FREQUENTY ASKED QUESTIONS

Eight to ten thousand Sikhs have been visiting Pakistan each year for the last twenty years both from India and from the diaspora. At no point during this time have Sikh visitors or Gurdwaras been harmed. Pakistanis have warm feelings towards the Sikh community and our guests report feeling welcomed and loved by the locals they encounter.

Bombings and attacks in cities in Pakistan were frequent from 2008 to 2014. Since 2014, the security situation in Pakistan’s mainland has significantly improved. Pakistan is a large country and there are some remaining conflicts between security forces and insurgent groups but these are in the mountainous regions along the Afghan border, which are very far from where our guests will be visiting. Our itinerary is in Pakistan’s safest regions in Punjab and the Islamabad Capital Territory.

Life is normal in the major cities and Pakistan gets close to a million international visitors annually. We take regular feedback from all our visitors, and none report feeling unsafe in the country. Our assessment is that Pakistan is safe to visit.

If Punjab’s summer temperatures are not an issue for you then all months of the year are ideal. The best months to visit are from December to April each year, which is when the weather is pleasant.

Visitors traveling to Punjab during the period starting October to early December should be aware of air quality issues due to crop burning which causes smog across the region.

Another thing to keep in mind is that Pakistan observes the holy month of Ramadan each year when Muslims abstain from water and food from dawn to dusk. Although this does not directly impact visitors, restaurants and businesses open very late in the day which can create hurdles for travelers. Therefore, we recommend avoiding visiting in Ramadan. In 2024, Ramadan will last from March 10th to April 8th.

The three-day Mini Yatra Tour is ideal if you are short on time and want to visit the most important Sikh shrines in Lahore and Nankana Sahib. If you are visiting India anyways, and want to quickly visit West Punjab without changing your travel plans in a big way then this is for you.

The six-day Express Yatra Tour will explore Lahore and Nankana Sahib in detail, give you the chance to spend a night at Nankana Sahib, and also take you towards Rawalpindi and Islamabad where you can visit Panja Sahib. On the sixth day you can take a return flight from Islamabad airport or drive back to Lahore and depart via Wagah on the eighth day.

The nine-day Classic Yatra Tour is similar to the six-day itinerary, but it also includes Kartarpur Sahib and an extra day in Lahore to visit important Sikh heritage sites from Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s Lahore Durbar like the Haveli Naunehal Singh, Fakirkhana Museum and Lahore Museum.

The twelve-day Grand Yatra Tour is the ultimate experience if you want to visit the Gurdwaras of Pakistan in detail. Twenty-three historic Gurdwaras will be covered. In addition to all the cities covered in the other itineraries, you will also have the chance to visit important cities on Pakistan’s GT Road like Jhelum, Gujrat and Gujranwala. The tour also includes a rest day in Islamabad.

It is a good business opportunity but customer care is our highest priority. The reality is that Pakistan is not prepared for high numbers of visitors like other countries are. During Vaisakhi and Gurpurab, when thousands come to the Gurdwaras at once, our ability to deliver excellent quality of care is often compromised. For most of our guests, these are journeys that they will make once in a lifetime and we respectfully decline to take tours at times when we know we will be unable to give our 100% care and attention.

Our team on the ground has regular experience arranging tours for senior citizens however we recommend only the three and six day itineraries, as they involve minimal walking. Custom itineraries can also be developed for elderly visitors that involve a more relaxed schedule.

If required, wheelchairs can be arranged for guests, and a full time person can be arranged to assist each wheelchair-dependent guest.

In Lahore the hotels are located near to The Doctor's Hospital and Medical Center and Sheikh Zayed Hospital which are considered the best hospitals in the city. In Islamabad, there are multiple good hospitals close to our choice of hotel including the Shifa International Hospital. All five-star hotels have an in-house physician who is available to respond to emergencies. Nankana Sahib, Kartarpur Sahib and Dera Sahib have emergency support staff who are trained to administer first aid.

Our goal is to provide a safe and comfortable travel experience to all our guests and our team is always on the lookout to respond to any issues as fast as possible. If you or your fellow travelers have any specific medical concerns or requests please mention them before completing the booking so that we can confirm the service options available and maintain preparedness as possible.

The visa process can take up to 20 days. Luckily, the visa process will not require submitting your passport or attending any interviews at a consulate or embassy; and we are able to streamline the process for our guests.

Once we have received confirmation of your booking and a scan of your passport, it takes up to ten days for us to obtain the necessary approvals and a special sponsorship letter from the relevant authorities.

Following this process, guests are required to submit their e-visa application online and the visa is usually approved and issued within a week. We are available to guide you through this process if any help is required. All that is needed beyond this is to print the e-visa and carry it with you upon entry to Pakistan.

We would love to offer our tours to Indian passport holders. Unfortunately, it is impossible under the current circumstances as both countries restrict visas to each other’s citizens. This applies to USA Green Card and Canadian PR card holders as well.

Yes our team will ask you for your arrival information and we will have someone ready to receive you at the airport or Wagah border. The name and photos of the staff assigned for your reception will be shared with you beforehand.

The team assigned to you will pick you from the hotel each morning and drop you back after the day's activities are finished. If you would like our staff to accompany you during shopping or personal travel in the city, that can also be arranged.

Yes, the itinerary shared with you will mention the free slots available. You can easily rent a vehicle from our partner hotels, or use one of the two main ridesharing services Uber or Careem. As a safety precaution we encourage guests to keep our team on the ground informed about their travel plans.

The cultural norms are not very different from East Punjab.

- Alcohol is prohibited for Muslims to consume in Pakistan but non-Muslims can order it to their room if they are staying in five star hotels.

- For men shaking hands with women is not encouraged

- Remove shoes and cover your heads when visiting Mosques, similar to how one does when in Gurdwaras

- Ladies can wear western clothes but dressing conservatively is preferred. Kurta with western pants or jeans is acceptable anywhere in the country. Shorts are discouraged for both men and women.

We have noticed among travelers to Pakistan significant interest in visiting the homes and neighborhoods that their ancestors left behind in West Punjab at the time of partition. Over the years we have been able to arrange these journeys for only a few of our travelers who shared their ancestral information with our team on the ground ahead of the trip to Pakistan. Once we receive the information we share a cost estimate with the travelers and the journey is usually arranged after the trip itinerary is complete.

Standard tours will cover your accommodation, transport, guides, entry fees at archaeological sites and a limited meal plan.