Print
Email
Bookmark & shareCrowded city of contrasts, commerce and occasional crisis.
Pakistan's commercial centre and largest city is a sprawling place of bazaars, hi-tech electronic shops, scurf-infested older buildings, modish new hotels and sweeping vistas over the Arabian sea. Intermittent civil unrest has impacted on the flow of tourism to the city.
Sights are spread far and wide so it's best to travel by taxi or rickshaw. A good place to start is the Quaid-i-Azam Mausoleum, a monument to Pakistan's founder Mohammed Ali Jinnah. More impressive is the white-marbled Defence Housing Society Mosque with its single dome, claimed to be the largest of its kind in the world.
Karachi has the dubious distinction of having a more visible security presence than perhaps any other Pakistani city. If your flight touches down in the middle of the night, it would be wise to wait until sunrise before catching a taxi and it may be sensible to avoid catching buses.
Nightlife in Karachi is an oxymoron.
Travel Warning: Sectarian Tension
There is a risk of sectarian unrest and terrorism in Karachi and many governments suggest their citizens register travel and contact details before departing. The security situation is volatile so it's wise to keep up with current affairs. On 10 April, clashes between rival groups of lawyers resulted in 11 deaths. Many vehicles were set on fire, and the unrest spread across the city.
There have been several fatal bombings in and near Karachi over the past few years. Use commonsense and vigilance to avoid potentially dangerous situations and heed any local advice.
severity: High-level alert
Fast Facts
Population
9,339,023
Currency
Name: Pakistan Rupee
Code: PKR
Symbol: Rs
Electrical Plugs
220/240V 50Hz
Languages Spoken
Official: Urdu, English
Essential: Panjabi
Time Zones
GMT/UTC +5
Country Dialing Code
+92
Weights & Measures
Metric
Advertisement
Hotels & Hostels
Booking hotels is simple with Lonely Planet. See our reviewed and recommended hotels in one place and book online. Browse hotels ›
Lonely Planet Newsletters
Updates, offers and inspiration - straight to your inbox.
Subscribe now ›
Disclaimer: We've tried to make the information on this web site as accurate as possible, but it is provided 'as is' and we accept no responsibility for any loss, injury or inconvenience sustained by anyone resulting from this information. You should verify critical information (like visas, health and safety, customs and transportation) with the relevant authorities before you travel.
