{"id":39563,"date":"2020-03-03T08:30:00","date_gmt":"2020-03-02T21:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/?p=39563&preview=true&preview_id=39563"},"modified":"2022-03-26T00:18:13","modified_gmt":"2022-03-25T13:18:13","slug":"travel-in-pakistan-for-women","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/travel-in-pakistan-for-women\/","title":{"rendered":"What it’s like to travel as a woman in Pakistan"},"content":{"rendered":"

Your friends and family might think you\u2019re crazy for wanting to travel to Pakistan<\/a>, but you\u2019re not alone: plenty of women travel there these days. Come prepared, and the country will welcome you with open arms.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what you can expect:<\/p>\n

1. Your gender is a backstage pass to Pakistani society.<\/strong><\/h3>\n

On the surface, Pakistan is a man\u2019s world. Male drivers navigate roads. Male waiters bring dal <\/em>to dinner tables. Men run shops, hawk wares, and loiter anywhere and everywhere.<\/p>\n

But another world powers the male fa\u00e7ade: the world of women. In Pakistan, women run homes, handling the 4 Cs: cooking, cleaning, clothes, and children.<\/p>\n

Though guests are warmly welcomed in Pakistani homes, women in the family often stay away from the guest area when men are present. Female travelers can transcend this cultural barrier. Women are considered safe, and welcome to interact with both men and<\/em> women. While male travelers must be more discerning, it\u2019s totally cool for you to poke your head into the kitchen and say hi to women in the family.<\/p>\n

JOIN US ON OUR 15-DAY WOMEN’S EXPEDITION THROUGH PAKISTAN NOW. FULL DETAILS HERE.\u00a0<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

2. Every area feels different.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\"beautiful

Photo C\/O Intrepid.<\/p><\/div>\n

Pakistan\u2019s seven provinces and territories all have very different vibes.<\/p>\n

Take Islamabad, Pakistan\u2019s capital. There, women move freely and intermingle with men, jeans often outnumber hijabs, and female drivers are everywhere. Yet 30 minutes south of Islamabad in Rawalpindi there are fewer women outside, hardly any female drivers, and a lot<\/em> more burqas and hijabs.<\/p>\n

Mountainous Gilgit Baltistan is another story entirely, especially in the Hunza region. There, women run businesses, go to school, herd animals, and play sports. In short, almost everything! Men and women mix regularly, and local girls enjoy more freedom than their southern counterparts. You\u2019ll rest easy in Hunza.<\/p>\n

INTERESTED IN A LONGER ADVENTURE? JOIN US ON OUR 17-DAY PAKISTAN EXPEDITION. FULL DETAILS HERE.\u00a0<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

3. When getting dressed, modesty is key (but not at the expense of colour!)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\"Three

Photo by Alex Reynolds.<\/p><\/div>\n

Pakistan is a conservative Islamic country, so please leave the shorts and crop tops at home.<\/p>\n

Though modesty is a must, dress isn\u2019t officially regulated; it\u2019s about respecting local culture. Modesty doesn\u2019t mean miserable\u2014in Pakistan, the more colourful, the better!<\/p>\n

Headscarves aren\u2019t necessary except when visiting mosques, though they can reduce stares in more conservative areas such as bazaars. Always carry a scarf with you, just in case you need to fling one over your head.<\/p>\n

Long, loose shirts covering your bum are best for day-to-day wear. Three-quarter-length to long-sleeved shirts are ideal, though sometimes young women wear t-shirts in major cities.<\/p>\n

Long pants are a must. Tight pants, like skinny jeans or leggings, are acceptable if they’re worn with long shirts, but they’re certainly not ideal on hot days.<\/p>\n

Salwar kameez<\/em> is the cool and colorful pant-shirt combination common in Pakistan. Don\u2019t be afraid to buy a set! They\u2019re extremely comfortable (they\u2019re basically socially acceptable pajamas) and locals will appreciate your gesture.<\/p>\n

RELATED: MEET THE TRAVELLERS WHO BOOKED AN ADVENTURE WITHOUT AN ITINERARY<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

4. You\u2019ll feel like a celebrity\u2026 and be photographed like one too.<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\u201cOne selfie, madam?\u201d is a phrase you\u2019ll probably hear at least once in Pakistan, especially if you\u2019re white.<\/p>\n

Whether you allow your newfound friends to snap the selfie is your call. A single selfie request can quickly turn into a massive PR ordeal in busy places, so pick and choose your battles wisely. Requests from women are usually harmless, but it\u2019s recommended to politely decline requests from lone men or groups of boys, unless you\u2019ve interacted beforehand.<\/p>\n

EXPLORE OUR FULL RANGE OF WOMEN-ONLY EXPEDITIONS HERE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

5. It\u2019s okay to be friendly with men\u2026 but not too <\/em>friendly.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\"Three

Photo by Alex Reynolds.<\/p><\/div>\n

Men are not creatures to be feared in Pakistan. There are plenty of gems around!<\/p>\n

Still, be mindful when interacting with them. What you<\/em> think is friendly might be flirtatious to a local man. You don\u2019t want to lead anyone on; many men hope to marry foreign women.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re not interested in getting betrothed on your trip, aim to be pleasant but distant. When first meeting a man, try not to smile too much. Avoid physical contact, such as light touches while talking. Don\u2019t shake hands with men unless they offer first.<\/p>\n

Some might ask for your phone number, email, or \u201cFacebook ID\u201d. It\u2019s best not to share contact information with men you don\u2019t know\u2026 unless you like being called by strangers on a daily basis! If you need an excuse, say you don\u2019t use social media or have a Pakistani phone number.<\/p>\n

RELATED: WHY I ALWAYS TRAVEL SOLO WITH INTREPID<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

6. People will take extra good care of you because<\/em> you\u2019re a woman.<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Female travelers are<\/em> a relative anomaly in Pakistan, but that works in your favour. Pakistani culture places great emphasis on protecting women. As a woman traveling sans-man, many locals will be extra protective of you.<\/p>\n

Pakistanis will help you navigate traffic, give you the best seat, let you cut lines, guide you in person when you\u2019re lost\u2026 and then some.<\/p>\n

7. You might be overwhelmed at times.<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Pakistan can be intense. Some days, people will break your heart. On others, you\u2019ll want to scream at the injustice. It\u2019s hard, but remember: you are a guest.<\/p>\n

Though you may feel strongly about some practices, it\u2019s not your place to force change. Pakistan isn\u2019t perfect, but there are still many things it can teach outsiders willing to listen and learn.<\/p>\n

Explore Pakistan with a female local leader on our new 15-day Women’s Expedition now. Find out more about this incredible adventure here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Feature photo C\/O Intrepid.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Your friends and family might think you\u2019re crazy for wanting to travel to Pakistan, but you\u2019re not alone: plenty of women are doing it. Come prepared, and the country will welcome you with open arms.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15098,"featured_media":39570,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1313],"tags":[180,497,1712,2380],"class_list":["post-39563","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-guides","tag-asia","tag-expedition","tag-female-travel","tag-womens-expeditions","ipf_theme-expedition","ipf_region-pakistan"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nWhat It's Like to Travel in Pakistan as a Woman | Intrepid Travel Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Plenty of women travel in Pakistan these days. 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