Wild and Exotic exclusive Pakistani fieldsports January 29th to February 6th 2027
This itinerary offers a unique opportunity to experience a variety of exciting fieldsports in Pakistan, revolving around the famous Peshawar Vale Hunt, which was founded by the British Military in 1860. The Hunt is enjoying a spectacular revival thanks to the efforts of Joint Masters Faiysal AliKhan, Bertie Alexander, Taimur Noon and Ben Backhouse who have imported modern English hounds from packs that include the Duke of Beaufort’s, Heythrop, Portman and Tynedale. The itinerary includes two days mounted hunting with this fabulous pack, and outings where hounds and long dogs combine together with exciting coursing meets. Guest are accommodated in considerable style inside a spacious palace built in the Mughal style and for two nights at luxurious wilderness camps.
Friday January 29th 2027: You will arrive at Gatwick airport in time to check in to BA 2161 for the direct flight to Islamabad, which departs at 9.30am and arrives in Islamabad at 22.15hrs the same evening after a 7 hours and 55 minute flight. On arrival you will be met and transferred to your hotel for an overnight stay.
Saturday Jan 30th: You will be collected from your hotel after breakfast by the Joint Masters of the Peshawar Vale Hunt (PVH), Bertie Alexander and Taimur Noon and transferred to Nurpur Noon, a 2.5 hour drive away. Upon arrival, you will be accorded a traditional Pakistani welcome before being shown to your private rooms inside a magnificent fortress palace built in the Mughal stye, which will be your base for the next week. After freshening up we reconvene for a delicious al fresco lunch in the garden. Later that afternoon we will accompany local farmers and dog men and the PVH hounds for an exciting afternoon hunting and coursing golden jackal, which is an abundant predator throughout the area. At dusk a traditional hunting tea will be served on the terrace of the estate office before we return to the main house for drinks, followed by a hearty dinner in the splendid dining room. Overnight in the palace at Nurpur Noon.
Sunday Jan 31st: After a leisurely breakfast, we are presented with our horses at for a ride to the Jhelum River, on whose banks Alexander the Great defeated King Porus in 326 BC. The Jhelum is also the most westerly of the five main rivers draining the Punjab region. The ride is broken for a light lunch and refreshments at a charming and authentic local restaurant. We will reach the Jhelum River by late afternoon, where guests have the option of fording/swimming the river on their horse or taking a ferry across to the other side where a luxurious camp awaits. Hounds and horses are accommodated at a separate camp close by, ready for action the following morning. There will be an opportunity for a refreshing swim before drinks and dinner around the campfire, which is followed by entertainment from traditional local musicians. Overnight at wilderness camp.
Monday Feb 1st You will be woken at sunrise for an early morning meet of the PVH, at which the Joint Masters and hunt staff will be wearing the Hunt’s colourful livery. Hunting across the expansive alluvial flood plain characterised by sweeping reed beds and sandy plains is fast-paced and exciting with opportunities to see hounds at work in the open. The morning draws to a natural conclusion as the temperature warms up, and after home is blown we return to camp for a well-earned cooked breakfast. Once the sun is out, you will leave the hounds to go back to the kennels and continue your ride across the river plain towards the Salt Range Mountains. Lunch will be taken en route at a local farm situated in a biblical setting surrounded by donkeys, goats, chickens and maybe a camel or two. Camp will be reached in the early evening as the sun sets at the base of the Salt Range Mountains in a vastly different landscape from the day before. That evening there will be a sumptuous BBQ dinner cooked over an open fire. Overnight at wilderness camp.
Tuesday Feb 2nd: We awake and saddle up for a short ride into the Salt Range mountains for an alfresco breakfast. After breakfast it is then a short hike and climb up a rocky bank to a hidden waterfall for a refreshing swim. We then continue riding along the base of the mountain range for three hours stopping for a light lunch along the way. The ride will finish in the late afternoon where cars and trucks will be waiting to transfer us back to Nurpur for a relaxing evening.
Wednesday Feb 3rd: The centrepiece of today’s entertainment will be a visit to the greyhound club for an afternoon of coursing. After breakfast guests will have the opportunity to play (or spectate if they wish) in a private polo match at the Noon’s immaculate pitch. After the match is over there will be a chance to freshen up before a quick visit to the Noon’s fascinating sugar cane factory (where the hand cut cane is delivered by a steady flow of camel drawn carts) en route to lunch at the coursing club. There will be a succession of courses throughout the afternoon and the chance to meet mingle with local greyhound owners and enthusiasts. Afterwards we will return to Nurpur for drinks and dinner at Taimur and Saif Noons’ private house within the grounds of the palace.
