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Pakistan is a South Asian country, globally being the 33rd largest areawise. Among the third-world countries, Pakistan ranking as an emerging economy. It is well known for its beauty worldwide, having many breathtaking landscapes, mountain ranges, and there is so much to explore for adventurers. The people here are very welcoming, friendly, and open-hearted, making the country a lovely place to be traveled.
Pakistan shares a border with China to its north-east, India to its east, with Iran running to its Southwest border, Afghanistan to its west, has a coastline along the Arabian Sea, and the Gulf of Oman in the south. Pakistan is a site of several ancient cultures ruled by various empires and dynasties, independence from the British Indian Empire in 1947. There is a vast diversity in the country about languages, ethnic groups, climate, geography, and wildlife.
Pakistan has four provinces – Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and federal territory. Gilgit Baltistan and Azad Jammu Kashmir regions are also part of Pakistan. The official languages are Urdu and English, with Punjabi, Pushto, Sindhi, Baloch, Kashmiri, Siraiki contributing to around 92% of the languages in use. The main ethnic groups in the country are Punjabis, Pashtuns, Sindhis, Saraikis, Muhajirs, Balochs.
The landscape of Pakistan varies from plains to deserts, hills, plateaus, and forests. Pakistan is divided into three major geographical areas, i.e.:
These mountain ranges contain K2 (8,611 meters) and Nanga Parbat ( 8,126 meters), Broad Peak, and Gasherbrum I-II, which are among the highest peaks on the earth, attracting adventurers, and mountaineers from all over the world.
The Indus river flows from the Kashmir region to the Arabian sea.
Balochistan Plateau lies in the west, with the Thar desert in the east.
Pakistan is in the latitudes where the temperatures are not extreme, not burning, and neither freezing. But the temperatures do vary significantly in winters and summer. And being in that temperate zone, the country has four beautiful seasons: summer, winter, autumn, and spring.
The summers are hot, and the winters are cold, with a wide variation in the temperature depending upon the location. In most of its parts, they experience a dry climate with very little rainfall. But the temperatures still vary in the winter and summer from place to place, depending on the location. As it is an amalgam of plains, mountains, coastal areas, and deserts, having warm areas and frozen mountains that can reach at a specific time of the year.
Winters in some parts of Pakistan are ore of some “stay-at-home” type ones – Cool and dry, starting from November till mid-March. The temperature peak is measure in January, which is 4 degrees Centigrade in Punjab and below zero degrees centigrade in the northern areas.
The winter season is followed by the most beautiful of all, i.e., the Spring season, from February till April. The weather is moderate and is suitable for traveling the cities as there is greenery everywhere with flowers blooming, and a cool breeze adds to the joy.
The longest among all is the summer season lasting from April to September. Weather gets extremely hot in Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, and KPK but the northern areas have the perfect climates. There is a monsoon, which starts in July and finishes in September. The Monson stabilize the weather now and then, with most of the rainfall in July and August.
Punjab is the most populous and agriculturally fertile province of Pakistan, home to a large multi-ethnic, hospitable population. Around 60% population of the country lives in Punjab. It is the second-largest province concerning the area. The capital city of Punjab is Lahore, with the largest size as well. Punjab is the only province that has borders with every other state of the country. The people here speak the local language, Punjabi mostly, but Urdu is also read and spoken on a large scale by educated people. In southern Punjab, the language mainly spoken is Siraiki.
You can get to Punjab through a direct flight from anywhere in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, landing in Lahore or Islamabad. The Allama Iqbal Airport in Lahore has British Airways, Virgin, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Thai Airways, Indian Airways, Pakistan International Airlines, Uzbekistan Airways, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Kuwait Airways. In addition to which the operating airlines in Benazir Bhutto Airport are China Southern Airlines, Ariana Afghan Airlines, and British Airways.
From India, you can also enter Punjab through the Wagah border by Samjhauta Express, which you will have to take from Delhi. This train will directly take you to Lahore. Traveling by train has its pros but traveling by bus or car through Grand Trunk Road is often suggested for tourists than traveling by train as it will be cheap and will give you enough time to enjoy your journey.
And from China, traveling can be done in mere fifty dollars by road via the Karakoram Highway, which connects Kashgar to Gilgit through local transport, making a 17-hour journey towards Islamabad. This route will keep you captivated throughout by the beauty of the Karakoram and Himalayan mountains, making the path worth taking.
Once you are in Punjab, you must visit all the historical sites here. The historical places are worth visiting to explore the human-made wonders. The enchanting carved walls and the substantial mysterious structures will take you to another world. These places include Shahi Qila and Badshahi Mosque, Jahangir’s Tomb, the Wazir Khan Mosque, the city of Taxila, the ruins of Harrapa, Indus Valley Civilization, Qila Darawar, and much more. These places give you an insight into the lifestyles and cultures of the people who lived in these regions centuries ago.
Apart from the historical places, Punjab introduces you to its beauty through its old bazaars, from where you can never return without getting a sense of nostalgia.
