Is Solo Travel in Northern Pakistan Safe for Women?

This is the single most common question we get from women travelling alone, and the honest answer is: yes, with the right planning. Northern Pakistan has become significantly more visited by solo women in the last few years, and the local communities in Hunza, Skardu and Swat are generally warm and protective of guests.

That said, we plan solo women’s itineraries differently — female-friendly guesthouses, drivers we’ve personally vetted over years, and routes that avoid isolated stretches after dark.

We also connect solo travellers with each other where possible, so many of our trips end up as small groups of women travelling the same route together.

Our advice: never freelance a solo northern Pakistan trip on unknown transport — go with a vetted operator, share your itinerary with family, and keep a local emergency contact saved. It’s a remarkable trip to take alone, and thousands of women do it safely every year.