Get ready to fall in love with Karachi all over again

Hop on board Super Savari Express’s Sehri tour for a night-time adventure

KARACHI: In December, 2014, emerged Pakistan’s first guided bus tour that took Karachi by storm. In subsequent years, the Super Savari Express’s popularity did not wane and now the team has launched a new tour for Karachiites - the Super Sehri tour.

Like their morning tour, the Sehri tour is aimed at exploring the culture and history of Karachi. “In Ramazan, the atmosphere of the city is different, as is the lifestyle,” explained Jehanzeb Salim, head of operations at Super Savari Express. People play cricket till 3am and are out till late at night and we wanted to reflect that in our tour, he said.



“The focus of [the] tour is to give our passengers a feel of Ramazan; whether it’s shrines, public spaces, the harbour or a train station we visit, playing cricket in the street before we start or getting to sample those ‘Ramazan only’ delicacies, it’s about enjoying [yourself] and getting to know the city in a different light,” he said. Part of the tour is focused on the different aspects of what it truly means to know Karachi, aspects residents often take for granted, he explained.



The tour transports passengers in iconic Karachi buses, as in the morning tour, but the team has a few surprises up their sleeves. “We wouldn’t want to ruin the tour for you, so hop on board and we promise to bring out your inner foodie,” said Salim. The tour plays on Karachi’s culture and puts a fun spin on traditional Ramazan activities.

The Sehri tour begins at 10pm and concludes at 3am, providing passengers with traditional Ramazan snacks throughout the night as well as a wide array of delights for Sehri, most of which have a deep-rooted history in Karachi.

Prospective passengers don’t need to worry about the security situation, an issue that is on every Karachiite’s mind, especially at night. “The safety and security of our passengers is paramount and all appropriate precautionary arrangements are in place,” said Salim.

So far, the response has been overwhelmingly positive, according to Salim. “Karachi-walas will never give up an opportunity for a fun night out,” he said. “What makes it so amazing is that it’s all about actually getting to know the city, to really feel its beating heart.”



The tour has been especially themed for Ramazan, with a focus on how businesses, buildings, streets and the whole atmosphere of the city changes in the most interesting way, explained Salim. After Eid, however, the night tour will become part of Super Savari’s regular tours. While the morning tour focuses on culture, religion and history, the Sehri tour will revolve around the spiritual aspect of the time, according to Salim.

The vision behind Super Savari Express is to allow the citizens of Karachi to rediscover the city and perhaps see it in a new light. Likewise, the Sehri tour gives people an opportunity to experience the city in a different way. According to Salim, people will ‘leave with happy thoughts and full stomachs’.

Passengers’ tales

“The morning tour focused on exhibiting the diversity that exists in Karachi and it was a wonderful feeling, being able to reconnect with the city’s soul,” said Mrs Niazi, who has been on both the morning and Sehri tours. “The Sehri tour gave us a feel and insight into Karachi that we would never have got on our own,” she added. The places, markets and areas we visited left me and my kids with a real sense of ownership, she said.



“Last night, I boarded a bus with loads of like-minded, fun people, all on a mission to rediscover a city that we have all lived in for years but hardly ever got a chance to experience,” said Andleeb Rana, the editor-in-chief of Xposé Magazine. “Go with your beloved, go with family, go with friends, go with colleagues, go fall in love with your city again,” she added. She urged people to show their support for the Super Savari team who are ‘making such a huge difference and doing a great job at it’.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 25^th, 2016.