Get the Show on the Road

My 2023 photography trip to Pakistan was spectacular. The Pakistanis were friendly, the scenery was breathtaking, the culture was fascinating, and I felt safe as a tourist.

The trucks of Pakistan captured my imagination. More than 277,000 trucks meet the country’s transportation needs. But they also serve as a platform to parade the country’s culture.

According to Asia-based writer, journalist, editor, and social media content creator Zinara Rathnayake, “Most trucks are vivid showpieces of extravagant design. They are decorated with ornate striping, fishes, peacocks, flowers, politicians, movie stars, cricketers, and singers. They wobble along the highways with intricate wooden frames and metal work that glitters in the sun and bells and pom poms swinging from the undercarriage. For the region’s drivers and artists, they are more than conveyances. These trucks are statements.

This truck features Attaullah Khan Esakhelvi, a legendary and highly celebrated Pakistani folk singer and musician.

Even humble farm tractors are decorated.

Competition among truck owners is fierce. Some drivers spend as much as $30,000, more than twice the average annual income, to beautify their trucks.

The Shot

On our drive from Passu to Shimshal, we passed by a view of Distaghil Sar mountain and the glacier leading up to it. At 25,869 feet, it’s the 19th-highest mountain on Earth and the seventh highest in Pakistan.

In case you want to climb it, Adventure Tours Pakistan has you covered. Listed as “Expedition Grade: Extremely Hard, Duration: 40 days, Average Daily walk: 6-7 hours, Trekking days (in & out): 12, Hotel Nights: 08, Best Time: May to August.”

I opted to photograph it instead. This was a drone image looking up the glacier towards the ridge and summit.

The mountain is so tall that it creates its own weather. You can see a cloud forming downwind of the peak.

Let me know if you decide to go and send me pictures from the summit!

Thanks for looking,

Chuck Derus