Top 10 things to do in Pakistan
From the 8,600-meter peaks of the Karakoram to the ancient streets of Lahore’s walled city, Pakistan packs an unusual range of landscapes and history into one country. Most travelers arrive expecting mountains and leave surprised by the food, the archaeology, and how far a modest budget stretches. Here are ten experiences worth building a trip around.
Explore the Hunza Valley
Hunza sits at roughly 2,500 meters in Gilgit-Baltistan, framed by Rakaposhi and Ultar Sar. The valley’s terraced apricot orchards turn gold in autumn, and the Karakoram Highway winds through it as one of the most scenic drives anywhere in Asia. Stop at Attabad Lake, a startlingly turquoise body of water formed by a 2010 landslide, and spend a night in Karimabad to watch sunrise hit the surrounding peaks.
Walk Through Lahore’s Walled City
Lahore’s old quarter dates back centuries and still functions as a living neighborhood, not a museum piece. The Badshahi Mosque, built in 1673 by Emperor Aurangzeb, can hold 100,000 worshippers and remains one of the largest mosques in the world. Nearby, Food Street in Gawalmandi serves grilled meats and karahi late into the night, and the Lahore Fort’s Sheesh Mahal shows off mirror-mosaic work from the Mughal era.
Trek to Fairy Meadows
Fairy Meadows offers one of the few places on earth where you can camp with a direct, unobstructed view of a peak over 8,000 meters. Nanga Parbat, the ninth-highest mountain in the world, looms close enough that its glaciers seem almost touchable. Reaching the meadow requires a jeep ride up a narrow mountain road followed by a three-hour hike, and most visitors camp overnight to catch the mountain lit up at dawn.
Visit the Ruins of Mohenjo-daro
In Sindh province, Mohenjo-daro preserves the remains of a city built around 2500 BCE, part of the Indus Valley Civilization. The site includes a grid layout, a sophisticated drainage system, and a large public bath — evidence of urban planning that predates most of what’s taught in Western history classes. A small on-site museum displays pottery, seals, and the famous bronze “Dancing Girl” figurine, though the original resides in New Delhi.
Drive the Karakoram Highway
Often called the eighth wonder of the world, the KKH connects Islamabad to the Chinese border at the Khunjerab Pass, climbing to nearly 4,700 meters at its highest point. It’s the highest paved international road on the planet and cuts through three mountain ranges — the Himalayas, the Karakoram, and the Hindu Kush — that meet near Gilgit. Landslides and checkpoints slow progress, so budget extra days rather than rushing the route.
Wander the Streets of Peshawar
Peshawar’s Qissa Khwani Bazaar, or “Storytellers’ Market,” has served traders and travelers along ancient trade routes for centuries. The city sits close to the Khyber Pass, the historic gateway between South and Central Asia used by armies and merchants since antiquity. Try chapli kebab here, a spiced, flattened patty that originated in the region and tastes noticeably different from versions served elsewhere in the country.
See the Faisal Mosque in Islamabad
Designed by Turkish architect Vedat Dalokay, Faisal Mosque abandons the traditional dome for a striking tent-like structure inspired by a Bedouin design. Completed in 1986, it was the largest mosque in the world at the time and still ranks among the largest today. Set against the backdrop of the Margalla Hills, it’s worth visiting near sunset when the white marble catches the light.
Raft or Kayak the Indus River
The Indus River offers rafting stretches near Skardu with rapids ranging from calm floats to technical class IV sections. Local operators run day trips that combine river time with mountain scenery, since the river cuts through some of the most dramatic gorge landscapes in Baltistan. This region rewards travelers planning longer Pakistan trips, since reaching Skardu takes a flight or a multi-day drive and pairs well with nearby treks toward Deosai National Park.
Visit Deosai National Park
Known as the “Land of Giants,” Deosai sits at an average elevation of 4,114 meters, making it one of the highest plateaus in the world. The park protects the Himalayan brown bear along with wide-open grasslands that burst into wildflowers during the short summer season between June and September. Roads into the plateau close for most of the year because of snow, so timing a visit requires checking conditions in advance.
Sample Regional Food Across Provinces
Pakistani food shifts noticeably by region, and sampling it province by province tells you almost as much as the historical sites do. Punjab leans toward rich, buttery dishes like sarson ka saag and makki di roti, while Sindh’s biryani carries more heat and tang. In Baltistan, look for apricot-based dishes and thukpa, a noodle soup influenced by nearby Tibetan and Central Asian cuisines.
Pakistan rewards travelers willing to slow down and cover ground by road rather than rushing between flights. The distances between these ten stops are real — a trip touching both the mountains and the Indus Valley ruins takes at least two to three weeks to do properly. Build in flexibility for weather delays in the north, and the mix of ancient history and high-altitude scenery will justify every extra day spent getting there.
