Pakistan - Tour Highlights and Travel Tips
From a nature perspective, Pakistan looks like the spoiled brat of the subcontinent – blessed with scintillating natural beauty and a beautiful culture, but always troubled by its conflicts with India, political instability and terrorism. This is why the country is only visited by the most hardened travelers, a few lucky ones who actually get to see it for all its beauty.
Some of the best attractions in Pakistan make you look back into its rich and beautiful history towards ancient civilizations and jaw-dropping architectural feats. A few places you must see while in the country include the Shah Faisal Masjid, the most beautiful mosque in the country, the Lahore Fort and the ancient ruins of Mohenjo-daro and Taxila, both famous as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. If you’re incredibly lucky, you might also get to see the Khyber Pass, a pass that connects Pakistan to Afghanistan, famous for its astonishing beauty.
Tour Highlights
- Go to Lahore to see grand architecture in Old Lahore and enjoy great shopping in New Lahore.
- Don’t miss to visit the grand Lahore Fort, stunning Badshahi Mosque and majestic Shalimar Gardens in Lahore, the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab.
- Take a tour of Karachi and appreciate its British colonial and Indian architecture. Above all, visit the Mazar-a-Quaid tomb, the Mohata Palace and enjoy the sunset on Clifton Beach.
- See the impressive Shah Faisal Mosque in Islamabad, a blend of traditional and modern architecture.
- Visit the Khewra Salt Mines, the 2nd largest in the world. There, take a look at small-scale versions of the Great Wall of China, the Minar-e-Pakistan (Lahore) and some other landmarks.
- Explore Lake Saif ul Malook, a tourist resort surrounded by mountains, which boasts great natural beauty.
- Discover scenic Concordia, a heaven for mountaineers, on a hike. You will lay eyes on K-2, the world’s 2nd highest mountain there.
Travel Tips
- Lake Saif ul Malook features wide differences between day-time (moderate) and night-time (under 0°C) temperatures, so prepare accordingly.
- Refrain to eat in public during the month of Ramadan when most people fast.
- Practice caution when you are around public gatherings.
- Gunfire is a common way of celebrating major holidays and sport successes in Pakistan, so don’t be troubled, just be careful.
- Always have cash with you since you may experience difficulties with credit card payments. ATMs are available in major cities.
- English is spoken in Pakistan at varying levels of fluency.
- Stick with bottled water for drinking since tap water may be unsafe.