And other places that you must visit include the Cholistan desert, Hasanabdal, and Nankana Sahib – the Sikh holy site and Khewra Salt mine. Every city of Punjab has its landmarks and got its reasons for its popularity. The famous cities of Punjab are Lahore- the provincial capital, Murree, Bahawalpur- a city of Nawab, Faisalabad- the textile hub of the country, Sahiwal- for the civilization of Harrapa, Gujranwala- the city of wrestlers, Rawalpindi, Sialkot, Multan- known for its mangoes and mosques.
Along with Para-gliding and Trekking, to enjoy your visit to the fullest, you must not miss the Desert safari and Jeep rallies in the Cholistan desert, held in the second week of February. Visit the art galleries and museums if you have an interest in understanding the culture more.
One of the attractions that attract people from around the world to Punjab is its mouth-watering cuisine. The dishes Punjab is known for include Kebabs, Beef Nihari, Paye, Halwa Puri, Maghaz, Roasted chicken, Mutton Biryani, Chicken Tikka, Chicken Haleem, Mutton Pullav. Other cuisines include the different types of daals and vegetables with or without meat based on an individual’s or family’s personal preference. As a dessert, Halwa or some mithai with the only drink typical all around the country – tea.
Balochistan is the largest province of Pakistan, covering 48% of the territory of the country. The main cities of Balochistan are Quetta, Gwadar, Pishin, Taftan. You can enter the Province through Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta, Faisalabad, or Multan.
From Iran, you can enter Balochistan by train or buses through Zahedan to Quetta. To move around in the province, you need to travel by bus. The best place to spend most of your travel time should be Quetta.
Places to visit in Balochistan are Hanna Lake of Urak Valley, Pir Ghaib, Kharkhassa, Pishin Valley, Ziarat. Hazarganji Chiltan National Park, providing habitat to Chiltan ibexes, Khojak Pass, leading to Chaman border of Afghanistan, Bolan Pass, Lak Pass, Harnai Pass, and the very newly discovered ancient civilization of Mehrgarh.
Folk dancing, horse jumping, and horse riding are among the festivities of the region. Other destinations to be witnessed are the Chaman railway tunnel, one of the biggest and oldest in the world, Juniper Forests of Ziarat, Makran Coastal Highway, PC Gawadar Beach resort Wetland of Bund Khushdil Khan Pishin valley.
The most beautiful and captivating place to be visited in Balochistan is Pir Ghaib, 70km away from Quetta. It has a waterfall cascading down a mountainside. Pishin Valley is another attractive site center to a lot of orchards, 50 km away from Quetta. The Lake Bund Khushdil Khan is also in Pishin. Ziarat is a beautiful City in Balochistan and has its name because of the Holy shrine of Tahir Baba Kharwari. It is also famous for being Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s summer vacation home, which is now converted into a museum afterward.
The famous Balochi cuisines are Sajji, Kaak, Khaddi Kebab. In drinks, the Balochi people have Doodh Patti, Kawa ( Green tea), Sharbat-e- Sandal. The valley of Quetta and Urak export delicious fruits all over the country as well as abroad. Urak is also known as SAMARISTAN, i.e., the land of Fruits.
Sindh is one of the culturally rich provinces of Pakistan. Karachi is the capital, which is also the twelfth largest city in the world. Karachi, as its capital which is also its industrial and financial center of Pakistan. This province is a plain area surrounded by the Thar desert, Arabian Sea, and Kirthar mountains.
The main cities of Sindh are Karachi, Hala, Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas, Larkana, Nawabshah, Sukkur, and Thatta.
You can arrive in Sind by air at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport from anywhere in the world. Most airlines have direct or transit flights to Karachi, including Emirates, Qatar Airways, Indian Airlines, Saudi Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Kuwait Airlines, Air China, Biman Bangladesh Airlines, Syrian Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Cathy Pacific, Iran Airlines, and Turkmenistan Airlines. You can also enter the province by boat from its coastal city – Karachi. Pakistan Railway connects the major cities of the country to Karachi, providing a smooth journey. You can also roam around in the province by well-structured roads through National Highway, RCD highway, and Makran coastal highway.
There is so much to see in the Sind province of Pakistan. Some of the famous places include the Ruins of Mohenjodaro, Ranikot Fort, Bhambore, Karachi seafront, and Shewan Sharif.
For entertainment, there are many water parks in Karachi, i.e., Water world, Samzu, Fiesta, Sunway Lagoon, and Cosy.
The most famous dish of the Province is Sai bhaji Chawal and Sindhi Biryani. Sindhis generally consume flatbread and rice with gravy. Sweet-dishes famous in Karachi are Vermicelli and Kheer Khar-Kun.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, also known as North-West Frontier Province, has a spectacular landscape and cultural diversity. Peshawar is the provincial capital. Mostly the languages spoken in the region are Pashto and Hindko. The major cities of the province include Peshawar, Abbottabad, Hangu, Havelian, Naran.
