1

You may need a permit for Multan. Whether or not you decide to go there, leave it off the itinerary you submit with you visa application.

2

my suggestion in order;

Karachi,
Thatta,
Makli
Bhanbor
Moenjodaro
Sukkur
Bahwalpur
Darawar Fort
uch Sharif
Multan,
Harappa
Lahore
Rohtas Fort
Rawalpinid
Taxila,
Takht Bai
Murree

3

It dpends upon your interest if you state it, then can suggest accordingly.

4

#2 has suggested a good itinerary to choose your preferred places from, imo. Makran Coast would be an addition to the list from my side. see this if this entices you: http://mozumbus.blogspot.com/2012/02/trip-report-cruising-through-great.html

I would also like to add than, which you might already know, that November-December is a very good time to visit the South and Central Pakistan as it is very hot otherwise.

Flying into Karachi makes good sense, imo, then you can travel upcountry to finally make it to Lahore.

Imo, you can miss Islamabad if you plan to revisit Pakistan, which you should to visit the beautiful Northern Areas. Islamabad goes well with the Northern Areas and you will avoid to-and-fro if you can afford to miss that this time. Just a thought..

Cheers

Muzzammil
http://mozumbus.blogspot.com

5

Hi guys,

Thanks for your responses!

My interests are (in no particular order): natural scenery, islamic architecture, pakistani culture & people and to some extent historic excavations/sights (I do have an interest, but i'm not a history buff pure-sang, so if there are only some remainders of foundations, I might skip on it)

@northan

Thanks a lot for your suggestions. I think Thatta, Makli and Bhambor can be combined on the same daytrip from Karachi, right? With regard to Moenjodaro, is it worth the effort? I heard there's not much remaining there. What is there to see in Sukkur? Is it worth to stop there? Or should i go straight to Bahwalpur from Karachi (by train) to explore Uch Sharif, Darawar Fort and Multan from there? Rohtas Fort seems like something I can't miss on my way to Islamabad. Would love to go to Takht Bhai, but i'm not sure about the safety situation there right now.

@ emmeff

Thanks for the suggestion! I'll leave it off then. What is the safety situation there right now (I read about the recent kidnappings)? Would it be safe to visit as a day-trip without staying over night there?

@mozumbus

That certainly looks fascinating! But again as it's quite a bit inwards Balochistan, how is the safety situation? Might be something to look into, if I can organize such a trip from Karachi. Would love to see the north, but it's not the right time of year, but of course this time is especially suited for sindh and punjab indeed :) I do tend to like visiting capital cities, even if there's not much to see by itself, as being in the political center often helps you understand the country better.

Thanks again for all the answers! :)

6

I am glad to see your feedback. It is indeed the right time to visit Sind and Punjab.

Regarding clubbing Makli etc in one day, we did exactly the same. you can see details here:

http://mozumbus.blogspot.com/2010/12/trip-report-away-from-urban-and-modern.html
http://mozumbus.blogspot.com/2010/12/trip-report-away-from-urban-and-modern_20.html

As far as Makran Coast is concerned, I guess security is a minor issue as Balochistan is too big a place to generalize. The main issue would be logistics and accommodation, as the area is still less frequented by travelers who travel for the sake of traveling. But this might be a charm in itself for many!

In any case, you may give me a buzz when in Karachi. I would be happy to have a cup of coffee with you and share travel experiences...

7

@mozumbus

Thanks again. Those pictures are really pretty. Seems like a great daytrip to make. I figured the logistics would be most difficult part, although you did it as a day trip, so that might be possible. Could probably rent a taxi for a day, but that might be expensive...

Sure, will let you know when there :)

8

My pleasure :-)

You are right, logistics might be a bit tricky but not that much. Taxi might be one good option.

9

@ rejdegroot

The itinerary in post #2 is perfect and pretty much covers everything worth seeing in the plains of Sindh and Punjab.

Moenjodaro is worth a visit for historical excavation sights. Given that you aren't a history buff, you might want to leave out Harappa as there isn't much there except vague outlines of the historical city. Assuming you'd take a bus, you'd need to break your Multan-Lahore Daewoo bus ride (recommended) at Sahiwal and hire private transport to visit Harappa.

Multan - It's safe. In fact it's safer than Karachi if you check the stats. Except for one blast, Multan has avoided the bombing spree of 2008-10. The kidnappings of two foreign NGO workers took place in January 2012. Tourists have had no problems in Multan and usual security considerations for long-term foreign residents do not apply to tourists on a short-term visit. So you'll be safe.

It is possible to take a day trip to Multan from your base in Bahawalpur. Bus takes around 2 hours one way. A better idea is to spend a night or two in Multan and take a Daewoo bus to Lahore. Otherwise you will be backtracking.

Bahawalpur is a good place to base for trips to Uch and Derawar Fort or even deep into Cholistan desert for overnight camping, if that's your cup of tea, provided you aren't travelling solo and get a permit in Bahawalpur.

Makran Coast - The usual security alarms valid for the rest of Balochistan do not apply to this stretch of land. It's quite safe as @ mozumbus said. If you have a knack for adventure you will enjoy the culture and landscape and savour the experience of a road less travelled. Private car hire is your best bet.

Good luck and safe travels.

@mozumbus: You have great trip reports and beautiful pictures. I enjoy reading your blog :)

10

most the answers alrady give.
you need two days to karachi, makli and banbhor thataa.
Takht bhai is safe and people visit there these days too.

11

Interesting post. I'm hopefully arriving at the land border from Iran at Zahedan around early November and cycling up to Lahore
I'm just filling out my Pakistan visa application form.
What areas should I leave off?
Can I get down to Gwadar / Turbat from that border crossing and head up the coast avoiding Quetta / Multan?

I understand visa situation is very changeable at the moment. I will say I am flying in / out of Islamabad.

12

Update on above.
I used losthorizontreks for my LOI and said I would be with them the whole time. My visa went through no problem.
I just hope I can get in now :)