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Do I need a drivers licence to ride in Pakistan

It is a legal requirement to have an international drivers licence to ride a motorbike in Pakistan. HOWEVER the local officials do not seem to care or enforce this rule. Most locals do not have a valid licence. BUT we recommend you arrange an internaional drivers licence for the reason of travel insurance. You would not be able to claim travel insurance on any incident that may arise while riding a motorbike if you do not have a legal licence to do so. If you do not have a legal licence to ride a motorbike in your own country then your insurance would also not cover you in Pakistan. Please check with your insurance providor their requirements.

I'm an independent traveller, can you still help me?

Yes we can!!!

For visa support and letter of invitation please start by reading this info page on our site.

How do I pay my tour deposit.

To secure your spot on the tour you will need to pay a deposit. This shows us you are genuinely wanting to ride. You can pay this by clicking the book now button on the tour you're interested in. This payment option accepts credit card via Paypal and Stripe. Or you can contact us for direct transfer and other payment options.

How do I pay the remaining tour fee.

Once your deposit is paid and spot confirmed on the tour you will need to pay the remaining tour fee. This has to be done no later than 2 months prior to tour start date. Once your deposit is paid we will send you a confirmation email detailing specifics of the trip and final invoice with payment options. Payment options are direct transfer, wire transfer, pay pal or stripe.

What types of bikes do we ride?

We use Suzuki GS150s, these are the best in Northern Pakistan for the conditions and are great fun to ride.

Our bikes are constantly checked and maintained. We service them after every bike hire. We love our bikes like our children and take very good care of them :)

What level bikes skills do I need and what are the road conditions like.

Some of our trips involve a significant amount of off road riding on un-paved, rough, dusty and rocky surfaces and at times may require ice/snow and creek crossings.  We assume that riders taking our tours or using our bikes on freedom trips are skilled bikers who are able to cope with such conditions. You should have a couple of years riding experience and be confident to handle extreme conditions. This is adventure touring at its best. We are here to guide you and make it fun, not teach you how to ride a motorcycle.

How many hours ride on bike per day?

We will spend up to 8 hours per day on the road. This is not continuous riding but is including plenty of time for scenery breaks and chai stops. We want you to take it all in, not rush by. 

Can I bring a friend on the same bike as me.

Yes you can bring a friend, we'd love that and love you to share the ride. You do however have to be experienced in pillion riding over tough conditions and the buddy may need to get off and walk through certain "tricky" spots.

What size groups do we travel with.

We like to keep our rider groups small. We ride with up to 10 riders and up to 4 pillion and two guide riders. Often our groups are around 4 riders.

Can I just hire a bike from you and trip around with my buddy?

Yes you can indeed! We provide a bike, helmet, gloves, elbow and knee protection. We rent bikes for 2000 pkr per day or less if hiring for more than 3 weeks.

Where can I pick up the hire bike.

Our bikes are now based in Gilgit city which is the main centre and gateway for the Northern areas. It is the best starting point for exploring amazing scenery in every direction. From here it is easy to do the classic Karakoram Highway route to Khunjerab and back or to ride an outstanding loop across to Skardu, Deosai.

We made a conscious decision to base our bikes in Gilgit. It avoids the hectic, dangerous and stressful roads through Attobad and Manshera, avoids some of the dustiest and hottest areas and is the best jump off point to the most spectacular areas open to foreigners. 

We can assit with flight, bus and car transfers to Gilgit from Islamabad.
 

What to wear for the ride?

We will provide you with gloves and helmet, however if you would rather use your own that's great too! It's up to you what other bike gear you bring and what you are most comfortable wearing. We would rather you didn't ride in shorts and t-shirt however! This isn't summer scooter riding round a tropical island.

Some people prefer to bring their own helmets and that is great. If you do bring your own helmet please pack it into hold luggage on flights to avoid having it taken by security... personal experience :( 

What to wear for respecting culture?

Pakistan is a quite conservative country. While Gilgit areas are very open minded and welcoming its still nice to cover up. It's fine for men to wear t-shirts. Girls can carry a scarf and easily wrap it around head or shoulders where appropriate. Long pants are recommended. 

Letter of invitation

It is a requirement of the government of pakistan that a letter of invitation is provided in your visa aplication. We can provide you with this letter but it is up to you to complete your visa application within your own country.

Travel insurance

You must have your own travel insurance with an adventure travel add on. 

What about safety and first aid

Your saftey is of utmost importance to us. All Our tour leaders are professionaly trained and acredited with a certificate in first aid. A comprehensive medical kit is available and our guides are experts in local cultures and the resolution of any issues that may arise on our journey. It's our duty to you to make the ride as stress free and awesome as possible! Leaving you to relax and enjoy the ride.

What is the humanaitarian connection?

Every trip you take with us, every bike hired, every item bought, is giving directly to communities in need. We work closely with local people in places we visit to find best practices for sustainable tourism, returning to local economy and maintaining pure environments. A percentage of every purchase through Karakoram Bikers goes to help these communities.

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