Thursday Feb 4th This morning hounds will meet at 7.30am on the lawn in front of the main house where staff dispense refreshments to all comers. The meet will be followed by several hours of fast and furious hunting across a vale landscape of sugar cane, cornfields and orange groves divided by irrigation ditches, banks and gutters not dissimilar to parts of Ireland. Jackal are prolific throughout the area and we can expect hounds to be hunting in full cry with minimal interruption throughout the morning. After the hunt ends, lunch will be served back at the meet. This afternoon there will be a demonstration of the traditional equestrian sport of tent pegging at which guests will be encouraged to have a go themselves. Overnight in palace at Nurpur Noon.
Friday Feb 5th: This morning there will be an opportunity for anyone who wishes to join the Peshawar Vale hounds on bicycle exercise around the locality followed by a kennel visit and breakfast. Afterwards there will be a fascinating demonstration by members of the Jogi tribe from South Punjab of how to catch and charm wild cobra snakes, which are mesmerized by the music of their captor’s flutes. After an al fresco lunch in the gardens we will explore Nurpur village and gain a fascinating insight into rural life in Pakistan. There will be a final tea in the Nurpur gardens before we are driven to Islamabad for a farewell dinner and onto the airport at 10.30pm in time to check-in to the 00.35 departure early the following morning.
Saturday Feb 6th: BA 2160 departs Islamabad 00.35hrs (this will feel like leaving on the 7th) and arrives at LGW at 04.35am same day.
Notes: The price of £8950 person is fully inclusive of full board and lodging, transfers and all activities described in the itinerary. Single guests will be accommodated in a private room or tent. The price does not include international airfares, items of a personal nature, gratuities, and visa fees.
Please note that we can also accommodate non-riding guests on this itinerary. Please contact Wild & Exotic to discuss this further.
The cost of the return flights with BA as identified on the itinerary are currently available from £750, however that price is likely to increase as the departure dates draws closer. We can book these flights on your behalf and secure the price quoted at the time of booking. Payment to the airline is not due until approx. 10 weeks prior to departure. The booking can be released without penalty at any time up until the date payment is made.
Please note that a valid visa is required for this holiday, and that it is the responsibility of the client to ensure they obtain the correct visa prior to travel. Wild and Exotic will assist with visa applications if instructed but cannot be held responsible for a client’s failure to obtain a visa for whatever reason. Advice on how to apply will be sent out with all booking forms.
Neither Wild and Exotic nor the operators or suppliers can accept any responsibility for changes to itineraries or dates that may arise due to weather or unforeseen circumstances such as changes including but not limited to, disruptions or delays to airline flights for whatever reason. This holiday is subject to Wild and Exotic’s terms and conditions, a copy of which is enclosed with your booking form.
Fact sheet for Wild & Exotic fieldsports itinerary in Pakistan
Accommodation: On the Wild & Exotic fieldsports itinerary the first night on arrival is spent at a top Islamabad hotel, four nights are spent at a Mughal themed palace lying within the salubrious grounds of the Nurpur Noon Estate. Each room has two double beds, a large shower room and ample closet space as well as a private safe for valuables. Two nights are also spent in comfortable safari tents that are spacious enough to stand up in, and are furnished with real beds, rugs, lamps and bed side tables. There are short drop loos at camp and bush showers. A laundry service will be available at Nurpur Noon on the day guests return from camping.
Activities: The activities are field sports based and include mounted hunting with the Peshawar Vale Hunt, hunting on foot with a combination of lurchers and foxhounds, coursing and greyhound racing. There is also the opportunity to play polo, try your hand at the traditional mounted sport of tent pegging and witness the magic of snake charmers.
Children: We are unable to accommodate children under 16 years of age except in a bespoke group and by special arrangement.
Duration: 7 days and 8 nights, not counting the departure night when the flight leaves Islamabad at 35 minutes past midnight.
Horses: The Noon family estate includes a small a polo pitch and the entire family are keen players. Polo ponies often double up as riding and hunting horses and are generally fit, forward going and responsive.
Clothing List: A detailed clothing list is available on request and will be sent to all participants at the time of booking. Guests must bring their own riding hats and ensure that they comply with our terms and conditions in respect of safety.