Kalash Valley in Chitral District, Kaghan Valley, and Swat Valleys are famous places. Here you can rent a jeep and hire a guide for hiking in the mountains. In summers, Naran is popular among domestic tourists for its serenity, and the lake “Saif ul Mulook” and the hilltops of Siri Paye and the Shoogran valley.
Peshawar is the capital of KPK, is famous for the old interior city, Peshawar fort, food street, and the storyteller Bazar. Other places to see in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa include Bala Hisar Fort, Burj Hari Singh, Panch Tirath, Jogan Shah, Pakhtu Academy, Ghanta Ghar, Avitabile’s Pavilion, Victoria Memorial Hall.
The famous food in KPK is Chapli Kebab, Beef kebab, BBQ, Karahi meat, and Faluda. The food is accompanied by kawa and Sharbat-e-Sandal, in winters and summers, respectively.
The tribal areas near Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, known as FATA ( the federally administered tribal areas), are now merged in the KPK province.
Gilgit Baltistan is also known as the northern area of Pakistan. It is a self-governing region that has also earned the nickname the Jewel of Pakistan for its immense beauty. The famous Karakoram Highway (Silk Route), the landscapes, three highest mountain ranges of the world – the Karakoram, the Himalayas, and the Hindukush mountains have been attracting mountaineer, trekkers, merchants, and explorers for many centuries. Being home to five out of the fourteen worlds highest mountains, having heights above eight thousand meters – K2, Nanga Parbat, Gasherbrum1, Broad Peak, Gasherbrum 2, and the Baltoro region is a mountaineering hub. Gilgit Baltistan is also home to some of the longest glaciers on earth. The four glaciers of Gilgit Baltistan – Siachen, Biafo, Baltoro, and Batura are among the world’s seven longest glaciers.
Gilgit Baltistan region has three divisions:
Comprising ten districts, and Gilgit and Skardu as the administrative centers. The major cities are Gilgit, Karimabad, and Skardu. Gilgit is the capital of Gilgit Baltistion. Skardu is the capital of the Baltistan region, and Chilas is the capital of the Diamer district. Local languages of Gilgit Baltistan include Khowar, Burushaski, Shina, Balti, and Wakhi.
From outside, you can enter Gilgit Baltistan only from China through the Karakoram Highway. There is no International airport in these regions, so Islamabad is the nearest international airport to arrive, then get a PIA flight to Gilgit and Skardu in about 50 minutes. Islamabad to Gilgit and Skardu flights provide a spectacular mountain view of the Karakoram and the Himalayan mountain ranges. These flights do take place daily, but it is subject to the weather. Most people travel on Karakoram Highway when their flights get canceled. The Karakoram Highway connects Gilgit to Kashgar, China, via SUST and Khunjerab Pass. There are various public transport companies, including Northern Areas Transport Corporation and Silk Route Transport Corporation, to help you roam around in these areas.
The places you must visit in Gilgit Baltistan are Fairy Meadows, K2 Base camp, Concordia, Snow lake, Baltoro, Hunza Valley, Sadpara Lake, Kachura Lake, Deosai, and Khunjerab National Park.
The high altitude lakes in Gilgit-Baltistan are Sheosar, Satpara, Katchura, Borith, Rama, Rush, Kromber, Kharfak, Gorishing Xho, and Majaa Sagar Lake. Things you can do in Gilgit Baltistan are the Karakoram Air Safari, mountaineering, K2 Base camp trek, K2 and Gondogoro la trek, Snow Lake hispar la trek, skiing, attend the Shandur Polo Festival and fishing at Satpara Lake.
Rich in natural beauty, Azad Jammu and Kashmir is also a self-governing entity just like Gilgit-Baltistan. Muzaffarabad is the capital of the region. Other prominent cities of Azad Jammu and Kashmir are Mirpur and Bagh. You should be well aware of the Line of Control separating Azad Kashmir from the Indian-held Kashmir.
You can not enter the region by plane or by road from outside Pakistan. Islamabad is the nearest international airport to arrive. From there, you can locally travel in 4 to 5 hours by road to the capital Muzaffarabad, with beautiful natural views of hills, rivers, and forests. The magnificent snow-covered peaks, velvet green plateaus, and valleys make it a great tourist attraction. The local languages spoken in the region are Pashto, Mirpuri, Gojri, Hindko, and Pahari.
The beautiful places you must visit are Neelum valley, Jhelum valley, Leepa valley, Rawalkot, Palandri, Billan Nar, Dheerkot, Niyarain Shareef. There is a fort in Palandri from the Sikh period.
Pakistan is the hidden gems of South Asia. Explore the country and nature while it is still in its raw form and not overcrowded. The friendly people of Pakistan welcomes visitors from all over the world to witness its natural beauty, cultural diversity and heritage, traditional food, historical places, and Local Bazars. Its geographical diversity comprising lively cities, beautiful lakes, and high mountain peaks, makes it a perfect place to visit.
