Pakistan

With several mountain ranges in its backyard, including the Himalayas, Pakistan has some mighty impressive natural attributes. It gets plenty of snow during the winter months (January to March) and even in less precipitous years, there's enough height here to be able to guarantee snow.

Skiing or snowboarding in Pakistan isn't for the feint-hearted. Political unrest and fighting between the army and militants means it's essential to check with your local consulate before travelling to certain areas. If you're planning on travelling to Nalter ski resort, you're also advised to check that you have permission to ski or snowboard there. Nalter is owned by the Pakistan Air Force.

So while you might not be considering Pakistan for your next family skiing holiday just yet, if you're getting a little fed up of cloned European- or North American-style resorts and you want to get off the beaten track, you should at least be guaranteed a unique experience skiing here.

The infrastructure's not what you'd expect to find in, say, France, but Malam Jaba - the biggest of the ski resorts in Pakistan - has a couple of chair lifts (one of which will get you up to around 3,200 metres) and a reasonable number of shortish runs home. The terrain's not particularly challenging, but the views are spectacular. Little wonder that Pakistan has become so popular as a trekking destination in the summer.

Cost

Accommodation and food is cheap in Pakistan (alcohol is banned), while a lift pass will set you back not much more than a few dollars a day.

Getting here

The airport at Islamabad, Pakistan's capital, is the best arrival point for international travellers wanting to go skiing or snowboarding in Pakistan.

Nathiagali is 32 kms from Murree, which is an hour's drive from Islamabad.

Malam Jaba ski resort is 315 kms north of Islamabad in the Karakoram Range near the border with Afghanistan. By car, it's a six hour trek from the capital. The alternative is to fly to Saidu Sharif, which is only 45 kms away.

Nalter is about three hours drive from Gilgit, itself less than an hour's flight from Islamabad. Driving to Gilgit from Islamabad takes at least 24 hours.

See our Resort Comparison pages for journey times to ski resorts in Pakistan.