At GeoEx we know from decades of experience that a trip leader can make all the difference on a trip, offering life-changing insights, authentic experiences, and personal connections that can make a journey truly life-changing. We are thrilled that renowned art historian and tour leader Mehreen Chida-Razvi will be leading some of GeoEx’s Spirit of Southern Pakistan trips in 2026 and 2027. I recently had the opportunity to speak with Mehreen about her background, philosophy, and defining experiences as a traveler and trip leader. Here is our conversation.

To begin, could you briefly describe your background?

I never know quite where to start when answering this question! I was born in London, moved to the US when I was 5, and grew up in Ohio, Iowa, and Florida. I went to university at the University of Florida -- Go Gators! -- then went to London for my Master’s degree. I had the intention to be in London for just 2 years and then return to the US, but I ended up staying and I have now been in London for more than 20 years. I'm an art historian, and I’m of Pakistani origin.

I took my first art history class my senior year of high school and absolutely loved it. In university, I was a science major (I originally planned to go to medical school), but art history was one of my minors. Minoring in art history officially meant I had to take a prescribed number of art history classes, and these alleviated all the science and math I had to take for my major!

Right before graduation, after studying abroad in Rome and taking art history classes there, I changed my mind about going to medical school and decided I wanted to go into art history as a profession. My area of interest was actually architectural history, but as my career has progressed, this has gone hand-in-hand with the history of material culture and objects. 

I ultimately decided to focus on Islamic art, with a specialization in Mughal architecture and material culture. My PhD was on the tomb of Jahangir, in Lahore; Jahangir was the fourth Mughal emperor. So from the time I started my PhD research, I spent a lot of time in Lahore doing site research, and in other Mughal cities and sites in Pakistan and India. 

Being of Pakistani heritage, growing up I had both close and extended relatives who lived in Pakistan, so as a family we used to visit Pakistan every few years. The first trip I remember, I was 8 and we had gone for my aunt's wedding. This is the first time I remember being in Karachi and Lahore. That experience was so much fun -- the atmosphere, clothes, food, and shopping -- and so different from Twinsburg, Ohio, where my family was at the time!

So my exposure to Pakistan growing up was visits to family, but I never really saw much in the way of cultural or tourist sites. Luckily, my PhD changed that, and I have since been able to visit and research the amazing Mughal and Islamic sites of Pakistan, and have also had the experience of traveling around Pakistan more broadly and examining more of its history and culture.

How did you get started in travel?

I've had the travel bug since I was a kid. As I just mentioned, we would take family trips to Pakistan when I was young, but on those trips we would also stop somewhere in Europe for a few days on the way over, and in Dubai for a few days on the way back. It always felt so fascinating to go to new places, see new sites, and experience new cultures. As an adult, that feeling hasn't changed. 

How did you get started as a tour expert/leader?

To be honest, this was sheer luck. A dear friend, now passed, was a tour lecturer, and ten years ago, in 2016, he mistakenly had double-booked himself on two tours. I got a call from him out of the blue one day asking if I wanted to go to Iran, to which I said, “Of course!”

So he told me about the tour and asked if I would be interested in lecturing on it. When I said I would, he recommended me to the owner of that particular company. I met with the owner, who was completely wonderful and gave me the opportunity, and I've been working as a tour leader/expert lecturer ever since!  

Where have you led tours?

I’ve led tours to the following countries: Iran, India, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Lebanon, Turkey, the Gulf States (Qatar, U.A.E., Bahrain, Oman, and Kuwait), and Morocco. 

What do you love about this work?

I love that I am able to make a place/location/culture/building come alive for the tour participants by contextualizing what they are looking at, or where they are, so that they are then able to make a meaningful connection with what they are seeing.

 Also, as an art historian, to be able to talk about a building, site, or object when you're standing in front of it is so much more exciting than talking about a photograph! I love that I'm able to convey my excitement to the participants, and hopefully make them excited about what they are seeing as well. 

What do you especially love about Pakistan, where you’ll be leading GeoEx travelers?

Pakistan is so amazing for its history, culture, sites, food, and people. I think it is incredibly underrated and misunderstood. So to be able to show the side of the country that I know and love is a fantastic opportunity. The sheer breadth of the country's past is so rich: the Indus Valley civilization, Alexander the Great, Buddhist monasteries, Hindu rajas, Mughal emperors. There's so much layered and varied history there that I don't think many people know about. 

Please give one example of a really great experience you’ve had as a tour leader/guide that for you exemplifies the importance and potential of your role.

I think I first have to give a collective answer: It has been incredibly touching and rewarding to me that some tour participants I have traveled with over the last 10 years have become friends; that I am still in contact with them through letters, email, or WhatsApp; that we still share things going on in our lives and our travels with each other; and that if they are passing through London, they get in touch and we meet and are able to catch up in person. This means everything to me! It means that we had a real connection on the tour, and that my role in enhancing their travel experience was appreciated.

For a particular experience, it’s difficult to single out just one! If I have to pick, in terms of an experience which exemplifies the importance of my role, I would say when I took my group to the Jantar Mantar in Jaipur. This is one of those sites which is fascinating but completely confusing! It is an observatory, and everything constructed there is either some kind of scientific instrument or has a scientific purpose. To be able to make sense of a space like that for the group, to give them an “ah-ha!” moment, in which they really understand what it is they are seeing, is, for me, the reason why I’m there. And it’s the reason why I’m so excited about my GeoEx journeys!

Discover Pakistan’s rich cultural heritage with Mehreen Chida-Razvi on our Spirit of Southern Pakistan journey. Contact an expert to start planning or give us a call at 888-570-7108.