Distance and times: Nurpur Noon is approximately 175kms south of Islamabad, which is a 2.5 – 3 hour road transfer. Nurpur Noon is 225kms north of Lahore, which is a 3 – 4 hour road transfer.
Drinks: Please note that Pakistan is a Muslim country, meaning that alcoholic consumption is generally discreet. Alcohol within reason is included in the price, but guests are encouraged to bring a bottle of their favourite duty free spirits.
How to Get There: The recommended flights are itemised on the itinerary. Guests arriving on different flights may have to be accommodated at extra cost. It is strongly recommended that all guests travel on the recommended flights to avoid this. Wild and Exotic Ltd can assist with discounted return fares for the recommended flights that do not have to be paid for until 10 weeks prior to departure.
Insurance: Adequate travel insurance providing cover for, but not limited to, personal injury, curtailment or cancellation of your holiday, is compulsory for all Wild and Exotic itineraries. The details of our recommended insurers are listed on your booking form. Nurpur Bandobast and Wild and Exotic take all possible care, however our itineraries are adventurous and neither Nurpur Bandobast or Wild and Exotic Ltd can accept any liability for accidents or mishaps that may take place during your stay in Pakistan. Please note that most insurance policies are invalidated unless riding hats conforming to a specific standard of safety are worn.
Length of Rides: Hunting days normally last for around 5 hours, the ride to the Jhelum river takes roughly the same time.
Meals: Delicious full breakfasts that comprise fried eggs and omelette, fruit, porridge, yoghurt, toast and freshly baked croissants. Lunches are all prepared in the house (including camp meals) and offer an appetising mixture of local foods including curries. Dinner is generally three courses of fresh ingredients skilfully prepared by the Nurpur chefs.
Medical and safety: A medical kit is permanently on hand. All activities are accompanied by a private armed guard
Money: We suggest guests bring around £500 sterling to cover tips (recommended £300 per person) and clothing purchase opportunities at Nurpur Noon.
Non-Riders: Non-riders are welcome to join the itinerary; they can follow mounted hunting by vehicle and there is also some hunting that takes place on foot. There is no discount for non-riders.
Power supplies: There is no access to power supply during camping part of the itinerary so guests are advised to bring their own portable power banks for charging phones on this ride. All bedrooms at Nurpur Noon have power sockets that take an English plug.
Riding Ability: You should be a competent rider comfortable at all paces. The pace when hunting can be fast and furious with many ditches, gutters and dykes to jump. You should be fit enough to ride up to 6 hours a day.
Single Supplement: Single accommodation at Nurpur Noon is included in the price. A single supplement may be charged for those who are not prepared to share accommodation when camping.
Size of the Rides: Minimum of 8 and maximum of 12 guests.
Tack: Polo saddles covered in a sheepskin fleece for comfort. Double and single reined polo bridles, which can be adjusted if the rider is not used to them.
Terrain: Most of the riding and hunting takes place across flat, arable or rough scrubland where the fields are sometimes divided by irrigation ditches. Riding close to the Jhelum river is a flood plain experience with extensive sand dunes, reedbeds and undulating flood plain terrain. Horses will need to swim or ford the Jhelum river according the prevailing water level; tack is removed for bareback crossing of the river or guests can take the ferry if they prefer.
Times: Islamabad is five hours ahead of Greenwich meantime.
Tipping: This is a present from the heart and guests should only tip if they are happy with the service provided. The recommended rate is £300 per person, distributed according to the advice provided by your hosts at Nurpur Noon.
Type of Horses: Thoroughbred and thoroughbred cross. Many are home bred and deployed as polo ponies. They are responsive, tough and fit, capable of jumping all obstacles encountered during a hunting run across rural Pakistan.
Visas: All UK visitors require a visa to enter Pakistan. Guidance on how to apply is included with all booking forms and every assistance will be extended to anyone unsure of the process.
Weather: Pakistan is a northern hemisphere country with warmer winters between November and March than the UK and much hotter summers. The winter season is characterized by pleasant, sunny days and cool nights. December noon temperatures: average around 23°C (73.4°F), January noon temperature highs up to approximately 18°C to 20°C (64°F to 68°F), whilst February noon temperatures gradually increase averaging in the low 20s°C (approx. 70°F).
Weight Limit: There is a weight limit of 100kg/220lbs/15.7 stone.
Wi-Fi: There is an excellent broadband signal at Nurpur Noon. Wi-Fi when camping is accessible from your mobile telephone provided you have purchased the necessary data. Your hosts can advise how to do this.