Who We Are
About The Vacation Project
The Vacation Project is Pakistan's premier tour operator, run by expert English-speaking licensed guides. We organize tours all over Pakistan, including the famous Hunza Valley and the Indus Valley civilization cities of Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa.
Our specialty is experiential tourism, where we will show you the local lifestyles, local cuisine (Biryani!) and opportunities to meet the locals.
Our expert leaders have been guiding for many years. They will take you to their hometowns and tell you all about the history and culture, how things are changing, the local challenges, customs and celebrations such as Chilam Joshi, a pagan Spring festival, and Navroz, the Persian new year. We have been featured by major publications including the The New York Times, Travel + Leisure magazine, The National, and Kiro Radio.
The Vacation Project is a government licensed tour company bearing ID-98982. It is also registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Pakistan.
Our Team
Meet Your Guides
Born and raised in the regions you'll visit — they don't just know the trails, they grew up on them.
Karim Khan
Lead Guide — Hunza Valley
Born in Karimabad with Rakaposhi as his morning view, Karim has been guiding tours through Hunza for over a decade. He knows every shortcut to the best sunset spots, every family that serves the best chapshuro, and exactly when to stop talking so you can just take it all in. Fluent in English, Burushaski, and terrible jokes at high altitude.
Hassan Ali
Guide — Hunza & Skardu
Hassan grew up in Gilgit chasing ibex across the hillsides and learned English by talking to every tourist who passed through town. He's hiked every trail between Passu and Skardu, and his local knowledge of the Karakoram Highway is unmatched. Warning: he will make you try his mother's apricot jam. You will not regret it.
Bilal Shah
Guide — K2 Base Camp Trek
Bilal is a licensed mountaineering guide from Skardu who has trekked to K2 Base Camp more times than he can count — though he insists it's "only about forty." He trained with the Alpine Club of Pakistan and knows the Baltoro Glacier like his backyard. Calm under pressure, strong as a yak, and somehow always has hot chai ready at camp.
Fahad Hussain
Guide — Kalash Valley & Chitral
Fahad is from Chitral and has a deep connection with the Kalash community — he's attended every Chilam Joshi festival since he was a child. His knowledge of Kalash culture, traditions, and the remote valleys of the Hindu Kush makes him the perfect guide for our cultural tours. Also an excellent cook, but don't tell the hotel chefs.
Imran Baig
Guide — South Pakistan & Indus Valley
Imran studied archaeology at Karachi University before deciding that reading about ancient civilizations wasn't nearly as fun as walking through them. He leads our Indus Valley tour and can explain 5,000 years of history without making it feel like a lecture. His secret weapon: he knows every hidden food stall between Karachi and Lahore.
Zain Akhtar
Guide — Lahore & Cultural Heritage
A Lahori through and through, Zain knows the Walled City's narrow lanes better than Google Maps ever will. He's passionate about Mughal architecture, Sikh heritage, and — above all — Lahori food. Expect detailed explanations of the Badshahi Mosque followed by equally detailed opinions on where to find the best nihari in the city.
Sajid Mir
Guide — Deosai & Northern Treks
Sajid is from a small village near Deosai National Park and grew up spotting Himalayan brown bears before most kids learn to ride a bike. He's a certified wildlife guide with an encyclopedic knowledge of the flora and fauna of northern Pakistan. Quiet on the trail, incredibly observant, and always the first to spot a golden eagle overhead.
Amir Raza
Guide — Islamabad & Taxila
Amir handles the bookends of every trip — Islamabad arrivals, Taxila ruins, and Faisal Mosque tours. A history graduate who chose guiding over a desk job because "you can't see the Margalla Hills from a cubicle." He's the first face you'll see when you land and the last to wave goodbye at the airport. Reliable, warm, and always on time.
Waqar Ahmed
Guide & Logistics
Waqar is from the lush Swat Valley — once called the "Switzerland of the East" — and knows every corner of the Pashtun heartland. From the Buddhist ruins of Takht-i-Bahi to the bustling bazaars of Peshawar's old city, he brings the region's layered history to life with warmth and wit. Six years with us and still the most punctual person on the team.
In the Press
Featured in Leading Publications
The Vacation Project has been recognized by several respected travel publications. The New York Times featured our style of meaningful travel that focuses tourism with genuine cultural exchange. Travel + Leisure Magazine recognized our efforts as part of a new era of travel trailblazers shaping how people have diverse experiences in the world.
The National included The Vacation Project in their collection of the world's most dynamic travel experiences. Trips that change the way travelers think, experience, and see themselves and the places they visit. KIRO Radio in Seattle covered our model of mixing volunteer work with authentic tourism, reaching an American audience interested in travel that goes beyond sightseeing, and finds greater meaning.
Our community work has also been recognized internationally. The High Atlas Foundation, a US-based non-profit working on sustainable development documented how tourism can support local communities. This includes funding schools to creating economic opportunities for families in remote mountain regions.
These features reflect what we believe in. Our tours take travelers to beautiful places, but connect them with the people, history, and culture that make those places worth visiting. Whether it's a family lunch in Hunza, a pottery workshop in Multan, or a conversation with Kalash elders in Chitral, every experience on our tours is designed to be real, respectful, and meaningful.