Pakistan at a Glance


The northern mountains are the most enticing attraction, but there are other scenic gems too.

 Hunza Valley
Dominated by Mt Raka poshi, and with its tapestry of terraced fields and irrigation channels, this is an extraordinarily beautiful place.The South Face of Batura in the western Karakoram.
Nanga Parbat.
The Killer Mountain, awesome from whichever side.

 Salt Range. 
Jutting out of the Punjab plains, this is a fine place for walks and exploring Hindu ruins.

 Baltistan.
Home to the Baltoro Glacier, K2 and other giants of the Karakoram, the region is a trekker's 
and mountaineer's dream.

 Thar Desert.
Travel from village to village across sands hardly touched by tourism.

 Chitral.
A hidden paradise in the far northwest, dominated by Tirich Mir, the highest mountain in the Hindu Kush.

 Makran Coast. 
A place of sublime beauty, with great hammerhead peninsulas dropping into the Arabian Sea.

 SwatValley 
A scenic trip from the Vale of Peshawar up to Mingora and beyond.
MAGNIFICENT MOSQUES

 Mosques are in different shapes and sizes. Here are some of the most impressive.
Badshahi Mosque.
One of the Lahore's best known landmarks, built by Aurangzeb to accommodate up to 
61,000 worshippers.

 Shah Jahan's Mosque. 
Sindh's outstanding contribution to Pakistan's Moghul heritage, famous for its acoustics and 
calligraphy.

 Wazir Khan's Mosque. 
Also in Lahore, built during the reign of Shah Jahan and famous for its tilework.

 Faisal Mosque. 
Islamabad's beautiful modern mosque, with enormous tent roof and pointy minarets.

 Bhang Mosque. Built over a period of 50 years in the 20th century, this is an eclectic mix of techniques and styles.


IMPRESSIVE FORTS

 The region was always strategically important, reflected in numerous forts that dot the landscape.

 Rohtas Fort. 
A fine example of Moghul military architecture just off the Grand Trunk Road south of Rawalpindi.

 Naukot. 
An astonishing brick-built edifice on the edge of the Thar Desert.
  
Lahore Fort.
One of the great Moghul forts, with its courtyards, pavilions and palaces including the famous Shish Mahal (Palace of Mirrors).

 Rannikot. 
In western Sindh beneath the Kirthar Range, this is claimed to be the largest fort in the world.

 Baltit Fort. 
Dating back around 700 years, this Tibetan style fort is defiantly perched on a strategic knoll overlooking the Hunza Valley.  

 Bala Hisar. See the Changing of the Guard and the Regimental Museum in Peshawar's historic bastion.
ANCIENT SITES

 The fertile Indus Valley was home to a constant flow of peoples and ideas.

 Moenjo Daro. 
The most impressive remains of the Indus Valley Civilisation, which flourished in the region between 3,000- 1 ,500BC. The city had a grid layout of streets, brick houses complete with plumbing, public baths, workshops and stores.

 Taxila.
Principal city of Gandhara which reached its height under the Buddhist Kushan kings. The remains of three ancient cities and numerous stupas and temples can still be seen.

 Tahkt-e-Bahi. 
The most impressive Buddhist monastery complex in Pakistan, beautifully preserved and in a glorious location.

 Other notable sites. 
Chaukundi Tombs, the port of Bhanbore,  the ruins of Harappa, Buddhist stupas in Swat, petroglyphs along the Silk Road.


SHRINES AND TOMBS

 Shrines and tombs are an important part of the national heritage and consciousness.

 Shah Jamal. 
Drummer Pappu Saeen and dervish dancers perform at .this shrine in Lahore every Thursday.

 Shah Rukn-e-Alam. 
The greatest shrine in that city of shrines, Multan & Multan is the oldest city in the world.

 Osman of Marwand 
In Sehwan Sharif. Both Hindus and Muslims gather here to honour their "Qalandar"

 Tomb of Bibi Jaiwindi 
In Uch sharif The most beautiful pre-Moghul building in Pakistan.

 Shah Abdul Latif 
At Bhit Shah. Devotional music can be heard every night of the year at the glorious shrine of the revered poet.

 Jahangir's Tomb.
At Shahdara in Lahore, this is an exquisite structure of red sandstone and marble.

 Quad-e-Azam Mausoleum. Jinnah's final resting place in Karachi.


OLD BAZAARS

 The old city bazaars are great places to browse,bargain and maybe chat to the locals.

 Peshawar. 
Each bazaar in the Old City is devoted to a product/trade: jewellery, meat, vegetables, brass and copper, leather, birds ... and more.

 Lahore.
Saunter through the Kashmiri Bazaar and adjoining streets within the Old City; Anarkali is another fascinating place to browse.

 Hyderabad. 
Sindh's second city has the longest bazaar in Pakistan, with congeries of alleys where almost anything may be purchased. Its clock tower was a British bequest.

 Karachi's 
covered Empress Market, which sells all manner of groceries. Zainab Market and Bohri Bazaar are also worth a visit.

 Rawalpindi. 
Rajah Bazaar is the bustling heart of Pindi's Old City.

 Sukkur. 
The covered vegetable market is full of character and colour.

 Gujranwala. A maze of tiny alleys spread over a huge area.



CULINARY HIGHLIGHTS
There are some great places to enjoy Pakistani, regional and ethnic cuisine.

 Food Street. 
Gawalmandi, Lahore's original "Food Street", has rows of eateries serving everything from nihari and kebabs to brain masala and Punjabi style fish.

 Namak Mandi. 
This Peshawar street is home to a number of Afghan restaurants, including the famous Salateen's and Charsi Tikka.

 Seafood. 
Enjoy pomfret, king-sized prawns and other specialities served up in Karachi's seafood restaurants.

 Apricots. 
Apricot soup (bateringe daudo) is just one of the specialities of Hunza; another is the meat-filled chapshuro.

 Dabbas. 
These are the truck drivers' pull-ups. What is available in a dabba may not be gracious living, hut it is freshly cooked food.

 Posh Restaurants. 
A bewildering choice along M. M. Alam Road in Lahore, at Zamzama and Clifton in Karachi, and at all the top end hotels.

MEMORABLE JOURNEYS
In Pakistan, the journey can often be every bit as exciting as the destination.

 Karakoram Highway (KKH). 
Connects the lowlands with China through some of the most impressive mountain terrain on the planet, also linking up with the even more dramatic Skardu.

 Grand Trunk Road. 
So many sights to see along this historic highway.

 Khyber Pass.
The famous pass can be visited by road, or aboard the Khyber Steam Safari.

 Islamabad-Gilgit flight. 
This takes just an hour, but the views of Nanga Parbat are stunning.

 Biafo/Hispar Glacier Trek. 
This challenging I22-km (7S-mile) trek connects Baltistan with Hunza amid some awesome scenery.

 Bolan Pass by rail. 
Whether going to, or coming from Quetta, this is one of the world's great railway journeys, criss crossing over bridges and passing through numerous tunnels.

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