{"id":58759,"date":"2023-01-17T09:09:36","date_gmt":"2023-01-16T22:09:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/?p=58759"},"modified":"2025-03-17T23:58:46","modified_gmt":"2025-03-17T12:58:46","slug":"meet-aneeqa-the-tour-leader-forging-new-paths-in-pakistan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/meet-aneeqa-the-tour-leader-forging-new-paths-in-pakistan\/","title":{"rendered":"Meet Aneeqa, the tour leader forging new paths in Pakistan"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In the last two decades, Pakistan\u2019s tourism industry was completely upended due to travel safety and security concerns. But this Intrepid leader says times are changing, particularly for female travellers, and now is the perfect time to visit. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before 9\/11, Pakistan<\/a> was having a moment. Tourism in the region was on the rise, with travellers realising they could have a true \u2018off the beaten track\u2019 adventure in a country that offered a rich and complex history, jaw-dropping landscapes, and warm, welcoming people. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But after September 2001, travel to the region virtually stopped overnight. People were scared of terrorism, security issues and political unrest. Pakistan became part of the world where people \u2013 particularly women \u2013 didn\u2019t feel safe visiting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fortunately this is starting to change, thanks in part to women like Aneeqa Ali, an Intrepid trip leader and tour operator committed to showing travellers some of Pakistan\u2019s less-explored (and infinitely beautiful) locations<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aneeqa focuses on female empowerment, engagement and connection to community on all of her trips. ‘If you look at Pakistan\u2019s tourism industry \u2013 at the tour guides, transport operators, and hotel owners \u2013 it\u2019s like a world of men,’ she says. ‘I\u2019ve faced these challenges firsthand, and thought “Why not be the change you want to see in the world?”. Starting up my own tour company could make it easier for other people \u2013 especially women \u2013 who want to see Pakistan too.’<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

While influencer culture in recent years has made travel in Pakistan look pretty simple, that\u2019s not really the case. Visiting the region is not without its complexities<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

‘Pakistan is a black hole on the internet. Even the most adventurous travellers who have been all over the world can\u2019t find information online about how to travel within Pakistan,’ Aneeqa says. ‘So when they come here, particularly women, they want to sign up for an organised tour, and they want to be with a female tour guide, because of the news they\u2019ve heard about Pakistan.’<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aneeqa says that the majority of organised tours in Pakistan tend not to venture too far off the tourist trail, hitting up popular sites while steering clear of smaller towns. ‘One thing that\u2019s really missing is that connection with local communities, which is something I encourage on all of my trips,’ she says.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a Pakistani woman with deep connections to local communities, Aneeqa is proud to offer travellers a more immersive experience that other tour groups just don\u2019t get. She uses the example of staying at traditional guesthouses and with families in a local homestay. ‘When we\u2019re staying with local people in their homes, we\u2019re doing the things that they do in their everyday lives. We can go into the kitchen and start cooking food with them,’ she says. ‘If you\u2019re staying in a hotel, you\u2019re cut off from that. You\u2019re not having that experience of how people in the community are living.’<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The thing that surprises travellers most about Pakistan, according to Aneeqa, is the scenery. ‘After Nepal, Pakistan has the highest number of mountains over 8000 metres,’ she says. ‘When you\u2019re travelling down the Karakoram Highway, you\u2019re surrounded by these towering peaks. People are just amazed by these incredible landscapes.’<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The second thing that stands out is the warm hospitality travellers receive. ‘I think that\u2019s the thing that keeps people coming back, again and again,’ says Aneeqa. ‘You could be walking down the street and suddenly you\u2019re invited into someone\u2019s home for a cup of tea or a meal. The people here are just so welcoming.’<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aneeqa is excited about taking Intrepid travellers on this year\u2019s brand new expeditions through Pakistan, not only to show off her favourite parts of the country, but to support women in local communities. ‘Women don\u2019t have a lot of choices when it comes to earning an income,’ she says. ‘But on these trips, we visit local businesses where women make handicrafts from their homes, weave carpets, run cafes. And we\u2019ll always go to the places that are run by locals. I want to make sure that all the money that is spent on these tours goes to the people who need it.’<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Want to learn more about travelling to Pakistan? Check out our Pakistan trips<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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