Journey into the Hindu Kush

With epic mountain landscapes, a diverse and varied population, interesting architecture, a surprisingly good cuisine and an improving security situation, Northern Pakistan is once again emerging as one of adventure travel’s most exciting destinations. In 1996 travel writer Jonny Bealby set out across India and the border regions of Afghanistan and Pakistan’s Northwest Frontier Province to follow in the footsteps of his two heroes from English literature, Peachy Carnehan and Daniel Dravot, from Kipling’s classic tale, The Man Who Would Be King. Travelling on foot, on an often gruelling and dangerous journey, he became captivated by a land of harsh natural beauty, political intrigues and a diverse and fascinating population. And when he finally emerged from Afghanistan back into Pakistan and the valleys of the Kalash – the last of the pagan tribes to inhabit the Hindu Kush – he was so taken with these warm and welcoming people that he put down his bags and stayed for three months. What also amazed Jonny was the near total lack of tourism to what was a relatively accessible region. So, having written his second book, For A Pagan Song, about this journey, he returned to Pakistan and swapped his travel-writing hat for that of a tour operator, and so Wild Frontiers was born. Jonny has returned to Pakistan more than 20 times since that first journey, often taking groups of fellow travellers with him, and so is ideally placed to explain about a land that offers so much, yet is visited by so few.

Read more about Jonny on the Wild Frontiers website.

Find out more about Jonny