The Adventure : Riding a NATCO Bus From Islamabad to Skardu
Our adventure of riding a government bus on the tricky, winding mountain routes of Pakistan's North. We cried & then we laughed.
The year is 2022, and I decided to ride a government-run NATCO bus (Northern Area Transport Corporation), from Islamabad to Skardu. If you are not me then perhaps, don't do that. I enjoy putting myself in difficult situations; I did love my ride on NATCO, and can ride it again. But — the limits of your patience can be tested, and your companions may beat you up. Mine did come close. You don’t want your travel partners to throw you off one of the countless cliffs in that region. Remember: no one’s gonna find the body.
So Why Did We Take NATCO?
We had good enough time, but a limited budget. Currently, air travel’s unprecedently expensive. So, no airplanes for us. Additionally, the flights from Islamabad to Skardu get canceled a lot, due to weather challenges.
Now, you can also hire a jeep or car from Islamabad; I’ve done that in the past. That’s a two days journey, but with current diesel/petrol prices, and driver/vehicle cost, just the one-way ride can cost up to 50 K. So again, no. But, a good bus ride costs just around 5K per person. Man, yes!
I had read about NATCO on the net and how it once was the only bus to travel to the Northern Areas. In the past, due to the security situation, the government didn’t allow any other bus operators to travel to that region. This pulled a string on my heart, and my brain romanticized it. Suddenly, I wanted to experience this service and travel the way common folks traveled in the days of yore. It felt like being a 16th-century explorer on one of those ships traveling to the new world. And everybody wants to be a metaphorical 16th-century explorer on a metaphorical ship to the new world wondering if they will survive or their body will be fed to the fishes, no? Is it just me? Ugh, crap.
NATCO Booking Office In Rawalpindi
Their office is like any other public government service area: decrepit, shady, with broken chairs, etc. My 13-years old nephew said, if the office is like this then the bus must be bad too. And I, the adult said, no, no, the bus will be alright. They’ve promised air conditioning, and that’s all you need on an 18 hours bus ride. In retrospect, I think my nephew has a better understanding of the world than I do. E.g. I forgot & later learned that people lie.
On the day of departure, my beloved niece saw the office for the first time, and she was — traumatized. And I was like, you teenagers gotta see the real world. Just stop with that privileged life, vacaying on luxurious cruises, whatever. See how common people live, blah, blah.
Now, training a teenager to see the realities of the world is a noble cause, but be ready to spend a night with limited leg space hearing the teenager say, ‘This SUCK!’ (They said it in an I am so upset but I still love you way.)
But overall, both the teenagers were a good sport and put up with the experience. I’m proud of them.
The Bus Ride - the Ugly Parts
Of course, the ride was bad, but the ride was also good. Let’s first tackle the ugly parts.
It was an old Hino bus. The seats were small & broken, so you couldn’t push them back for rest. But most horrifically, after the first hour of the ride, the driver & conductor duo decided to turn off the air conditioning. They opened the front door, so they were getting a full blast of the great breeze, but absolutely nothing for the passengers.
No air conditioning and completely boarded-up windows mean inhuman conditions. The mountain roads were winding, and almost everyone got motion sickness. Combine it with the heat, and you’d be like WTF, dude? The rest of the night & the journey was spent in a tug of war with the driver/conductor, asking them to run the AC again because they’d always turn it off soon after. My best guess is that the fuel cost was going into their pockets. No surprises there, it’s a government service.
Interestingly, we were the only people who complained about it. The rest of the passengers were mostly male, local to the Northern Areas, and probably from less financially affluent families, and they had just accepted it. An outsider had to come in & tell them that this was not acceptable.
Later in the morning, the conductor lightly complained to me and said, ‘Ladies bauhut aanay lag gaya hai.’ Too many ladies are coming on my bus now. Of course, he’s gonna have a problem with the ladies, after all they protest against his draconian regime. (And he was also counting the toddler-ladies. That guy.)
The Bus Ride - the Great Parts
Despite the driver & the conductor’s cruelties, I still liked them. They were sweet like most people from Gilgit Baltistan. I loved their accent, and how the conductor would say, “Neechye utro, tasweer nikalo, chai piyo.” Now when I’ve to ask somebody to take a photo, I say, ‘Tasweer nikalo.’
And yes, the bus was bad, but that was the most interesting part. Folks I won’t generally interact with in normal life were sleeping nearby my seat. Just like us, they were also trying to find a good position on the stupidly small seats. Somebody casually spat on the bus floor, and it was — gross, but it was also a reminder of how people behave in such spaces. And why we won’t see it in a bus service like Daewoo or Faisal Movers.
I value & want my privileged life, but I also want to see the world the way it is, with no filters. Or at least I want to be aware that there are filters. And so I loved this experience. It’s like being closer to the ground.
The Bus Ride - The Even Better Parts
The ride was perfectly safe. Absolutely nobody, from Gilgit Baltistan or Punjab, was weird to us. They did find us a bit odd, but all we got were some stares.
Finally, the food. NATCO stopped at some great places, no other bus service came even close.
We had the best doodh pattie in Mansehra.
And then after a horrendous ride, we got out at Astak in the morning, and had a delicious breakfast at Well Done Hotel, right by a ferociously flowing river. It was amazing and really made up for the bad night.
So, Will We Take NATCO Again?
Not in a hurry, but I’m glad I experienced it. And if I’d have to do it again, I will. My niece too thought that it was a memorable experience &, despite everything, was still fun. But I won’t take the family on this bus again. Nor do I think they will go even if I insist or bribe them unless they do finally decide to throw me off one of those cliffs.
In fact, I feel a bus ride to the Northern Areas is physically difficult, and the roads are tricky and dangerous. Landslidding does happen & we did experience a small incident. The 18 hours of the ride can also take a toll on you. The next time, I’ll probably be taking a plane to Gilgit or Skardu. But if you wanna travel & have a limited budget, then buses are great & generally safe. Baqqie, life Allah kay haath may hai.
So Is There Any Good Bus Service To Travel to the Northern Areas?
Yes! There is actually one great bus service for the Northern Areas, and that’s Faisal Movers. Their buses are state of the art, with air conditioning, and a movie station for every individual seat. Perfect bus for keeping teenagers & kids away from driving you crazy. Trust me, I know.
We rode it on our way back, and this is the best bus I’ve ridden, that’s including the buses in North America & Europe. Greyhound has got nothing on Faisal Movers. FM & NATCO’s price difference isn’t much. But bring your own food and snacks, because the pit stops are bad. Also, don’t be upset with FM’s bad mobile app; visit them in person. Overall, FM’s cool.
In Conclusion
Rode NATCO. Glad I did that. You shouldn’t do it. Unless that’s exactly the thing you want to do. Safe, happy travels.
***
If you enjoyed my writing, you can subscribe to get new posts in your email box. Just type your email in the box below.