England arrived in Pakistan early on Wednesday to begin a tour captain Michael Vaughan described as "one of the toughest challenges of all".
The squad arrived in the capital Islamabad at 0200 local time (2200 GMT Tuesday) after a flight from Heathrow.
Vaughan toured Pakistan five years ago but did not play in the Test series, which England won 1-0.
"I saw how much hard work went into that series victory, how much planning and preparation was required," he said.
"And we're going to have to do exactly the same thing this time."
Spinner Ashley Giles and opener Marcus Trescothick were the only current players who appeared in the 2000 Tests, under captain Nasser Hussain.
But Vaughan, Andrew Flintoff, and Matthew Hoggard were part of the touring party.
"The team that Nasser brought here was quite experienced with a lot of old pros," Vaughan said.
"We bring a team which is quite young with a lot of players who have not played in these conditions before.
"But they're very good players, as they showed in the summer, and they've learned very fast in the short spells they've had in the international game.
"It's probably one of the toughest challenges of all, playing in Pakistan and trying to get a series victory as Nasser and the lads did last time."
Because of security fears, England's players will be guarded like visiting heads of state.
But Giles said the team's last visit was "a very good trip for team bonding because there wasn't a lot to do apart from watching films and talking."
They begin their first match against a strong PCB Patron's XI in Rawalpindi on Monday.
Stars Andrew Flintoff and Steve Harmison, who took part in the recent Super Series in Australia, will not join the squad until 6 November.
The first of three Tests begins in Multan six days later and there are five one-day internationals in the seven-week trip.
Unlike their last trip to the country, England will not take a trip to the Khyber Pass and there will be no match in Peshawar, the nearest cricketing venue to the Afghanistan border.
They will take part in a golf tournament to raise funds for the victims of the 8 October earthquake in Kashmir, which killed more than 53,000 people.
"If we can bring a few smiles back on some of the faces by playing good cricket, that's what we're here to do," Vaughan added.
The squad arrived in the capital Islamabad at 0200 local time (2200 GMT Tuesday) after a flight from Heathrow.
Vaughan toured Pakistan five years ago but did not play in the Test series, which England won 1-0.
"I saw how much hard work went into that series victory, how much planning and preparation was required," he said.
"And we're going to have to do exactly the same thing this time."
Spinner Ashley Giles and opener Marcus Trescothick were the only current players who appeared in the 2000 Tests, under captain Nasser Hussain.
But Vaughan, Andrew Flintoff, and Matthew Hoggard were part of the touring party.
"The team that Nasser brought here was quite experienced with a lot of old pros," Vaughan said.
"We bring a team which is quite young with a lot of players who have not played in these conditions before.
"But they're very good players, as they showed in the summer, and they've learned very fast in the short spells they've had in the international game.
"It's probably one of the toughest challenges of all, playing in Pakistan and trying to get a series victory as Nasser and the lads did last time."
Because of security fears, England's players will be guarded like visiting heads of state.
But Giles said the team's last visit was "a very good trip for team bonding because there wasn't a lot to do apart from watching films and talking."
They begin their first match against a strong PCB Patron's XI in Rawalpindi on Monday.
Stars Andrew Flintoff and Steve Harmison, who took part in the recent Super Series in Australia, will not join the squad until 6 November.
The first of three Tests begins in Multan six days later and there are five one-day internationals in the seven-week trip.
Unlike their last trip to the country, England will not take a trip to the Khyber Pass and there will be no match in Peshawar, the nearest cricketing venue to the Afghanistan border.
They will take part in a golf tournament to raise funds for the victims of the 8 October earthquake in Kashmir, which killed more than 53,000 people.
"If we can bring a few smiles back on some of the faces by playing good cricket, that's what we're here to do," Vaughan added.