What to pack for Pakistan

The two things people forget

A power bank. Electricity in the north is intermittent and generator hours are short. Everything else on this list is replaceable; a dead phone at 3,300 metres is not.

A proper scarf. Useful at shrines and mosques, useful against dust on the road, useful when it turns cold at a viewpoint. Buy one here for a few dollars if you would rather not carry one.

Clothing

Modest and loose is both respectful and comfortable. For everyone: long trousers, shirts that cover the shoulders. For women: a long tunic over trousers, and a scarf. A shalwar kameez costs very little here, is more comfortable than what you brought, and makes you far less conspicuous.

For the north, April to October

• Layers. Karimabad can be 25°C at midday and 5°C after dark
• A warm mid-layer and a windproof shell
• Proper walking shoes, even if you are not trekking — forts have uneven steps
• Sun hat and high-factor sunscreen. At 2,400 metres the sun is fierce even when the air is cold

For the north in winter

• A serious down jacket, thermals, hat and gloves
• Heating in guesthouses is limited. A sleeping-bag liner is worth its weight

For the plains, October to March

• Light layers and something warm for the evening
• A mask or filter if you are in Lahore between November and January and have any respiratory sensitivity

For trekking

• Broken-in boots. Do not bring new ones
• A four-season sleeping bag for anything above 4,000 metres
• Trekking poles, which we can also hire locally
• Sunglasses rated for glacier glare, not fashion sunglasses

Medical

• Anything prescribed, in its original packaging, with the prescription
• Rehydration salts. The single most useful thing in the bag
• A basic kit: plasters, blister treatment, painkillers, antihistamine
• Diamox if your itinerary goes above 3,500 metres, discussed with your own doctor first
• Hand sanitiser

Documents

• Passport, with the e-visa printed as well as on your phone
• Insurance certificate, printed, including the altitude cover
• Two spare passport photographs — useful more often than you would expect
• Some cash in USD, EUR or GBP

Buy here, not at home

Scarves, shawls, a shalwar kameez, bottled water, snacks, SIM card, and cheap sunglasses. Bring the technical gear; buy the rest.