The England [Images] cricket team departed on Tuesday for Pakistan with a warning from captain Michael Vaughan [Images] that this will be their toughest tour.

"I guess this is the toughest challenge because we've got a lot of players going here for the first time," Vaughan told a news conference on the eve of the team's departure for the subcontinent.

"Hopefully we'll get our plans right and have a successful tour by doing exactly what we did in the summer, which was a lot of hard work and playing some good cricket."

Vaughan told his team on Monday that the Ashes party must finally stop and instructed his players to concentrate on their demanding tour of Pakistan.

"It is important we get back to playing cricket and preparing well for this tour.

"We've had six weeks since the Ashes, which has been a bit of a rollercoaster, and all the players now want to get a ball or a bat in the hand and play cricket."

Vaughan said life had changed for the England team after their Ashes triumph over Australia.

"We have to make sure we get back to doing what we do best and that is playing cricket," he said.

"The guys have to be up for the job because, as great as it is to relive the Ashes, you always have to look to your next challenge and that is Pakistan.

"The conditions are different to what we've played in here and South Africa and the West Indies [Images]."

Vaughan was a member of the squad who won a three-Test series in Pakistan five years ago but took no part in the Tests because of a calf strain.

He believes that experience will be vital in helping the side follow up their Ashes win with another victory on the subcontinent.

"On the last day in Karachi I can remember being sat on the balcony watching and then being sent to push the sightscreens when it got dark," he said. "Fond memories!

"I had a calf strain which kept me out of the whole series, but I was still part of a winning squad and that experience was invaluable.

"Just being a part of a squad that won out there I picked up a lot and it taught me what kind of cricket was required to do well."