  How does your simple, respectful presence as a foreign guest
• 25:18
  become an active part of shifting an entire nation's
• 25:20
  narrative? In a small way, your journey
• 25:23
  becomes a piece of their story of reintroduction to the world.
• 25:27
  So you're not just an observer, you're a participant just by
• 25:30
  being there. Respectfully, that is a
• 25:32
  fantastic thought to end on. I think so.
• 25:34
  And that is our deep dive on Pakistan.
• 25:36
  We hope we've given you the tools and maybe the inspiration
• 25:39
  to look past the headlines and consider what is truly a complex
• 25:43
  but deeply rewarding destination.